Category: Conlang Year
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Day 200: July 18, 2024
Goal: Brainstorm ideas for spatial and temporal wh-words Note: Decide what sources you will use for “where” and “when”. Tip: These words may be related to other wh-words (e.g. “where” could come from “what path”). Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Brainstorm ideas for how you will create wh-words that target spatial (“where”) and temporal (“when”) information. If…
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Day 199: July 17, 2024
Goal: Make a plan for wh-questions targeting adverb info Note: Focus more generally on issues like word order and wh-word placement. Tip: These target information like where, when, why, and how. Work focus: Organize/Plan/Structure Turn your attention today to wh-questions that target adverbial information, such as time, manner, place, and reason. In other words, questions…
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Day 198: July 16, 2024
Goal: Write an introduction to wh-word questions Note: Focus this section on strategies for questioning NP elements. Tip: Include examples that question NPs in a variety of clausal positions. Work focus: Solidify/Write/Share Start writing a section on wh-word questions in your language documentation, focusing on the strategies you’ve created for questioning noun phrase elements. Include…
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Day 197: July 15, 2024
Goal: Create wh-word nominal forms and examples Note: You may also be creating an interrogative particle, if that’s a part of your strategy. Tip: These include “who, what, which, whose” and any others needed for your inflectional system. Work focus: Create/Make/List Today’s goal is to create wh-word forms for your conlang that will allow you…
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Day 196: July 14, 2024
Goal: Explore options for wh-word as modifier Note: This includes “which/what/whose” as a determiner and/or modifier. Tip: Be sure to consider these forms supporting nouns in multiple clausal positions. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Expand your brainstorming on wh-questions by exploring options for wh-words as modifiers for a head noun, such as “which car” or “what mouse”…
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Day 195: July 13, 2024
Goal: Explore options for wh-word questions Note: For now, focus on “what” and “who” arguments in different positions. Tip: Consider options for “who/what” as subject, object, and oblique/embedded constituent. Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try Today’s goal shifts from y/n questions to wh-word questions, specifically focusing on content questions that target nominal arguments. While a y/n question can…
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Day 194: July 12, 2024
Goal: Write a section on y/n questions Note: Include a variety of examples and include ways to answer the questions. Tip: As you work, also update your dictionary and head word forms as needed. Work focus: Solidify/Write/Share Document your work on y/n questions by writing a section in your conlang’s grammar. Be sure to include…
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Day 193: July 11, 2024
Goal: Create strategies for answering y/n questions Note: Create ways to say “yes,” “no,” and “maybe” (feel free to create more!). Tip: These may be reduced forms based on a phrase like “it is true” or “so it goes” in your language. Work focus: Create/Make/List Now that you have y/n question forms, today’s goal is…
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Day 192: July 10, 2024
Goal: Review verb forms in light of y/n question strategies Note: Identify if/how any inflectional markings are affected by question forms. Tip: Use a single question as a base form and run it through a variety of inflectional options. Work focus: Organize/Plan/Structure Review any information you’ve written on verb forms (e.g. inflection charts, documentation) to…
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Day 191: July 9, 2024
Goal: Create a variety of negative y/n questions Note: This means the verb is negated (e.g. “Didn’t you see the mouse?”). Tip: Negated forms may indicate the speaker believes the clause should be true. Work focus: Create/Make/List Today’s focus shifts to negative y/n questions, such as “Didn’t you see the mouse?” or “Isn’t that bread…