Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

OFF : Re: Word Construction for a New Conlang

From:From Http://Members.Aol.Com/Lassailly/Tunuframe.Html <lassailly@...>
Date:Thursday, July 8, 1999, 7:20
Dans un courrier dat=E9 du 08/07/99 06:30:17  , Nik a =E9crit :

> with occasions when I decide to modify the phonology, at which > point I may have to revise my lexicon, altering words with > newly-illegalized syllables, or changing random words to newly-legalized > syllables.
interestingly, most if not all of us seem sticking to "laws" they choose themselves for syntax, phonology or semantics. as Didier told me once : "my conlang comes out by itself but i=20 tidy it up cause i want to stay the master". are these self-imposed rules a necessary fuel to creativity or are they checks and balances containing it ? some of us start it up by making laws, some with random words and sentence, some both. i never felt i made these laws to mimick natlangs. quite to the contrary. i feel i made some of them in the beginning to make it sure i was not relexing natlangs just as if i wanted to be different through my language. now i don't care anymore about relex and difference. conscious laws give the feeling that a conlang could be a 'real' one, but without the ennui of real ones. like children's games and toys are for. you want a red toy car. you don't care about the blue one. when you're adult you buy a red car. but conlangers build it. then realize blue is ok and anyway they've got plenty of paint of all colours available. now check the engine : "wow ! didn't know 't was so complex ! how could i make it work better ?". then check the body : "look at this profile ! how can i correct it ?". etc. mathias