Commonthroat: a language that only a dog could probably pronounce

[conlang-creature]

The above makes little sense for humans as our backs don't face skyward.

For a second there i was wondering why you would say that then i remembered you aren't a yinrih.

On the internet nobody knows you're a monkey fox :)

So that's where all these brilliant ideas are coming from!
I don't know if I've said it before, but this world of yours is awesome! Fascinating world, fun characters, engaging stories, and interesting ideas... it's really cool! And of course, Commonthroat is one of the best non-human languages I've seen.

[lurker]

The above makes little sense for humans as our backs don't face skyward.

For a second there i was wondering why you would say that then i remembered you aren't a yinrih.

On the internet nobody knows you're a monkey fox :)

So that's where all these brilliant ideas are coming from!
I don't know if I've said it before, but this world of yours is awesome! Fascinating world, fun characters, engaging stories, and interesting ideas... it's really cool! And of course, Commonthroat is one of the best non-human languages I've seen.

Thanks!

I've been conlanging for over 20 years and worldbuilding for even longer. None of my conlangs made it past the sketch phase until Commonthroat, and my worlds have hitherto been confined to my daydreams.

I think finding a community of conlangers has helped me get out of the scrapper rut.

[lurker]

rGr-sGKq-sMnr-g

/chuff, long low weak growl, chuff, yip, long rising strengthening growl, huff, yip late rising weakening grunt, chuff, short low weak growl/

from rGr (to guide) + sGKqg (a path, way) + sMnrg (bulk, matter) "That which guides matter along a path"

Noun
Mass Router, a device that allows faster than light travel.

see here for more info.

[lurker]

rFCrg

/chuff, long falling strong whine, chuff, short low weak growl/

Noun

A device used to communicate instantly over arbitrarily large distances, an ansible

[lurker]

rDBqg

/chuff long falling weak whine, huff, short low weak growl/

Noun

1. a coin
2. a unit of currency
3. a point (as in a game)
4. a token

Derrived terms:

rDBq-PL-g: money, savings, fund

I feel obligated to assert that no state at Focus uses a currency that can be translated as "credits". Commonthroat uses the word <rDBqg> to refer to any state's currency, simply appending a qualifying adjective to specify who's currency it is.

[Visions1]

What is Yinrih banking like? Do they have stock exchanges? What are those like and what are the terms they use?

[lurker]

khqkhDFg j khqkhfdg

from khqkhg (dude, fellow) + -DF (augmentative suffix) and -fd (diminutive suffix) literally "big dude and little dude"

Informal, military slang, A mech and its pilot.

From the idea that a mech is a large effigy of a person with a normal-sized person inside it

[lurker]

Code: Select all

G    rnL   jk-qn          qNMr-0        g    qFr-qN    b sbrnGH-g
IMP  not   little_one-2   quench-AUTH   POS  fire-3M  of understanding-3I

hgq   b rLPq-p     HrjGJ     rjqcDr-qN    
for   of light-3D  uncreated gift-3M

O little one, thou must not quench thy fire of understanding, for it is a gift of the Uncreated Light.

A religious prohibition against drunkenness.

[lurker]

sJHq


/yip, long falling strengthening growl, huff/

Verb

1. to nuzzle
2. to scrutinize
3. to examine closely

While humans rely almost entirely on vision to perceive the world, yinrih use all 5 senses more evenly. When examining a small object, a yinrih will turn it over in his paws and brush it against his whiskers to gain tactile information about it. Holding it up to the snout also allows him to find out how it smells, and bringing it close to the eyes allows close visual inspection.

[lurker]

qMng

/huff, late low strengthening grunt, short low weak growl/

Noun

1. partner
2. ally
3. comrade
4. coworker

Not to be confused with the word <sFsFg> which means "friend". <qMng> implies a pragmatic relationship, but <sFsFg>, related to the word <sF> (to love), implies a personal bond. Commonthroat translations of the Great Commandment consistently interpret the line "offer to them your friendship" as using the word <sFsFg> rather than <qMng>. This is why pious Wayfarers actively seek human friends.

[Visions1]

How do you say "Turn on the light" in Yinrih?

[lurker]

How do you say "Turn on the light" in Yinrih?

direct command
G rMNq-0 rLPq-p
IMP ignite-AUTH light-3D

or more politely
G rMNq-b rLPq-p
IMP ignite-NAUTH light-3D

[Visions1]

"G rMNq rLPq-p"
"G rnL rDB 'G rMNq-b rLPq-p' hgq rLPq-p rNlrGH-p rMNq-GH-p rMNq-b"
"<Hiss> sMPrg rCHGg"

[lurker]

"G rMNq rLPq-p"
"G rnL rDB 'G rMNq-b rLPq-p' hgq rLPq-p rNlrGH-p rMNq-GH-p rMNq-b"
"<Hiss> sMPrg rCHGg"

Code: Select all

"G    rMNq     rLPq-p"
 IMP   ignite  light-3D

G   rnL rDB 'G   rMNq-b        rLPq-p'   hgq rLPq-p    rNlrGH-p     rMNq-GH-p    rMNq-b"
IMP not say 'IMP ignite-NAUTH  light-3D'  for light-3D goodness-3D  ignition-3D  ignite-NAUTH

<Hiss> sMPrg           rCHGg
       forest_flyer-3I tail_flick-3I

[lurker]

rMNq

/chuff, long rising weakening grunt, huff/

Verb

1. to kindle, ignite
2. to activate, turn on

Similar to Spanish encender

Derrived terms:


rMNq-HG-DF-p: Literally "the great kindling", also known as <rMNqGHp b qFrp b sbrnGHg> or "the kindling of the Fire of Understanding", refers to the emergence of sapience, which the yinrih account from the transition from scent marking to true written language, which occurred alongside the discovery of fire and the first rudimentary funeral rites, about 100 thousand years before First Contact.

[lurker]

sbcqbcg

/yip, short low strengthening whine, huff, short low strengthening whine, short low weak growl/

from sbcg (flesh) + qbcg (false) "false flesh"

Noun
A meat substitute grown on orbital colonies, translated into English as "leasemeat"

It doesn't compare to actual meat, which is a rare delicacy for Spacers.

[Visions1]

Oh hey, congrats on 500 posts! And you've got a new look!
It was supposed to be rMNq-GH-p rMNq-GH-p but I got mixed up.

[lurker]

Oh hey, congrats on 500 posts! And you've got a new look!
It was supposed to be rMNq-GH-p rMNq-GH-p but I got mixed up.

Thanks!

I’m not 100% sure what your text was aiming for, but having someone try to speak your conlang is the highest honor a conlanger can hope for in my opinion.

[Visions1]

"Turn the light on."
"Say not 'Turn the Light on,' for the Light is on-ness itself."
"Stupid friggin' knowitall..."

I wanted to add more swear words, but I held myself back.

In truth, I could only do this because you already wrote the phrase.

[lurker]

"Turn the light on."
"Say not 'Turn the Light on,' for the Light is on-ness itself."
"Stupid friggin' knowitall..."

I wanted to add more swear words, but I held myself back.

In truth, I could only do this because you already wrote the phrase.

I appreciate the gesture nonetheless.

I like "know-it-all" as a translation for <sMPrg>. My original concept was that forest flyers are seen in a similar light as cats to humans. My personal opinion on cats is that their reputation for cleverness is largely undeserved. *raises flame shield*