Cadhinorian phonotactics

Questions or discussions about Almea or Verduria-- also the Incatena. Also good for postings in Almean languages.
Post Reply
rotting bones
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:25 pm

Cadhinorian phonotactics

Post by rotting bones »

Don't you think words like PELEGUT and SNUCET totally ruin the classical Graeco-Latin effect? Or was Zompist deliberately aiming for a more Balto-Slavic sound so as to break the stereotype?
If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way. - Mark Twain

In reality, our greatest blessings come to us by way of madness, which indeed is a divine gift. - Socrates

User avatar
Dewrad
Sanno
Sanno
Posts: 1040
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2002 9:02 pm

Post by Dewrad »

While some of Zompist's languages can be reminiscent of a terrestrial language, I don't think any of them attempt to fully capture the phonotactics and aesthetics of any earth language. Cuezi and Flaidish are probably the two which come closest (particularly Flaidish), but in both cases there's a large degree of difference.
Some useful Dravian links: Grammar - Lexicon - Ask a Dravian
Salmoneus wrote:(NB Dewrad is behaving like an adult - a petty, sarcastic and uncharitable adult, admittedly, but none the less note the infinitely higher quality of flame)

rotting bones
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:25 pm

Post by rotting bones »

Dewrad wrote:While some of Zompist's languages can be reminiscent of a terrestrial language, I don't think any of them attempt to fully capture the phonotactics and aesthetics of any earth language. Cuezi and Flaidish are probably the two which come closest (particularly Flaidish), but in both cases there's a large degree of difference.
I for one certainly wouldn't want Almean languages to "fully capture" the essence of any single terrestrial language. It's just that in my opinion, words like PELEGUT push Cadhinorian phototactics a good couple of light years away from the classical European aesthetic ideal. I have no problem with that whatsoever. I'm just wondering about Zompist's goals in fixing the phonology of Cadhinor.
If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way. - Mark Twain

In reality, our greatest blessings come to us by way of madness, which indeed is a divine gift. - Socrates

zompist
Boardlord
Boardlord
Posts: 3368
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2002 8:26 pm
Location: In the den
Contact:

Post by zompist »

There's no intention to make Cadhinor very close to Latin, and in fact it would be quite difficult given the heavy Russian influence on Verdurian.

rotting bones
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:25 pm

Post by rotting bones »

zompist wrote:There's no intention to make Cadhinor very close to Latin, and in fact it would be quite difficult given the heavy Russian influence on Verdurian.
Sure, but that doesn't necessarily determine what Cadhinor had to sound like. If you wanted to infuse a feeling of classical antiquity, you could have easily had most modern Central languages descend from a common ancestor, maybe a prakritized Middle Cadhinor, itself a descendant or sister language of a (unstable?) standard register, Classical Cadhinor. I haven't studied the Proto-Eastern page in detail, but it couldn't have been very hard to derive snuga form, say, a slang form of SUNCET or something. Just saying; I like Cadhinor.
If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way. - Mark Twain

In reality, our greatest blessings come to us by way of madness, which indeed is a divine gift. - Socrates

User avatar
Nortaneous
Sumerul
Sumerul
Posts: 4544
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:52 am
Location: the Imperial Corridor

Post by Nortaneous »

rotting ham wrote:It's just that in my opinion, words like PELEGUT push Cadhinorian phototactics a good couple of light years away from the classical European aesthetic ideal.
How so? PELEGUT doesn't sound that non-European to me. I wouldn't be surprised to see it in a Latinish text.
Siöö jandeng raiglin zåbei tandiüłåd;
nää džunnfin kukuch vklaivei sivei tåd.
Chei. Chei. Chei. Chei. Chei. Chei. Chei.

User avatar
con quesa
Lebom
Lebom
Posts: 159
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 1:34 pm
Location: Fnuhpolis- The City of Fnuh

Post by con quesa »

Dewrad wrote:While some of Zompist's languages can be reminiscent of a terrestrial language, I don't think any of them attempt to fully capture the phonotactics and aesthetics of any earth language. Cuezi and Flaidish are probably the two which come closest (particularly Flaidish), but in both cases there's a large degree of difference.
What Earth language is Cuezi particularly reminiscent of?
con quesa- firm believer in the right of Spanish cheese to be female if she so chooses

"There's nothing inherently different between knowing who Venusaur is and knowing who Lady Macbeth is" -Xephyr

User avatar
Dewrad
Sanno
Sanno
Posts: 1040
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2002 9:02 pm

Post by Dewrad »

con quesa wrote:What Earth language is Cuezi particularly reminiscent of?
Greek, of course.
Some useful Dravian links: Grammar - Lexicon - Ask a Dravian
Salmoneus wrote:(NB Dewrad is behaving like an adult - a petty, sarcastic and uncharitable adult, admittedly, but none the less note the infinitely higher quality of flame)

rotting bones
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:25 pm

Post by rotting bones »

Nortaneous wrote:How so? PELEGUT doesn't sound that non-European to me. I wouldn't be surprised to see it in a Latinish text.
Sure, in Portuguese.

I love the word SNUCET, by the way. It sounds like schnook-eth. As in, "The son, to his father, schnooketh." :mrgreen:
If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way. - Mark Twain

In reality, our greatest blessings come to us by way of madness, which indeed is a divine gift. - Socrates

Post Reply