ÿþ<html> <head> <title>Introduction to romlangs</title> </head> <body bgcolor="#F0F0B8"> <A HREF="hvadrom.html"><IMG STYLE="border:none;" Align=Right SRC="vlag-sve.png"></a> <h1><font color="#803800">Introduction to romlangs</font></h1> <table width="100%" border=0> <td width="5%">&nbsp; <td width="90%"> <i>I wrote this page in order to help those interested in making a proper romlang. There are, in my opinion, far too many people just mixing words and grammar together without logic, taking bits from different romance languages and from Latin, then calling their creation a  Romance language , even though that it really oughtn t to be called one. Hopefully I can contribute to more people learning how to make romlangs in a better way.</i> <td width="5%"> </table> <hr> <h2><font color="#803800">What <i>is</i> a romlang?</font></h2> The word <b>romlang</b> is an abbreviation of <i>Romance language</i>. Romance languages is the term for those modern languages that have evolved from Latin, the language of the Roman Empire. When it comes to conlanging, <b>romlangs</b> usually refer to a constructed language regularly derived from Latin, so that it looks like being a real, living Romance language. <p><center><img src="improm.gif" align="center" width="250" height="175" border="1"> <br><i>The Roman Empire at its peak, at the death of Emperor Traianus in year 870 a.u.c.</i></center> <p><center><img src="vaerrom.gif" align="center" width="1018" height="473" border="1"> <br><i>Countries and areas where Romance languages have official status today, 2759 a.u.c.</i></center> <h2><font color="#803800">Vulgar Latin</font></h2> Within the Roman Empire there were two varieties of Latin: <b>classical Latin</b> and <b>Vulgar Latin</b>. <ul> <li><b>Classical Latin</b> was the Roman <i>high language</i>. It was spoken and used by official circles and by the educated elite. Classical Latin was based on the traditionally written language. Classical Latin is today what is mostly meant when one refers to Latin. Classical Latin was for a long time the <i>lingua franca</i> for the educated circles of Europe. <li><b>Vulgar Latin</b> was the Roman popular language. It was spoken by soldiers, slaves, and ordinary people within the empire. It is from Vulgar Latin that all of the Romance languages are derived. </ul> <p>Vulgar Latin differ from the classical high language in many ways. To begin with, the pronunciation had changed. Below the basic sound changes from Latin to Vulgar Latin are shown. <p><table width="100%"> <tr><td bgcolor="#E0E0A8" width="7%">1. <td width="25%">a: >> a <br>e >> [ <br>e: >> e <br>i >> e <br>i: >> i <br>o >> T <br>o: >> o <br>u >> o <br>u: >> u <br>y >> i <br>y: >> i <br>ai >> [ <br>oi >> e <td>vdere >> vad[r[ <br>lentus >> l[ntos <br>d >> de <br>vidre >> veder[ <br>v+ta >> vita <br>porta >> pTrta <br>nMs >> nos <br>mundus > mondos <br>knus >> unos <br>tyrannus >> tirannos <br>pap3rus >> papiros <br>caelum >> c[lo <br>poena >> pena <tr><td bgcolor="#E0E0A8" width="7%">2. <td width="25%">n >> Ø / _(f,v,s) <br>h >> Ø <br>w >> ² <br>b >> ² / V_(V,r) <br>m >> Ø / _# <br>m >> n / in certain monosyllabic words <br>(e,i) >> j / _V <br>u > w / _V <br>VV >> V <td>mnsa >> mesa <br>hMra >> ora <br>servus >> s[r²os <br>habre >> a²er[ <br>novem >> nTv[ <br>sum >> son <br>habeo >> a²jo <br>duMs >> dwos <br>prehendere >> pr[nd[r[ <tr><td bgcolor="#E0E0A8" width="7%">3 <td width="25%">V >> "V / "(i,e)_ <br>V >> "V / _C*"uV <td>mul"ierem >> molj"[r[ <br>btt"uere >> b"attw[r[ </table> <p>It should be pointed out the occurrence of certain regional differences even at this stage, but in general this is what happened. These sound changes led to a change of morphology. Compare the following declensions of Classical Latin... <blockquote> <table> <tr bgcolor="#E0E0A8"> <td colspan=4 align="center"><b><i>Singular</b></i> <td bgcolor="#F0F0B8"> <td colspan=4 align="center"><b><i>Plural</b></i> <tr bgcolor="#E0E0A8"> <td> <td align="center">Feminine<br><b>v+ta</b><br>'life' <td align="center">Masculinie<br><b>servus</b><br>'servant' <td align="center">Neuter<br><b>Mvum</b><br>'egg' <td bgcolor="#F0F0B8">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <td> <td align="center">Feminine<br><b>v+ta</b><br>'life' <td align="center">Masculine<br><b>servus</b><br>'servant' <td align="center">Neuter<br><b>Mvum</b><br>'egg'</tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Nom.</i> <td><b>v+t|a </b> <td><b>serv|us </b> <td><b>Mv|um</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Nom.</i> <td><b>v+t|ae </b> <td><b>serv|+ </b> <td><b>Mv|a</b></tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Gen.</i> <td><b>v+t|ae </b> <td><b>serv|+ </b> <td><b>Mv|+</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Gen.</i> <td><b>v+t|rum </b> <td><b>serv|Mrum </b> <td><b>Mv|Mrum</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Dat.</i> <td><b>v+t|ae </b> <td><b>serv|M </b> <td><b>Mv|M</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Dat.</i> <td><b>v+t|+s </b> <td><b>serv|+s </b> <td><b>Mv|+s</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Acc.</i> <td><b>v+t|am </b> <td><b>serv|um </b> <td><b>Mv|um</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Acc.</i> <td><b>v+t|s </b> <td><b>serv|Ms </b> <td><b>Mv|a</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Abl.</i> <td><b>v+t| </b> <td><b>serv|M </b> <td><b>Mv|M</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Abl.</i> <td><b>v+t|+s </b> <td><b>serv|+s </b> <td><b>Mv|+s</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Voc.</i> <td><b>v+t|a </b> <td><b>serv|e </b> <td><b>Mv|um <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Voc.</i> <td><b>v+t|ae </b> <td><b>serv|+ </b> <td><b>Mv|a </table> </blockquote> <p>...with the following from Vulgar Latin... <blockquote> <table> <tr bgcolor="#E0E0A8"> <td colspan=4 align="center"><b><i>Singular</b></i> <td bgcolor="#F0F0B8"> <td colspan=4 align="center"><b><i>Plural</b></i> <tr bgcolor="#E0E0A8"> <td> <td align="center">Feminine<br><b>vita</b><br>'life' <td align="center">Masculine<br><b>servos</b><br>'servant' <td align="center">Neuter<br><b>ovo</b><br>'egg' <td bgcolor="#F0F0B8">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <td> <td align="center">Feminine<br><b>vita</b><br>'life' <td align="center">Masculine<br><b>servos</b><br>'servant' <td align="center">Neuter<br><b>ovo</b><br>'egg' <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Nom.</i> <td><b>vit|a </b> <td><b>s[rv|os </b> <td><b>ov|o</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Nom.</i> <td><b>vit|[ </b> <td><b>s[rv|i </b> <td><b>ov|a</b></tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Gen.</i> <td><b>vit|[ </b> <td><b>s[rv|i </b> <td><b>ov|i</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Gen.</i> <td><b>vit|aro </b> <td><b>s[rv|oro </b> <td><b>ov|oro</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Dat.</i> <td><b>vit|[ </b> <td><b>s[rv|o </b> <td><b>ov|o</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Dat.</i> <td><b>vit|is </b> <td><b>s[rv|is </b> <td><b>ov|is</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Acc.</i> <td><b>vit|a </b> <td><b>s[rv|o </b> <td><b>ov|o</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Acc.</i> <td><b>vit|as </b> <td><b>s[rv|os </b> <td><b>ov|a</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Abl.</i> <td><b>vit|a </b> <td><b>s[rv|o </b> <td><b>ov|o</b> <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Abl.</i> <td><b>vit|is </b> <td><b>s[rv|is </b> <td><b>ov|is</b> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Voc.</i> <td><b>vit|a </b> <td><b>s[rv|[ </b> <td><b>ov|o <td> <td bgcolor="#E0E0A8"><i>Voc.</i> <td><b>vit|[ </b> <td><b>s[rv|i </b> <td><b>ov|a </table> </blockquote> <p>As a result of this, the accusative and the ablative merged relatively early, with the accusative forms as the surviving. <p>Something that also was common and on the rise (but did not occur everywhere) was that the <b>genitive</b> and the <b>dative</b> were replaced with <i>prepositional constructions</i>. <ul> <li>The dative was exchanged for <i>ad + accusative</i>. <b>v+tae/vit[</b> >> <b>ad vita</b> <li>The genitive was exchanged for <i>de + ablative</i> (later accusative). <b>MvMrum/ovoro</b> >> <b>de ovis(ovos)</b> </ul> <p>In addition, the <b>passive</b> was replaced with the construction <i>esse</i> (to be) <i>+ perfect participle</i>. <b>amor</b> (I am loved) >> <b>amtus son</b>. </ul> <p>Irregularities were often regularized by analogy, and the 4th and 5th declension were replaced with the 2nd and 1st respectively. <p>Big parts of the Latin vocabualry disappeared and was replaced by new words. This also affected small grammatical particles and prepositions. <b>an</b>, <b>at</b>, <b>autem</b>, <b>dMnec</b>, <b>enim</b>, <b>ergM</b>, <b>etiam</b>, <b>haud</b>, <b>igitur</b>, <b>ita</b>, <b>nam</b>, <b>postquam</b>, <b>quidem</b>, <b>qu+n</b>, <b>quod</b>, <b>quoque</b>, <b>sed</b>, <b>utrum</b>, and <b>vel</b> had all disappeared from the Latin vocabulary. <p>Below are some examples of common words in Classical Latin that were replaced by others in Vulgar Latin. <blockquote> <table></tr> <tr bgcolor="#E0E0A8"> <td><b>Classical Latin</b> <td><b>Vulgar Latin</b> </tr> <tr> <td><i>cruor</i> (blood) <td><i>sanguis</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>domus</i> (house) <td><i>casa</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>emere</i> (buy) <td><i>comparre</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>ignis</i> (fire) <td><i>focum</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>caput</i> (head) <td><i>testa</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>lkdere</i> (play) <td><i>jocre</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>equus</i> (horse) <td><i>caballus</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>magnus</i> (big) <td><i>grandis</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>ferre</i> (carry) <td><i>portre</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>os</i> (mouth) <td><i>bucca</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>pulcher</i> (beautiful) <td><i>bellus</i></tr> <tr> <td><i>s+dus</i> (star) <td><i>stella</i> </table> </blockquote> <p>It should be known that in some occational cases the classical word did survive, e.g. Spanish <b>cabeza</b> (caput), Sardinian <b>domo</b> (domus). <p><center><img src="oestvaest.gif" align="center" width="250" height="175" border="1"> <br><i>Subbranches of Romance at the fall of the Roman Empire, 1229 a.u.c.: <b><span style="background-color: palegreen"><font color="0000FF">Green = Western Romance</font></span></b>, <span style="background-color: powderblue"><font color="FF0000"><b>Blue = Eastern Romance</b></font></span>, <span style="background-color: firebrick"><font color="98FB98"><b>Red = Southern Romance</b></font></span> <br>It is still a subject to discussion what branches the Romance spoken in North Africa belonged to.</i></center> <p><center><img src="oestvaestidag.gif" align="center" width="250" height="175" border="1"> <br><i>Subbranches of Romance today: <b><span style="background-color: palegreen"><font color="0000FF">Green = Western Romance</font></span></b>, <span style="background-color: powderblue"><font color="FF0000"><b>Blue = Eastern Romance</b></font></span>, <span style="background-color: firebrick"><font color="98FB98"><b>Red = Southern Romance</b></font></span></center></i> <h3><font color="#803800">Western Romance</font></h3> <ul> <li>The nominative was kept, while the accusative, genitive and dative merged into an <i>oblique case</i>. <li>The plural forms derive from the <b>accusative</b> of Latin. Spanish: <b>lengua - lenguas</b> (lingus) <li>[p t k] were <b>voiced</b> between vowels, and became [b d g]. Spanish: <b>amigo</b> (am+cus). <li>Before <i>s + consonant</i> an [e] sound evolved. Spanish: <b>espada</b> (spatha). <li>[k] and [g] were palatalized before <b>e</b> and <b>i</b> to [ts] and [d’]. </ul> <h3><font color="#803800">Eastern Romance</font></h3> <ul> <li>The nominative merged with the accusative, and the genitive with the dative. <li>The plural forms derive from the <b>nominative</b> of Latin. Italian: <b>lingua - lingue</b> (linguae) <li>[p t k] were <b>not voiced</b> between vowels. Italian: <b>amico</b> (am+cus). <li>[k] and [g] were palatalized before <b>e</b> and <b>i</b> to [tƒ] and [d’]. </ul> <h2><font color="#803800">Romance family tree</font></h2> This is a somewhat simplified family tree with the biggest Romance languages. <ul> <li>Western Romance languages <ul> <li>Gallo-Romance languages <ul> <li>French <li>Occitan <li>Catalan <li>Rhaeto-romance </ul> </ul> <ul> <li>Ibero-Romance languages <ul> <li>Spanish <li>Portuguese <li>Galician </ul> </ul> <li>Eastern Romance languages <ul> <ul> <li>Italian </ul> </ul> <ul> <li>Romanian <ul> <li>Romanian <li>Aromanian </ul> </ul> <li>Southern Romance languages <ul> <ul> <li>Sardinian </ul> </ul> </ul> <h2><font color="#803800">Where can a romlang be spoken?</font></h2> Within the Roman Empire both Latin and Greek were spoken, the former in west and the latter in east. A romlang dating back to the Roman Empire ought therefore to be spoken in the western half of the empire. Then it is of course possible for the people to have moved to somewhere else since then, but then this must also influence the vocabulary. <p><center><img src="latgrek.gif" align="center" width="250" height="175" border="1"> <br><i>Dominating languages in the Roman Empire: <b><span style="background-color: firebrick"><font color="B0E0E6">Red = Latin</font></span></b>, <span style="background-color: powderblue"><font color="FF0000"><b>Blue = Greek</b></font></span></i></center> <h2><font color="#803800">To think about</font></h2> <ul> <li>Decide if your language is going to be Western or Eastern romance, and follow consequently the general traits of the selected group. <p><li>Make regular sound changes for your language, just like those you see for Vulgar Latin above. These sound changes are supposed to <b>start with those of Vulgar Latin</b>. <p><li>Don't forget to include loan words in your language, so that not all words are derived from Latin. These loan words should be loaned from languages that are either spoken in a nearby area, or whose speakers have regular contact with those of your language. Loan words also often come from the language which is the contemporary language of prestige (as English is today). It is also important to know <i>when</i> the words are loaned, because <b>they must be borrowed in their contemporary form and not the form they have today.</b> <p><li>Don't forget that it is the Vulgar Latin vocabulary that will be the base for that of your language. </ul> <hr> <center><a href="index.html"><img border="0" src="gsggr5.png" align="center"></a> <br><i>© 12/2006 af Aszev</i></center> </body> </html>