Interlace Alphabet Examples, Part 1 of ???

I attended Kopikon and talked a little about the Interlace Alphabet, among other things. And I shared examples that don’t appear to be anywhere on the web, or at least, that don’t appear to be anywhere on a site I control. So, here we go…

“PETERSON” in the Interlace Alphabet

I made the above for David Peterson.

TAXONIKON

The above spells taxōnīkōn, which would be the Kēlen word for conlanger. I believe you can purchase this design on various items through the LCS Swag store.

LANALRE

This one is lān ālre! or Praise, Alre, the goddess of storms, technology, stuff…

More to come when I have the time.

New Kēlen Vocabulary: maþālōn

mathaaloon

maþālōn

Pirate.

If there are going to have pirates speaking Kēlen, then I need a word for pirate. maþālōn can also be used to refer to kidnappers and thieves, since the root -þāl- means seize, take, capture.

la liēn λi maþālōn malūta Ropertes; wa mammārenien rēha;

I am the Dread Pirate Roberts. There will be no survivors.

New Kēlen Vocabulary: jīlwerre

jīlwerre

jīlwerre

This is a new word coined from two roots: -īλ- and -wēr-, roughly cloth + name. So, flag, for the most part.

Example sentence:

pa ñiēþ jīlwerrenle anxōnne ja ñi anλāta;

Our flag means death.

So some people contacted me about using Kēlen in an RPG, which is fine by me, as it is non-commercial use. In their game, the pirates speak Kēlen!

More pirate vocabulary in a few days!

Update

It seems I haven’t updated since November 2019. My excuse: 2020. Yeah.

Two things, both having to do with Kēlen.

I found this video in April, thanks to Vestboy Myst.

And then a few days ago John Quijada sent me a link to this:

And I figured I better put them somewhere where I could find them again, like this blog!

In other conlanging news, I am playing around with the beginnings of what might maybe become a new language eventually.

Stay safe!

More funlang

Here is more of the funlang. This time I did the Eye Juggler text from Dirk Elzinga.

Piyayuri
Piya-yuri
Piya-spirit
wununday
wunu-nday
see-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
Piya was seeing something.

OK, so proper names get classifiers, too

du
du
COMMENT
yirunday
yiru-nday
follow-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
This was as follows.

kibikibinuya
kibikibi-nuya
children.in.group-ANIMATE
Tabunihunday
Tabuni-hu-nday
Tabuni-belonging.to-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
Children were belonging to Tabuni.

And marking plural on the predicate amuses me, so…

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
gurawunday
gura-wu-nday
play-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
They were playing.

du
du
COMMENT
yirunday
yiru-nday
follow-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
This was as follows.

nuya
nuya
ANIMATE
Ɂasamuwunday
Ɂasa-mu-wu-nday
grasp-out-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
They were plucking out something.

And with classifiers that can be used as pronouns, there is no need for separate third person pronouns.

wuŋiwubiya
wuŋi-wu-biya
eye-PL-ROUND
hutuwunday
hutu-wu-nday
in.hand-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
Eyes were in hands.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
tuyawayuwunday
tuyawa-yu-wu-nday
throw-up-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
And they (the eyes) were thrown upwards.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
rusutuduwunday
rusu-tudu-wu-nday
return-CAUS-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
And they were made to return.

du
du
COMMENT
wuŋikabanuwunday
wuŋi-kaba-nu-wu-nday
eye-hole-COME-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
This was into eye sockets.

Piyayuri
Piya-yuri
Piya-spirit
guraɁuŋinday
gura-Ɂuŋi-nday
play-MUST-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
Piya wanted to play.

wuŋibiya
wuŋi-biya
eye-ROUND
zuyanday
zuya-nday
dark-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
(Piya’s) eyes were dark.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
Ɂaranday
Ɂara-nday
reflective-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
And they were shiny.

yuri
yuri
spirit
Ɂasamundat
Ɂasa-mu-ndat
grasp-out-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
Piya plucked out something.

biya
biya
round
hutundat
hutu-ndat
in.hand-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
They (the eyes) were in hand.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
tuyapayundat
tuyapa-yu-ndat
be.thrown-PASS-up-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
And they were thrown upwards.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
turunandat
turu-na-ndat
go.down-BEGIN-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
And they begin to come down.

du
du
COMMENT
pasarandat
pasara-ndat
interrupted-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
This was interrupted.

du
du
COMMENT
suŋudundat
suŋudu-ndat
cedar.tree-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
This (interruption) was a cedar tree.

yuri
yuri
spirit
ranaranatudundat
ranarana-tudu-ndat
shake-CAUS-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
Piya made something shake.

suŋuduɁuda
suŋudu-Ɂuda
cedar.tree-TREE
ranaranandat
ranarana-ndat
shake-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
The cedar tree shook.

biya
biya
round
turutupandat
turu-tupa-ndat
go.down-FAIL-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
The eyes did not come down.

kibikibinuya
kibikibi-nuya
children.in.group-ANIMATE
riniriniwundat
rinirini-wu-ndat
laugh-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
The children laughed.

nuya
nuya
ANIMATE
pusupusuwundat
pusupusu-wu-ndat
mockery-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
They mocked someone.

Piyayuri
Piya-yuri
Piya-spirit
pusupusupandat
pusupusu-pa-ndat
mockery-PASS-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
Piya was mocked.

du
du
COMMENT
nurutudundat
nuru-tudu-ndat
anger-CAUS-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
This caused anger.

du
du
COMMENT
Piyasundat
Piya-su-ndat
Piya-LOC-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
This was in Piya.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
zunandat
zuna-ndat
reason-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
And this was the reason.

du
du
COMMENT
yirunday
yiru-nday
follow-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
This was as follows.

yuri
yuri
spirit
yiriyiruganundat
yiriyiru-ganu-ndat
run-BEHIND-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
Piya chased after something.

nuya
nuya
ANIMATE
yiriyiruganupawundat
yiriyiru-ganu-pa-wu-ndat
run-BEHIND-PASS-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
They (the children) were chased.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
hutudutupawundat
hutu-(tu)du-tupa-wu-ndat
in.hand-CAUS=FAIL-PL.TOPIC-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
And they were not caught.

So this is one way to make things less agglutinative – drop a syllable that is identical to the previous syllable. I suppose I should make sure I didn’t forget to do this elsewhere.

yuri
yuri
spirit
yiriyiruturandat
yiriyiru-tura-ndat
run-STOP-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
Piya stopped chasing.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
puzarandat
puza-ra-ndat
away-GO-DISTPAST+PERF+REP
Piya left.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
tayituduɁuŋinday
tayi-tudu-Ɂuŋi-nday
new-CAUS-MUST-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
Piya must make something new.

du
du
COMMENT
wuŋinday
wuŋi-nday
eye-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
These were eyes.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
ŋuyarunday
ŋuya-ru-nday
pine.sap-FROM-DISTPAST+IMPERF+REP
And they were from pine sap.

wuŋibiya
wuŋi-biya
eye-round
ŋuyaŋu
ŋuya-ŋu
pine.sap-LIKE
Piya’s eyes are like pine sap.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
Ɂarawapawapa
Ɂara-wapawapa
reflective-NO.LONGER
And they are no longer shiny.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
nuya
nuya
yellow
And they are yellow.

Talking Rock in a Funlang

This is a new, unnamed funlang. It is an experiment in topic – comment with only intransitive predicates. So each full sentence is only two words and two words only. Pronouns include one that refers to the topic of the previous sentence (SAME) and one that refers to the comment of the previous sentence (COMMENT). It might even be non-recursive, but not being a theoretician, I won’t swear to that.

yunara
yunara
1SG.NEW
bandasa
banda-sa
walk-RECPAST+IMPERF+VIS
I was walking.

du
du
COMMENT
yundatasa
yundata-sa
yesterday-RECPAST+IMPERF+VIS
This was yesterday.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
habasusa
haba-su-sa
shore-LOC-RECPAST+IMPERF+VIS
And this was on the shore.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
pasarat
pasara-t
be-interrupted.RECPAST+PERF+VIS
And this was interrupted.

yi
yi
1SG.OLD
waɁat
waɁa-t
trip-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
I tripped.

du
du
COMMENT
Ɂidusut
Ɂidu-su-t
rock-LOC-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This (tripping) was on a rock.

du
du
COMMENT
surahigudiy
sura-higu-diy
speak-POTENTIAL-RECPAST+IMPERF+INF
This (the rock) might talk.

yi
yi
1SG
Ɂasayut
Ɂasa-yu-t
grasp-UP-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
I picked something up.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
surat
sura-t
speak-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
And I spoke.

Ɂidubiya
Ɂidu-biya
rock-round
hutat
huta-t
be.in.hand-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
The rock was in hand.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
zinit
zini-t
be.spoken.to-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
And it was spoken to.

yi
yi
1SG
tanit
tani-t
say-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
I said something.

du
du
COMMENT
Ɂuŋut
Ɂuŋu-t
question-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This (what was said) was a question.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
yirut
yiru-t
follow-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This was as follows.

Ɂidubiya
Ɂidu-biya
rock-round
guya
guya
be.this-NONPAST+IMPERF+VIS
Is this a rock?

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
sura
sura
speak-NONPAST+IMPERF+VIS
And it speaks?

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
tanit
tani-t
say-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
And it said something.

du
du
COMMENT
yirut
yiru-t
follow-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This was as follows.

Ɂidubiya
Ɂidu-biya
rock-round
yunara
yunara
1SG-NONPAST+IMPERF+VIS
A rock I am.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
sura
sura
speak-NONPAST+IMPERF+VIS
And I speak.

yi
yi
1SG
tanit
tani-t
say-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
I said something.

du
du
COMMENT
yirut
yiru-t
follow-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This was as follows.

yi
yi
1SG
zinibidit
zini-bi-dit
be.spoken.to-NEG-RECPAST+PERF+INF
I was not spoken to.

wisata
wisata
2SG.NEW
surabidit
sura-bi-dit
speak-NEG-RECPAST+PERF+INF
You did not speak.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
tanibidit
tani-bi-dit
say-NEG-RECPAST+PERF+INF
And you did not say something.

du
du
COMMENT
yirudit
yiru-dit
follow-RECPAST+PERF+INF
This was possibly as follows.

yi
yi
1SG
zusahigudiy
zusa-higu-diy
watch.for-POTENTIAL-RECPAST+IMPERF+INF
I should watch out.

du
du
COMMENT
wisatanudiy
wisata-nu-diy
2SG-RECPAST+IMPERF+INF
This (watching out) would be for you.

biya
biya
round
tanirusut
tani-rusu-t
say-back-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
It replied.

du
du
COMMENT
yirut
yiru-t
follow-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This was as follows.

Ɂidubiya
Ɂidu-biya
rock-round
yunara
yunara
1SG-NONPAST+IMPERF+VIS
A rock I am.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
sura
sura
speak-NONPAST+IMPERF+VIS
And I speak.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
puna
puna
be.mean-NONPAST+IMPERF+VIS
And I am mean.

du
du
COMMENT
zuna
zuna
reason-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This is the reason.

taniya
tani-ya
saying-GENERIC
nurutudu-t
nuru-tudu-t
anger-cause-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
The speech caused anger.

du
du
COMMENT
yunarasut
yunara-su-t
1SG-LOC-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This (anger) was in me.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
zunat
zuna-t
reason-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
And was the reason.

du
du
COMMENT
yirunut
yiru-nu-t
follow-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
This was for the following.

yi
yi
1SG
tuyawat
tuyawa-t
throw-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
I threw something.

biya
biya
round
tuyawapat
tuyawa-pa-t
throw-PASS-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
It (the rock) was thrown.

Ɂa
Ɂa
SAME
haraharasut
harahara-su-t
ocean-LOC-RECPAST+PERF+VIS
And it was in the ocean.

yi
yi
1SG
wunurusubidit
wunu-rusu-bi-dit
see-back-NEG-RECPAST+PERF+INF
I did not see (something) again.

biya
biya
round
wunurusubipadit
wunu-rusu-bi-pa-dit
see-back-NEG-PASS-RECPAST+PERF+INF
It (the rock) was not seen again.

I like the repetitiveness of otherwise transitive verbs. It amuses me.

I also like the fact that speak and spoken to are different, unrelated words. And that the converse of pick up is be in hand.

I like that pronouns come in two sets: new and previously mentioned. With regular nouns, this is accomplished by using noun plus classifier for a new mention and the classifier only as a previous mention.

I am a bit worried about the lack of clarity in where a quote ends. Adding something like “saying finished” might work, but it would probably involve repeating the noun tani-ya rather than just ya, which I don’t like.

The comment words ought to be less cleanly agglutinative, at least when it comes to multiple suffixes, those should blend a bit more, maybe.

What do you think?

I will do the Eye Juggler next, and then maybe the South Wind and the Sun. Short texts become such long texts that I am not sure I dare tackle the longer texts that I usually use.