Idiosyncratic words in conlangs

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TaylorS
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Re: Idiosyncratic words in conlangs

Post by TaylorS »

Given that Alpic is a little language spoken in the Alps it has a lot of words pertaining to highland terrain. Some examples

elbasja = snow-covered peaks
umbrodi = peaks without snow
hikkaljof = highland tundra/meadow
dluswaljof = highland conifer forest
tuppurjedanutji = glacial river/creek

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Radius Solis
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Re: Idiosyncratic words in conlangs

Post by Radius Solis »

I was always fond of mentioning that Naidda has a word I translate "bloodthirsty priest". But it's three morphemes, which add up to a more literal interpretation "excessive sacrificer", one who is too eager to make (blood) sacrifices, and is somewhat comparable in tone to English "quack" (in the sense of a false doctor).

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Re: Idiosyncratic words in conlangs

Post by King of My Own Niche »

Radius Solis wrote:I was always fond of mentioning that Naidda has a word I translate "bloodthirsty priest". But it's three morphemes, which add up to a more literal interpretation "excessive sacrificer", one who is too eager to make (blood) sacrifices, and is somewhat comparable in tone to English "quack" (in the sense of a false doctor).
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Re: Idiosyncratic words in conlangs

Post by Risla »

Radius Solis wrote:I was always fond of mentioning that Naidda has a word I translate "bloodthirsty priest". But it's three morphemes, which add up to a more literal interpretation "excessive sacrificer", one who is too eager to make (blood) sacrifices, and is somewhat comparable in tone to English "quack" (in the sense of a false doctor).
That actually reminds me that there's a word in South Eresian, motlanqéran (tlanqéra is basically a generic word for currency), literally meaning "much-money person," that refers to a priestess who takes bribes to exercise her religious power in certain ways, often including sacrificing people some rich person doesn't like.

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din
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Re: Idiosyncratic words in conlangs

Post by din »

In Tormiott, to touch and to mangle are both the same verb. It's not very ambiguous because the verbal form generally distinguishes the momentane (1x) from the continuous. If necessary you can still disambiguate with an adverb
rid /rin/
(v) to deform; to bend out of shape; to batter, to smash
(in momentane form) (v) to touch (also: o amon rid {o amon, calmly})



Also the nominal form of to do, make or fabricate means: enjoyment, fun



And then bicycle literally means 'rolling horse'.


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Re: Idiosyncratic words in conlangs

Post by Colz »

I don't remember making these, but my long-neglected language Rudan has a set of words made with a semi-productive morpheme that means "used for magic". Examples:

erekritab "spellbook" < kitab "book"
erekristi "wand" < kisti "stick"
erekriric "chalice" < kiric "cup"
erepruraś "cauldron" < puraś "cauldron"

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