Re: constructed romance languages

[Padraic Brown <pbrown@POLARIS.UMUC.EDU>]

On Wed, 20 Jan 1999, Andrew Smith wrote:

> On Tue, 19 Jan 1999, Daniel J. O'Neil wrote:
>
> > Where can I find more information about Kernu? As one who has studied
> > several romance languages, I was immediately intrigued and am eager to
> > learn more about your conlang.
> >
> > Has anyone else on this list created constructed romance languages? I've
> > already seen Brithenig (which I love).
> >
> Kernu is Brithenig's sister language and a lovely piece of work in its own
> right.

Thank you for your kind words, Andrew!  Unlike Brithenig and Breathanach,
I don't have a webpage for the language.  I do have a grammar book/reader
for it (on paper) which is currently in the midst of a rather long and
tedious update/correction.  [Kernu's Grand Master Plan was reworked and
finalised two or three months ago, and _now_ I've got to go through a
hundred some pages of grammar and texts to make sure it's all spelled
right!]  So you can find out about it either by asking me (I'm always
happy to answer questions) or get the book (when it's done).  Several
others on the list are slated to get the revision, and it would be no
difficult thing to add another!

By way of a little entertainment, here's a little rhyme about one of the
(little) kings of Kernow:

Jowcko regen                            Little King Jocko
il beccos Jowcko wen montant            Little King Jocko came riding
  per'sa mbecken mbowren ech,             on his wee poor horse,
al lath le pub destar ys wen            to park before the pub he came
  il sendo deck "ne saz pun lech?         the old man says "don't you know
                                          the law?
ta mbowren ech aci destar               to park thy poor horse here
  al lath le pub ne tu poz mech!"         before the pub thou may not at
                                          all!"
"a Mhaystoer Sendae, a to nioch,        "O Master Gaffer, at thy game,
  il ke do mi fatoer le lech,             who reads to me the Law,
ma mbowren ech aci destar               to park my poor horse here
  potu en eo, ammi il rech!"              I can for _I am_ the King!"

Little King Jocko is one of the medieval kings of Kernow, and was, well,
quite little (just a tad over being not quite five feet tall) and was
famous for riding old worn out nags and not dressing like a king.  He was
also on the one hand burlesqued throughout the land for his eccentricities
(his nags and rags; the bolsters on the throne; and that mess with the
cowpaddy tossing contest at Bodwen fair); and on the other feared, for he
was also famous for introducing anyone unfortunate enough to burlesque him
within his earshot to the Interesting Things he kept up in his dungeons.

> That's all the Romance languages that I can think offhand that are active
> on this list.

I've done (or at least started) several; but none are currently active,
except Kernu.

Padraic.

> - andrew.