Newest Questions
647 questions
1
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Is there a term for a case combining genitive (of) and abalative (from) in the manner of the Spanish preposition 'de'?
Biased by long familiarity with Spanish, combining the 'of' and 'from' functions seems sufficiently intuitive to me that I would have guessed some case languages do so too. (I am aware of 'desde.') ...
- 1,398
2
votes
2
answers
41
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Physical Dictionary for a Conlang
I want to use a notebook (It has binders) to record my conlang's lexicon, so I'm looking for some method of organizing it, so the words are easy to find. The 2 main problems are:
Should I organize it ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
77
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What is the feasibility of a heavily consonant and vowel reduced lang?
I have a personallang called Kininini that I am working on at the moment once again.
This one is rather unique compared to most of my other langs because it has a substantially reduced amount of ...
- 121
3
votes
4
answers
377
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Temporary Possesive case
Is anyone aware of a language, natlang or conlang, that has, for lack of a different term, has a Temporary Possessive case?
What I mean is a case the essentially indicates "this thing that is ...
- 773
2
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0
answers
46
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Can finiteness markers evolve into non-finiteness markers?
I'm trying to figure out how two of my existing languages, Mtsqrveli and Apshur, could fit together into the same family, given a lot of accidental similarity in their morphology. However, there is ...
- 1,004
2
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3
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134
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How do i construct a language for my novel that has 150 phonemes-- 105 consonants, 40 vowels and 5 clicks?
I am a novelist working on building my own language for my next project. My language involves 150 phonemes. Not being a linguist, I don't know where to start. Your help in this regard will be very ...
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2
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2
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136
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How can a language for telepathic communication be structured?
In the scenario for this language, in the future (22nd and 23rd centuries), humans use headsets called nrnods that allow for telepathic communication on a global scale. Since this essentially throws ...
Mochi
6
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0
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92
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ConLang for a pet that talks through buttons...?
crossposted from Writing...
Talking Pets...?
I am fascinated (while skeptical) of the 'talking pet' audio-button trend.
For reference, this video shows a woman talking to her cat about a storm. The ...
- 161
3
votes
1
answer
96
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Constructed varieties of existing languages that are still at least to some extent intelligible
I am interested in the literary use of constructed language varieties like - most famously probably - Nadsat and Newspeak. I am currently trying to compile a list of varieties I can find. There is ...
- 131
2
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2
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74
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What is Lexember?
There is an annual event in the conlang community named Lexember. I want to know what makes up this event. I'd also like to see links to exemplary contributions to Lexember.
- 11.8k
4
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1
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96
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Evolving mood and aspect from the same auxiliaries?
I know for one of my languages I want there to be a realis vs. irrealis distinction in the verb paradigm - but I'm not entirely sure how to get there.
In Routes towards the irrealis (Andrea Sansò, ...
- 1,004
3
votes
1
answer
67
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How could a base-8 system form naturally in a naturalistic conlang?
Counting base systems in languages usually come from how the culture in question counts using their fingers, like the base-10 with all the fingers counted (1x5x2) or the base-12 where you count the ...
3
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1
answer
57
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What counts as a word in a conlang's lexicon?
I'd like to count how many words I have created so far and am wondering what I should consider a word. Is it standard practice to include, for example:
verbs/adjectives etc. derived from nouns (e.g. ...
- 215
4
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1
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100
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Where to find conlangers on the Fediverse?
I am interested in finding conlangers or even speech communities of some conlangs on the fediverse (most prominently represented by Mastodon). What are good accounts to follow?
Just now (i.e., in the ...
- 11.8k
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0
answers
21
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Words for an association of an object with an emotion [closed]
How would you coin a word, for:
a word, for dealing with a person, where
...
the word was something in a situational experience
the situation, was known to the listener
the situation, was ...
1
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0
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19
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Words for interaction dynamics, specific [closed]
How would you construct a word to describe the following scenario:
a person talks to you, in one to one correspondence, between a word (or set of words) said, and a face portrayed
the face, changes, ...
4
votes
1
answer
90
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Split condition for nominalization pathway used only in certain verbs
There is a construction I would like to formally incorporate into one of my language's verb system, which involves rendering the main verb as a noun, which is then possessed by the participant that ...
- 1,004
5
votes
5
answers
146
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What are examples for the use of reduplication in conlangs?
I have the feeling that the potential of reduplication is underexplored by conlangers. There are lots of fancy possibilities for reduplication; the above cited Wikipedia article describes them in ...
- 11.8k
2
votes
1
answer
39
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Construction of sets of languages and stories for kids in those languages
This is a software engineering question.
How would you use a script to create not one language but four languages whose words were made up of pieces of words of all four languages, and then make a set ...
3
votes
1
answer
179
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How do I make my language *look* weird?
We have some discussion of creating "weird" phonology already. But often, people will encounter conlangs by seeing them written. And many of those weirdnesses won't come across well in ...
- 4,966
7
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1
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181
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How to Construct Phonotactics?
For use in worldbuilding, I am intending to construct some fictional names in a fictional language. I want the phonotactics in those names to be distinct from the more widely-known real-world ...
3
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2
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187
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A conlang without adpositions (would this system work)?
Wondering if this sort of system would get rid of adpositions:
The cat is on the table.
the cat on-be the table.
She walked through the park.
she through-walked the park.
They sat under the tree.
...
- 1,870
6
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1
answer
113
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Could a European language include dental clicks?
I’m developing a fictional European language and am considering incorporating a range of phonetic elements that are not typically found in European languages. One feature I’m curious about is the ...
- 161
4
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1
answer
61
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Transformed vs. untransformed objects
I had an idea to spice up the core argument cases in one of my languages: what if there were separate object cases for an object that undergoes a change of state, vs. an object that does not?
By this ...
- 1,004
4
votes
1
answer
99
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Are there specific name forms for Interlingua?
While it is not uncommon for Esperanto speakers to use Esperantised name forms like Ludoviko, the Interlingua community usually uses the native spelling of personal names. But I want to know, if there ...
- 11.8k
3
votes
1
answer
108
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How to come up with novel words for exact concepts that result from specific fact combinations: word coining acts
Here is something I would like to be able to describe with a single word:
"You hold something in your hand (or that somethibng is perhaps in your pocket or attached to your body in done way), you ...
4
votes
2
answers
185
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Evolving tense from a tenseless proto-language
I'm trying to come up with a verb system as confusing as Georgian, where expressing TAM involves the combination of many affixes whose individual meaning has been lost to time.
I want the daughter ...
- 1,004
3
votes
1
answer
67
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With infix connectives, how to handle edge cases?
Suppose we have a language containing an infix connective for building some sort of sequence. For example, perhaps our terminals are natural numbers and commas, and we are considering fragments like &...
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1
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59
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Would the Numerical Tongue be adapted? [closed]
Last year on October I applied for a Guinness World Record where I proposed to write the Bible in numbers using a concept I refer to as the Universal Tongue. My proposal was declined because it didn't ...
5
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1
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207
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How does the writing system 12480 work?
I've been trying to come up with a language for a science fiction book, and I came across 12480, which I think would make a good base for the language. The only problem is, I'd like a general idea of ...
- 143