Conlanging can be overwhelming for even the most experienced conlangers—especially in the beginning stages of a new project when swirling swarms of ideas create a flurry of possibilities. I break the process down into daily prompts for a yearlong experience. One year, one conlang. Join me in making this a Conlang Year!
Goal: Consider how names will interact with inflections Note: Names can inflect but don’t have to—that decision is up to you! Tip: You may consider a vocative form for addressing a specific person. Work focus: Organize/Plan/Structure Now that you have some names (both personal and place names) in your language, your next decision is how…
Goal: Create a few personal names for your speakers Note: Create just enough names to showcase your chosen naming strategies. Tip: This is an exciting step, so have some fun with it! Work focus: Create/Make/List Today’s goal is to use everything you’ve made so far to support creating names and actually create some personal names…
Goal: Create forms needed to make your first names Note: You might create more words or derivations to support your vision. Tip: Focus on what you need to create a few personal names to get started. Work focus: Create/Make/List Today’s goal is to create the forms you need to actually make your first few personal…
Goal: Plan the forms you need for personal names Note: It may also be helpful to create a template to reflect your chosen strategy. Tip: Names may include common words, such as Daisy Finder or Big Canoe. Work focus: Organize/Plan/Structure Decide which personal naming strategy (or strategies) you will move forward with and then make…
Goal: Explore strategies for personal names Note: Think about how your speakers will refer to each other as individuals. Tip: Personal names may include familial names. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try It can be quite interesting to think about names and how your speakers will refer to each other and how they will identify one individual from…
Goal: Create place names for communities Note: Consider how your speakers will name towns and spaces within towns. Tip: What makes a “town” depends on how your speakers live in communities! Work focus: Create/Make/List Consider how your speakers name towns (or however their communities are organized) and spaces within those communities. For instance, you can…
Goal: Create area-based place names Note: Focus on naming terrain features, such as rivers, creeks, mountains. Tip: These can be forms like Spring Meadow, Craggy Hill, Winding River, Barton’s Hollow. Work focus: Create/Make/List Create your first place names, focusing first on names that might be given to terrain features, such as rivers, mountains, or fields.…
Goal: Create the lexical forms you need for naming places Note: Focus on the list you made yesterday to prepare for the naming process. Tip: These forms may include nouns, verbs, modifiers, and adpositions! Work focus: Create/Make/List Today’s goal is to fill in the list of forms you made yesterday. Add in any form you’ve…
Goal: Plan the forms you need for creating place names Note: Focus on making a list of what you have/need for now. Tip: Include a list of forms you already have that might be helpful. Work focus: Organize/Plan/Structure Organize your brainstorming notes about place names and make a list of the forms (words, affixes, etc.)…
Goal: Brainstorm options for naming places Note: These strategies often focus on prominent terrain features. Tip: The forms may include both compounds and derivations (e.g. “-town/-ton”). Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal shifts the focus to place names. Use today to brainstorm ideas for how you might name places in your conworld. I encourage you to…
