Search found 523 matches

by Otto Kretschmer
Sun May 19, 2024 8:59 am
Forum: Languages
Topic: Prehistoric migrations from the Near East to North Africa?
Replies: 9
Views: 413

Re: Prehistoric migrations from the Near East to North Africa?

Have you tried asking ChatGPT? I asked it and it did come up with one study: "Yes, you're referring to the research on ancient DNA that suggests multiple migrations from the Near East to North Africa. Studies have shown genetic connections between populations in these regions during different p...
by Otto Kretschmer
Fri May 17, 2024 4:04 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Conlang fluency thread
Replies: 2502
Views: 1487146

Re: Conlang fluency thread

Znex, are you working on Mercian, the North Germanic language with even more Old English influence?
by Otto Kretschmer
Sat May 11, 2024 7:41 am
Forum: Languages
Topic: Linguistic Miscellany Thread
Replies: 4731
Views: 2102461

Re: Linguistic Miscellany Thread

Where does Swedish-Norwegian-Danish -en definite article come from?
by Otto Kretschmer
Wed May 08, 2024 8:59 am
Forum: Languages
Topic: Linguistic Miscellany Thread
Replies: 4731
Views: 2102461

Re: Linguistic Miscellany Thread

When did do support first appear in English?
by Otto Kretschmer
Tue May 07, 2024 8:08 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Challenge: American English as a separate language
Replies: 30
Views: 1110

Re: Challenge: American English as a separate language

Plenty of divergent dialects made it to North America in large numbers. Where I grew up, the largest ethnic group was "Scotch Irish," meaning there would have been a time when everyone in the Appalachians sounded like this child . The issue is that those divergent dialects never made up t...
by Otto Kretschmer
Mon May 06, 2024 7:13 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: AI in conlanging - present and future
Replies: 24
Views: 889

Re: AI in conlanging - present and future

I'm surprised there is enough stuff about conlanging out there that ChatGPT actually knows about it :) I've said it before in the AI thread... but beyond the 'cool toy' aspect (which I mean, it is) I don't think generative AI is terribly useful. I'm very skeptical about claims that it's going to wr...
by Otto Kretschmer
Mon May 06, 2024 4:54 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: AI in conlanging - present and future
Replies: 24
Views: 889

AI in conlanging - present and future

Has any of you guys tried to use AI in making conlangs? I am using Gemini and I was quite surprised that it can already do quite a lot - like coming up with a plausible list of sound changes or plausible semantic shifts for words. It is still lacking in many areas but I guess that is going to improv...
by Otto Kretschmer
Sat May 04, 2024 10:25 am
Forum: Languages
Topic: Linguistic Miscellany Thread
Replies: 4731
Views: 2102461

Re: Linguistic Miscellany Thread

Travis B. wrote: Sat May 04, 2024 9:57 am
Otto Kretschmer wrote: Sat May 04, 2024 7:01 am Is there a set date when English language became well, English instead of being just Proto West Germanic?
You do know there is no good answer for that.
Now I know, thanks :)

Wiki lists 600 AD as the beginning of Old English period though.
by Otto Kretschmer
Sat May 04, 2024 7:01 am
Forum: Languages
Topic: Linguistic Miscellany Thread
Replies: 4731
Views: 2102461

Re: Linguistic Miscellany Thread

Is there a set date when English language became well, English instead of being just Proto West Germanic?
by Otto Kretschmer
Thu May 02, 2024 6:45 am
Forum: Ephemera
Topic: AIs gunning for our precious freelancers
Replies: 737
Views: 139225

Re: AIs gunning for our precious freelancers

When do you guys think will AI be able to create fully fledged conlangs? I asked both Gemini and ChatGPT to create conlangs for me and while both were able to come up with a reasonably good list of sound changes, the overall result was not what I asked for (I asked for a descendant of Middle English...
by Otto Kretschmer
Thu May 02, 2024 4:59 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Conlang Random Thread
Replies: 3051
Views: 2865676

Re: Conlang Random Thread

Didn't Yola and Fingalian also have Irish influence in phonology due to long standing contact with Irish?

https://youtu.be/NpKbY3P860o?si=7u0hWFp71Ra9zzYH
by Otto Kretschmer
Wed May 01, 2024 7:15 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Conlang Random Thread
Replies: 3051
Views: 2865676

Re: Conlang Random Thread

Anyone ever wondered (in conlanging terms) what English might have looked like if the Norman conquest had exerted more influence on English phonology and grammar but less on vocabulary?
by Otto Kretschmer
Sun Apr 28, 2024 12:01 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: A monochromatic consociety
Replies: 8
Views: 494

A monochromatic consociety

I wonder - how would the world look like if humans could only see in black and white? Would the development of civilization be hindered in any way? I guess at least initially there might be issues with distinguishing ripe fruits from unripe ones although humans might develop for example a better sen...
by Otto Kretschmer
Sat Apr 27, 2024 4:18 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Challenge: American English as a separate language
Replies: 30
Views: 1110

Re: Challenge: American English as a separate language

I am not sure how far 17th or 18th century dialects were from Standard English but I imagine it was pretty far away. If A. Z. Foreman's reconstructions ( an example ) are any indication it is perhaps less different than you might think. Once you go pre-GVS ( Old , Middle ) is where you start really...
by Otto Kretschmer
Fri Apr 26, 2024 9:48 pm
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Challenge: American English as a separate language
Replies: 30
Views: 1110

Re: Challenge: American English as a separate language

To illustrate my point, check out this for example https://youtu.be/xhvkrIcUNy8?si=P2wSyct95TZqDJbT For me it's already a separate language. I am not sure how far 17th or 18th century dialects were from Standard English but I imagine it was pretty far away. Now all you need to do is to somehow 1. Ma...
by Otto Kretschmer
Fri Apr 26, 2024 2:04 pm
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Challenge: American English as a separate language
Replies: 30
Views: 1110

Challenge: American English as a separate language

What historical circumstances could lead to American English developing towards a separate language, at least as different from British English as Afrikaans from Dutch? In our world the high literacy rate of the colonists (aided by the printing press) and constant contact with Britain meant that bot...
by Otto Kretschmer
Sun Apr 14, 2024 10:19 am
Forum: Languages
Topic: Linguistic Miscellany Thread
Replies: 4731
Views: 2102461

Re: Linguistic Miscellany Thread

How did the Chancery Standard (the basis for modern Standard English) come into being? Was it based on some specific dialect, spoken in a specific region?
by Otto Kretschmer
Sat Apr 13, 2024 7:24 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Linguistic and cultural situation after the Norse conquest of England
Replies: 7
Views: 2131

Re: Linguistic and cultural situation after the Norse conquest of England

We do actually have a North Germanic conlang with Old English influence - check out the Conlang Fluency Thread.

Has anyone done something the other way around i.e. Old English with substantial Old Norse influence? Would be nice to see such a conlang!
by Otto Kretschmer
Sat Apr 13, 2024 1:55 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Linguistic and cultural situation after the Norse conquest of England
Replies: 7
Views: 2131

Linguistic and cultural situation after the Norse conquest of England

Let's say that king Alfred loses the battle of Edington in 878 AD and dies in the battle, without his leadership the Anglo Saxons have no chances to stop the Danes and all of England falls under Danish control. How do you imagine the linguistic and cultural landscape of England to look like in such ...
by Otto Kretschmer
Thu Apr 11, 2024 9:06 am
Forum: Conlangery
Topic: Conlang fluency thread
Replies: 2502
Views: 1487146

Re: Conlang fluency thread

Is this supposed to be a kind of English that developed in the Danelaw area? Nair, eurcisc is ei Nordrentunge at's waʒst i the auld Dainlaw. At's ick anglisc, ut at's swar wendet o anglisc. Close, Yorkish is a Nordic language that developed in the old Danelaw. It's not English, but it's been heavil...