Egnis language

A forum for all topics related to constructed languages
Post Reply
User avatar
Bertonius
rupestrian
rupestrian
Posts: 5
Joined: 22 Aug 2010 22:06

Egnis language

Post by Bertonius »

Dear Conlangers,

I am working on a new Conlang, named Egnis, that is inspired in structure to North Germanic languages, but with original lexicon, vocalic allophones like in PIE, strong agglutination, etc.

I put some samples of the language, to allow you all to evaluate it:

das ykebiguminza
IPA: [das ɨkɛˈbigʊˌminza]
I will surely read that book soon

hyr ŗbeiles ta fönizg edun rejübes
IPA: [ˈhɨr ˈɾbeiles taˈfœnizg ˈɛdʊn ˈrɛjybɛs]
the man saw that his son was coming home

oþ ifdy hfüsev
IPA: [ˈoθ ˈifdɨ ˈhfysɛv]
the sun is shining in the sky

I am still working on the grammar, that I will release in next days.

What do you think? Suggestions? Ideas?

Thanks,
Bertonius
Last edited by Bertonius on 23 Aug 2010 00:25, edited 1 time in total.
Egnis tånišfüro? Can you speak Egnis?

Native :ita: | Fluent :eng: :sea: Sinhala | Intermediate :fra: :deu: :lat: :esp: | Basic :ara: :ben: :hin: :hrv: | Learning :nor: :isl:
Hakaku
MVP
MVP
Posts: 234
Joined: 15 Aug 2010 00:36
Location: 常世

Re: Egnis language

Post by Hakaku »

The samples alone don't give us much on your overall constructed language, its phonology, morphology, syntax, etc. It's kind of like if I showed you a button, and asked you to judge my entire custom vest and to critique it based solely on that. What exactly makes this a North Germanic language? Can you show comparisons? What exactly are these 'vocalic allophones'? Can you add a glossing so that I understand what does what?

Otherwise, all I can say is, the samples look interesting, but I'd like to know more.
User avatar
Cseúhro
hieroglyphic
hieroglyphic
Posts: 49
Joined: 21 Aug 2010 18:32
Location: Germany

Re: Egnis language

Post by Cseúhro »

This is some heavy verb-modding* you're doing in your first example (if I'm interpreting the "ykebiguminza" right). I'd appreciate reading something about the exact syntax of this examples. That would make it much easier to assess your "creativity" or your intentions, respectively.

Already now I can tell that the the pronounciation of the words is clearly derived from the written form. Frankly: IPA = Spelling. That's a bit too easy, I think. North Germanic languages may be easy to pronounce regarding the spelling, but your language is really just converting IPA signs. But you can even use this for your conlanging: Such very "firm" rules of pronouncing a written word may be an indicator for a spelling reform or a recently invented writing system in your conworld? (if your conworlding anyway)

AND: Darling, did you realize that you used the capital Thorn in your third example? Use the þ next time. ;D

* /edit: Oh well, you said it's agglutinating. I totally skipped that.
Last edited by Cseúhro on 22 Aug 2010 23:57, edited 1 time in total.
:deu: [:D] | :eng: [:)] | :fra: [¬.¬] | :zho: :rus: :lat: [:'(]
User avatar
Bertonius
rupestrian
rupestrian
Posts: 5
Joined: 22 Aug 2010 22:06

Re: Egnis language

Post by Bertonius »

Thanks for your comments.

The language has the "flavour" of a North Germanic languages about phonology and the formation of words. But some other features (like perfective/imperfective aspect) has been introduced on the basis of Slavic languages.

Some features:
- phonology with umlat-like rules (the vowels of roots can have some transformation according to a set of rules);
- when I speak of "vocalic allophones", I am referring to the vocalic r, l and n like in PIE and Slavic languages (e.g. Croatian);
- noun declination (3 genders, masculine, feminine, neuter; 2 numbers, singular and plural);
- verbs have a basic root and two derived roots, and each one of them expresses a verbal aspect;
- every verb form is compounded according to several prefixes/suffixes, that expresses the tense, the mode, the subject of the verb etc.

Sample of verbal roots:
begu "to read": infin. root beg-, perfective root beig-, imperfective root ebig-
hebiga I am reading the book (present tense, imperfective aspect)
aÞbeiga I read the book recently (recent past tense, perfective aspect)
ŗbeiga I read the book (distant past tense, perfective aspect)
ykebiga I will soon read the book (near future tense, imperfective aspect)
agebiga I will read the book, some day (distant future tense, imperfective aspect)

Some further explanations on my samples:
das ykebiguminza I will surely read that book soon

Code: Select all

das      yk-            ebig                 -um                     -inz                  -a
book     future (tense) to read (infinitive) sureness (modal suffix) that (deictic suffix) I (subject)


-- Corrected some mispelling
Last edited by Bertonius on 23 Aug 2010 00:05, edited 3 times in total.
Egnis tånišfüro? Can you speak Egnis?

Native :ita: | Fluent :eng: :sea: Sinhala | Intermediate :fra: :deu: :lat: :esp: | Basic :ara: :ben: :hin: :hrv: | Learning :nor: :isl:
User avatar
Bertonius
rupestrian
rupestrian
Posts: 5
Joined: 22 Aug 2010 22:06

Re: Egnis language

Post by Bertonius »

Cseúhro wrote:Already now I can tell that the the pronounciation of the words is clearly derived from the written form. Frankly: IPA = Spelling. That's a bit too easy, I think. North Germanic languages may be easy to pronounce regarding the spelling, but your language is really just converting IPA signs. But you can even use this for your conlanging: Such very "firm" rules of pronouncing a written word may be an indicator for a spelling reform or a recently invented writing system in your conworld?
The IPA clarification was probably useless. The ortography I adopted is similar to IPA, apart from some vowels and signs. Simply I prepared a sign correspondance between sounds of the language and an alphabetical representation.

Thanks for your note on "thorn" sign

Regards,
Bertonius
Egnis tånišfüro? Can you speak Egnis?

Native :ita: | Fluent :eng: :sea: Sinhala | Intermediate :fra: :deu: :lat: :esp: | Basic :ara: :ben: :hin: :hrv: | Learning :nor: :isl:
User avatar
Bertonius
rupestrian
rupestrian
Posts: 5
Joined: 22 Aug 2010 22:06

Re: Egnis language

Post by Bertonius »

hyr ŗbeiles ta fönizg edun ŗejübes the man saw that his son was coming home

Code: Select all

hyr   ŗ-           beil             -es                ta                fön  -izg            
man   past (tense) see (perfective) 3rd sing subject   relative clause   son  3rd sing.poss.

ed   -un         ŗ-           ejüb                -es
home allative   past (tense) come (imperfective) 3rd sing. subject
Last edited by Bertonius on 23 Aug 2010 09:41, edited 1 time in total.
Egnis tånišfüro? Can you speak Egnis?

Native :ita: | Fluent :eng: :sea: Sinhala | Intermediate :fra: :deu: :lat: :esp: | Basic :ara: :ben: :hin: :hrv: | Learning :nor: :isl:
User avatar
Ossicone
vice admin
vice admin
Posts: 2909
Joined: 12 Aug 2010 05:20
Location: I've heard it both ways.
Contact:

Re: Egnis language

Post by Ossicone »

I definitely get that Northern Germanic feel from your examples. I also am a fan of agglutination, so I'd like to see more. :D
User avatar
Bertonius
rupestrian
rupestrian
Posts: 5
Joined: 22 Aug 2010 22:06

Re: Egnis language

Post by Bertonius »

Ossicone wrote:I definitely get that Northern Germanic feel from your examples. I also am a fan of agglutination, so I'd like to see more. :D
Thanks for encouragement. I will surely post in next days
Egnis tånišfüro? Can you speak Egnis?

Native :ita: | Fluent :eng: :sea: Sinhala | Intermediate :fra: :deu: :lat: :esp: | Basic :ara: :ben: :hin: :hrv: | Learning :nor: :isl:
Post Reply