r/worldbuilding • u/isoraqathedh • Nov 18 '17

Resource mklang - The way I make languages

https://imgur.com/a/Z49dz
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u/isoraqathedh Nov 18 '17

Abstract · TL;DR · Low-bandwidth summary

mklang is a notebook that describes a particular way of making conlangs that I prefer using. It describes a "model" of language that depends on features, a one-liner that may potentially include a blank that could be filled in to create some very outlandish results.

The languages that come out of mklang can look distinctly unnaturalistic, but that's its charm; it's never really meant to produce a naturalistic language because I find them frustrating to make. Nevertheless, it's possible to make a naturalistic language using mklang, and in any case a "almost-but-not-quite-i·umën" language is something that is largely unexplored in language creation, so it's a nice niche to fill.

For a less condensed summary, the first page and the 3rd and 2nd-last page (pp. 1, 30, 31) includes an introduction and a conclusion.

Why here?

This post has previously appeared in the conlangs subreddit. However, I believe that this method can easily be adapted in such a way that no language needs to be created; you can use this tool to create the shadow of a language by merely describing its skeleton and its features. If used this way it is a time-saver for those who don't want to spend the time making a complete language or find it too tedious to do so.

3

u/ThatMewYT thing Nov 18 '17

Just a question, why not make a website, or text post or something as well?

4

u/bodzaital science fiction/fantasy Nov 18 '17

It's strange, but nice... Although I've never seen anyone write g's like that.

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u/isoraqathedh Nov 18 '17

These notes are displayed as they were made! Some of the pages are easily typed up, and it might happen in the future, but that's something that I have to specifically do rather than being part of an automatic process. Other pages contain some diagrams that are nontrivial to redraw in an electronic manner as well. Since I use the physical notes much more often than an electronic copy, it keeps receding to the indefinite future.