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Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 26 Apr 2021 18:09
by s0200311
Maybe a rythm based conlang would be fun? There could be different rythms in combination with different tones to mean different things.

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 20:20
by Creyeditor
Languages already have some kimd of rhythm, i.e the relative duration of segments and pauses. A rhythm-based conlang would probably have length distinctions in consonants and vowels plus some cool phonological processes or restrictions on possible combination.

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 22:25
by lsd
or an enhanced Morse code...

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 22:42
by Salmoneus
The problem with rhythm as a fundamental phonemic category is that it's hard to have many different rhythms, particularly when you don't know how long a word or phrase is going to be.

However, rhythm could certainly be used as a minor feature on either a word level or a sentence level. For instance, you could distinguish subject and object by rhythm alone.

It wouldn't happen in a human language, though.

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 09 Jun 2021 06:00
by elemtilas
lsd wrote: 08 Jun 2021 22:25 or an enhanced Morse code...
Very possibly an insectoid or avian language. Lots of rhythm in their languages!

Don't forget this real world rhythmic language type.

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 09 Jun 2021 07:51
by Creyeditor
Salmoneus wrote: 08 Jun 2021 22:42 The problem with rhythm as a fundamental phonemic category is that it's hard to have many different rhythms, particularly when you don't know how long a word or phrase is going to be.

It wouldn't happen in a human language, though.
The closest things are probably certain stress shifts (e.g. in Tongan definite nouns) or length manipulating morphology in general.

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 09 Jun 2021 17:05
by elemtilas
Creyeditor wrote: 09 Jun 2021 07:51
Salmoneus wrote: 08 Jun 2021 22:42 It wouldn't happen in a human language, though.
The closest things are probably certain stress shifts (e.g. in Tongan definite nouns) or length manipulating morphology in general.
English is a natural, when it comes to rhythm. And also when we sing. Think outside the box a bit! Make up something cool, something intresting!

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 09 Jun 2021 20:39
by Creyeditor
Is it a natural or anatural?

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 09 Jun 2021 20:46
by jimydog000
Swedish comes to mind, as well as an Australian language that inserted a vowel in words of three syllables to get an even number of syllables. And I think it was Navajo? Navajo has an affix that draws attention to a word in a sentence in the way English uses prosody.
And of course floating tone!

The problem if it were naturalistic, well it wouldn't be a problem per se, if you have tone and stress in a language, one is going to be subordinate to the other.

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 09 Jun 2021 23:33
by Khemehekis
Creyeditor wrote: 09 Jun 2021 20:39 Is it a natural or anatural?
a natural = English idiom for ein Naturtalent

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 10 Jun 2021 16:00
by elemtilas
Khemehekis wrote: 09 Jun 2021 23:33
Creyeditor wrote: 09 Jun 2021 20:39 Is it a natural or anatural?
a natural = English idiom for ein Naturtalent
Also, anatural breaks the natural rhythm of that entire line.

I'm surprised I didn't get zung for "intresting".

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 10 Jun 2021 20:12
by Creyeditor
Khemehekis wrote: 09 Jun 2021 23:33
Creyeditor wrote: 09 Jun 2021 20:39 Is it a natural or anatural?
a natural = English idiom for ein Naturtalent
Oh, I didn't know that. Intresting [:D]

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 10 Jun 2021 20:26
by Khemehekis
Creyeditor wrote: 10 Jun 2021 20:12
Khemehekis wrote: 09 Jun 2021 23:33
Creyeditor wrote: 09 Jun 2021 20:39 Is it a natural or anatural?
a natural = English idiom for ein Naturtalent
Oh, I didn't know that. Intresting [:D]
We're always helping each other out understanding idioms in others' L2's around here, like "stop thinking" vs. "stop to think".

Re: Rythm based conlang?

Posted: 12 Jun 2021 18:30
by elemtilas
Khemehekis wrote: 10 Jun 2021 20:26 We're always helping each other out understanding idioms in others' L2's around here, like "stop thinking" vs. "stop to think".
We're the place with the helpful language folks!