I'm kinda surprised you don't have a core syllable for "direction". Then you could do dawn/day-wards and dusk/night-wards for east and west, and cold-wards and hot-wards for north and south.
Well I could probably use "kú" - "Towards the place", as "K" = "location, place, area", and "ú" = "until, towards," among others ... The "K" is seen in "Féük" (Hot Not-Be Place), but since this is a conlang in process, I could edit these and fix them to reflect "east" and "west" if I were to use a direction syllable.
"Cold-wards" and "hot-wards" work from the point of view of a northern hemisphere centric culture, but would be reversed in the southern hemisphere.
If the concept of dawn (or sun) is used as the basis for direction, then north could be "left" and south could be "right" - which I believe is the origin of the English word for north.
In Chinese, north (北)is a pictogram of two people back to back. I have no idea where that comes from... it could very well be based on a story or an actual event.
The explanation I know for 北 is that it's the direction you turn your back to, since that's where the cold winds come from. It's worth mentioning in this connexion that, traditionally, the main entrances to Chinese dwellings have always faced south.
Here comes the nitpicking!muckefuckOctober 18 2005, 16:07:32 UTC
Lichtenstein -> Nüğót, "Little Rock".
Aroo? AFAIK, the first element in Liechtenstein [note spelling] is derived from OHG lioht "light; bright". It's not a little stone, but one that reflects the light. (And the stone in question isn't even in Liechtenstein, but that's another story entirely.)
Again, aroo? I'm not sure where this etymology comes from. (The etymon cited in the Wikipedia--an "OMHG" (WTF?) root *Schweitz--doesn't exist.) If you look up the town of Schwyz (whose name was applied to the canton around and, ultimately, the entire federation) in the German Wikipedia, you'll find this explanation:Da der Name der Gemeinde Schwyz weder aus dem Alemannischen noch aus dem Latein erklären lässt, muss er aus der Zeit stammen, bevor die Gegend von den Römern besiedelt wurde. Alle weiteren Mutmassungen über die Bedeutung des Wortes sind reine Spekulation. (Précis for non-German-speakers: Anyone who tells you they know the ultimate origin and meaning of "Schwyz
( ... )
Re: Here comes the nitpicking!aadromaOctober 18 2005, 19:36:15 UTC
As for Lichtenstein : You know, that's what I THOUGHT -- however, I followed the "'light stone' ('light' in weight rather than in brightness)" explanation from Wikipedia, admittedly for that one. If it's indeed "Rock of light", then the country name'd be Yërğót, "Light Rock", whether or not the said stone's there (I don't care -- I just need a goddamned name for the place! :: laugh ::).
Switzerland : Yeah, I wondered what marshes they spoke of, but hell, if that's incorrect, then at least now I have a word for "marsh" :: laugh :: I suppose it's okay, as "Sázmégránék" isn't a bad-sounding name, either (Oath Made Tribe Land).
Thank you for the input -- it helps this language actually LIVE through others critiquing it ^o^
You know, that's what I THOUGHT -- however, I followed the "'light stone' ('light' in weight rather than in brightness)" explanation from Wikipedia, admittedly for that one.
I really don't understand what that person is thinking. The two words are clearly distinct in German, i.e. MHG lieht (Mod. licht, dial. liecht) vs. MHG lîht (Mod. leicht, dial. liicht).
whether or not the said stone's there (I don't care -- I just need a goddamned name for the place!
It could make a difference depending on how you treat names in your language. Liechtenstein was originally a castle in Lower Austria, then the name of the noble family which had its seat there. Eventually, the name was carried over to their possessions on the Swiss border. A more historically and literally accurate rendition might be "land of the family from Castle Brightstone".
it helps this language actually LIVE through others critiquing it
If it's criticism you crave, here's an excellent place to get it: . It's a discussion board run by a friend of mine, zompist, who's an
( ... )
I really don't understand what that person is thinking. The two words are clearly distinct in German, i.e. MHG lieht (Mod. licht, dial. liecht) vs. MHG lîht (Mod. leicht, dial. liicht).
Well to be honest there's not a HUGE difference there, and it explains the crossover in the words in English -- I could see if there was a larger disparity there, but there's not ...
A more historically and literally accurate rendition might be "land of the family from Castle Brightstone".
Okay, I also want someone to be able to SAY the name -- I'd prefer something easier to say and NOT to be cruel and whip out something the length of "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" upon speakers of the language ^_- :: laugh :: If I were to call the country by the name you suggset, it would be something along the lines of "Yërğót Žrinken Kleërgránék" (Lightrock Castle Familyland) -- pretty unwieldy and amusing to slap on a map for such a small country. ^_-
As for zompist : Ah yes, I know him -- I've seen quite a few of his conlangs on his site, and he has quite a
( ... )
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If the concept of dawn (or sun) is used as the basis for direction, then north could be "left" and south could be "right" - which I believe is the origin of the English word for north.
In Chinese, north (北)is a pictogram of two people back to back. I have no idea where that comes from... it could very well be based on a story or an actual event.
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Aroo? AFAIK, the first element in Liechtenstein [note spelling] is derived from OHG lioht "light; bright". It's not a little stone, but one that reflects the light. (And the stone in question isn't even in Liechtenstein, but that's another story entirely.)
Switzerland -> Íókaþék, "Marsh Land" (Valley Branched-Water Land).
Again, aroo? I'm not sure where this etymology comes from. (The etymon cited in the Wikipedia--an "OMHG" (WTF?) root *Schweitz--doesn't exist.) If you look up the town of Schwyz (whose name was applied to the canton around and, ultimately, the entire federation) in the German Wikipedia, you'll find this explanation:Da der Name der Gemeinde Schwyz weder aus dem Alemannischen noch aus dem Latein erklären lässt, muss er aus der Zeit stammen, bevor die Gegend von den Römern besiedelt wurde. Alle weiteren Mutmassungen über die Bedeutung des Wortes sind reine Spekulation.
(Précis for non-German-speakers: Anyone who tells you they know the ultimate origin and meaning of "Schwyz ( ... )
Reply
Switzerland : Yeah, I wondered what marshes they spoke of, but hell, if that's incorrect, then at least now I have a word for "marsh" :: laugh :: I suppose it's okay, as "Sázmégránék" isn't a bad-sounding name, either (Oath Made Tribe Land).
Thank you for the input -- it helps this language actually LIVE through others critiquing it ^o^
Reply
I really don't understand what that person is thinking. The two words are clearly distinct in German, i.e. MHG lieht (Mod. licht, dial. liecht) vs. MHG lîht (Mod. leicht, dial. liicht).
whether or not the said stone's there (I don't care -- I just need a goddamned name for the place!
It could make a difference depending on how you treat names in your language. Liechtenstein was originally a castle in Lower Austria, then the name of the noble family which had its seat there. Eventually, the name was carried over to their possessions on the Swiss border. A more historically and literally accurate rendition might be "land of the family from Castle Brightstone".
it helps this language actually LIVE through others critiquing it
If it's criticism you crave, here's an excellent place to get it: . It's a discussion board run by a friend of mine, zompist, who's an ( ... )
Reply
Well to be honest there's not a HUGE difference there, and it explains the crossover in the words in English -- I could see if there was a larger disparity there, but there's not ...
A more historically and literally accurate rendition might be "land of the family from Castle Brightstone".
Okay, I also want someone to be able to SAY the name -- I'd prefer something easier to say and NOT to be cruel and whip out something the length of "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" upon speakers of the language ^_- :: laugh :: If I were to call the country by the name you suggset, it would be something along the lines of "Yërğót Žrinken Kleërgránék" (Lightrock Castle Familyland) -- pretty unwieldy and amusing to slap on a map for such a small country. ^_-
As for zompist : Ah yes, I know him -- I've seen quite a few of his conlangs on his site, and he has quite a ( ... )
Reply
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