Sunday, November 28, 2010

What if I get stuck?

This may seem odd, getting stuck when making a constructed language, but occasionally I get confounded with words. I play with Latin and Old English, but I don't know the languages. There are rules to building Illunse words, such as that I'm limited in the letters that I can use. Sometimes I can't seem to mix the Latin and the Old English words in any allowable way that I like. When that happens, I usually try another word, and come back to the skipped word later.

I prefer for my Illunse words to vaguely resemble the modern English word or synonym of it. Of course, that is not always possible. Some Illunse words look somewhat like the Latin words, especially when the Latin word -- or a derived Spanish or French word -- is familiar to me.

Lately I seem to be working with ancient terms, such as walled towns and castles. Someday I'll want to define a word, but won't find it in archaic languages of Old English and Latin. Then I'll be truly stuck. Perhaps, I could try using Middle English for Old English. I actually do have a Middle English dictionary. But for Latin, what do I use, Italian? When I get stuck, I'll figure something out.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Street, in my words (revised) + streets (revised)

stae : street

The Illunse word for street is stae. Stae is an uncommon last name. San Stae is a church in Venice, Italy. Stae is the name of a city in Denmark.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for street which is platea (broad way, street, avenue) and the Old English word for street which is strǽt (a road in a town, a street, a paved road, high road). (Note: the Old English word is from the Latin word strata which means spread, coverlet)

staea : streets

The Illunse word for streets (nominative plural) is staea. Staea is possibly a rare last name.

Streets in Latin is plateae. Streets in Old English is stræta.

My previous Illunse word for street was stape. Streets was previously stapa. I changed this word because I made the word for town be stope, which was too similar.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Walled town, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya words for walled town are opelë (walled house or village, town) and tirios (a town with walls and towers).

The Sindarin word for walled town is gobel (walled house or village, town).

These words can apply to a walled village, as well as a walled town. There are other words which seem more for cities.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Walled town, in my words + walled towns

burs : walled town

The Illunse word for walled town is burs. Burs is a last name. Burs were an ancient Germanic tribe of Dacia. Burs is the name of towns in Iran and Sweden.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word urbs (city, walled town), and the Old English word burg (dwelling or dwellings within a fortified enclosure, fort, castle; borough, walled town).

bursa : walled towns

The Illunse word for walled towns (nominative plural) is bursa. Bursa is a last name. In Latin bursa means purse. Bursa is the name of a cities in Turkey and Ethiopia.

Walled towns in Latin is urbis. Walled towns in Old English is byrg.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Town, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for town is irin, which is apparently not a valid later Quenya word.

I couldn't find a generic Sindarin word for town. There are words for a walled town, though. I'll mention those words after my Illunse word for walled town.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Town, in my words + towns

stope : town

The Illunse word for town is stope. Stope is a last name. In English a mining term for a horizontal excavation which in series looks like steps. Stope is the name of a city in Slovenia.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for town oppidum (a town, city, collection of dwellings), and the Old English word for town castel (a town, village). This word is also inspired by the Old English word stów which means a place, spot, locality, site.

stopan : towns

The Illunse word for towns (nominative plural) is stopan (in part because I didn't care for making the plural stopi or stopu). Stopan is a rare last name. Stopan is the name of a city in Boznia & Herzegovina.

Towns in Latin is oppidi. Towns in Old English is castlu.

Yes, I know that this word is very similar to my existing word for street, which is stape. I've decided that town trumps street. My word for street will later be changed.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Village, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for village is masto.

I couldn't find a generic Sindarin word for village. Although there is a word for a walled house or village, town. I'll mention that word later.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Village, in my words + villages

vicun : village

The Illunse word for village is vicun. Vicun is a rare last name. Similarly named vicuña is a South American animal which is related to the llama.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for village which is vicus (village; hamlet; street, row of houses), and the Old English word for village which is tún (enclosure, yard; manor, homestead; group of houses, village; a town of Roman Britain) or wíc (dwelling-place, mansion; village, town) or ceasterwíc (village).

vicuni : villages

The Illunse word for villages (nominative plural) is vicuni.

Villages in Latin is vici. Villages in Old English is túnas or wíca.

Monday, November 08, 2010

Bridge, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya words for bridge are yanwë (bridge, joining, isthmus) and yanta (bridge, yoke).

The Sindarin word for bridge is iant.

Sunday, November 07, 2010

Bridge, in my words + bridges

brycon : bridge

The Illunse word for bridge is brycon. Brycon is an unusual last name. Brycon is a genus of fish that can be found in the Paraguay river basin.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for bridge which is pons and the Old English word for bridge which is brycg.

brycona : bridges

The Illunse word for bridges (nominative plural) is brycona.

Bridges in Latin is pontes. Bridges in Old English is brycga.

Friday, November 05, 2010

Wall, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for wall is ramba.

The Sindarin word for wall is ram. The word rammas means great wall.

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Wall, in my words + walls

wrul : wall

The Illunse word for wall is wrul. WRUL is a FM country radio station in Illinois. WRUL (World Radio University Listeners) was historically a shortwave broadcast station.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for wall which is murus (wall, city wall) and the Old English word for wall which is weall (wall, dike, earthwork, rampart, dam).

wrulas : walls

The Illunse word for walls (nominative plural) is wrulas. Wrulas is somewhat similar to walrus.

Walls in Latin is muri. Walls in Old English is weallas.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Gates, in my words

perata : gates

The Illunse word for gates (nominative plural) is perata. Perata is a last name. In Finnish perata means to gut (a fish). In Indonesian perata means grading, leveller.

Gates in Latin is portae. Gates in Old English is gatu.

Gate (singular) in Illunse is perat, which is a mix of the Latin word (porta) and Old English word (geat).

Here's a link to Gate, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words, which includes words for gates.