Shit demon speech

[bob2356]

Hi everyone!

A couple of months ago, I discovered the fabulous world of conlanging and started a language of my own as a fun recreation to learn and practice: shit demon speech. I posted a couple of times about it but for some reason the posts vanished...

The language is a bit more advanced now and I'm looking for feedback, so here it is:

Shit Demon Speech
As the name subtly implies, this language is spoken by giant unholy piles of crap.

This illustration was made by a friend a while ago with no connection to the language, but people often ask me what shit demons look like so there you go!

Phonology
The phonology is aimed at sounding very fart-ish.
For some reason, I decided early on that the morphology of the speakers would only allow them to use the front of their mouth to speak.

Consonants
/IPA/<tranliteration>

• Plosives: /pʰ/<p>
• Fricatives: /ɸ/<f>, /Θ/<th>, /s/<s>
• Trill: /ʙ̼̊/<pp>, /ʙ̼̊₂/<pb>, ʙ̥<pr>
• Lateral fricatives: /ɬ̪/<x>

The trills need some more explation:

• /ʙ̼̊/<pp>: "blowing a raspberry" with air stream passing under the tongue. The tongue and lower lip are quite relaxed, producing a low frequency vibration and a "wet" sound.
• /ʙ̼̊₂/<pb>: "blowing a raspberry" with the air stream passing above the tongue. The tongue and upper lip are tensed, producing a high frequency vibration and a "tight" sound.
• /ʙ̥/<pr>: both lips vibrate, as when imitating a horse.

Vowels
/y/<y>, /ø/<e>, /œ/<è>, /ɶ/<a>, /β̩ /<v>
All the vowels are rounded because of the anus-like shape it gives to the mouth. I found it rather consistent with the nature of the speakers!

Phonotactics
V = y/e/è/a/v
C = p/f/th/s/pb/pp/pr/x
P = p/pb/pp
A(ttack) = p/pr (p is not aspirated in this case)
S(mooth consonant) = f/th/s/x
([(A)S]/P)V(V)(C)

• A root always starts with a consonant.
• Two adjacent vowels always diphthong into one another.
• <p>, <pb>, <pp> and <pr> are never adjacent. When aggregating affixes to a root, only the consonant starting the second syllable is kept.

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  pèpfapb     thapèf                      pèpfapb     ppèepèf
  pèpfapb-Ø   thapp-Ø-pè-èf               pèpfapb-Ø   ppèepb-Ø-pè-èf
  go-IND.PFV  3-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT        go-IND.PFV  2-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT
  "he goes"                               "you go"
  

• No more than 2 vowels can follow each other. When aggregating affixes to a root, <pr> is added to separate two syllables if required.

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  ppèpapryepp            pxaxppepryè
  ppèpa-yepp             pxaxppe-Ø-yè
  play-IND.IPFV          person-IND.PFV-all
  "to be playing"        "all (the) people"
  

• Same phonemes can never follow each other. When aggregating affixes to a root, same phonemes that are adjacent merge.

  Code: Select all

  psapyepp               pèpfapbya
  psapy-yepp             pèpfapb-pbya
  work-IND.IPFV          go-DIR.PFV
  "to be working"        "go!"
  

Grammar
The language is articulated around one main class of words, that I call speechlets, and the concept of dependency between words.
Depending on the type of dependency it as to another speechlet, a speechlet is translated to a noun, a verb, an adjective or sometimes and adverb.

Speechlet morphology

stem + mood + aspect + (negation) + (quantifier) + (dependence + agreement with head)

• Stem: the root that carries the meaning. I might had a respect system in there (like honorific forms for verbs in japanese), but for now my lexicon doesn't reflect that.
  Roots are classified in two ways:
  • Animacy:
    • Etheral: for actions or things that are magical or demonic
    • Sentient: for actions that require sentience (judge, be sad, love, etc.) or things that are sentient.
    • Animate: for actions that require a conscious decision (eat, run, take, etc.) or things that can take conscious decisions.
    • Inanimate: for actions that don't need any cognitive capacity (fall, slide, shine, etc.) or things that don't have any.
    • Abstract: for abstract actions (be intransigeant, respect, have dignity, etc.) and concepts
  • Stativity:
    • Stative: describes a state. Most stative speechlets translate to nouns or adjectives in English.
    • Active: describes an action. Most active speechlets translate to verbs in English.
• Mood:
  • Indicative (things that are)
  • Dubitative (things that are unsure/unlikely to be)
  • Directive (things that are ordered/allowed to be)
  • Volitive (things that are wanted/wished/hoped to be)
  • Potential (things that have the capacity/ability to be)
  • Interogative (things which state/existence are questionned)
• Aspect:
  • Perfective (current state or finished process)
  • Imperfective (changing state or ongoing process)
• Negation: negates the word if present. Any speechlet can be negated in a sentence, and several speechlets can be negated in the same sentence.

  Code: Select all

  thyppevppev      pyprypèf                ppeypraf                 sapxyprxapvèf
  thyppev-Ø-ppev   pypryp-Ø-pè-èf          ppey-Ø-Ø-af              sapxyprxa-Ø-pv-èf
  eat-IND.PFV-NEG  cat-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  small-IND.PFV-VB-AN.STV  mouse-IND.PFV-OBJ-AN.ACT
  "a small cat doesn't eat a mouse"
  
  
  thyppev      pypryppevpèf                ppeypraf                 sapxyprxapvèf
  thyppev-Ø    pypryp-Ø-ppev-pè-èf         ppey-Ø-Ø-af              sapxyprxa-Ø-pv-èf
  eat-IND.PFV  cat-IND.PFV-NEG-NOM-AN.ACT  small-IND.PFV-VB-AN.STV  mouse-IND.PFV-OBJ-AN.ACT
  "it's not a small cat that eats a mouse"
  
  thyppev      pyprypèf                ppeyppevpraf                 sapxyprxappevpvèf
  thyppev-Ø    pypryp-Ø-pè-èf          ppey-Ø-ppev-Ø-af             sapxyprxa-Ø-ppev-pv-èf
  eat-IND.PFV  cat-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  small-IND.PFV-NEG-VB-AN.STV  mouse-IND.PFV-NEG-OBJ-AN.ACT
  "a cat that isn't small eats something that is not a mouse"
  

• Quantifier: the number of occurences of the meaning of the speechlet (1, 2, 3, no, few, some, many, all, etc.)

  Code: Select all

  pbeseèppap        pyprypèf                ppeypraf
  pbeseè-Ø-ppap     pypryp-Ø-pè-èf          ppey-Ø-Ø-af
  jump-IND.PFV-few  cat-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  small-IND.PFV-VB-AN.STV
  "a small cat jumps a few times"
  
  pbeseèppap    pypryppapèf                 ppeypraf
  pbeseè-Ø      pypryp-Ø-ppap-pè-èf         ppey-Ø-Ø-af
  jump-IND.PFV  cat-IND.PFV-few-NOM-AN.ACT  small-IND.PFV-VB-AN.STV
  "a few small cats jump"
  
  pbeseèppap    pyprypèf                ppeyppapaf
  pbeseè-Ø      pypryp-Ø-pè-èf          ppey-Ø-ppap-Ø-af
  jump-IND.PFV  cat-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  small-IND.PFV-few-VB-AN.STV
  "a not so small cat jumps"
  

  When the quantifier is ommitted, it is assumed from context that the speaker refers to either one occurence or a generality.

  Code: Select all

  thyppev      pyprypèf
  thyppev-Ø    pypryp-Ø-pè-èf
  eat-IND.PFV  cat-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT
  "a cat eats" or "cats eat" depending on the context
  

• Dependence: a speechlet can be put in dependence to a head speechlet to acquire a special function in the sentence. Without dependencies, speechlets don't relate to each other meaningfully.
  Here is the list of possible dependencies, in the order in which they commonly appear after the head speechlet:
  • Verbal: describes an action or a state of the head speechlet. This commonly translates to adjectives or adverbs in English.
  • Nominative: marks the speechlet as the subject of the head speechlet.
  • Objective: marks the speechlet as the direct or indirect object of the head speechlet.
  • Genitive: marks possession/belonging of the head speechlet.
  • Others: Locative (Where? When?)^[1], Instructive (How? With what?), Causive (Why?), Essive (As what? Like what?), Consequensive (What for?), Opposive (In spite of what?), Constitutive (Made out of what?), Abessive (Without what?)
• Agreement: if dependent, a speechlet must agree in animacy and stativity with its head speechlet.

Definiteness
By default, a speechlet is indefinite unless it is preceded by the definite preposition "fè".

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pbeseè        fè   pyprypèf                fypr  fè   pyppeppyèf
pbeseè-Ø      fè   pypryp-Ø-pè-èf          fypr  fè   pyppe-Ø-ppy-èf
jump-IND.PFV  DEF  cat-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  on    DEF  table-IND.PFV-LOC-AN.ACT
"The cat jumps on the table."

Tense
Tense is contextual. Context can be set with a locative^[1] dependency and/or preposition.

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syspfv         fè   pèprthèpèapp              prtha   pèpfaprxeppyapp              ppèepèf
syspfv-Ø       fè   pèprthè-Ø-pè-app          prtha   pèpfaprxe-Ø-ppy-app          ppèepb-Ø-pè-èf
shine-IND.PFV  DEF  sun-IND.PFV-NOM-INAN.STV  before  arrive-IND.PFV-LOC-INAN.STV  2-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT
"the sun shone before you arrived"

syspfv         fè   pèprthèpèapp              paysè
syspfv-Ø       fè   pèprthè-Ø-pè-app          paysè
shine-IND.PFV  DEF  sun-IND.PFV-NOM-INAN.STV  after
"the sun will shine"

Dependence prepositions
Some dependences can be precised with prepositions (see tense exemple above).

Prepositions can also be used alone in dependence to a head speechlet, but they are invariable.

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pepfyèsa      fè  psepyfaethpèf            pxè
pepfyè-sa     fè  psepyfaeth-Ø-pè-èf       pxè
stop-VOL.PFV  DEF rain-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  soon
"the rain should stop soon"

Note

1. Shit demons think in 4 dimensions, so space and time are the same thing for them.

What do you think? Are there inconstistencies or features that wouldn't work? Any feedback is welcome!

[Aurora Rossa]

It looks very interesting, well thought out but also humorous. I think some ZBBers will get a real kick out of making the language sound like farting.

[Herr Dunkel]

Did someone say SCATOGLOTTOPHILLIA?

[Fmra]

this language is spoken by giant unholy piles of crap.

Manager-speak. =)

Very interesting, though I don't think I'm up to trying to say most of it aloud. If you did want to spread the phonology more, you can get some nice gurgling noises from the back of the mouth as well.

[Kezdő]

This made my day. I fully expected it to be a Black Speech-type knockoff, but then you took shit literally. I'm kind of ashamed with myself for finding this so damn funny.

[Taernsietr]

I'm not ashamed because this is hella funny. I'm ashamed because it's a shit language and it's better and better developed than any of my conlangs.

[bob2356]

I'm glad you like it!

Let me showcase the language a bit more, then:


ppathpbya svyppyfapèf ppèepbthapp pbypbefvpèf psaypèpèf, pèpfapbe xèppxepèf!

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ppathpbya     svyppyfapèf                ppèepbthapp             pbypbefvpèf             psaypèpèf                pèpfapbe     xèppxepèf
ppath-pbya    svyppyfa-Ø-pè-èf           ppèepb-Ø-tha-app        pbypbefv-Ø-pè-èf        psaypè-Ø-pè-èf           pèpfapb-pbe  xèpp-Ø-xe-pè-èf
take-DIR.PFV  jacket-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  2-IND.PFV-GEN-INAN.STV  pen-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  notebook-IND.PFV-AN.ACT  go-DIR.IPFV  1-IND.PFV-two-NOM-AN.ACT
"Take your jacket, a pen and a notebook, we're going!"

Context allows to omit parts of speech: here we have "ppathpbya" ("take!" or "must take") instead of "ppathpbya ppèepèf" ("you take!" or "you must take") because the order is directly and obviously addressed to the listener. The omission has nothing to do with the directive mood, unlike imperative in English.
Furthermore, the fact that the speaker precised that the listener take his jacket means that this is of significant importance for some reason. Otherwise, "ppéepbtha" ("your") would be omitted in common speech.

Enumerating is simply done by juxtaposing speechlets with the same dependency.

There are speechlets meaning roughly "to be the first person", "to be the second person" and "to be the third person".
Quantifiers can give all sorts of nuance to them: in the exemple above, the first person is quantified with two, which is translated to "we", but would more accurately translate to "you and me" or "both of us".
Used in genitive dependency, they translate to possessive pronouns in English (as in "svyppyfapèf ppèepbthapp": "your jacket").


pxypbèpryè xappepfaprev ppa fè pxaxppepèe ppeyprev ppvpbèpryeppev psyf prthaysypryeppev.

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pxypbèpryè       xappepfaprev                 ppa  fè   pxaxppepèe                  ppeyprev                  ppvpbèpryeppev           psyf    prthaysypryeppev
pxypbè-Ø-yè      xappe-pfa-Ø-ev               ppa  fè   pxaxppe-Ø-pè-e              ppey-Ø-Ø-ev               ppvpbè-yepp-Ø-ev         psyf    prthaysy-yepp-Ø-ev
mad-IND.PFV-all  complete-DUB.PFV-VB-ETH.STV  MWK  DEF  person-IND.PFV-NOM-ETH.STV  small-IND.PFV-VB-SEN.STV  run-IND.IPFV-VB-SEN.STV  around  scream-IND.IPFV-VB-SEN.STV
"This small guy who is running around screaming must be completely mad."

A verbal dependency can translate either to an adjective, an adverb or a subordinate clause where the head speechlet is the subject.

Here "pxypbèpryè xappeprev yap" is translated "must be completly mad" but English cannot easily convey the fact that "must be" applies to "completly", and not to "mad". The speaker has no doubt that the guy is somewhat mad, but he expresses the supposition that this state of madness may be complete by using a dubitative mood on "complete".

Moods intensity can be precised with two postpositions: "fay" (strengthener) and "ppa" (weakener). Here in "xappepfa ppa", "ppa" gives a weaker intensity to the dubitative mood of "xappepfa" ("may be complete"), giving it the meaning of "must be complete" (as the doubt is weaker).
This allows subtleties hard to express shortly in certain moods in english. For exemple, strengthening an indicative mood is a way for the speaker to express the fact that he is absolutly certain of his statement.


With these two bigger exemples, you can see simple phrases in shit demon speech can get quite long.
Do you think this is a problem? I'm wondering if I should simplify the phonotactics to get simpler syllables...

Any other feedback is very welcome too!

[Radius Solis]

Coprodiabolically funny. I can only commend your efforts.

Shm Jay, where art thou? Or is this you in disguise?

[Aurora Rossa]

Coprodiabolically funny. I can only commend your efforts.

Shm Jay, where art thou? Or is this you in disguise?

Yeah, I am surprised he has not commented on this yet. It seems like precisely the kind of conlang for which he has been waiting.

So the shit demons appear in a video game as well, or was that illustration a one-off thing?

[bob2356]

So the shit demons appear in a video game as well, or was that illustration a one-off thing?

It's a one-off thing made by a friend a while ago, for fun.


While I'm at it, I'll showcase a bit more of the language!

peyprthèpfa fè pxaxppepèf pfys xèpèf thapvèf pthappyèf.

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peyprthèpfa    fè   pxaxppepèf                  pfys         xèpèf                 thapvèf               pthappyèf
peyprthè-pfa   fè   pxaxppe-Ø-pè-ev             pfys-Ø       xèpp-Ø-pè-èf          thapp-Ø-pv-èf         pthap-Ø-ppy-èf
worry-DUB.PFV  DEF  person-IND.PFV-NOM-SEN.STV  see-IND.PFV  1-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  3-IND.PFV-OBJ-AN.ACT  yesterday-IND.PFV-LOC-AN.ACT
"This man I saw yesterday seemed worried."

pxèfyap fè psvpèapp xaeprv xèpèf thappyèf.

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pxèfyap             fè   psvpèapp                    xaeprv         xèpèf                 thappyèf
pxèf-Ø-yap          fè   psv-Ø-pè-app                xaeprv-Ø       xèpp-Ø-pè-èf          thapp-Ø-ppy-èf
quiet-IND.PFV-many  DEF  place-IND.PFV-NOM-INAN.STV  dwell-IND.PFV  1-IND.PFV-NOM-AN.ACT  3-IND.PFV-LOC-AN.ACT
"The place where I live is very quiet."

Subordinate clauses don't exist per se, but you can refer to a previously mentionned speechlet with a person speechlet. In fact, the above sentences translate litteraly to "The man may have been worried, I saw him yesterday." and "The place is very quiet, I live at it."

xaeprv thapyappyèf?

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xaeprv         thapyappyèf
xaeprv-Ø       thapp-pya-ppy-èf
dwell-IND.PFV  3-INT.PFV-LOC-AN.ACT
"Where do you live?"

prfysèypypp thapyapèpryv pxè fè thappfepryv?

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prfysèypypp    thapyapèpryv           pxè   fè   thappfepryv
prfysèypypp-Ø  thapp-pya-pè-yv        pxè   fè   thapp-Ø-fepr-yv
pay-IND.PFV    3-INT.PFV-NOM-SEN.ACT  soon  DEF  3-IND.PFV-CNSQ-SEN.ACT
"Who is going to pay for that?"

Person speechlets in interrogative mood are used to form open questions.

[patiku]

Bump. Any updates?

[cromulant]

Thank you patiku for taking the lead on this.