| StrangerComeKnocking | Date: Sunday, 23 Dec 2012, 8:14 PM | Message # 1 |
 Rihays, Master of Many Names
Group: Administrators
Messages: 431
Status: Offline
| We love making this language, and we love to see that you're interested! We want you to be involved and how better than to help us come up with words?! There are a few basic things to come, however, so we don't start running over each other or unintentionally hurting each other.
1. This is a communal project. While you might brag about having thought of a word, it's not your to lay claim to, as in ownership. If you submit it, it becomes everyone's to use. Flagrant ownership and harassment will result in privileges being taken away.
2. Don't harass the editors either. Your word may be absolutely spectacular, but we may need to push and pull and twist it a tiny bit to get it to fit with the established rules. We'll try to keep it as pristine as possible, but we won't always succeed.
3. Keep self-advertising to a minimum. Basically, don't keep bumping over and over again. If you're word just isn't catching fire, it may need to be rethought.
4. All other forum guidelines apply.
Now let's cover a few rules about the words themselves.
1. Make sure it can be pronounced. Sure, k'p'ʔb'taʔk'ari looks cool, but it's tough to say. Keep the glottals to a maximum or two, maybe three.
2. Look at your word both by itself and in a sentence. Even if your sentence is less than perfect, how does your word look when it's set against others? Does it stick out unnaturally or does it feel like part of the sentence? (This can be very subjective.)
3. Is your word something new or part of an existing set of words? We have a word for "finger" so are you coming up with "toe" or "to point (at)"? There is no good way to address this issue. But please keep in mind which words we already have and how your word relates.
4. Keep in mind the extent of your word. We had an interesting discussion about "to think". How do Time Lords think? How many words do we want and what do they all mean? What do they cover? If you come up with a verb (say "to reflect") are you talking about reflecting light, reflecting on an experience, or a whole new concept?
5. Make use of existing affixes. Go ahead, use "-ti" or "laf-" or whatever if it makes your point.
6. Please, don't just use words from other languages. What I mean it, don't post "lubjyu" and say it means "to love". (люблю is "love" in Russian). Not cool. We're being creative here.
7. Finally, be sure to keep the basic spelling rules in mind.
Words shall not start with r, but ɹ. (rare exceptions)
ɹ shall change into r between vowels.
Words shall not end in h, but ç.
Words shall not end in p or b, but p’ or b’. (probably the most ignored rule)
Words shall not end in ʍ, but w.
A, ə, and ɐ shall not come before another vowel.
J shall come between vowels if the first vowel is i, ɪ, or ɛ.
W shall come between vowels if the first vowel is o, u, or ɔ.
W shall not follow i, ɪ, ɛ, a, ə, or ɐ.
Yes, there are exceptions. If your word includes an exception, please write a neat little paragraph about why we should keep the exception and not change it.
Now, here is a checklist to make sure you haven't made a few unintentional errors:
[ ] e becomes ə or ɛ
[ ] c becomes ç
[ ] hw becomes ʍ
[ ] au becomes ɔ or aw
[ ] q becomes k or k'
[ ] x becomes k'
Ready? You may begin.
"Everybody knows that everybody dies." -River Song
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