Linguistics time!
Aug 18, 2012 19:54:46 GMT -5
Post by Vincent Meian on Aug 18, 2012 19:54:46 GMT -5
So, I'm writing a language. Brand new, trying really hard to make it original, and going to be using it for a book. 
Simple, right?
Actually, it's pretty hard. While I've gotten the basic language structure pretty solid, I'm having a hard time coming up with words. Part of this is a lack of solid deification in the story's current history (I think I've named, like, four gods), and part of it is my not being completely creative in that direction.
SO!
I need some help with this. Don't worry about grammar or making tenses for everything; I can handle that. I'm just looking to fill out a basic lexicon. So if anyone has any ideas, advice, or just wants to mention how cool/futile this is, post it up!
Here's the grammatical structure:
Dæmonica - Current (Dæmon)
Structure:
Dæmonica has a unique sentence structure in that verbs tend to come first, followed by the subject, then any conditional modifiers such as adjectives, adverbs, or destinations.
1. Subjects only include anything other than the speaker themselves or a previously acknowledged target (i.e. “I” is a rare concept ever spoken and is only suggested at with the speaker’s tone and the topic of conversation).
2. Verbs are at the beginning of the sentence when translated only. The first word of any given Dæmonican sentence is always the last word of the translated meaning. The only exception to this is if there are two or fewer words in a given sentence, such as military commands/orders or acquiescence.
Example sentence: I will go to the store.
~Translated sentence structure: Go[future-tense suffix] store [directional particle]. “I” is implied.
Example sentence 2: The red bird flies.
~Translated sentence structure: Fly[present-tense suffix] bird[gender-specific prefix] red[living-organic prefix, sight-based suffix]
Root words:
All words come from the Old Dæmonica of similar meaning (i.e. tal is the Old word for “with”, taml for “within” – all current words for “with” or “within” are built upon these root words).
1. Negatives do not use the same root as their positive counterpart. This is inclusive of “hot” and “cold”, but also includes such negatives as “within” and “without”.
2. Current words add pre-/suffix to root words based upon the descriptors, interpretation, and tense of the noun/verb/adjective. See Adjectives.
*Occasionally, root words will defy the pre-/suffix rule, normally when associated with deities or in reference to an ancient language (again, using vrinn; Vrinn was the name of an ancient Dæmon Lord whose power spun shadows and extinguished light. Thus, his/her name is commonly used when titling organizations and never pre-/suffixed as a noun or adjective, even when used commonly). Alternately, Xien was this Dæmon Lord’s twin, his powers amplifying his brothers own and being responsible for creating creatures more suited for the night. Thus, “night” and “darkness” are different root words, despite being very similar in Terran languages.
Nouns:
Nouns come from the Naming Language. Anything that is not named after a Daemon Lord was therefore named by a Daemon Lord and is subject to the pre-/suffix rules.
1. Any noun named after a Daemon Lord does not follow the pre-/suffix rules, as it is considered blasphemy. However, for the purpose of naming sentient creatures (i.e. giving them a name), any word or root wherever from may be shortened or changed moderately to apply a new name.
2. Nouns are affected by feminine, masculine and neutral prefixes. Neutral prefixes are always a silent sound, therefore are not spoken – however they are written when script is needed.
Adjectives:
Adjectives are always prefixed by what they are describing (i.e. a red jewel v. a red bird – living v. non-living, organic v. inorganic).
1. Adjectives are also suffixed by how the description is being interpreted (i.e. a rough experience [emotional/psychological] v. a rough surface [tactile] v. a rough ride [outwardly physical/movemental] v. a rough edge [visual]).
2. Root words are used in abundance – if a word/phrase has a similar meaning, it will often have the same base word (i.e. dark(ness) – vrinn, empty darkness – vrinn’miir)
Adverbs:
Adverbs are treated as adjectives for the purposes of sentence structure. Destinations and directions are also treated as such.
Sentences already made:
1. Valyn xien talos – “With night, peace.”
*Valyn – peace (old Dæmonica)
-------Vyn – peace (current Dæmonica)
*Xien – night
*Talos – with (root word, tal)
2. Sh’yd tomlis vrinn’miir – “Within [the] empty darkness, truth.”
*Sh’yd – truth
*Tomlis – within (singular)
-------Talis – within (immaterial)
-------Tamlis - within (plural)
*Vrinn’miir – empty darkness
-------Vrinn – dark(ness); element of darkness; shadows
-------Miir – void; empty, uninhabited
Sounds lacking:
1. ‘G’ – goat, aggrieve, lag, etc.
*Usages - /ng/ (ingot, sing)
2. ‘P’ – person, slap, archipelago, etc.
*Usages - /pr/ (preen)
3. ‘B’ – bilingual, slob, ect.
*Usages - /by/ (labia), /br/ (brain)
4. ‘X’ – lexicon, exhaust
*Usages - /sh/ (-xion), /z/ (xylophone)
Unique sounds:
1. Zthr – pronounced “ZIH-th-rah”
2. Xi – pronounced “sh-EH”
3. ‘Yd – pronounced “A(e)-d”. “D” is sharp and soft, almost like “T”
4. Yn – pronounced “IN”, with a slight hardness as if “i-EN”
Simple, right?Actually, it's pretty hard. While I've gotten the basic language structure pretty solid, I'm having a hard time coming up with words. Part of this is a lack of solid deification in the story's current history (I think I've named, like, four gods), and part of it is my not being completely creative in that direction.
SO!
I need some help with this. Don't worry about grammar or making tenses for everything; I can handle that. I'm just looking to fill out a basic lexicon. So if anyone has any ideas, advice, or just wants to mention how cool/futile this is, post it up!
Here's the grammatical structure:
Dæmonica - Current (Dæmon)
Structure:
Dæmonica has a unique sentence structure in that verbs tend to come first, followed by the subject, then any conditional modifiers such as adjectives, adverbs, or destinations.
1. Subjects only include anything other than the speaker themselves or a previously acknowledged target (i.e. “I” is a rare concept ever spoken and is only suggested at with the speaker’s tone and the topic of conversation).
2. Verbs are at the beginning of the sentence when translated only. The first word of any given Dæmonican sentence is always the last word of the translated meaning. The only exception to this is if there are two or fewer words in a given sentence, such as military commands/orders or acquiescence.
Example sentence: I will go to the store.
~Translated sentence structure: Go[future-tense suffix] store [directional particle]. “I” is implied.
Example sentence 2: The red bird flies.
~Translated sentence structure: Fly[present-tense suffix] bird[gender-specific prefix] red[living-organic prefix, sight-based suffix]
Root words:
All words come from the Old Dæmonica of similar meaning (i.e. tal is the Old word for “with”, taml for “within” – all current words for “with” or “within” are built upon these root words).
1. Negatives do not use the same root as their positive counterpart. This is inclusive of “hot” and “cold”, but also includes such negatives as “within” and “without”.
2. Current words add pre-/suffix to root words based upon the descriptors, interpretation, and tense of the noun/verb/adjective. See Adjectives.
*Occasionally, root words will defy the pre-/suffix rule, normally when associated with deities or in reference to an ancient language (again, using vrinn; Vrinn was the name of an ancient Dæmon Lord whose power spun shadows and extinguished light. Thus, his/her name is commonly used when titling organizations and never pre-/suffixed as a noun or adjective, even when used commonly). Alternately, Xien was this Dæmon Lord’s twin, his powers amplifying his brothers own and being responsible for creating creatures more suited for the night. Thus, “night” and “darkness” are different root words, despite being very similar in Terran languages.
Nouns:
Nouns come from the Naming Language. Anything that is not named after a Daemon Lord was therefore named by a Daemon Lord and is subject to the pre-/suffix rules.
1. Any noun named after a Daemon Lord does not follow the pre-/suffix rules, as it is considered blasphemy. However, for the purpose of naming sentient creatures (i.e. giving them a name), any word or root wherever from may be shortened or changed moderately to apply a new name.
2. Nouns are affected by feminine, masculine and neutral prefixes. Neutral prefixes are always a silent sound, therefore are not spoken – however they are written when script is needed.
Adjectives:
Adjectives are always prefixed by what they are describing (i.e. a red jewel v. a red bird – living v. non-living, organic v. inorganic).
1. Adjectives are also suffixed by how the description is being interpreted (i.e. a rough experience [emotional/psychological] v. a rough surface [tactile] v. a rough ride [outwardly physical/movemental] v. a rough edge [visual]).
2. Root words are used in abundance – if a word/phrase has a similar meaning, it will often have the same base word (i.e. dark(ness) – vrinn, empty darkness – vrinn’miir)
Adverbs:
Adverbs are treated as adjectives for the purposes of sentence structure. Destinations and directions are also treated as such.
Sentences already made:
1. Valyn xien talos – “With night, peace.”
*Valyn – peace (old Dæmonica)
-------Vyn – peace (current Dæmonica)
*Xien – night
*Talos – with (root word, tal)
2. Sh’yd tomlis vrinn’miir – “Within [the] empty darkness, truth.”
*Sh’yd – truth
*Tomlis – within (singular)
-------Talis – within (immaterial)
-------Tamlis - within (plural)
*Vrinn’miir – empty darkness
-------Vrinn – dark(ness); element of darkness; shadows
-------Miir – void; empty, uninhabited
Sounds lacking:
1. ‘G’ – goat, aggrieve, lag, etc.
*Usages - /ng/ (ingot, sing)
2. ‘P’ – person, slap, archipelago, etc.
*Usages - /pr/ (preen)
3. ‘B’ – bilingual, slob, ect.
*Usages - /by/ (labia), /br/ (brain)
4. ‘X’ – lexicon, exhaust
*Usages - /sh/ (-xion), /z/ (xylophone)
Unique sounds:
1. Zthr – pronounced “ZIH-th-rah”
2. Xi – pronounced “sh-EH”
3. ‘Yd – pronounced “A(e)-d”. “D” is sharp and soft, almost like “T”
4. Yn – pronounced “IN”, with a slight hardness as if “i-EN”
