Lexember 2024

[äreo]

We're already a good bit into the month, but why not?

For those who haven't done Lexember before, the idea is to coin a new word (or word family) in one or more conlangs for each day of the month. Last year I assigned different themes to each week for inspiration, but this time around let's use the letter Advent calendar made by xxx:

DIY idea: Lexember Advent Calendar...

I've been just picking an English word to translate that starts with one of the letters, starting from the top and moving down and from left to right. So December 1st is C, then L for the 2nd, etc. We're all a bit behind, but not too far to catch up. I made words on the 1st and 2nd, so I'll post those shortly.

[äreo]

Lexember 1: C - card

sbrutta
[ˈzbrʏtθa]
card, tag, note, probably from sbráir to write + uttame paper, sheet, page or perhaps sbráit [thing that has been] written + -utta diminutive, variant of -ucca

davec
[ˈdavɛk]
trick (in trick-taking games); by extension, trump or playing card generally

Lexember 2: L - layer

vellet
[ˈvɛlːɛt]
layer, stratum, level, past participle of vellen to lie flat, cover (with dative/locative)

[Emily]

looks like fun! i'll try to do a noun, an adjective, and a verb for each one, since my current lexicon is overly weighted towards nouns
December 1: C
cupboard
Old Gothic hakuls "cloak, coat" + *baúrd "board" -> Middle Gothic hakaulbaurd [hákɔlbɔrd] "wardrobe, closet" > Early Modern Gothic agulburd [ægúlbʊrd] "closet, cabinet" > Modern Gothic aguburds [ægóbərts] "closet, cabinet, cupboard"

calm
Old Gothic dumbs "dumb, mute, speechless" > Middle Gothic dumbs [dúmbz] "quiet, silent" > Early Modern Gothic dobz [dóbz] "quiet, still" > Modern Gothic dobs [dɒ́ps] "calm, peaceful; easy"

compare
Old Gothic miþ- "with" + skáidan "to separate, divide" -> Middle Gothic miþskaidan [míþskɛðan] "to cluster, put into a group together" (when making multiple groups) > Early Modern Gothic miskelo [mɪskélɔ] "to group together, sort" -> Modern Gothic miskelo [mɪskálə] "to compare"

bonus: evolution of original Gothic word for "compare":
Old Gothic galeikōn "to compare; to imitate, resemble" > Middle Gothic gaeikon [gajákon] "to imitate; to cause to resemble" > Early Modern Gothic gejego [gɛjégɔ] "to copy" > Modern Gothic gego [gágə] "to forge, counterfeit"

[Lērisama]

I might as well join with Lēri Ziwi. It's supposed to be rather verb-focused, and use verbal directionals for all sorts of things, so I'm going to try and mostly come up with lexicalised verb + directional compounds, but other kinds of words will make an appearance

1^st Lex: Collect

More: show

イキシく
ekesih, ekeçal, ekeçiver, ekeçivir
ｲｷシカゥ　/əkəsʲɪx/

• To collect sth., to gather (together) sth.
• To convene (a meeting)
• To sommon smo. (Usually to a court)

Etymology:
From PS *iqisja, from *iqja ‘to drive, to control’, suffixed with the verbal directional *-sja ‘towards’. Synchronically segmentable as ekeh + -si-

+ A bonus word: the homophonous ekesih, from the verbal noun of the above

• A meeting, a gathering
• A summons (A Punuic legal document compelling the addressee to appear in court or send reason why they can't appear¹)

2^nd Lex: Lack

More: show

シンサく
sīđeh, sēđal, sisīđer, sisīđir
シーン̞サヵゥ　/siːzʲəx/

• To lack sth., to not have sth.
• To be missing sth.
• (Intransitive, often with the middle) to be absent, to be missing
• (Postclassical) To need sth., to want sth.

Etymology:
From PS *sinsa, from *sja ‘to be’ suffixed with the directional *-nsa ‘away from’. Conjugation was regularised to that of the homophonous (in some forms) *sja ‘to stand’. Synchronically segmentable as sih + -ːđ-

3^rd Lex: Pass

More: show

行ピラく
kāvireh, kāveral, kēvirkar, kēvirkahir
カン̞ピラ̞カゥ　/kɔːbɪɾəx/

• To travel through swh. without staying
• To ignore sth.
• To pass over sth. (e.g. for recognition, a promotion vel sim.)

Etymology:
From kāg ‘to go, to travel’, from PS *kama, suffixed with -pir- ‘through, along’, from PS *-piδa

4^th Lex: Fall

More: show

イビァピく
ēvāfīh, ēvāfeha, ēvāfiver, ēvāfivir
ｲｰビァピ̞ーカゥ　/ɛːbɔːfiːx/

• To fall over, to fall down

Etymology:
From PS *īββjāχχwiha, from *īββja ‘to go’ + *-āχχwa ‘down’ + *-ih- ‘middle’

5^th Lex: Depict

More: show

切ョショラく
hecūçureh, hecāçeral, hecūçuriver, hecūçurivir
ﾎキョーショラヵゥ　/hət͡sʲuːsʲuɾəx/

• To draw sth., engrave sth., paint sth.
• To depict sth. as sth.

Etymology:
From PS *ϙukjūsjuδa, from *ϙukjūsja ‘to write’ + *-uδa ‘around’

6^th Lex: Ant
トモ
tumū, tumūwi
トモー　/tʊmuː/

• Ant
• Any small insect
• An annoying person, especially a persistent one
• A follower, especially one seen as mindless, or acting against their self interest
• (Postclassical, southern, political²) A working class person who is active in right-wing politics, especially the suppression of strikes and campaigning against left-wing movements; strike-breakers more generally

Etymology:
PS *twëmū ‘bug, small insect’

And I think that's me caught up to today

¹ I'm really ill and about to die is about the only acceptable reason
² I'm not sure exactly who would use this term; it doesn't feel like an Incentivist thing. Take the references to left- and right-wing as references to similar political movements in Sāzlah, not their exact Earth equivalents

[Emily]

December 2: L
list

• Old Gothic faír- (intensifier) + *raþjan "to count" + -eins (noun suffix) => Middle Gothic fairaþins [fɛráʃinz] "inventory" > Early Modern Gothic ferazjes [fɛráʒɛs] "inventory, catalog, list" > Modern Gothic fraðjes [fráuʒɨs] "list, roster"
• related verb: Middle Gothic fairaþjan [fɛráʃan] "to enumerate, catalog" > Early Modern Gothic ferazjo [fɛráʒɔ] "to catalog, list" > Modern Gothic fraðjo [fráuʒə]

legal

• "permitted by law": Old Gothic inwitōþs "law-abiding" > Middle Gothic inwautods [ínvɔtoðz] "law-abiding; legal, lawful" > Early Modern Gothic ewdulz [évdʊlz] "legal, lawful" > Modern Gothic ewduls [évdəls]
• "relating to the law": Old Gothic witōþ "law" + -isks "of or relating to" => Middle Gothic wutodisks [vútoʒɛsks] "relating to the law, legal" > Early Modern Gothic wudjesks [vúdjɛsks] > Modern Gothic wudiesks [vúdjɨsks]
• original Gothic word for "lawful": Old Gothic *witōdeigs "lawful" > Middle Gothic wutodigs [vútoʒiɣz] "allowed, permitted" > Early Modern Gothic wudjiwz [vúdjɪvz] "optional" > Modern Gothic wudjiws [vúdjɨfs] "unimportant, irrelevant"

launch

• Old Gothic bi- (makes verbs transitive) + du- "to" + sáiws "sea" + -jan (forms verbs) -> Middle Gothic baidausaiwjan [bɛðɔsɛ́ʊvjan] "to launch, cast out to sea" > Early Modern Gothic belsewjo [bɛlsévjɔ] > Modern Gothic bosewjo [psévjə]

[Emily]

December 3: P
penalty, punishment

• Old Gothic gawargeins "condemnation" > Middle Gothic gawaurgins [gavɔ́rʣinz] "condemnation, judgment" > Early Modern Gothic geworzes [gɛvórzɛs] "(criminal) sentence" > Modern Gothic geworzes [gvórzɨs] "penalty, punishment"
• original Gothic word andabeit "punishment" > Middle Gothic andawit [ándavit] "sentence" (especially imprisonment) > Early Modern Gothic odwid [ódvɪd] "long wait, delay" > Modern Gothic odwids [wódvɨts] "(a) while"

perfect

• Old Gothic ala- "all" + weihs "holy" => Middle Gothic alawuhs [álavuxs] "divine, godlike" > Early Modern Gothic alwus [álvʊs] "perfect" > Modern Gothic owus [wɒ́vəs]

prevent

• Old Gothic analatjan "to prevent, hinder" > Middle Gothic analatjan [ánalaʧan] "to prevent" > Early Modern Gothic anlezjo [ænléʒɔ] > Modern Gothic anledjo [ændláʒə] "to prevent, to veto"

[Emily]

sorry to spam, trying to get caught up, can put in spoilers if people prefer

December 4: F
fuel

• Old Gothic tundnan "to be on fire" + -sna (designates tool or instrument) => Middle Gothic tundsna [túndzna] "firewood, kindling" > Early Modern Gothic tozne [tóznɛ] "firewood, fuel" > Modern Gothic toznes [tóznɨs] "fuel"

feeble, frail

• Old Gothic leihts "lightweight" > Middle Gothic eihts [jáxts] "lightweight, unsubstantial" > Early Modern Gothic jehts [jéxts] "fragile, brittle" > Modern Gothic jehts [jéxts] "frail, feeble"

fix

• Old Gothic garaíhtjan "to rectify, correct" > Middle Gothic garaihtjan [garɛ́çʧan] "to correct, adjust" > Early Modern Gothic geresjto [gɛréʃtɔ] "to adjust, edit, tweak" > Modern Gothic gerestjo [gréʃtə] "to fix, repair"

[Lērisama]

7^th Lex: Jostle
ショラく
çureh, çera, siçurer, siçurir
ショラ̞ヵゥ　/sʲʊɾəx/

• To jostle (for a position, e.g. in a queue)
• To manoeuvre (esp. so that you are in a better place for when some event happens)

Etymology:
From PS *sjuδa, from *sja ‘to stand’ + *-uδa ‘around’

sorry to spam, trying to get caught up, can put in spoilers if people prefer

I'm going to put all my catching up entries into spoilers, but I don't have an opinion on what you should do

[Raphael]

7^th Lex: Jostle
ショラく
çureh, çera, siçurer, siçurir
ショラ̞ヵゥ　/sʲʊɾəx/

• To jostle (for a position, e.g. in a queue)
• To manoeuvre (esp. so that you are in a better place for when some event happens)

Etymology:
From PS *sjuδa, from *sja ‘to stand’ + *-uδa ‘around’

Nice definition and etymology!

[Lērisama]

7^th Lex: Jostle
ショラく
çureh, çera, siçurer, siçurir
ショラ̞ヵゥ　/sʲʊɾəx/

• To jostle (for a position, e.g. in a queue)
• To manoeuvre (esp. so that you are in a better place for when some event happens)

Etymology:
From PS *sjuδa, from *sja ‘to stand’ + *-uδa ‘around’

Nice definition and etymology!

Thanks. There aren't many verbs beginning with j…, so when I thought of this one, I just had to use it. The etymology is just me trying to stretch the verbal directionals as far as they can go. I haven't made a new verb root yet, and I'm hoping I won't have to at all

[Emily]

i've been using https://randomwordgenerator.com/ to get the words, posting in case others find it helpful

[foxcatdog]

Lexember
All examples in Amarin i will probably have to do one in the Amarin alphabet too.
*c “choke”
>*perinda from *peri “neck” + *nita “squeeze”
*l
>*kurina “to live/survive” from OA *kourena
*p
>*tata “to pay” from Onomatopoeia of coins clinking
*f
>*kurika “feast” from OA *tourika with unexpected change of initial *t > *k
>*mina “to fold” from PA *meina
*d
>*anaka “to donate” from Catkin *anaka
*a
>*amarra “to advocate for” from OA *amarta
*j
>*kukin “to joke” probably onomatopoeic
*m
>*amuna “to mention” from PCA *amona
*t
>*najuńa “to instruct”
>*najuńaakia “to give small instructions/to give a tip”
>*kapaa “to teach” causative of know
*q
>*koni “to give up/quit”
*x
>*maki “to cross out/x” from PA *maken “to mark” with unexpected nasal loss in the central amaric stage
*s
>*kusa “to share with” referants take the dative
*y
>*makamaka “to tell tall tales/to yarn”
*w
>*anaraa “to warm”
*r
>*kana “to resist”
*g
>*kurikapa “to guess” literally to try and know
*u
>*nimi “to unite” from PA *nemi via PCA *nime
*v
>*jukara “to visit” from OA *kukara
*z
>*asa “to zap” from PCA *asa
*n
>*nakari “to notice” of unknown origin
*h
>*nika “to hope”
>*inaraka “to help” from PA *hinaraka
*k
>*kuri “to knit” probably onomatopoeic
*b
>*jutia “to blossom” from PA *kukeha via interdialectal borrowing
*i
>*jaka “to isolate” probably onomatopoeic
*o
>*konniśa “to observe” from OA *konneśa
*e
>*kakina “to entertain” onomatopoeic

[Lērisama]

8^th Lex: Maybe
ソニ
sūni
ソーニ　/suːnɪ/

• Maybe, it's possible

Etymology:
From PS *sūni, from *sja ‘to be’ + *-ūn- ‘irrealis’ + the pseudomorpheme¹ *-i

¹ *-i appears on several setence intial particles derived from verbs². Its etymology and function are unknown. It might be connected to the topical verb endings³, or to the supine⁴
² see also kupi ‘or’, derived from *kutwa + *-i
³ A second set of personal endings, characterised by one of /ɪ iː j/ before the ending, which are themselves annoyingly mysterious in function, as LZ grammarians and polished texts suggest one thing, and more informal texts suggest about seven different things
⁴ A wastebasket non-finite form. Semantically it works a lot better, but throughout LZ, and even in most of the rest of the family, the supine avoids being attached to inflected verbs

[äreo]

i've been using https://randomwordgenerator.com/ to get the words, posting in case others find it helpful

Thanks for this! I'll use it to help me catch up.

Lexember 3: P - parade

caphestere
[ˈkaʍɛstɛɾɛ]
parade, procession, from caphe, gen. pl. (also attributive) of cáf horse + pestere envoy, mission (related to pesto impulse); literally "a sending of horses"

Lexember 4: F - fence

Msérsca already has cíth hedge, barrier which comes close. But let's find some alternatives.

doltiédea
[ˈdɔltɪˌjɛdʒa]
fence, enclosure, from doltir to close, finish, tie up + -édea (nominalizer)

tám
[toːm]
wall, fence

[Emily]

December 5: D

diamond

• Byzantine Greek diamantin ->>> Early Modern Gothic diemade [dɪɛmádɛ] "diamond" > Modern Gothic dimades [dmáudɨs] "diamond"

damp

• Old Gothic *stáumags "steamy" > Middle Gothic staumags [stɔ́ʊmaɣz] "steamy" > Early Modern Gothic stamwes [stámvɛs] "humid" > Modern Gothic stamwes [stámvɨs] "damp, moist"
  
• Old Gothic *fūhteis "damp, moist" > Middle Gothic fohtis [vwáçʧis] "damp, moist" > Early Modern Gothic wosjtis [vóʃtɪs] "limp, flimsy" > Modern Gothic wostjs [vóʃts] "flimsy"

dare

• challenge someone to do something: Old Gothic gaháitan "to promise" > Middle Gothic gahaitan [gahɛ́ʊtan] "to promise, pledge" > Early Modern Gothic gefto [géftɔ] "to bid, wager" > Modern Gothic gefto [géftə] "to wager, bet; dare (someone)"
• be bold enough to do something: Old Gothic anananþjan "to dare, be brave (enough)" > Middle Gothic ananþjan [anáɲʒan] > Early Modern Gothic enajzjo [ɛnájʒɔ] > Modern Gothic enezjo [ɛnáʒə]
• Old Gothic gadaúrsan "to dare, be brave (enough)" > Middle Gothic gadaursan [gaðɔ́rzan] "to be brave, act decisively" > Early Modern Gothic geðarzo [gɛðárzɔ] "to react without thinking" > Modern Gothic geðarzo [gðárzə] "to blunder, make an obvious mistake"

[Lērisama]

9^th Lex: Transfer¹
イキピラく
ekepireh, ekeperal, ekepiriver, ekepirivir
ｲｷピラ̞ヵゥ　/əkəpɪɾəx/

• To pass sth. over, to transfer sth.
• To hand over responsibility for sth., to wash you hands of sth.
• To deny responsibility for sth.

Etymology:
From PS *iqipiδa, from *iqja ‘to drive, to control’, + *-piδa ‘across, through’.

¹

i've been using https://randomwordgenerator.com/ to get the words, posting in case others find it helpful

Thank you, I found it helpful

[Emily]

December 6: A

army

• Old Polish wojsko ->>> Early Modern Gothic wojskus [vójskʊs] "army" > Modern Gothic wojskus [vwískəs] "army"
• Old Gothic harjis "army" > Middle Gothic harjis, harjais [háʝɛs] "army" > Early Modern Gothic azjes [áʒɛs] "violent mob, bandit gang" > Modern Gothic azjes [wáʒɨs] "gang, group of criminals"

ambitious

• Old Gothic *gaírns "eager; desirous" > Middle Gothic gairns [gɛ́runz, gɛ́rn-] "eager" > Early Modern Gothic ganz [gánz] "eager" > Modern Gothic gans [gáuns] "ambitious"

alert (verb)

• Old Gothic *bellan "to bark, shout; to ring (a bell)" > Middle Gothic beilan [bjálan] "to sound an alarm, give the hue and cry" > Early Modern Gothic bjelo [bjélɔ] "to warn" > Modern Gothic bjelo [bjálə] "to alert, notify, inform"

[Lērisama]

10^th Lex: Quarter
イハラソラく
ihelsūleh, ehelsāla, ihelsūliver, ihelsūlivir
イハㇻゥソーラヵゥ　/ixəlsuːləx/

• To defeat or capture people and then allow them to leave freely

Etymology:
From PS *ihëra ‘to capture’ + -sūra ‘outside’ (because such agreements generally happen on open terrain. If you have them trapped, you'd generally massacre them instead)

[Emily]

December 7: J

justice

• Old Gothic garaíhtiþa "righteousness, justness" > Middle Gothic garaihtiþa [garɛ́çʧɛþa] "righteousness" > Early Modern Gothic geresjteðe [gɛrɛʃtéðɛ] "justice" > Modern Gothic gerehtjeðes [grɛʃtáðɨs]

jagged

• Old Gothic *spitugs "spiky, sharp" > Middle Gothic spitaugs [spítɔɣz] "spiky" > Early Modern Gothic spidwes [spídvɛs] "jagged" > Modern Gothic spidwes [spídvɨs] "jagged, serrated"

jog

• Old Gothic *þrabōn "to trot" (as a horse) > Middle Gothic þrawon [ðrávon] "to trot" > Early Modern Gothic ðrawo [ðrávɔ] "to trot, canter" > Modern Gothic ðrawo [ðráuvə] "to trot, canter; to jog"

[Lērisama]

11^th Lex: Xenon¹
ヂラホオシ
Delāfūç, Delāfūçui
ヂラーホォーシゥ　/dəlɔːfuːsʲ/

• Xenon, the 54^th chemical element

Etymology:
From Classical Delāhuh ‘to be sitting down’, from PS *δirāχχwa, from *δira ‘to sit’ + -āχχwa ‘down’, suffixed with -ūç, a formerly common diminutive that became common in the naming of elements. A reference to its weight (and so how it sinks in air) and it's discovery as a residue.

¹ Heavily anachronistic, but there are not many words beginning with X. Random word generator only had X-ray