What kind of conlanger are you?

What can I say? It doesn't fit above, put it here. Also the location of board rules/info.
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Birdlang »

I’m moreso a filler because I have my own conworld with multiple languages spoken by different peoples.
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eldin raigmore
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by eldin raigmore »

What do you call a conlanger who has two conlangs, one for decades, and has made precious little progress on any of them?
I’m that kind.
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Dormouse559
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Dormouse559 »

eldin raigmore wrote: 11 Jun 2020 19:44 What do you call a conlanger who has two conlangs, one for decades, and has made precious little progress on any of them?
I’m that kind.
I mean, the loyalist description gets into specifics about progress, but I'd still say that category fits best.

The last time I posted here, I said I was a scrapper, which was accurate, given the categories that had been listed at the time. But given I've been working almost exclusively on Silvish for several years now, it seems I'm more in loyalist territory. And now with me deciding to work on the Silvish dialects (of which there are many), there's even a soupçon of filler.

Looking at the archetypes available now, I might have classed my past conlanging as perfectionist. There maybe wasn't a final vision, but I had a strong sense of each new conlang improving on the previous one.
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by eldin raigmore »

Dormouse559 wrote: 11 Jun 2020 22:54Looking at the archetypes available now, I might have classed my past conlanging as perfectionist. There maybe wasn't a final vision, but I had a strong sense of each new conlang improving on the previous one.
Is there a category for “perfectionist to the point of catatonia”?
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Creyeditor »

eldin raigmore wrote: 11 Jun 2020 23:04
Dormouse559 wrote: 11 Jun 2020 22:54Looking at the archetypes available now, I might have classed my past conlanging as perfectionist. There maybe wasn't a final vision, but I had a strong sense of each new conlang improving on the previous one.
Is there a category for “perfectionist to the point of catatonia”?
I read Catalonia [:D]
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by eldin raigmore »

Creyeditor wrote: 12 Jun 2020 00:17
eldin raigmore wrote: 11 Jun 2020 23:04Is there a category for “perfectionist to the point of catatonia”?
I read Catalonia [:D]
So did autocorrect.
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Khemehekis »

Am I misunderstanding scrappers?

I had always made the unchecked assumption that scrappers wanted, one day, to settle down, and become loyalists, or maybe even fillers or circumnavigators. They started out thinking they liked a conlang, then decided that it sounded ugly or that its grammar was unworkable or just that it was simply newbish, and then they would scrap it for a new one. I understood scrappers as trying out different things in an attempt to find a conlang they liked and could stick with and put tremendous energy into -- like dating twenty different guys before making one lucky man your husband.

However, recently Elemtilas showed me a link to a Reddit conversation in which he mentioned my Khemehekis Conlanger Taxonomy. The whole conversation may be read here: https://www.reddit.com/r/conlangs/comme ... onception/

In it, this person by the screenname WEN_QONHIUNG begins by asking:
In the conlang Discord server, someone told me that most conlangers have no intention of turning their projects into serious things that other people will actually use, but rather, they're fun little thought exercises from which their creators move on once they get bored and want to make a new one.

This was incredibly disappointing to hear, because I've been working on one conlang for almost seven years and I fully intend for it to be put to use by more people than just me, mostly for use in fictional works, as a bridge for learning sibling natlangs, or just for the joy of cryptic conversation.

Anyone else here working on their one major legacy project for which they hold high hopes?
There's also the comment:
The person on the Discord was right, most conlangers are language nerds who make conlangs for fun and rarely develop them fully. Even if they spend lots of time on them and develop them further, they are still usually personal passion projects.
So these people are saying that the majority of conlangers don't even plan to stick with their languages? They make, scrap, make, scrap, make conlangs for fun?

As a filler, it is hard for me to get into the head of a scrapper. As the regulars here know, my most developed conlang, Kankonian, has been being developed for 24 years and has a lexicon of over 72,000 words, while I have two other Leholangs, Shaleyan and Achel, that each have over 3,000 words. I've been working on Shaleyan since 1998 and Achel since 2020 -- or was it 2019? I've also had Hapoish and Cetonian for more than two decades, and Hitan, Tentan, Bodusian, and Palang are about 15 years old.

I am not the typical conlanger. I don't create languages because "it's fun", but because I want to make Kankonian and the other languages "real" languages, in the sense that Esperanto, Quenya, Klingon, Na'vi, Dothraki, and Verdurian are real languages, something that has its own vital essence to it, such that a person can read about the Kankonian language and the planet of Kankonia and believe, at some level, that this is a real language and people that exists somewhere in the multiverse. I want to create a masterpiece of art in my exposition of the Lehola Galaxy! (Note also the comment on language "nerds": while the people on this board are generally INxx nerds who listen to either classical or metal, I'm an ENFP beatnik who likes pop/rock music. I have also noticed that CBBizens are generally either (a) continental Europeans from the majority ethnic group in their nation (like a German from Germany or a Swede from Sweden or a Pole from Poland) or (b) people from Anglosphere countries who identify as generic "White American", or "White British", or "White Australian" or whatever, whereas I'm a Jewish American. Sometimes I feel like a stranger in a strange land on this board about one of my own passions.)

I am also a conworlder first and a conlanger second. I created Kankonian so the Kankonians would have a language to speak, and I created Kankonia (and the other planets) to share my thoughts and understanding on politics, theology, morality, education, ageing, Man's relationship with nature, Man's relationship with technology, health and medicine, scientific method and scientism, death, and more -- and also so other people could have fun learning about the Lehola Galaxy.

As such, the whole scrapper mindset is very alien to me. So scrappers of the CBB, I'm asking all of you: Is my description of scrappers (scrap once they decide they don't like something, but hope to settle on a project they like one day) accurate? Or is the description discussed on the Reddit thread (create languages for fun, knowing they'll never ever stick with one, and won't have any work to be remembered by when they die) more accurate?
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Flavia »

Loyalist-scrapper :)
I have two main conlangs - one a priori, Cropish and one a posteriori, Lengian. Outside these, I'm a scrapper.
Last edited by Flavia on 10 Nov 2022 16:57, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Marduk »

Wow! Never thought of it like this.

I would like to think I am a loyalist, if my only choice is to pick from the 3. I do indeed have a language that I have groomed for many years.

At the same time I like to experiment with new ideas. Try things nobody has done yet.

I also have about 16 languages with 56k or greater words.
I don't do patchwork languages. I obsess over every one like a new baby until complete. I think of it more like a painting or work of art. It always has to be just right.

Interesting topic.

-M
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by elemtilas »

Marduk wrote: 23 May 2021 00:53 I don't do patchwork languages. I obsess over every one like a new baby until complete. I think of it more like a painting or work of art. It always has to be just right.
Ah, no mere conlanger you! A true glossopoet!
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Khemehekis »

Marduk wrote: 23 May 2021 00:53 Wow! Never thought of it like this.

I would like to think I am a loyalist, if my only choice is to pick from the 3. I do indeed have a language that I have groomed for many years.

At the same time I like to experiment with new ideas. Try things nobody has done yet.

I also have about 16 languages with 56k or greater words.
I don't do patchwork languages. I obsess over every one like a new baby until complete. I think of it more like a painting or work of art. It always has to be just right.

Interesting topic.
Since I posted the OP, five new types have been added. You'll see them in the updated first post!

And seriously, you have a number of languages with over 56,000 words? We need to add them to https://www.frathwiki.com/Conlangs_with ... ,000_words ! Tell me about all of these conlangs!
♂♥♂♀

Squirrels chase koi . . . chase squirrels

My Kankonian-English dictionary: 86,336 words and counting

31,416: The number of the conlanging beast!
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Marduk »

Khemehekis wrote: 23 May 2021 01:57
Marduk wrote: 23 May 2021 00:53 Wow! Never thought of it like this.

I would like to think I am a loyalist, if my only choice is to pick from the 3. I do indeed have a language that I have groomed for many years.

At the same time I like to experiment with new ideas. Try things nobody has done yet.

I also have about 16 languages with 56k or greater words.
I don't do patchwork languages. I obsess over every one like a new baby until complete. I think of it more like a painting or work of art. It always has to be just right.

Interesting topic.
Since I posted the OP, five new types have been added. You'll see them in the updated first post!

And seriously, you have a number of languages with over 56,000 words? We need to add them to https://www.frathwiki.com/Conlangs_with ... ,000_words ! Tell me about all of these conlangs!
Lol thats awesome! People are known for creating these?
I had no idea people shared these with each other like that. Yes all of my languages are actually over 58076 words deep. That is my base Excel file size. I am happy to share if anyone is interested.

Years ago I was a member of the site https://forgottenlanguages-full.forgott ... s.org/?m=0

The creations there were more of a secretive nature.

Happy to show off what ive done.
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Khemehekis »

Marduk wrote: 23 May 2021 03:27 Lol thats awesome! People are known for creating these?
Conlangs with lexica that large are rare, but they do exist.
I had no idea people shared these with each other like that. Yes all of my languages are actually over 58076 words deep. That is my base Excel file size. I am happy to share if anyone is interested.
That is so cool! You must have a lot of conculture built into those dictionaries!

You can join FrathWiki and edit that page yourself to add your own conlangs, or you can tell me the name, lexicon size, and description of each of your languages, like the lines on the wiki list.

I'll know they're all by you. Do you insist upon being known by the demon of chaos' name, or do you have a real name you're willing to use for that list?
Years ago I was a member of the site https://forgottenlanguages-full.forgott ... s.org/?m=0

The creations there were more of a secretive nature.

Happy to show off what ive done.
All those language names look so Celtic/Elvish in nature!

My biggest-lexiconed conlang, Kankonian, looks more like this: https://khemehekis.angelfire.com/basic.htm



Are you familiar with James E. Hopkins' Itlani? He sent me a file of his spreadsheet dictionary when he had 18,000 words. Now it's over 20,000!

I sent Larry Rogers a 67,000-word spreadsheet dictionary of Kankonian (now up to 72,500 words). He wrote a review of it here: https://naviklingon.blogspot.com/2020/1 ... -w5VZYwzV8
♂♥♂♀

Squirrels chase koi . . . chase squirrels

My Kankonian-English dictionary: 86,336 words and counting

31,416: The number of the conlanging beast!
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Marduk »

Ok, I have not seen Angelfire sites since I used AOL in the early 90’s. Hahah! Thats super! Made me think of Virtual Places. Good ole times.

Your work is very nice. That took a massive amount of time.Respect.

Id rather be anonymous. Thanks.

Thank you for all of the information.
Last edited by Marduk on 23 May 2021 07:22, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Marduk »

Khemehekis wrote: 23 May 2021 03:40
Marduk wrote: 23 May 2021 03:27 Lol thats awesome! People are known for creating these?
Conlangs with lexica that large are rare, but they do exist.
I had no idea people shared these with each other like that. Yes all of my languages are actually over 58076 words deep. That is my base Excel file size. I am happy to share if anyone is interested.
That is so cool! You must have a lot of conculture built into those dictionaries!

You can join FrathWiki and edit that page yourself to add your own conlangs, or you can tell me the name, lexicon size, and description of each of your languages, like the lines on the wiki list.

I'll know they're all by you. Do you insist upon being known by the demon of chaos' name, or do you have a real name you're willing to use for that list?
Years ago I was a member of the site https://forgottenlanguages-full.forgott ... s.org/?m=0

The creations there were more of a secretive nature.

Happy to show off what ive done.
All those language names look so Celtic/Elvish in nature!

My biggest-lexiconed conlang, Kankonian, looks more like this: https://khemehekis.angelfire.com/basic.htm



Are you familiar with James E. Hopkins' Itlani? He sent me a file of his spreadsheet dictionary when he had 18,000 words. Now it's over 20,000!

I sent Larry Rogers a 67,000-word spreadsheet dictionary of Kankonian (now up to 72,500 words). He wrote a review of it here: https://naviklingon.blogspot.com/2020/1 ... -w5VZYwzV8

No. Im not familiar with Mr. Hopkins.
That article on your language was a fun read. And well deserved also. I love how they mention it was created by a non academic.Thanks for sharing.
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Marduk »

Edit.

Answered my question. [:D]
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Khemehekis »

Marduk wrote: 23 May 2021 03:53 Ok, I have not seen Angelfire sites since I used AOL in the early 90’s. Hahah! Thats super! Made me think of Virtual Places. Good ole times.

Your work is very nice. That took a massive amount of time. Respect.
Thank you! I'm glad you like it. And yeah, Kankonian will be celebrating its twenty-fifth birthday this summer, so that is "a massive amount of time".
Id rather be anonymous. Thanks.
All right. If I write your entries into this list, I'll simply call you "Marduk".

May I ask the name and exact lexicon size of each of your conlangs? And do you count, say, "stab", "stabbed", "stabbing", and "stabs" as one word, or as four different words?
Thank you for all of the information.
You're welcome!
♂♥♂♀

Squirrels chase koi . . . chase squirrels

My Kankonian-English dictionary: 86,336 words and counting

31,416: The number of the conlanging beast!
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Torco »

So these people are saying that the majority of conlangers don't even plan to stick with their languages? They make, scrap, make, scrap, make conlangs for fun?
me tbh
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Khemehekis »

Torco wrote: 28 Jun 2021 06:29
So these people are saying that the majority of conlangers don't even plan to stick with their languages? They make, scrap, make, scrap, make conlangs for fun?
me tbh
Hmmmm. Are you going to scrap your wonderful elephant-people someday?
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Squirrels chase koi . . . chase squirrels

My Kankonian-English dictionary: 86,336 words and counting

31,416: The number of the conlanging beast!
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Re: What kind of conlanger are you?

Post by Torco »

Khemehekis wrote: 28 Jun 2021 08:02
Torco wrote: 28 Jun 2021 06:29
So these people are saying that the majority of conlangers don't even plan to stick with their languages? They make, scrap, make, scrap, make conlangs for fun?
me tbh
Hmmmm. Are you going to scrap your wonderful elephant-people someday?
uwu!

I don't so much scrap as... shelf, i suppose. the slon are part of the first mayor conworld I built, which I still visit sometimes. I always think I'll someday collate and systematize that old place, but I never end up doing so. It was cool, with month-long days and engineered religions.
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