Search found 77 matches

by abi
29 Dec 2019 12:53
Forum: Teach & Share
Topic: Ogden's "Basic English" for other languages?
Replies: 24
Views: 7910

Re: Ogden's "Basic English" for other languages?

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Basic_English_word_list I find this list strange and question how wikipedia went about making it. Words like "harmony" and "secretary" seem like less common and more abstract outliers in the list, and there are a lot of near synonyms like ...
by abi
27 Jun 2019 08:50
Forum: Conworlds & Concultures
Topic: Random Conworld idea thread
Replies: 486
Views: 179687

Re: Random Conworld idea thread

I've been thinking up names for an interstellar current than just generic credits. I'm leaning towards the "uno." I got the name from the idea of the euro, used by many European countries, and the "uno" is supposed to be a universal currency, hence the name. Also, "uno"...
by abi
02 Jan 2019 19:25
Forum: Linguistics & Natlangs
Topic: English Dialects
Replies: 78
Views: 43950

Re: English Dialects

Strange to see so many americans here with [ɚ] over a hard [ɻ] as I've always considered myself to have a bland, typical "midwestern" accent despite never having actually lived in the midwest (the few times I've been to Michigan people called me out on vocab like "y'all" and &quo...
by abi
02 May 2018 09:54
Forum: Linguistics & Natlangs
Topic: What language could this person speak?
Replies: 15
Views: 12446

Re: What language could this person speak?

Obviously Java is short for Javanese and are from Indonesia, so probably Indonesian. [;)]
by abi
07 Aug 2017 06:27
Forum: Linguistics & Natlangs
Topic: Is modern grammar writing simply better?
Replies: 13
Views: 4996

Re: Is modern grammar writing simply better?

My biggest gripe is with grammars that use nonstandard conventions. A lot of old grammar and phonology texts have some weird transcriptions before the IPA was standardized (like ħ for ç), and even now I come across a paper or two that is well aware of the IPA but chooses not to use it for some esote...
by abi
16 Jul 2017 10:22
Forum: Linguistics & Natlangs
Topic: Post-Modern English
Replies: 38
Views: 14016

Re: Post-Modern English

I always thought it would be interesting if English develops "reverse" conjugation from the traditional european languages; instead of conjugation based on the subject (I have vs He has) we get it based off the object: -Haveme vs Haveya vs Havim vs Haver vs Havit, etc. or even more with pa...
by abi
15 Apr 2017 20:06
Forum: Conlangs
Topic: Funny Speech Quirks and More!
Replies: 40
Views: 7881

Re: Funny Speech Quirks and More!

I don't really round any of my vowels. Like, they sound "rounded" yet my lips hardly move. I have a really hard time trying to speak german.
by abi
28 Dec 2016 18:37
Forum: Conlangs
Topic: If your conlang were a natlang...
Replies: 94
Views: 12484

Re: If your conlang were a natlang...

Probably a native american language or some sort. Translation from the first bit of Wikipedia's entry for foxes: Lútaak sí wa yunʔ ɲúúɲee nééʔréyuurí yenhaat luɲee, wa seeʔ káán taahke nííhukwuuwáá tíírenluɲee. Luhré ʔaaklaak naakyaarí, héét kuutʔi ráátuuyaarí, heɲúúk yeeʔaanyaarísí, wa nuuyu heeʔu ...
by abi
20 Nov 2016 04:54
Forum: Linguistics & Natlangs
Topic: I want to learn another language
Replies: 4
Views: 2119

Re: I want to learn another language

Why not Russian? Tons of speakers, many monolingual, lots of learning resources, lots of media (cartoons, movies, music, etc.), and the cool factor is pretty high. Foreign enough to seem different but still IE so it doesn't feel hopelessly alien.
by abi
21 Oct 2016 04:51
Forum: Beginners' Corner
Topic: Question about tonal languages.
Replies: 4
Views: 2043

Re: Question about tonal languages.

You might find these interesting: http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/pdf/variatielinguistiek/tone/donohue.pdf http://www.phonetik.uni-muenchen.de/~hoole/pdf/hoole_tal.pdf http://mproctor.net/docs/shaw14_ISSP_tone-vowel.pdf http://gep.ruhosting.nl/carlos/naravoweldurationtex.pdf http://roa.rutgers.edu/files...
by abi
23 Jul 2016 12:02
Forum: Beginners' Corner
Topic: Word Order
Replies: 8
Views: 2405

Re: Word Order

Depends on what you're going for. If you want a "normal" language then SVO or SOV is the obvious choice. But if it's a personal language or one that you don't mind being a little off the beaten trail then OSV is fine. I've found that some languages tend to just "fit" with certain...
by abi
06 Feb 2016 17:09
Forum: Beginners' Corner
Topic: Conlanging through Translation
Replies: 7
Views: 2452

Re: Conlanging through Translation

I usually come up with a phonetic inventory, orthography, grammar outline, about 50-60 words, and a few dozen simple sentences to get a feel for the language before I start translating. Translating for me is mainly a way to get common vocab and derivation without slogging through lists of "most...
by abi
23 Jan 2016 23:56
Forum: Linguistics & Natlangs
Topic: English without GVS?
Replies: 31
Views: 8981

Re: English without GVS?

Aleks wrote:Rolled R would definitely spice it up.
Considering rolled is the standard/more common "r" sound, I'd say english has the spicier phoneme. Combine that with our lovely /T, D/ and vowel system and I'd say we have a pretty flavorful language here.
by abi
01 Dec 2015 23:05
Forum: Beginners' Corner
Topic: Reforming Ido - Worth the Effort?
Replies: 20
Views: 4223

Re: Reforming Ido - Worth the Effort?

The elimination of "tu" (the "personal" form of 'you,' used only in French so far as I know) Formal vs Personal you is pretty much used in all IE but english, and exists in many non IE languages as well. Also variants of "tu" is universal in european languages, again, ...
by abi
14 Nov 2015 23:56
Forum: Translations
Topic: Blank Space
Replies: 15
Views: 4611

Re: Blank Space

:con: Mihok Translation 1: Ńoiternasle mohai kogi vanas nekut. ńoi.tern.as.le Ø.mohai Ø.kogi vanas si.nekut want.hold.PRES.COND NOM-M.boy ABS-V.love like NOM-N.torture Boys only want love if [love] is like torture. Translation 2: Ńoiternas namohai cekogi, la jesassi nekut. ńoi.tern.as na.mohai cekog...
by abi
17 Oct 2015 23:09
Forum: Conlangs
Topic: What should I translate into my conlang
Replies: 6
Views: 1876

Re: What should I translate into my conlang

I'd recommend against translating poetry as its very language specific and usually allows for non-standard grammatical formations. After your language is fairly "complete" (grammar functional, large and diverse vocab) would I start doing poetry. I find small, straightforward texts like Sch...
by abi
16 Jun 2014 03:18
Forum: Everything Else
Topic: Metal Thread
Replies: 335
Views: 151504

Re: Metal Thread

Anyone have any recommendations for more stuff like this? Wolfchant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJNM9a8bV1U Sonata Arctica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7oOWO6xT3Y Helloween: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BfZFh_ipeA Here's some miscellaneous metal for no one in particular: Xenomorph (de...
by abi
30 May 2014 18:34
Forum: Beginners' Corner
Topic: Grammatical gender
Replies: 17
Views: 5044

Re: Grammatical gender

I've always found Australian noun class systems fascinating, as they combine gender and animacy in a wide variety of ways, with some languages being very clear cut and others and arbitrary as european languages. My personal favorite from Australian Languages : One of the most insightful discussions ...
by abi
12 May 2014 02:55
Forum: Beginners' Corner
Topic: Razen Franca scratchpad
Replies: 8
Views: 2141

Re: Razen Franca scratchpad

Mkei radena.
Is there "nasal" assimilation for the Razen? [mk -> ŋk] If so would they get Mkei and Ngkei confused when listening to a human?