Guess the Word in Germanic Conlangs

[Ashtăr Balynestjăr]

*mugjǭ ‘fly, midge’?

[zyma]

*mugjǭ ‘fly, midge’?

Well, technically *mują, but close enough.

[Ashtăr Balynestjăr]

So, it’s *mari-hunaga-staina-mują ‘sea-honey-stone-fly’.

I’m guessing it’s a species of insect?

How do the morphemes split up? Is it (mær-hunág)-(stain-mý)? (mær-(hunág-stain))-mý? Something else?

[zyma]

So, it’s *mari-hunaga-staina-mują ‘sea-honey-stone-fly’.

I’m guessing it’s a species of insect?

How do the morphemes split up? Is it (mær-hunág)-(stain-mý)? (mær-(hunág-stain))-mý[/b]? Something else?

Pretty much, yeah.

Correct.

Uh, I guess I'd say (mær-hunág-stain)-mý.

[GamerGeek]

Was <æ> a result of a-umlaut, and <y> a result of u-umlaut?

No and no.

So, it’s *mari-hunaga-staina-mują

How is it no if the morpheme was *mari...

Does the ý come from either PG *ū with i-umlaut or *ī with u-umlaut?

Oh, was I using incorrect terminology?

[zyma]

Was <æ> a result of a-umlaut, and <y> a result of u-umlaut?

No and no.

So, it’s *mari-hunaga-staina-mują

How is it no if the morpheme was *mari...

Does the ý come from either PG *ū with i-umlaut or *ī with u-umlaut?

Oh, was I using incorrect terminology?

*mari > mær and *mują > mý are both the results of i-umlaut. The types of umlaut are named after the vowels that affect other vowels, not the vowels that are affected. Although in the case of *mują > mý, it was the *j that caused the i-umlaut of the preceding *u.

[GamerGeek]

Was <æ> a result of a-umlaut, and <y> a result of u-umlaut?

No and no.

So, it’s *mari-hunaga-staina-mują

How is it no if the morpheme was *mari...

Does the ý come from either PG *ū with i-umlaut or *ī with u-umlaut?

Oh, was I using incorrect terminology?

*mari > mær and *mują > mý are both the results of i-umlaut. The types of umlaut are named after the vowels that affect other vowels, not the vowels that are affected.

i-umlauted/mutated a doesn't roll off the tongue as well as a-umlaut...

[zyma]

Was <æ> a result of a-umlaut, and <y> a result of u-umlaut?

No and no.

So, it’s *mari-hunaga-staina-mują

How is it no if the morpheme was *mari...

Does the ý come from either PG *ū with i-umlaut or *ī with u-umlaut?

Oh, was I using incorrect terminology?

*mari > mær and *mują > mý are both the results of i-umlaut. The types of umlaut are named after the vowels that affect other vowels, not the vowels that are affected.

i-umlauted/mutated a doesn't roll off the tongue as well as a-umlaut...

Alright, I guess I'll get the people who came up with the terminology on the phone and see what we can do.

[Salmoneus]

Well it looks like it means "amber fly" or perhaps "fly preserved in amber". But I don't know why there'd be a word for that - is it a metaphor, perhaps?

[spanick]

Well it looks like it means "amber fly" or perhaps "fly preserved in amber". But I don't know why there'd be a word for that - is it a metaphor, perhaps?

Mosquito, perhaps?

[zyma]

Well it looks like it means "amber fly" or perhaps "fly preserved in amber". But I don't know why there'd be a word for that - is it a metaphor, perhaps?

Mosquito, perhaps?

Correct! It can refer specifically to an insect preserved in amber, but it's more often used as a poetic term for mosquito or similar insects. The more common term, however, is either blóðmý /ˈbluvmaʏ̯/ (Lit. "bloodfly") or just moskits /ˈmoskits/.

[spanick]

Well it looks like it means "amber fly" or perhaps "fly preserved in amber". But I don't know why there'd be a word for that - is it a metaphor, perhaps?

Mosquito, perhaps?

Correct! It can refer specifically to an insect preserved in amber, but it's more often used as a poetic term for mosquito or similar insects. The more common term, however, is either blóðmý /ˈbluvmaʏ̯/ (Lit. "bloodfly") or just moskits /ˈmoskits/.

Good word!

My turn?
Gutisk (Tözisk Jezük)
gameletanadruhtes
/gameːletanadruxtes/

[GamerGeek]

Is it a plural?

[Creyeditor]

Is it something old?

[ixals]

Are the last two syllables from *druhtiz?

[spanick]

Is it a plural?

No.

Is it something old?

I don't understand the question.

Are the last two syllables from *druhtiz?

Yes!

[zyma]

Is the word in the nominative singular?

[spanick]

Is the word in the nominative singular?

Yes.

[elemtilas]

Is it something old?

I don't understand the question.

Gamalaz is Germanic for gammle, "old" or "weak".

[spanick]

Is it something old?

I don't understand the question.

Gamalaz is Germanic for gammle, "old" or "weak".

Oh, gotcha. No, that is not cognate to the first part of the compound.