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--- In romconlang@yahoogroups.com, "Christian Thalmann" <cinga@g...> wrote: > --- In romconlang@yahoogroups.com, "rodlox" <rodlox@h...> wrote: > > > > > anybody have any thoughts about it? (it's in > > > > the Files section). > > Dude, you just took an arbitrary slice out of an > online dictionary, with very inaccurate glosses > (which isn't your fault, strictly speaking... but > still, a tool misused is not necessarily a bad > tool) and had the computer make one or two automatic > letter subsitutions. I'm all for supporting new and > inexperienced conlangers, but that's just lazy. > > Your "unnamed conlang" as posted on the conlang list > is already a lot more original. Less automation, > more manual work, that's the way. Takes a lot more > time, granted, but at least you'll end up with an > artwork of your own, rather than grafitti scrawled > over someone else's paintings. > > > As far as that word list goes: It seems to me that > the English glosses are words that *appear* in the > full explanation of a Latin word, rather than being > *the* translation. For example, you have "abide" as > the translation of *29* different Latin words! > Doesn't that seem strange to you? Especially since > very basic words like STO, primarily meaning "to > stand", are also translated as "abide". > > Hope that helps. > > > > -- Christian Thalmann Think what direction you wish to take the language. A tool such as this, even when broken, is nonetheless useful in determining the aesthetics of the conlang, both visual and phonetic. Leaving aside for the moment the question of location and influence, are you aiming for a more Latin-looking conlang or a less Latin-looking one? (Be careful here - you don't want it too Latin-y. Are there particular features that you wish to preserve? All the cases? Drop the conjugation of verbs but keep declension of nouns? Make it resemble a certain other language? Derive it from another Italic tongue, such as Sabine or Oscan? Play around with different forms, but do not be afraid to cast unpleasing ones aside. Perhaps you could work the system of vowel ablaut from conlang into your Grand Plan. Or, if you want a Latinate language, make your conlang distinct through other influences. Remember you can always retcon history and population migration if necessary (mercenaries are useful here).