Re: Creating a metaconlang; anyone want to join?

This, or more specifically your idea "A" (conlang over a limited channel) is
something I've pondered too. The specific context I have been considering is
a different one however: a religious ritual language based on repeating a
mantra.

I had not considered body language (and indeed, I would like this to remain
writable), and randomly inserted sighs, clicks, etc don't sound enticing to
me either, but tones would be OK. I had however also planned to use some
manoeuvres you did not (explicitely) mention:
* Phoneme splits. Say the host language is English - one could then split
eg. /tS/ into 18 different consonants based on alveolar vs retroflex vs
alveolo-palatal; tenuis vs aspirated vs ejectiv; and plain vs labialized.
* Syntax changes. The fact that the "carrier" here is a single mantra and
not the complete host language givs quite a bit of leeway that might not be
otherwise available.
* Synonym variation, probably including arcaic and/or dialectal allomorphy.
In order to be compatible with phoneme splits, this would probably have to
specify wide semantic categories, while the latter would then further
specify them down...
I suppose technically, these mostly have more to do with your idea "C",
actually, since the resulting code would not be adaptable for an arbitrary
carrier phrase.

Alas, before I get the host language to an usable state (and I might need
the conreligion too...) this isn't going to progress much.

John Vertical

Reply