Inventing Languages in Settings

[Grouchy Chris]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

It sounds more the reverse; having some knowledge of the culture and then using that to analyse word orgins. The writer knew already that eskimos come from a place where there is lots of snow.

Were you trying to reply to someone else? I wrote nothing about Eskimos or snow.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Grouchy Chris

Were you trying to reply to someone else? I wrote nothing about Eskimos or snow.

I assumed you were continuing the conversation twist that started with the Sapir-worf. That you were replying to whhs and I was replying to both of you.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by whswhs

That sort of yes/no equivalent is probably a recurrent path of semantic change. I've lately been seeing people online quoting a previously posted statement and saying "This." That looked really subliterate to me . . . until I reflected on the Romans saying "Sic" ["Thus"] in exactly the same type of situation.

Hah! Another title earned :)

"You insult me my friend... and yet, I am not offended."

That's not funny, that's [sic]

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by whswhs

There's supposedly a standard creole grammar found in independently evolved languages around the world. For example, there are three markers of verb usage, respectively for "remembered rather than currently in effect" (past/pluperfect), "thought of rather than factual" (future/subjunctive), and "repetitive or constant": One creole apparently marks these with "bin," "go," and "stay." I bin play GURPS ten year, I go play GURPS all next year, I stay play GURPS in lot campaign. It may be a bit more stripped down than you were looking for, though.

I think I'm stealing this for my next Barbarian :)

When I play online, I have a lot of fun mauling the diction of my characters with Accented pronunciation of whatever language we're supposed to be pretending to speak. I play a lot of Barbarians, so I play a lot of characters with Accented languages :)

Ystava talks like... Jerry Lewis with a concussion really.