Westquarry

Worldbuilding Wednesday #24: Let’s Build Our First Conlang! (Part Fourteen: Verb Inflections 2)

(For the next few editions of Worldbuilding Wednesday, we’re going through the steps in creating a fictional language. You’re welcome to join me!)

Part One: Introduction

Part Two: Consonants

Part Three: Vowels

Part Four: Allophones 1

Part Five: Phonotactics

Part Six: Orthography

Part Seven: Lexicon 1

Part Eight: Lexicon 2

Part Nine: Lexicon 3

Part Ten: Noun Inflections 1

Part Eleven: Noun Inflections 2

Part Twelve: Lexicon 4

Part Thirteen: Verb Inflections 1

Proto-Arolian Lexicon Master Post

Conlang Resource Links

Phonological Inventories of the Real World

Last week we looked at the first draft of the inflections for verbs. This week we're going to tweak them a little, and add a few rules. 

Here are the new verb inflections:

(Gender) Animate: /-ga/ [-ga] Neutral: /-neŋ/ [-neŋ] Inanimate: /-mi/ [-mi]

(Person) 1: /-ta/ [-ta] 2: /-bel/ [-bel] 3: -Ø

(Number) S: -Ø P: /-pand/ [-pand]

(Tense) Past: /-meji/ [-me•ɟi] Present: -Ø Future: /-jun/ [-ɟɯn/

(Aspect) Progressive: /-ɲum/ [-ɲɯm] Perfective: /-tẽp/ [-tẽp] Imperfect: /-lleg/ [-ʎeg/

(Irrealis) Subjunctive: /-pu/ [-pɯ/ Conditional: /-telã/ [-te•lã/ Imperative /-li/ [-li] Indicative -Ø

(Misc) Negative: /-gij/ [-giɟ]  Positive: -Ø

And some notes:

A few of the most common inflections are being nulled out: third person, singular, and present tense, positive, etc. No inflection is needed for these.

"Gender" is not used in contexts where the object in question is obviously animate (e.g., when using the first or second person). However, in cases of literary devices such as personification, where an inanimate or "neutral" object is treated like an animate object, the inanimate or neutral gender form is still used. (=So it isn't simply a form of the third person containing gender.)

Examples:

/bubkẽtaɲum/ [bɯb•kẽ•ta•ɲɯm] "I am learning"

/bidubelmejiɲumgij/ [bi•dɯ•bel•me•ɟi•ɲɯm•giɟ] "you weren't thinking"

(As you can see, the words still get pretty long sometimes depending on the context. Hopefully the trade-off is the amount of information you get in the word by extending it with inflections.)

/ƀeqneŋli/ [ɓec•neŋ•li] "burn it"

(In some cases, though, the length has been reduced considerably.)

Changes for the Lexicon

It also occurs to me that the lexicon should probably note whether a noun is Animate, Inanimate, or Neutral; so I'll be adding that in this week as well.

Finally, this week's fifty words for the Lexicon:

(Affection) love - mullmnik [mɯʎm•nik] hate - gan [gan] like - pãg [pãg] care - lemdhe [lemd•ʔe] want - ƀill [ɓiʎ] wish - litillq [li•tiʎc] marry - tadẽ [ta•dẽ]

(Knowledge) understand - dibull [di•bɯʎ] believe - leh [leʔ] doubt - đilltep [ɗiʎ•tep] expect - binp [binp] remember - pitigŋi [pi•tig•ŋi] forget - tinqeppi [tin•cep•pi]

(Emotions) hope - lut [lɯt] worry - benj [benɟ] regret - ɉaɉag [ʄa•ʄag] surprise - gẽtam [gẽ•tam]

(Modals) - SUBJECT TO CHANGE can - qe [ce] must - pihbe [piʔ•be] should - ǥẽllp [ɠẽʎp]

(Aspect) begin - pẽti [pẽ•ti] finish - tad [tad] intend to do - lluŋqpud [ʎɯŋc•pɯd] habitually do - gutu [gɯ•tɯ]

(Abstractions) cause - lihep [li•ʔep] mean - đẽd [ɗẽd] measure - kamtu [kam•tɯ] place - lliɲq [ʎiɲc]

(Shapes) square - llehi [ʎe•ʔi] circle - detuq [dẽ•tɯc] line - bit [bit]  edge - bebud [be•bɯd] side - đãnt [ɗãnt]

(Perception) touch - hipu [ʔi•pɯ] taste - pehid [pe•ʔid]

(Speech Acts) answer - lank [lank] ask - tãqum [tã•cɯm] thank - nẽpu [nẽ•pɯ] greet - ɉuqe [ʄɯ•ce] lie - ǥullkẽ [ɠɯʎ•kẽ] joke - teppa [tep•pa] call - baki [ba•ki] offer - deltẽbi [del•tẽ•bi] choose - jeǥi [ɟe•ɠi]

(Movement) leave - kimd [kimd] follow - ƀẽ [ɓẽ] go - qell [ceʎ] hide - mitde [mit•de] run - leddã [led•dã] roll - tiju [ti•ɟɯ]

Worldbuilding Wednesday #23: Let’s Build Our First Conlang! (Part Thirteen: Verb Inflections)

(For the next few editions of Worldbuilding Wednesday, we’re going through the steps in creating a fictional language. You’re welcome to join me!)

Part One: Introduction

Part Two: Consonants

Part Three: Vowels

Part Four: Allophones 1

Part Five: Phonotactics

Part Six: Orthography

Part Seven: Lexicon 1

Part Eight: Lexicon 2

Part Nine: Lexicon 3

Part Ten: Noun Inflections 1

Part Eleven: Noun Inflections 2

Part Twelve: Lexicon 4

Proto-Arolian Lexicon Master Post

Conlang Resource Links

Phonological Inventories of the Real World

Just a couple notes about what consolidating the lexicon brought to my attention:

First, it showed me how often I was using particular letters at the beginning of words. Some are more common than others, which is fine; there are more words that start with "s" in English than start with "x". However, there were a couple letters that I felt could be better represented, and so in the coming weeks I'll be bolstering up their numbers a bit.

Second, it showed me that I have unconsciously used several words more than once. I've left them all alone for now because, again, a given instance of this isn't necessarily bad. Some of the words may actually be the same word, just with two different uses. Some may be polysemes, or different words with a related origin. Some of them may be homonyms, or words that are spelled and sound the same but have different meanings (e.g. "bow", as in the thing you wear in your hair, vs. "bow", the thing you use to shoot an arrow). And some will probably need to be changed. At some point decisions will have to be made regarding where each pair falls in that spectrum, but not just yet. 

This week we're deciding on our Verb Inflections. As you'll recall, we decided previously that Proto-Arolian would be an Agglutinative language. Here are some real-world agglutinative languages and their verb systems:

Japanese

Quechua

Turkish

For Proto-Arolian, we have the following inflections:

(Gender) Animate: /-ga/ [-ga] Inanimate: /-mi/ [-mi] Neutral: /-neŋ/ [-neŋ]

(Person) 1: /-ta/ [-ta] 2: /-bel/ [-bel] 3: /-đã/ [-ɗã]

(Number) S: /-hu/ [-ʔɯ/ P: /-pand/ [-pand]

(Tense) Past: /-meji/ [-me•ɟi] Present: /-kãh/ [-kãʔ] Future: /-jun/ [-ɟɯn/

(Aspect) Progressive: /-ɲum/ [-ɲɯm] Perfect: /-tẽp/ [-tẽp] Imperfect: /-lleg/ [-ʎeg/

(Irrealis) Subjunctive: /-pu/ [-pɯ/ Conditional: /-telã/ [-te•lã/ Imperative /-li/ [-li]

(Misc) Negative: /-gij/ [-giɟ] 

All of which used together will result in unrealistically long words:

/tanppigatapandmejitẽ/ [tanp•pi•ga•ta•pand•me•ɟi•tẽ] "we studied"

/tibẽgađãhukãhɲum/ [ti•bẽ•ga•ɗã•hɯ•kãʔ•ɲɯm] "he/she eats"

To shorten these a bit, likely a few of these will end up nulled out; and there will be several rules governing the interaction of the inflections -- "gender" is redundant when using the first or second person, for example, because the speaker and hearer are always animate. We'll get more into the nitty-gritty of this in next week's post.

Finally, another 52 words go into the lexicon (should be added to the main post by tomorrow).

(Avocations) music - libubim [li•bɯ•bim] art - qẽpti [cẽp•ti] science - qẽpti [cẽp•ti] vocation - ǥellbi [ɠeʎ•bi] picture - hepellt [ʔe•peʎt] game - bãt [bãt]

(Language) language - bẽpiti [bẽ•pi•ti] word - jabu [ɟa•bɯ]

(Abstract Thought) idea - kid [kid] message - jãbu [ɟã•bɯ] story - mubbig [mɯb•big] symbol - hepellt [ʔe•peʎt] example - pendãqit [pen•dã•cit] part - himb [ʔimb] number - llupi [ʎu•pi] manner - gellja [geʎ•ɟa] group - nẽke [nẽ•ke] thing - giŋ [giŋ]

(Analysis) system - teŋtqep [teŋt•cep] list - qubãm [cɯ•bãm] event - lihib [li•ʔib] reason - tiɲm [tiɲm] fact - hulp [ʔɯlp] space - jãdẽ [ɟã•dẽ] time - pẽp [pẽp]

(Money) price - lluphẽmt [ʎɯp•ʔẽmt] worth - kindjẽj [kind•ɟẽj] debt - lepellt [le•peʎt] shop - ǥell [ɠeʎ]

(Respect)  honor - kag [kag] shame - puln [pɯln]

(Politics) war - kapqed [kap•ced] peace - tẽpu [tẽ•pɯ] sword - ɉa [ʄa] government - tãbilpet [ta•bil•pet] law - ƀãnđ [ɓãnɗ] council - bedđe [bed•đe] tax - ledak [le•dak] prison - jiki [ɟi•ki] minister - bige [bi•ge]

VERBS

(Life and Death) be - hi [ʔi] seem - llẽpu [ʎẽ•pɯ] born - duqit [dɯ•cit]

(Everyday Actions) work - qẽɲji [cẽɲ•ɟi] wake - bãpa [bã•pa] dream - ɉallh [ʄaʎʔ] cook - qipẽnd [ci•pẽnd] use - dun [dɯn] grow - kidin [ki•din]

Worldbuilding Wednesday: Proto-Arolian Lexicon 

Here is the current lexicon for Proto-Arolian, the conlang we're developing in our Worldbuilding Wednesday feature. A link to this post will appear on all future PA-related posts, and we'll be updating the post as the lexicon grows (that is, until it gets too big and we need to move it elsewhere).

Because PA has no alphabet, the entries are arranged alphabetically by English conventions, with letters containing diacritics just after the more familiar version (ƀ after b, etc).  And since all PA syllables start with a consonant sound, there are no words beginning with vowels.

-b-

baƀeđji [ba•ɓeđ•ɟi] (adj) "wonderful"

baǥ [baɠ] (verb) "hit" 

baɉ [baʄ] (verb) "live"

baki [ba•ki] (verb) "call"

ball [baʎ] (noun, N) "sun, day, today"

balld [baʎd] (verb) "freeze"

bamd [bamd] (verb) "give"

bamtulk [bam•tɯlk] (adj) "clean"

baqã [ba•cã] (noun, A) "dog"

batu [ba•tɯ] "heart"

bãpa [bã•pa] "wake"

bãt [bãt] "game"

be [be] "ear"

bebud [be•bɯd] "edge"

begull [ɓe•gɯʎ] "push"

behtu [beʔ•tɯ] (verb) "smile"

bek [bek] "fake, unreal"

beldãnđ [bel•dãnɗ] "big"

belek [be•lek] "nine"

bellbu [beʎ•bɯ] "door"

bellj [beʎɟ] "blue"

benj [benɟ] (verb) "worry"

beɲjpe [beɲɟ•pe] "alone"

beŋdkil [beŋd•kil] "wrong, incorrect"

bepde [bep•de] "tie"

bẽd [bẽd] "normal"

bedđe [bed•đe] "council"

bẽdu [bẽ•dɯ] "boy"

bẽdut [bẽ•dɯt] "brother"

bẽjẽpult [bẽ•ɟẽ•pɯlt] "road"

bẽɉɉãd [bẽʄ•ʄãd] liver

bẽnt [bent] "wide"

bẽŋi [bẽ•ŋi] "father"

bẽpiti [bẽ•pi•ti] "language"

bẽt [bẽt] "one"

bẽtag [bẽ•tag] "long"

bẽtin [bẽ•tin] "man, husband"

bẽtindu [bẽ•tin•dɯ] "son"

bidu [bi•dɯ] "think"

bige [bi•ge] "minister"

bine [bi•ne] "easy"

binp [binp] (verb) "expect"

biŋtjuŋ [biŋt•ɟɯŋ] "boat"

biqẽmt [bi•cẽmt] "grain"

bit [bit] "line"

bubkẽ [bɯb•kẽ] "learn"

bud [bɯd] "lower"

budid [bɯ•did] "foolish"

buhuǥbi [bɯ•ʔɯɠ•bi] "cheap"

bulgẽlq [bɯl•gẽlc] "mountain"

bullbaj [bɯʎ•baɟ] "test"

buŋtiɲj [bɯŋ•tiɲɟ] "difficult"

butqet [bɯt•cet] "lucky"

-ƀ-

ƀaǥu [ɓa•ɠɯ] "clothes"

ƀakka [ɓak•ka] "evil"

ƀalt [ɓalt] "four"

ƀãnđ [ɓãnɗ] "law"

ƀelk [ɓelk] "vomit"

ƀellk [ɓeʎk] "hunt"

ƀeq [ɓec] "burn"

ƀẽ [ɓẽ] (verb) "follow"

ƀidan[ɓi•dan] "old"

ƀill [ɓiʎ] (verb) "want"

ƀimt [ɓimt] "crooked"

ƀulig /[ɓɯ•lig] "black"

ƀumgbi [ɓɯmg•bi] "machine"

ƀuɲ [ɓɯɲ] "young"

-d-

dag [dag] "cut"

dahiq [da•ʔic] "beautiful"

dakump [da•kɯmp] "suck"

dãlgin [dãl•gin] "fat"

dãnt [dãnt] "stupid"

debẽ [de•bẽ] "bottle"

debẽbik [de•bẽ•bik] "autumn"

dediq [de•dic] "back"

deltẽbi [del•tẽ•bi] (verb) "offer"

demnmum [demn•mɯm] "boring"

det [det] "wipe"

dete [de•te] "stand"

dẽk [dẽk]"bad"

dẽŋk [dẽŋk] "fish"

dibull [di•bɯʎ] (verb) "understand"

diduki [di•dɯ•ki] "lip"

dikjig [dik•ɟig] "rain"

dikki [dik•ki] "ice"

diktal [dik•tal] "water"

dimp [dimp] "straight"

dipaq [di•pac] "head"

ditbabub [dit•ba•bɯb] "dull"

ditẽ [di•tẽ] "cup"

ditida [di•ti•da] "nose"

du [dɯ] "guts"

dubẽ [dɯ•bẽ] "weak"

dubibãt [dɯ•bi•bãt] "woods"

dudint [dɯ•dint] "cow"

dulg [dɯlg] "heavy"

dumt [dɯmt] "street"

duɉek [dɯ•ʄek] "fear"

dun [dɯn] "use"

duqit [dɯ•cit] "born"

-đ- 

đaɉak [ɗa•ʄak] "kill"

đãnt [ɗãnt] "side"

đap [ɗap] " eye"

đãp [ɗãp] "eight"

đetuji [ɗe•tɯ•ɟi] "house"

detuq [dẽ•tɯc] "circle"

đẽ [ɗẽ] "shoe"

đẽd [ɗẽd] (verb) "mean"

đilltep [ɗiʎ•tep] (verb) "doubt"

dinjẽ [din•ɟẽ] "devil, demon"

đitu [ɗi•tɯ] "rough"

đubi [ɗɯ•bi] "feather"

đull [ɗɯʎ] "fly"

-g-

gada [ga•da] "strong"

galqdẽ [galc•dẽ] "strange"

gahunj [ga•ʔɯnɟ] "yesterday"

gãkteq [gãk•tec] "angry"

gan [gan] (verb) "hate"

geblin [geb•lin] "wet"

gehẽd [ge•ʔẽd] "box"

gellja [geʎ•ɟa] "manner"

ǥẽllp [ɠẽʎp] (modal verb) "should"* 

gem [gem] "boss"

gemb [gemb] "key"

gempa [gem•pa] "king"

gẽ [gẽ] "five"

gẽb [gẽb] "know"

gẽnppu [gẽnp•pɯ] "family"

gẽtam [gẽ•tam] (verb) "surprise"

gi [gi] "see"

gibdi [gib•di] "bug, insect, arthropod"

giŋ [giŋ] "thing"

gijtim [giɟ•tim] "important"

giɲŋi [giɲ•ŋi] "river"

giŋj [giŋɟ] "bone"

gubẽb [gɯ•bẽb] "dinner"

gulld [gɯʎd] "laugh"

gutu [gɯ•tɯ] (verb) "habitually do"

-ǥ-

ǥebbu [ɠeb•bɯ]

ǥell [ɠeʎ] "shop"

ǥellbi [ɠeʎ•bi] "vocation, job, career, calling, ministry"

ǥullkẽ [ɠɯʎ•kẽ] (verb) "lie" 

-h-

hah [ʔaʔ] "dry"

hajal [ʔa•ɟal] "six"

haljig [ʔal•ɟig] "smoke"

hallal [ha•ʎal] "fire"

han [ʔan] "red"

hanm [ʔanm] "say"

haɲjped [ʔaɲ•ɟi•ped] "class (group of students)"

hãdu [ʔã•dɯ] "girl"

hãdut [ʔã•dɯt] "sister"

hãgil [ʔã•gil] "full"

hãŋi [hã•ŋi] "mother"

hãtin [ʔã•tin] "woman, wife"

hãtindu [ʔã•tin•dɯ] "daughter"

hepellt [ʔe•peʎt] "picture, symbol"

hidetkudi [ʔi•det•kɯ•di] "sea"

hi [ʔi] "be"

himb [ʔimb] "part"

himt [ʔimt] "blood"

hiŋk [ʔiŋk] "pig, swine"

hipu [ʔi•pɯ] (verb) "touch"

hitita [ʔi•ti•ta] "year"

hitti [ʔit•ti] "temple, sacred place"

hulp [ʔɯlp] "fact"

hult [ʔɯlt] "smell"

hullm [ʔɯʎm] "milk"

hump [ʔɯmp] "throw"

hunkã [ʔɯn•kã] "cold"

-j-

jab [ɟab] "turn"

jabu [ɟa•bɯ] "word"

jah - [ɟaʔ] "copy, mimic"

jãdẽ [ɟã•dẽ] "space"

ɉaɉag [ʄa•ʄag] (verb) "regret" 

japi [ɟa•pi] "breast"

japnãk [ɟap•nãk] "rub"

jãbu [ɟã•bɯ] "message"

jãmaɲ [ɟã•maɲ] "wash"

jãmtji [ɟãmt•ɟi] "gold"

jeǥi [ɟe•ɠi] (verb) "choose" 

jegu [ɟe•gɯ] "stab"

jemgti [ɟemg•ti] "create"

jenj [ɟenɟ] "warm"

jet [ɟet] "hear"

jẽbu [ɟẽ•bɯ] "tongue"

jẽna [ɟẽ•na] "light"

jẽnanẽji [ɟẽ•na•nẽ•ɟi] "afternoon"

jẽnatupba [ɟẽ•na•tɯp•ba] "morning"

jẽtu [ɟẽ•tɯ] "knife"

jid [ɟid] "ten"

jidit [ɟi•dit] "same"

jiǥal [ɟi•ɠal] "air"

jigdikki [ɟig•dik•ki] "snow"

jigđull [ɟig•ɗɯʎ]

jiki [ɟi•ki] "prison"

jilld [ɟiʎd] "near"

jillđ [ɟiʎɗ] "glad"

jim [ɟim] "bite"

jindi [ɟin•di] "mouse"

jinmbu [ɟinm•bɯ] "fruit"

jiŋu [ji•ŋɯ] "neck"

jitell [ɟi•teʎ] "spring (season)"

judal [ɟɯ•dal] "world"

judi [ɟɯ•di] "all"

judiqiteg [ɟɯ•di•ci•teg] "month"

jull [ɟɯʎ] "hat"

julld [ɟɯʎd] "wing"

ɉuɲ [ʄɯɲ] (verb) "cry"

jupadi [ɟɯ•pa•di] "free"

jupen [ɟɯ•pen] "teacher"

-ɉ-

ɉa [ʄa] "sword"

ɉal [ʄal] "zero, empty"

ɉallg [ʄaʎg] "short"

ɉallh [ʄaʎʔ] "dream"

ɉan [ʄan] "chair"

ɉan [ʄan] "meat"

ɉanki [ʄan•ki] "salt"

ɉãǥ [ʄãɠ] "right (direction)"

ɉep [ʄep] "sad"

ɉep [ʄep] "count"

ɉẽɲq [ʄẽɲc] "other"

ɉi [ʄi] "belly"

ɉiŋ [ʄiŋ] "thin"

ɉit [ʄit] "net"

ɉulk [ʄɯlk] "hard"

ɉuƀib [ʄɯ•ɓib] "tavern, inn"

ɉubu [ʄɯ•bɯ] "sharp"

ɉuqe [ʄɯ•ce] (verb) "greet"

-k-

kag [kag] "honor"

kage [ka•ge] "funny, amusing"

kamtu [kam•tɯ] (verb) "measure"

kapqed [kap•ced] "war"

kãɉeb [kã•ʄeb] "summer"

kãl [kãl] "dark"

keqipgim [ke•cip•gim] "secret"

kẽdip [kẽ•dip] "ugly"

kẽllball [kẽʎ•baʎ] "tomorrow"

kẽllka [kẽʎ•ka] "sin"

kibek [ki•bek] "swell"

kid [kid] "idea"

kiđu [ki•ɗɯ] "dust"

kigabetje [ki•ga•bet•ɟi] "dirty"

kimd [kimd] (verb) "leave"

kimpa [kim•pa] "dress"

kinbu [kin•bɯ] "die"

kindjẽj [kind•ɟẽj] "worth"

kipal [ki•pal] "earth, dirt"

kiphal [ki•ʔal] "ashes"

kipimppik [ki•pimp•pik] "kipimppik"

kippa [kip•pa] "stone"

kitu [ki•tɯ] "upper"

kubhaljiq [kɯb•ʔal•ɟig] "cloud"

kubhaljigdulg [kɯb•ʔal•ɟig•dɯlg] "fog"

kubpẽt [kɯb•pẽt] "sky"

kudiƀã [kɯ•di•ɓã] "lake"

kutid [kɯ•tid] "horse"

-l-

lank [lank] (verb) "answer"

ledak [le•dak] "tax"

leddã [led•dã] (verb) "run" 

leh [leʔ] (verb) "believe"

lemdhe [lemd•ʔe] (verb) "care"

lepellt [le•peʎt] "debt"

lunh [lɯnʔ] "new"

libubim [li•bɯ•bim] "music"

lihep [li•ʔep] (verb) "cause"

lihib [li•ʔib] "event"

litillq [li•tiʎc] (verb) "wish"

lupẽg [lɯ•pẽg] three

-ll-

llãll [ʎaʎ] "lion"

llehi [ʎe•ʔi] "square"

llẽmn [ʎẽmn] "flow"

llẽpu [ʎẽ•pɯ] "seem"

llidemb [ʎi•demb] "wise"

lliɲq [ʎiɲc] (verb) "place" 

llitẽ [ʎi•tẽ] "holy, sacred"

llitẽ [ʎi•tẽ] "plate"

llu [ʎɯ] "foot"

lluqe [ʎɯ•ce] "fall"

llum [ʎɯm] "blow"

lluŋqpud [ʎɯŋc•pɯd] (verb) "intend to do"

lluphẽmt [ʎɯp•ʔẽmt] "price"

llupi [ʎu•pi] "number"

lut [lɯt] (verb) "hope"

-m-

mahmemh [maʔ•memʔ] "thick"

mal [mal] "cat"

mẽbitin [mẽ•bi•tin] "food"

međappa [me•ɗap•pa] "interesting"

međe [me•ɗe] "smart"

međe [me•ɗe] "silver"

meg [meg] "small"

memn [memn] "left"

menkit [men•kit] "seven"

menkitball [men•kit•baʎ] "week"

min [min] (verb) "kill"

mitde [mit•de] (verb) "hide"

mubbig [mɯb•big] "story"

muhqẽ [mɯʔ•cẽ] "table"

mujelpit [mɯ•ɟel•pit] "island"

mullmnik [mɯʎm•nik] (verb) "love"

  -n-

naŋaɲ [na•ŋaɲ] "soft"

nẽji [nẽ•ji] "last"

nẽke [nẽ•ke] "group"

nẽpu [nẽ•pɯ] (verb) "thank"

nimbtẽ [nimb•tẽ] "different"

-ɲ-

ɲe [ɲe] "special" 

ɲijan [ɲi•ɟan] "narrow"

-ŋ-

ŋalan [ŋa•lan] "sing"

-p-

pabdẽ [pab•dẽ] "tired"

pabu [pa•bɯ] "sleep"

pađukin [pa•ɗɯ•kin] "night"

pađu [pa•ɗɯ] "star"

pãg [pãg] (verb) "like"

pak [pak] "tooth"

pak [pak] "soul"

pakpa [pak•pa] "god"

pã [pã] "sit"

pãkiɲb [pã•kiɲb] "lie (down")"

pãn [pãn] "body"

pãqaj [pã•caɟ] "tree"

pegit [pe•git] "friend"

pehid [pe•ʔid] (verb) "taste"

pel [pel] "few"

pelpa [pel•pa] "white"

pell [peʎ] "bread"

pellje [peʎ•ɟe] "field"

pendãqit [pen•dã•cit] "example"

pepit [pe•pit] "right, correct"

petemb [pe•temb] "bark"

petibud [pe•ti•bɯd] "nature"

petɉent [pet•ʄent] "smart"

pẽ [pẽ] "bird"

pẽbtinptẽ [pẽb•tinp•tẽ] "crazy, insane"

pẽmp [pẽmp] "walk"

pẽɲt [pẽɲt] "healthy"

pẽp [pẽp] "time"

pẽtẽt [pẽ•tẽt] "wire"

pẽti [pẽ•ti] (verb) "begin"

pibtel [pib•tel] "window"

pidbẽtin [pit•bẽ•tin] "boyfriend"

piden [pi•den] "flower"

piđ [piɗ] "stick"

piđap [pi•ɗap] "lunch"

piđdel [piɗ•del] "butt, buttocks"

pih [piʔ] "winter"

pihbe [piʔ•be] (modal verb) "must"

pilẽ [pi•lẽ] "wheel"

pillbpi [piʎb•pi] "rope"

pikta [pik•ta]

pind [pind] "tool"

piɲqke [piɲc•ke] "brain"

pip [pip] "branch"

pipãqi [pi•pã•ci] "corner"

pipkẽ [pip•kẽ] "hill"

piqa [pi•ca] "good"

pit [pit] "hand"

pitẽk [pi•tẽk] "egg"

pithãtin [pit•ʔã•tin] "girlfriend"

pitigŋi [pi•tig•ŋi] (verb) "remember"

pub [pɯb] "tail"

puhu [pɯ•ʔɯ] "happy"

pukta [pɯk•ta] "bag"

puln [pɯln] "shame"

pullka [pɯʎ•ka] "leader"putdi [pɯt•di] "far"

puŋt [pɯŋt] "dig"

pupa [pɯ•pa] "probable"

puqab [pɯ•cab] "expensive"

-q-

qallm [caʎm] "many"

qallmkip [caʎm•kip] "land"

qatik [ca•tik] "muscle"

qãnp [cãnp] "leaf"

qe [ce] (modal verb) "can"* 

qell [ceʎ] (verb) "go"

qẽpti [cẽp•ti] "art, science"

qẽtuq [cẽ•tɯc] "fight"

gida [gi•da] "float"

qilt [cilt] "wine"

qimb [cimb] "brown"

qimpen [cim•pen] "pants"

qinǥ [cinɠ] "hold"

qingte [cing•te] "skin"

qẽɲji [cẽɲ•ɟi] "work"

qipẽnd [ci•pẽnd] "cook"

qiplenj [cip•lenɟ] "wagon"

qipŋẽ [cip•ŋẽ] "drink"

qiqi [ci•ci] "chicken"

qite [ci•te] "glass"

qitẽg [ci•tẽg] "moon"

qituqgi [ci•tɯc•gi] "hair"

qu [cɯ] "seed"

qub [cɯb] "leg"

qubãm [cɯ•bãm] "list"

qullma - [cɯʎ•ma] "slow"

quji [cɯ•ɟi] "root"

qujitin [cɯ•ɟi•tin] "child"

qun [cɯn] "split, half"

quŋtpa [cɯŋt•pa] "sick"

qupi [cɯ•pi] "two"

ququn [cɯcɯn]"quarter"

quttã [cɯt•tã] "name"

-t-

tallpi [taʎ•pi] "bird"

tamp [tamp] "play" 

tanppi [tanp•pi] "study"

tati [ta•ti] "sour"

tad [tad] (verb) "finish"

tadẽ [ta•dẽ] (verb) "marry"

tã "some"

tãb [tãb] "pull"

tãpib [tã•pib] "smooth"

tãqum [tã•cɯm] (verb) "ask"

tebid [te•bid] "hot"

tebbẽj [teb•beɟ] "grass"

teƀet [te•ɓet] "swim"

tedita [te•di•ta] "city"

tegi [te•gi] "sew"

teǥekinp [te•ɠe•kinp] "careful"

tenq [tenc] (verb) "point"

teŋtqep [teŋt•cep] "system"

teppa [tep•pa] (verb) "joke"

tẽdi [tẽ•di] "bed"

tẽnhte [tẽnʔ•te] "animal"

tẽnhte [tẽnʔ•te] "fast"

tẽpgẽ [tẽp•gẽ] "snake"

tib [tib] "come"

tibẽ [ti•bẽ] "eat"

tiju [ti•ɟɯ] (verb) "roll" 

timgan [tim•gan] (verb) "dance"

tin [tin] "person, human being"

tiɲm [tiɲm] "reason"

tinqeppi [tin•cep•pi] (verb) "forget"

tinqu [tin•cɯ] “baby, person-seed” 

tiŋge [tiŋ•ge] "breathe"

tipãte [ti•pã•te] "wall"

tipbã [tip•bã] "first"

tippit [tip•pit] "farm"

tuddillƀ [tɯd•diʎɓ] "real"

tug [tɯg] "room"

tump [tɯmp] "fish"

tupã [tɯ•pã] "sweet"

Worldbuilding Wednesday #22: Let’s Build Our First Conlang! (Part Twelve: Lexicon 4)

(For the next few editions of Worldbuilding Wednesday, we’re going through the steps in creating a fictional language. You’re welcome to join me!)

Part One: Introduction

Part Two: Consonants

Part Three: Vowels

Part Four: Allophones 1

Part Five: Phonotactics

Part Six: Orthography

Part Seven: Lexicon 1

Part Eight: Lexicon 2

Part Nine: Lexicon 3

Part Ten: Noun Inflections 1

Part Eleven: Noun Inflections 2

Conlang Resource Links

Phonological Inventories of the Real World

For this week's Worldbuilding Wednesday, I'm putting together a lexicon page where everything is listed alphabetically. Since I was gone all weekend, it's taking than I'd hoped -- should be up Thursday or Friday. Here are this week's fifty words to tide you over:

(Hierarchy) king - gempa (gem•pa) - Fixed  boss - gem (gem) leader - pullka (pɯʎ•ka) servant - ǥebbu (ɠeb•bɯ)

(Religion)  god - pakpa (pak•pa) devil - dinjẽ (din•ɟẽ) temple - hitti (ʔit•ti) holy - llitẽ (ʎi•tẽ) evil - ƀakka (ɓak•ka) soul - pak (pak) sin - kẽllka (kẽʎ•ka)

(Settlements) city - tedita (te•di•ta) street - dumt (dɯmt) tavern - ɉuƀib (ʄɯ•ɓib)

(Houses) house - đetuji (ɗe•tɯ•ɟi) room - tug (tɯg) wall - tipãte (ti•pã•te) window - pibtel (pib•tel) door - bellbu (beʎ•bɯ)

(Furniture) table - muhqẽ (mɯʔ•cẽ) chair - ɉan (ʄan) bed - tẽdi (tẽ•di) corner - pipãqi (pi•pã•ci)

(School) class - haɲjped (ʔaɲ•ɟi•ped) lesson - dulkend (dɯl•kend) teacher - jupen (ɟɯ•pen) test - bullbaj (bɯʎ•baɟ)

(Dining) food - mẽbitin (mẽ•bi•tin) lunch - piđap (pi•ɗap) dinner - gubẽb (gɯ•bẽb) wine - qilt (cilt) milk - hullm (ʔɯʎm)

(Clothing) clothes - ƀaǥu (ɓa•ɠɯ) pants - qimpen (cim•pen) dress - kimpa (kim•pa) shoe - đẽ (ɗẽ) hat - jull (ɟɯʎ)

(Technology) machine - ƀumgbi (ɓɯmg•bi) tool - pind (pind) boat - biŋtjuŋ (biŋt•ɟɯŋ) key - gemb (gemb) net - ɉit (ʄit) wagon - qiplenj (cip•lenɟ) wheel - pilẽ (pi•lẽ) wire - pẽtẽt (pẽ•tẽt)

Worldbuilding Wednesday #22: Let’s Build Our First Conlang! (Part Eleven)

(For the next few editions of Worldbuilding Wednesday, we’re going through the steps in creating a fictional language. You’re welcome to join me!)

Part One: Introduction

Part Two: Consonants

Part Three: Vowels

Part Four: Allophones 1

Part Five: Phonotactics

Part Six: Orthography

Part Seven: Lexicon 1

Part Eight: Lexicon 2

Part Nine: Lexicon 3

Part Ten: Noun Inflections 1

Conlang Resource Links

Phonological Inventories of the Real World

Continuing discussion of our nouns, some feedback I got from last week's work indicated that it might be better to leave gender out of the noun inflections, because a noun's gender is generally seen as an innate quality that doesn't change. (Recall that we're using "gender" here in the grammatical sense; in Proto-Arolian grammatical gender distinguishes between animate, inanimate, and neutral.) It might be best to leave it to the verbs &c. This makes sense -- having the noun /himpt/ ("blood"), it might be cumbersome to always end it with the inanimate suffix /mi/ (becoming /himptmi/), especially if all the other inanimate nouns end in the same suffix every time they appear. (That's not to say that no real-world languages do this -- I can think of a few.) In any case, we'll run with it for PA -- gender isn't indicated grammatically in noun inflections. (Similarly, the nominative case also has no affix; however,  we'll list it among the cases anyway.)

So, that leaves us with the following noun inflections:

nominative: --(none)

accusative: /-tẽ/ [-tẽ]

genitive: /-hin/ [-ʔin]

dative: /-nud/ [-nɯd]

locative: /-jek/ [-ɟek]

ablative: /-qã/ [-cã]

instrumental: /-pet/ [-pel]

number (plural): /-kin/ [-kin]

Examples: 

/bẽtinhin/ [bẽ•tin•hin] "the man's" /kudiƀãjek/ [kɯ•di•ɓã•ɟek] "at the lake"

/ballqã/ [baʎ•cã] "from the sun"

A couple additions:

Proto-Arolian also Augmentatives and Diminutives. 

diminutive ("small"): /-du/ [-dɯ]

diminutive ("tiny, seed, small growing thing"): /-qu/ [cɯ]

augmentative ("big"): /-

augmentative ("huge, full-grown, tree-like"): /-pa

You can find a few examples in our people-words:

/tin/ [tin] "person"

/tinqu/ [tin•cɯ]  "baby" (lit. "seed-person")

Etc.

Finally, another fifty words for the lexicon:

Nouns (Territory) nature - /petibud/ [pe•ti•bɯd] world - /judal/ [ɟɯ•dal] land - /qallmkip/ [caʎm•kip] (Time) week - menkitball [men•kit•baʎ] month - judiqiteg [ɟɯ•di•ci•teg] yesterday – gahunj [ga•ʔɯnɟ] today – ball [baʎ] tomorrow – kẽllball [kẽʎ•baʎ] morning – jẽnatupba [ɟẽ•na•tɯp•ba] afternoon – jẽnanẽji [ɟẽ•na•nẽ•ɟi]

(Seasons) spring – jitell [ɟi•teʎ] summer – kãɉeb [kã•ʄeb] autumn – debẽbik [de•bẽ•bik] winter – pih [piʔ]

(Geographical) hill – pipkẽ [pip•kẽ] farm – tippit [tip•pit] field – pellje [peʎ•ɟe] island – mujelpit [mɯ•ɟel•pit]

(Body Parts) body – pãn [pãn] lip – diduki [di•dɯ•ki] breast – japi [ɟa•pi] butt – piđdel [piɗ•del] muscle – qatik [ca•tik] brain – piɲqke [piɲc•ke]

(Animals) cat – mal [mal] cow – dudint [dɯ•dint] chicken – qiqi [ci•ci] horse – kutid [kɯ•tid] pig – hiŋk [ʔiŋk] mouse – jindi [ɟin•di] monkey – kipimppik [ki•pimp•pik] lion – llãll [ʎaʎ] bird – pẽ [pẽ] fish – tump [tɯmp] bug – gibdi [gib•di]

(Plants)  grain – biqẽmt [bi•cẽmt] bread – pell [peʎ] branch – pip [pip]

(People) girl – hãdu [ʔã•dɯ] boy – bẽdu [bẽ•dɯ] girlfriend – pithãtin [pit•ʔã•tin] boyfriend – pidbẽtin [pit•bẽ•tin] friend – pegit [pe•git] baby – tinqu [tin•cɯ] “person-seed”

(Family) family – gẽnppu [gẽnp•pɯ] sister – hãdut [ʔã•dɯt] brother – bẽdut [bẽ•dɯt] son – bẽtindu [bẽ•tin•dɯ] daughter – hãtindu [ʔã•tin•dɯ]

Here's what we're up to at Westquarry currently:

Trying to edit excerpts on computers that end up dying.

Buying a new %@$^ing computer, apparently.

Working on a couple unrelated projects

Recovering from getting hit with an arrow to the face. (Long story)

Roller derby

Playing The Quiet Year together over Google Hangouts