The Ðolorar Language

[Yefos]

This is a presentation of my Conlang, Ðolorar. Unlike most of the conlangs here, Ðolorar is not intended to look like a language from the real world. Instead, it derives its vocabulary from a strict list of noun categories and a dual sounds grid, which will be explained below. Verbs are limited to three tenses: past, present, and future, with three categories of certainty.

There are two groups of sounds, as you can see below. Words are formed by moving horizontally or vertically on the grid. For example, the word piroð is legal, but but cis is not. Words which are are derived from the first group have a positive or neutral meaning, while words from the second are negative.

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    p
  f i n
ð o r u s
  l a c
    k

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    b
  v o m
þ a ŋ i z
  l u j
    g

When I make words, I try to make them follow the descriptive directions here. alug, for example, means Anger, and it is abstract-emotional. Karip, which means Philosophy, is purely logical. However, this is not an ironclad rule, because the words I could use would be strictly limited.

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       Logical
          ↑
Material ← → Abstract
          ↓
      Emotional

Here are the word categories. I haven't finished filling them in because I've had a lot of trouble making the site's codes work right, but I plan to fill them in later. As you can see, a wide variety of subjects are covered here.

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*Living things*   fo-      | *Animals*           | *Supernatural*        | *Manmade*              | *Natural*     | *Abstract*
**Plants**        fola-    | **Animals**         | **Ghosts**            | **Tools**              | **Elements**  | **Numbers**
***Tree***        folacu-  |  ***Domesticated*** | **Non-human spirits** | ***Weapons***          | **Geography** | **Philosophy**
***Bush***        folaru-  |  ***Wild***                                 | **Buildings**          | **Matter**    | *Society**
***Fern/grass***  folaca-  |  ***Pets***                                 | ***Houses***           | ***Solids***  | ***Government***
***Moss/seaweed***folari-  | **Women**                                   | ***Other buildings***  | ***Liquids*** | ***Social things***
                           | ***Low class***                             | **Large objects**      | ***Gases***
                           | ***Middle class***                                                   | ***Weather***
                           | ***Upper class***  
                           | **Men**            
                           | ***Low class***     
                           | ***Middle class*** 
                           | ***Upper class***   

Tomorrow I plan to write about verbs.

[kusuri]

This is cool.

[Yefos]

This is cool.

Thank you! I only have a few things to say about verbs, because they're very simple. In Ðolorar, there are only three tenses: past, present, and future. There is a definite and "unsure" version of the tenses, indicating that the verb may or may not have happened. When talking about events that happen through multiple times, the speaker is to repeat the word, but with a different form each time.

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 Pres.   |   Futr.   | Past
Def Ind  | Def Ind   | Def Ind
cu- ju-  | uri- iŋa- | ni- vo-

When talking about events that happen through multiple times, the speaker is to repeat the word, but with a different form each time. For example, to say "running" as in "I always run," you would maybe say curun, urirun, nirun.

[Travis B.]

What you refer to as "definite" and "unsure" versions of tenses really are called evidentials.

[Yefos]

Thank you! I am not very familiar with language terminology.

[Solan]

I am using something a bit similar I call a gate system to help me create words, however I like the way this works. How did this evolve? For example did you start with say a few dozen words and draw those grids off of them or (?) ? Also what is your word patterns like? Are they cvc, cvccvc etc. ?

[Mornche Geddick]

I like this system. If I've understood, "pirip" is emotional-logical-positive, and "ŋizij" is abstract-material-emotional-negative. Have you got meanings for those words?

[Yefos]

I like this system. If I've understood, "pirip" is emotional-logical-positive, and "ŋizij" is abstract-material-emotional-negative. Have you got meanings for those words?

Not yet. I have been busy with class! I only have a few words, all of which I have written to make sure that the system I've set up is aesthetically pleasing. Contradictory "flavors" of words are not permitted. In the case of "pirip", the word's emotional nature is established by the first syllable.

I am using something a bit similar I call a gate system to help me create words, however I like the way this works. How did this evolve? For example did you start with say a few dozen words and draw those grids off of them or (?) ? Also what is your word patterns like? Are they cvc, cvccvc etc. ?

I just used sounds that I could pronounce easily. Words are formed by moving along the four directions, but not diagonally - the closest you can get is, for example, down - left - down left.

[Clearsand]

I am using something a bit similar I call a gate system to help me create words, however I like the way this works. How did this evolve? For example did you start with say a few dozen words and draw those grids off of them or (?) ? Also what is your word patterns like? Are they cvc, cvccvc etc. ?

It looks like it would always be (C)V(C) with no consonant clusters allowed.