Conlanging can be overwhelming for even the most experienced conlangers—especially in the beginning stages of a new project when swirling swarms of ideas create a flurry of possibilities. I break the process down into daily prompts for a yearlong experience. One year, one conlang. Join me in making this a Conlang Year!
Goal: Update your dictionary Note: Document the compounds and derived forms you’ve created. Tip: It helps to make entries for derivational affixes. Work focus: Solidify/Write/Share The goal for today is to update your dictionary with the new compound and derived forms you have created. As you write entries for the new words, you should also…
Goal: Document compound and derivation forms Note: If needed, use charts to show how a variety of phonological forms come together. Tip: Specify whether compounds are head-initial or head-final. Work focus: Solidify/Write/Share Today’s focus is documenting how your language forms compounds and uses derivations to create new words. It may be helpful for you to…
Goal: Create example derivations Note: Derivations don’t necessarily change the lexical category of the root word. Tip: Remember that zero-derivation is an option, too! Work focus: Create/Make/List Create a handful of derivational forms for your language (or create more compounds if your language lacks derivations). Some common derivational affixes change the lexical category of the…
Goal: Create example compound words Note: Create a variety of forms (e.g. N-N, V-V, V-N, N-V combinations). Tip: In highly analytic languages, compounds may not merge. Work focus: Create/Make/List Today’s focus is creating a variety of compound words in your language. Aim to create a variety of forms, demonstrating what your language allows, such as…
Goal: Explore options for word-formation strategies Note: Focus first on compounds and derivations before expanding to other options. Tip: Consider how these will interact with your sound changes. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today shifts the focus to word-formation strategies, specifically focusing on compounding and derivation (though others are possible, these are two that show up in…
Goal: Review and clean up dictionary entries Note: You may want to include argument structure information in causative entries. Tip: Consider adding an affixed causative to head word forms. Work focus: Organize/Plan/Structure It’s a housekeeping day! Take some time to clean up your dictionary entries and expand them where needed. If your causative strategy involved…
Goal: Write a section on your valency-increasing strategy Note: It may make more sense to include this information with your verb inflections. Tip: Incorporate the example sentences you created. Work focus: Solidify/Write/Share Today’s focus turns to documentation of the causative (or other valency-increasing strategy) you created. Depending on how you chose to create the form,…
Goal: Create at least one valency-increasing strategy Note: This may involve creating a clause structure and/or creating new forms. Tip: Use examples to find and work out any problem areas. Work focus: Create/Make/List Whether you decided to create a morphological causative (e.g. a derivational affix) or a purely syntactic one (e.g. a particular construction provides…
Goal: Make a plan for a valency-increasing strategy Note: Clearly list any verbs or lexical sources you need for your strategy. Tip: Focus first on one strategy before tackling more. Work focus: Organize/Plan/Structure Now that you have brainstormed ideas for valency-increasing strategies (such as a causative form), use today to make concrete plans for what…
Goal: Brainstorm ideas for valency-increasing strategies Note: While passives decrease valency, causatives increase the valency of a verb. Tip: This may require creating a clausal construction. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal is to start generating ideas for how you might handle valency-increasing strategies, such as the causative. A causative adds an argument to a verb’s…
