#shadowscent

The full Aramteskan grammar has been published on Fiat Lingua. This contains all the notes and details of the constructed language that I created for the Shadowscent fantasy world. Now that the series is completed, I decided to share the work that I had done on the language, in part to stop myself from continuing to tinker with it.

From the Fiat Lingua summary page:

This document provides an overview of the grammar of the Aramteskan language, created by Lauren Gawne for P. M. Freestone’s Shadowscent series (The Darkest Bloom and Crown of Smoke). This represents the state of completed work on the grammar at the conclusion of these two books. This is by no means a complete or detailed grammar, and some sections may contain more information than others.

The publication includes notes on a variety of linguistic features. It also includes a detailed translation of the quest text in book one, and a glossary of words in Aramteskan. 

Reference:

Gawne, Lauren. 2021. Aramteskan Grammar. Fiat Lingua. https://fiatlingua.org/2021/10/

See also:

How I made the Aramteskan language for P.M. Freestone’s Shadowscent

Smell verbs in Aramteskan - One way of walking, but many ways of smelling

Shadowscent Updates: The Darkest Bloom in many languages, Crown of Smoke pre-order, map and… a perfume

Lingthusiasm Episode 49: How translators approach a text

Before even starting to translate a work, a translator needs to make several important macro-level decisions, such as whether to more closely follow the literal structure of the text or to adapt more freely, especially if the original text does things that are unfamiliar to readers in the destination language but would be familiar to readers in the original language. 

In this episode of Lingthusiasm, your hosts Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne get enthusiastic about the relationship of the translator and the text. We talk about the new, updated translation of Beowulf by Maria Dahvana Headley (affectionately known as the "bro" translation), reading the Tale of Genji in multiple translations, translating conlangs in fiction, and mistranslation on the Scots Wikipedia. 

Click here for a link to this episode in your podcast player of choice or read the transcript here

Announcements

We’re coming up on Lingthusiasm’s fourth anniversary! In celebration, we’re asking you to help people who would totally enjoy listening to fun conversations about linguistics, they just don’t realize it exists yet! Most people still find podcasts through word of mouth, and we’ve seen a significant bump in listens each November when we ask you to help share the show, so we know this works. If you tag us @lingthusiasm on social media in your recommendation post, we will like/retweet/reshare/thank you as appropriate, or if you send a recommendation to a specific person, we won’t know about it but you can still feel a warm glow of satisfaction at helping out (and feel free to still tell us about it on social media if you’d like to be thanked!). Trying to think of what to say? One option is to pick a particular episode that you liked and share a link to that. 

This month’s bonus episode was about honorifics, words like titles and forms of “you” that express when you’re trying to be extra polite to someone (and which can also be subverted to be rude or intimate). Get access to this and 43 other bonus episodes at patreon.com/lingthusiasm.

This is also a good time to start thinking about linguistics merch and other potential gift ideas (paperback copies of Because Internet, anyone?), in time for them to arrive via the internet, if you’re ordering for the holiday season. Check out the Lingthusiasm merch store at lingthusiasm.com/merch.  

Here are the links mentioned in this episode:

Lingthusiasm Episode 18: Translating the untranslatable

Beowulf, translation by Maria Dahvana Headley

A “Beowulf” for Our Moment (New Yorker)

Gretchen reads Beowulf (twitter thread)

The Sensualist: What makes “The Tale of Genji” so seductive (New Yorker)

Shadowscent, by P.M Freestone

How I made the Aramteskan language (Superlinguo)

Scots Wikipedia (Wikipedia article)

Wikipedia has a Google Translate problem (The Verge)

Gretchen’s twitter thread about Scots Wikipedia

You can listen to this episode via Lingthusiasm.com, Soundcloud, RSS, Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also download an mp3 via the Soundcloud page for offline listening.

To receive an email whenever a new episode drops, sign up for the Lingthusiasm mailing list.

You can help keep Lingthusiasm ad-free, get access to bonus content, and more perks by supporting us on Patreon.

Lingthusiasm is on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr. Email us at contact [at] lingthusiasm [dot] com

Gretchen is on Twitter as @GretchenAMcC and blogs at All Things Linguistic.

Lauren is on Twitter as @superlinguo and blogs at Superlinguo.

Lingthusiasm is created by Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne. Our senior producer is Claire Gawne, our production editor is Sarah Dopierala, our production manager is Liz McCullough, and our music is ‘Ancient City’ by The Triangles.

‘Tis the season to be grateful and give thanks! We’re thankful for books all year round, but since it’s Thanksgiving time, we wanted to take a moment to call out a few books that have meant a lot to us lately. ❤️

STEPSISTER by Jennifer Donnelly

It’s about time that the “ugly” stepsisters from Cinderella had their story told! In this retelling of the classic fairytale, stepsisters Isabelle and Tavi deal with the fallout after Cinderella leaves for the palace - and go on a journey of redemption and empowerment. We can all take some inspiration out of this story and learn that there’s truly nothing more beautiful than courage.

CALL DOWN THE HAWK by Maggie Stiefvater

Anyone who has read The Raven Cycle has a LOT to be thankful for this holiday season now that Ronan Lynch’s story has continued in the first book of The Dreamer Trilogy! Luckily for everyone, this story has plenty to offer for non-Raven Cycle fans, too - from fantastical dream-creatures to art forgers to the end of the world. Reading Call Down the Hawk will prove to you that anything is possible!

I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST by Mason Deaver 

This year, we’re thankful to have read this incredible debut from Mason Deaver about a non-binary teen coming out to their parents and finding love, acceptance, and friendship. If you haven’t read this book yet, move it to the top of your TBR pile, because I Wish You All the Best is the perfect book to remind us that while we all have our own struggles, what matters most is being true to yourself. 

SHADOWSCENT by P.M. Freestone

Sometimes you need a fantasy to really envelop all of your senses. In Shadowscent, P.M. Freestone has created a stunning world where magic is linked to fragrance. We’re thankful to have spent time in the Aramtesh Empire on an epic quest and to have been brought in so fully to this world! 

TARNISHED ARE THE STARS by Rosiee Thor

Because I’m not Rakel’s Shield. I don’t have to guard against everything the world could throw at her.

I don’t have to protect her from myself.