Re: LeGuin (was: a 12th century conlang)

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

On Wed, 24 Mar 1999, Sally Caves wrote:

> We were talking just a few days ago about the _Lingua Ignota_.  I'vedone
> this very thing when making up vocabulary (nouns) for Teonaht.  I was
> going to suggest that we conlangers produce some taxonomies similar to
> Hildegard's:  Let's see a list from some of you with at least twenty
> items in each of these categories:

To be sure I can't fill 20 items in each (yet) but will essay those that I
can.  The others will be filled in in time.  All right, it took 2 hours to
fill 20 in each.  Except the diseases slot, as I don't have any words yet
for sickness.

>
>     1.  God, gods, angels, saints, and demons.

Being good Catholics, the Kernow will simply have their own versions of
familiar terms: il Deus il Paoer (God the Father), il Deus il Mapos (God
the Son), la Deva la Ysperitus Santa (God the Holy Ghost), la Marea
Sempeor Werginea (Mary Ever Virgin), la Nusteor Doawnea la Breten (Our
Lady of Britain), la Nusteor Daownea la Kimrea (Our Lady of Cambria), il
Sang Perro il Maxam Caru (Saint Piran Most Beloved), il San Ystans il
Maxam Caru (St. Stannus Most Beloved), il San Devets (St. David (of
Cambria)), la Santa Bregant (St. Brigantia), il Deyavouls (the Devil), il
Salwadeor Maboun (the Excellent Saviour), il Sang Pedeor Apossoels (St.
Peter the Apostle), il San Iowan il Efanjelista (St. John the Evangelist),
la Deva Epona (the Goddess Epona), il Miccelanjels (the Archangel
Michael), il Kernunos (the Horned One), il Sang Patreys (St. Patrick), il
Ogmios (Ogmios), il Xesuxrists (Jesus Christ).

>     2.  Human family relationships.

la maoer (mother), il paoer (father), la seor (sister), il fraoer
(brother), la nicu (daughter), il maps (son), la matru (foster mother), il
patru (foster father), la germana (foster sister), il germans (foster
brother), il fils (foster son), la filla (foster daughter), il senopaoer /
il avos (grandfather), la senamaoer / la avea (granmother), il/la nefets
(grand child, nephew), il sengogs (father's grandfather), il copatru
(father-in-law), la comatru (mother-in-law), la seor peitrun (father's
sister), il braoer peitrun (father's brother), il patrechu (mother's
brother), la matrechu (mother's sister).

>     3.  The parts of the body.

il caboels (hair of the head), la soersula (eyebrows), la occla (eyes), y
sules (eyes of a beautiful woman), la boucca (mouth), il gob (mouth), y
dhentes (teeth), la orela (ears), il incus (the incus), il ystapes (the
stapes), il malleus (the malleus) [the three ossicles of the inner ear],
il cols (neck), y h-ois (bones), y h-oussicoelles (ossicles, freshly
butchered bones), la brecca (arms), la mana (hands), y dheyttes (fingers,
toes), la jamba (legs), y phedes (feet), la puiyna (fists), la orta
(thumbs, big toes), il kenams (on old gnawed leg bone).

>     4.  Diseases of the body.
>     5.  Names relating to Church or Religion

la ecluis (church), la nimitu (altar, holy place), la epistola (epistle),
la festa (holy day of obligation), la llawa (Staff of Kernunos), il druets
(priest), il paornostre (the Paternoster), Y Cheil (the Heavens), il
Livoers lor Santor (the Book of Saints), il livoers de hures (book of
hours), il livoers de dies (book of days), la ostea (the Host), la Sang la
Salwacion (the Blood of Salvation), il Sang Concurs (the Blessed Course),
la senya la cruce (the Sign of the Cross), la Biblea (the Bible), il
epispos (bishop), il dicona (deacon), il monaccos (monk), la Via Crucis
(Way of the Cross), las ystacion (the Stations), il monaccilos (accolyte).

>     6.  Names relating to Secular Hierarchies, the parts of Government

il Terru (the High King of Cambria), il Ucoelreys (the High King of
Dumnonia), y Reyes Dewdeno de Kernow (the Twelve Kings of Kernow), il
Caswent (the Seat of National Government), il Castellochomynu (House of
Commons), il Castelloddomonu (House of Lords), il Reydoers (Provincial
Governor), la Prenceptats lor Combror (the Kingdom of the Comrow), il
druets (judge), il camulos (dukedom/kingdom), il Imperateor (the Emperor),
yn MP (an MP), il reys (king), la rigu (queen), y phrestri (the clergy), y
khingethes (knights), la Leys (Law), la custancea de nasment (birth
certificate), la Courts de Entercambea (International Mercantile Court),
la deliberansa dex filez (a legal paper that makes a minor a major before
the usual amount of years).

>     7.  The parts of trade and human craft.

cambiar (to trade), la cambea (international trade), il ferrars (smith),
il worts (smith's hammer), il incces (anvil), il gowvnu (blacksmith), il
stanneors (whitesmith), il oreors (goldsmith), il argenteirs
(silversmith), caroteors (cartwright), la servina (serving girl), il
varros (manservant), il physicks (physician), il docteors (scholar), il
maisteors (school teacher), il druets (priest or lawyer), il bards (bard),
il taverneirs (barkeep), il pennaqueirs (knacker), il futbolleirs
(footballer).

>     8.  Days, months, seasons of the year, hours, minutes.

il diluns (Monday), il dimarts (Tuesday), il dimerchoers (Wednesday), il
dijowes (Thursday), il diwenoers (Friday), il disatorns (Saturday), il
disulis (Sunday), il Oyrons (March), il Aprils (April), il Mays, il Yuns,
il Ecuis (July), il Ogustus, il Sentembrei, il Oechtembrei, il Samons
(November), il Dummans (December), il Yanouers, il Fevrouers, il otons
(Fall), il duvotemps (Winter), la primawera (Spring), il Samotemps
(Summer), y mhatini (matins), la prima (prime), la ters (terce), la sesta
(sixt), y nones (none), y vespres (vespers), la complue (complin).

>     9.  The Quotidian things of life: clothing, houses, farming.

la toga (cloak, poncho, etc.), la tuneca (shirt), la sona (belt), la domu
(house), il treclens (main room of a house, dining room), la bos (cow), il
tarfs (bull), il dams (ox), il gavoers (billygoat) / la gavra (nannygoat),
il gals (cock), la galu (chicken), la ouis (ewe), la luccets (mouse), il
cats (cat), il cu (hound), il acres (field), il cars (mechanical reaper),
mulccer (to milk), dryfer (to drove).

>   10.  The parts of the Natural World.

la terra (land), la mors (sea), il oceans (ocean), il contenent
(continent), la awvna (river), la planeta (planet), il cels (sky), y
mhontes (hills), la bosca (forest), la aforestue (Royal Forest), il
casseyns (oak), la yerva (herb), eyseorns (iron), il frecs (heather), la
umetats (dampness), il Pens-Dundagelles (Tintagel Head), la Britanomors
(the British Sea), la Llantemors (the Atlantic Ocean), il furaca
(hurricane), la llepsis (eclipse).

>
> That would make two hundred words.  What a challenge!

Well, 180 out of 200!

>
> Wearily and again, always again, migrainously, Sally
>
ke sa ti meyoerab, a Sarra!

Padraic.