Mark Rosenfelder's "The Language Construction Kit" offers a practical guide for creating fictional languages, emphasizing naturalistic results. It covers core aspects of language design, including phonology (sounds), morphology (word formation), syntax (sentence structure), and the lexicon (vocabulary). The book also delves into writing systems, sociolinguistics, and the evolution of languages, providing a comprehensive framework for crafting believable and complex constructed languages. While targeted towards creating languages for fictional worlds, the kit also serves as a valuable introduction to linguistics itself, exploring the underlying principles governing real-world languages.
Mark Rosenfelder's webpage, entitled "The Language Construction Kit" and last updated in 2012, presents a comprehensive, albeit somewhat dated, guide for individuals interested in the intricate art of crafting constructed languages, often referred to as conlangs. The resource meticulously dissects the numerous facets involved in this creative endeavor, commencing with a discussion on the motivations behind conlanging, ranging from the purely artistic to the practical, such as developing languages for fictional worlds or exploring linguistic theory.
The guide then delves into the core building blocks of any language, beginning with phonology, the system of sounds. It elucidates the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as a crucial tool for precise sound representation and explores the various manners and places of articulation that contribute to the diversity of sounds found in human languages. It further advises on constructing a naturalistic phonological inventory, considering factors like phonotactics, the permissible combinations of sounds, and the potential for sound change over time.
Moving beyond individual sounds, the guide then progresses to morphology, the study of word formation. It explores different morphological typologies, including isolating languages, which rely heavily on word order, agglutinative languages, which combine morphemes with clear boundaries, and fusional languages, which employ morphemes with blurred boundaries and multiple meanings packed into single forms. The guide emphasizes the importance of considering the interplay between morphology and the overall structure of the language.
Subsequently, the guide tackles syntax, the arrangement of words to form phrases and sentences. It examines word order typologies like Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) and Subject-Object-Verb (SOV), as well as the role of case marking, which indicates the grammatical function of words through changes in their form. The guide also touches upon the complexities of subordinate clauses and other syntactic structures, emphasizing the necessity of establishing consistent grammatical rules.
The webpage further delves into the realm of lexicon, the vocabulary of a language. It advises on strategies for building a lexicon, including borrowing from existing languages, creating neologisms, and employing sound symbolism, where the sound of a word suggests its meaning. It emphasizes the importance of semantic organization and the development of a consistent system for word derivation.
Beyond these core components, the guide also explores the evolution of language, discussing the forces that drive language change, including sound change, semantic shift, and grammaticalization. It provides practical advice for simulating language evolution in a constructed language, allowing conlangers to create a sense of history and depth in their creations.
Finally, the webpage acknowledges the social aspects of language creation, briefly mentioning the existence of conlanging communities and the potential for collaboration and sharing of ideas. It emphasizes that language construction is not solely a solitary pursuit but can also be a collaborative and enriching experience. While the resource recognizes the existence of more recent resources, it positions itself as a foundational text offering valuable insights for aspiring conlangers, particularly through its structured approach and practical advice on every step of the process.
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43452233
Hacker News users discussed the challenges and excitement of deciphering ancient scripts, with several highlighting the crucial role of context and finding bilingual inscriptions, like the Rosetta Stone, in cracking the code. Some debated the definition of "writing system" and whether Proto-Elamite truly qualifies, referencing other potential earlier contenders like the Jiahu symbols. Others pointed out the article's inaccuracies, particularly regarding the timeline and contributions of various researchers involved in deciphering Proto-Elamite. A few users also expressed fascination with the human drive to create and understand symbolic representation, and how these ancient scripts provide a window into the past. The limitations of current understanding were also acknowledged, with some noting the ongoing debate surrounding the meaning and function of Proto-Elamite.
The Hacker News post titled "The Mystery of the Oldest Writing System Remained Unsolved Until 1856" has generated a moderate number of comments, several of which offer interesting perspectives and further information related to the decipherment of cuneiform.
One commenter highlights the crucial role of the Behistun Inscription, a multilingual text carved into a cliff face in Iran, in deciphering cuneiform. They explain its significance as a sort of "Rosetta Stone" for cuneiform, as it contained the same text in three different cuneiform scripts, corresponding to three different languages: Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian. This trilingual nature allowed scholars to cross-reference and ultimately crack the code of cuneiform.
Another comment points out the fascinating fact that the decipherment process involved multiple scholars working independently and sometimes competitively, leading to a "race" to be the first to unlock the secrets of cuneiform. This competitive aspect adds a human element to the story of scholarly discovery.
Adding to the discussion, one user shares a link to a previous Hacker News discussion about the decipherment of Linear B, another ancient writing system. This connection broadens the context and invites comparison between the processes involved in deciphering different ancient scripts.
A separate comment emphasizes the importance of context in decipherment, noting that the ability to recognize words like "king" and "god" within the cuneiform texts provided crucial clues for researchers. This comment underscores the role of linguistic and cultural knowledge in deciphering ancient writing systems.
Furthermore, a commenter explains that the article's title is slightly misleading. While Grotefend made significant breakthroughs in the early 19th century, the decipherment of cuneiform was a gradual process that involved the contributions of many scholars over several decades. It wasn't a single event that occurred in 1856, but rather a culmination of efforts.
Finally, one comment mentions the recent advancements in using machine learning to decipher ancient languages. This introduces a modern perspective on the field and suggests that technology may play an increasingly important role in future decipherment efforts.
While the discussion isn't exceptionally lengthy, the comments offer valuable insights into the complexities of deciphering ancient writing systems, the role of collaboration and competition in scholarly pursuits, and the ongoing evolution of techniques used in this fascinating field.