Zompist Bboard Again

There's at least one language in which polar questions aren't marked at all (not even by intonation). It's common for content question words ("who?") to do double duty as indefinite pronouns ("someone"). Usually the question word usage is basic, though I have a vague memory that...

Are there any natural analogues for quirk? I understand the point of case, and to some extent of gender too. I can see how some verbs might require subjects in different cases to the usual nominative, but verbs and nouns are quite different animals so a category like quirk that affects both seems i...

I don't like using <y> for /j/ in general, and I prefer writing about diphthongs as a series of vowels instead of of vowels and semivowels whenever possible. I also tend to use <v> for /w/ if the language has no /v/-like sounds in order to save space and because I feel an alphabet with <w> but no <...

Even if your language is very permissive about consonant cluster, you still need to establish the phonotactics. For example, Nuxalk has C(V)(C) phonotactics. In fact, I bet that there is no languge with word consisting of single plosive without being cliticized. And all language with vowelless word...

Even if your language is very permissive about consonant cluster, you still need to establish the phonotactics. For example, Nuxalk has C(V)(C) phonotactics. In fact, I bet that there is no languge with word consisting of single plosive without being cliticized. And all language with vowelless word ...

I have 2 questions:

1. What keeps agricultural societies remain matrilineal while still having a medieval-like technology.
2. Is it realistic to have a kinship system like Crow kinship except father's father is father, and father's mother is aunt.

Also, isn't direct knowledge egophoric?

Duplicate person agreement is for when a singular 1st person subject or direct object is paired with a plural 1st person subject or direct object, or a singular 2nd person subject or direct object is paired with a plural 2nd person subject or direct object. I have never heard of such languages. &qu...

Duplicate person agreement is for when a singular 1st person subject or direct object is paired with a plural 1st person subject or direct object, or a singular 2nd person subject or direct object is paired with a plural 2nd person subject or direct object. I have never heard of such languages. Thi...

I used to pronounce to, from, your, and, etc, always as [tu:], [fɹʷɔm], [yɔːɹʷ], [ɛnd] (I can't pronounce æ, so it's always raised). Turns out all of them actually has schwa most of the time. Not to mention that [fɹʷɔm] is actually British (except raised) and I actually want to emulate American Engl...

I have decided to create an alphabet-lang for my 48 hours of conlanging. The following is the set of consonant phonemes: Labial Alveolar Postalveolar Palatal Velar Uvular Nasals m n Plosives b~p ⟨b⟩ d~t ⟨d⟩ dʒ~tʃ ⟨j⟩ g~k ⟨g⟩ Ejectives pʼ ⟨p⟩ tʼ ⟨t⟩ tʃʼ ⟨c⟩ kʼ ⟨k⟩ qʼ ⟨q⟩ Voiced fricatives v z ɣ ⟨x⟩ ...

What, Chipewyan, you merged *t and *k? But unlike the Polynesian language, you have a lot of consonants!

Do you know what pronoun to use in organization. For example NASA, or UN? He, She, It, or They?

I think your conjugation is unrealistic. Instead of gender marking on every person, you should restrict it to third person. As of phonology, I'm not a fan of Eurasian-like conlang. But it looks good enough. However, I would like to use ejective instead of aspiration. After all, you can consider spac...

日本人 あります か？ 一つ 質問 聞いても よろしい でしょう か？ この 文章 わ 丁寧 です か？
Is there any Japanese people here? Can I ask a question? Is this sentence polite?

Another newb question: what is a periphrastic applicative voice? My current conlang has a deep and pervasive love of serial verb constructions, so it would probably have that if it is frequently associated with verb series. Basically like periphrastic passive voice, but for applicative voice. Like:...

KathTheDragon wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 4:53 am I think your voiced and voiceless lateral continuants are the wrong way around

Edit: for that matter, so are your voiced, voiceless, and aspirated affricates

Nice catch.

The main influence of this language is Native Amerindian languages and English. There is also inspiration from Chinese and SAE languages. Phonology I hate using table tags. Too much to be done. And phono can't do a phonologically sophiscated language like typical native American language. So: ╔═════...

Also, how to design a conlang that sounds energetic and happy-go-lucky.

I have a world where people are required to hunt monsters. However, the monster kills so many humans, that humans have to reproduce quickly so it can be balanced. (The life expectancy of the human is just 37) How to design that society without being too sexist.