Daniel M. Bensen's Blog, page 61
July 6, 2017
Humans are to zebras as giant floating brain-jellyfish are to humans
Ooh! Ooh! Okay. Creature idea!
A giant floating brain-jellyfish that can move very slowly but across any terrain. In the past, they crafted darts which they threw with great distance and accuracy, but in the past 10,000 years they have increasingly cooperated with others of their kind to build elaborate traps/farms for humans. One example: cities.
July 5, 2017
Learning Kalispel: Orthography
Okay, I had a dream in Kalispel Salish* last night, which I guess is a signal I need to talk about it.
It all started when I found this webpage of the Kalispel Tribe which has both written and recordings of spoken Kalispel**.
And dudes, Kalispel is a coooool language.
The following is my armchair-linguist’s commentary on the glorious process of working through the assignments of Student Workbook 1 (pdf)
Kalispel Lesson 1: Greetings
“Good evening” in Kalispel is “ʔa x̣est sč̓luxʷ” which is…daunting.
I’m not going to badmouth the people who put this workbook together. As one linguist to another, however, I will shake my fist at whoever chose this orthography. My guess is that that linguist just used the IPA of his or her time, producing something very phonetically precise, but devilishly opaque for the average Anglophone.
Since I know the international phonetic alphabet, I can guess that this phrase “ʔa x̣est sč̓luxʷ” is probably pronounced something like “a khest schlukhw.” And when I listen to the pronunciation of these phrases (the first phrase in this mp3), the actual pronunciation is closer to “khests chtlukhw.” Note how the s moves from the beginning of sč̓luxʷ to the end of x̣est, making x̣est sč̓luxʷ much easier to pronounce. The ʔa seems to disappear without a trace. Where did it go?
As an EFL teacher, and remembering that the vast majority of the people studying Kalispel will be Anglophones, I would have chosen an orthography closer to English. Rather than “ʔa x̣est sč̓luxʷ,” I’d spell it “khests chtlukhw” or even “hests chlukh.”
Of course, if I said “hests chlukh,” I’d be speaking Kalispel with a terrible American accent. But I have to start somewhere. After all, if we made the official spelling of English “good evening” the more phonologically precise “gʊd ‘ivnɪŋ,” we would be throwing more barriers in the way of anyone who wanted to learn English. Students would have to learn several new symbols as well as the corresponding phonemes in order to even begin to read their very first lesson. Rather than insist on absolute accuracy, the goal of language instruction should be to give the student a good start, which a native speaker can then correct. And in the mean time, you can write “hests chlukh” on a sign without taking up too much space. You can write it in Word, too, or in a text message.
But that’s just my pointless griping. As nice as transparency and low barriers-to-entry would be, standardization is more important. ʔa x̣est sč̓luxʷ, is the official, proper way to spell the Kalispel phrase that means “good evening,” and it is up to me the student to remember…
What I learned:
ʔa is swallowed
x̣ is a hiss in the back of the throat like the ch in Scottish “loch”
a tough-looking consonant cluster like sč̓l might be made easier by moving the first phoneme to the previous word like WORD-s č̓l (and perhaps clusters at the end of a word can be moved to the beginning of the next word?)***
č̓ is like the ch in “cheese” but more forceful.
xʷ is like x̣ but with rounded lips.
ʔa x̣est means “hello”
sč̓luxʷ means “evening”
ʔe means “likewise” so ʔe x̣est sč̓luxʷ means “good evening to you, too”
Questions
What does ʔa mean? Does it contrast with ʔe? If ʔe means “likewise” does ʔa mean “anti-likewise”? If so, is ʔa generally swallowed if it doesn’t contradict previous statements? In a statement like, “No, it’s good morning,” should I expect ʔa to be pronounced?
Will there will be more sandhi, splitting up consonant clusters across word-boundaries? I bet so!
Tune in next time for lesson 2: Numbers and Age!
*the only word I remember is “sikskɫ” which supposedly meant “hanishte” (“speaking” in Japanese? What is wrong with me??)
**Wikipedia calls the language Salish-Spokane-Kalispel, but the workbook calls it just “Kalispel,” a convention I’ll adopt too.
***English does this too, as in “tasks and jobs” being pronounced “task sand jobs.” In general, this is called sandhi and French is famous for something similar: “liason“
June 29, 2017
A new kind of Ghost Language
Sorry, guys. This was a busy week. By the time Friday rolled around, I only had time to use Vulgar Language Generator to create a Ghost Language.
I want to try some big eggs!
Wuu aba aawaaa u-babuuuuubu
(Nominative-first-person-pronoun, want-first-person, try-first-person, egg-accusative-indefinite-plural-augmentative)
Try to say it SCARY!
~~~
Grammar
Main word order: Subject-Verb-Object-Oblique. “Mary opened the door with a key” turns into Mary opened the door with a key.
Adjective order: Adjectives are positioned before the noun.
Adposition: prepositions
Noun morphology
Singular
Plural
Nominative
man
ruwur /ˈruwur/ [ˈduwur]
men
No plural marker
ruwur /ˈruwur/ [ˈduwur]
Accusative
man
Prefix: u-
uruwur /ˈuruwur/
men
No plural marker
ruwur /ˈruwur/ [ˈduwur]
Definite article
Singular
Plural
Nominative
the [man]
buub /buub/
the [men]
wur /wur/ [bur]
Accusative
the [man]
bub /bub/ [bu]
the [men]
wab /wab/ [bab]
Indefinite article
Singular
Plural
Nominative
a [man]
wub /wub/ [bu]
some [men]
waau /ˈwaay/ [ˈbaay]
Accusative
a [man]
ruuw /ˈruuw/ [ˈduuw]
some [men]
buuuur /ˈbuuuur/
Personal pronouns
Nominative
Accusative
Genitive
Dative
1st.sg.m
I (masc.)
wuu /wuu/ [buu]
me (masc.)
wa /wa/ [ba]
mine (masc.)
aa wuu /aa wuu/ [aa buu]
to me (masc.)
u wuu /u wuu/ [u buu]
1st.sg.f
I (fem.)
wub /wub/ [bu]
me (fem.)
wub /wub/ [bu]
mine (fem.)
aa wub /aa wub/ [aa bu]
to me (fem.)
u wub /u wub/ [u bu]
2nd.sg.m
you (masc.)
uw /uw/
you (masc.)
ub /ub/ [u]
yours (masc.)
aa uw /aa uw/
to you (masc.)
u uw /u uw/
2nd.sg.f
you (fem.)
wu /wu/ [bu]
you (fem.)
wur /wur/ [bur]
yours (fem.)
aa wu /aa wu/ [aa bu]
to you (fem.)
u wu /u wu/ [u bu]
3rd.sg.m
he
wur /wur/ [bur]
him
wuw /wuw/ [buw]
his
aa wur /aa wur/ [aa bur]
to him
u wur /u wur/ [u bur]
3rd.sg.f
she
aab /aab/
her
aar /aar/
hers
aa aab /aa aab/
to her
u aab /u aab/
1st.pl
we
u /u/
us
ur /ur/
ours
aa u /aa u/
to us
u u /u u/
2nd.pl
you
waa /waa/ [baa]
you
wu /wu/ [bu]
yours
aa waa /aa waa/ [aa baa]
to you
u waa /u waa/ [u baa]
3rd.pl.m
they (masc.)
wa /wa/ [ba]
them (masc.)
waw /waw/ [baw]
their (masc.)
aa wa /aa wa/ [aa ba]
to them (masc.)
u wa /u wa/ [u ba]
3rd.pl.f
they (fem.)
ruuu /ˈruuy/ [ˈduuy]
them (fem.)
ruuu /ˈruuu/ [ˈduuu]
their (fem.)
aa ruuu /aa ˈruuy/ [aa ˈduuy]
to them (fem.)
u ruuu /u ˈruuy/ [u ˈduuy]
Verbs
Indicative mood
Past
Present
Future
Perfective
studied
study
will study
1st.sg
Suffix: -(aa)wu
waaburawu /ˈwaaburawu/ [ˈbaaburawu]
Suffix: -(a)ba
waaburaba /ˈwaaburaba/ [ˈbaaburawa]
Suffix: -(a)ra
waaburara /ˈwaaburara/ [ˈbaaburara]
2nd.sg
Suffix: -aa
waaburaaa /ˈwaaburaaa/ [ˈbaaburaaa]
Suffix: -(aa)w
waaburaw /ˈwaaburaw/ [ˈbaaburaw]
Suffix: -(a)b
waaburab /ˈwaaburab/ [ˈbaaburab]
3rd.sg
Suffix: -(u)r
waaburar /ˈwaaburar/ [ˈbaaburar]
Suffix: -(u)r
waaburar /ˈwaaburar/ [ˈbaaburar]
Suffix: -(u)b
waaburab /ˈwaaburab/ [ˈbaaburab]
1st.pl
Suffix: -(u)b
waaburab /ˈwaaburab/ [ˈbaaburab]
Suffix: -(a)ba
waaburaba /ˈwaaburaba/ [ˈbaaburawa]
Suffix: -a
waaburaa /ˈwaaburaa/ [ˈbaaburaa]
2nd.pl
Suffix: -(aa)b
waaburab /ˈwaaburab/ [ˈbaaburab]
Suffix: -(u)w
waaburaw /ˈwaaburaw/ [ˈbaaburaw]
Suffix: -(aa)ru
waaburaru /ˈwaaburaru/ [ˈbaaburaru]
3rd.pl
Suffix: -uu
waaburauu /ˈwaaburauu/ [ˈbaaburauu]
Suffix: -(u)w
waaburaw /ˈwaaburaw/ [ˈbaaburaw]
Suffix: -(a)b
waaburab /ˈwaaburab/ [ˈbaaburab]
Derivational morphology
Noun → adjective: Prefix: u-
Adjective → noun: Suffix: -uu
Noun → verb: Suffix: -(u)ba
Verb → noun: Suffix: -(aa)b
Verb → adjective: Suffix: -a
Adjective → adverb: Suffix: -(a)buu
One who X’s (e.g. paint → painter): Suffix: -(u)b
Place where (e.g. wine → winery): Prefix: w(u)-
Diminutive: Prefix: w(u)-
Augmentative: Suffix: -u
Rabuub -English Dictionary
a /a/ v. want
aabaa /ˈaabaa/ v. reduce
aabaw /ˈaabaw/ n. rice
aara /ˈaara/ n. activity
aarar /ˈaarar/ n. mountain
aaruw /ˈaaruw/ pron. everybody
aauuub /ˈaayuub/ n. moss
aawaa /ˈaawaa/ v. try
aawu /ˈaawu/ det. each
aawuur /ˈaawuur/ n. summer
abab /ˈabab/ [ˈawab] adv. long
ar /ar/ adj. right (direction)
arur /ˈarur/ adj. fake
auuu /ˈauuu/ n. darkness
awab /ˈawab/ n. mud
awuu /ˈawuu/ v. guess; n. guess
awuwub /ˈawuwub/ [ˈawuwu] n. garden
baabab /ˈbaabab/ v. jump; n. jump
baaub /ˈbaaub/ [ˈbaau] n. weather
baawuu /ˈbaawuu/ n. race
babuub /ˈbabuub/ [ˈbawuub] n. egg
bawaa /ˈbawaa/ n. meat
bu /bu/ prep. for
bubu /ˈbubu/ [ˈbuwu] v. become
buru /ˈburu/ n. member
buub /ˈbuub/ [ˈbuu] n. view
buuraab /ˈbuuraab/ n. roof
buuwaa /ˈbuuwaa/ adj. ready
buwa /ˈbuwa/ n. sun
buwuu /ˈbuwuu/ v. forget
raaaru /ˈraaaru/ [ˈdaaaru] v. crush, grind
raabaar /ˈraabaar/ [ˈdaabaar] interj. no
raabar /ˈraabar/ [ˈdaabar] v. kick; n. kick
raabuaab /ˈraabuaab/ [ˈdaabaab] adj. wet
raabuuwu /ˈraabuuwu/ [ˈdaabuuwu] adv. over
raaraab /ˈraaraab/ [ˈdaaraab] n. (hair) brush
raarar /ˈraarar/ [ˈdaarar] n. laboratory
raarurab /ˈraarurab/ [ˈdaarurab] n. dish
raaruwaab /ˈraaruwaab/ [ˈdaaruwaab] n. wolf
raauuuuu /ˈraayuuyu/ [ˈdaayuuyu] n. course
raawaab /ˈraawaab/ [ˈdaawaab] adj. probable
raawaawu /ˈraawaawu/ [ˈdaawaawu] n. detail
raawauu /ˈraawayu/ [ˈdaawayu] n. board
raawubauu /ˈraawubauu/ [ˈdaawuwauu] n. sickness, disease
raawuub /ˈraawuub/ [ˈdaawuub] v. stop
raawuwu /ˈraawuwu/ [ˈdaawuwu] n. present (time)
rabaabur /ˈrabaabur/ [ˈdawaabur] n. puzzle
rababaa /ˈrababaa/ [ˈdawaβaa] n. underwear
rabawuurub /ˈrabawuyrub/ [ˈdawawuəru] n. scientist
rabuwuu /ˈrabuwuu/ [ˈdawuwuu] v. jerk
rarar /ˈrarar/ [ˈdarar] n. climate
rarubar /ˈrarubar/ [ˈdaruwar] v. cry
raruuwa /ˈraruuwa/ [ˈdaruuwa] v. murder
rawa /ˈrawa/ [ˈdawa] v. maintain
rawaba /ˈrawaba/ [ˈdawawa] v. separate
rawuabub /ˈrawuabub/ [ˈdawawu] n. runner
rawurab /ˈrawurab/ [ˈdawurab] n. night
rawuuuuu /ˈrawuuyuu/ [ˈdawuuyuu] n. boot
rua /ˈrua/ [da] n. potion
ruauruuruba /ˈruauruuruba/ [ˈdauruuruwa] v. weigh
rubaabuu /ˈrubaabuy/ [ˈduwaabuy] n. ant
rubaauuruu /ˈrubaayuruu/ [ˈduwaayuruu] n. fertility
rubaawur /ˈrubaawur/ [ˈduwaawur] adv. tonight
rubar /ˈrubar/ [ˈduwar] n. control
rubau /ˈrubay/ [ˈduway] adj. normal
rubawuu /ˈrubawuu/ [ˈduwawuu] adj. big
rububub /ˈrububub/ [ˈduwuβu] v. grip; n. grip
ruburub /ˈruburub/ [ˈduwuru] n. desk
rubuubaa /ˈrubuubaa/ [ˈduwuubaa] n. brothel
rubuuuub /ˈrubuyuub/ [ˈduwuyuub] n. dancer
rubuw /ˈrubuw/ [ˈduwuw] n. list
rubuwuu /ˈrubuwuy/ [ˈduwuwuy] adj. thick
ruraabuuw /ˈruraabuuw/ [ˈduraabuuw] n. shelf
rurab /ˈrurab/ [ˈdurab] n. society
rurarub /ˈrurarub/ [ˈduraru] n. rumour
ruruba /ˈruruba/ [ˈduruwa] n. saddle
rururaab /ˈrururaab/ [ˈdururaab] n. grandfather
ruruubuur /ˈruruubuur/ [ˈduruubuur] n. insect
ruruwa /ˈruruwa/ [ˈduruwa] n. bath
ruruwuwaab /ˈruruwuwaab/ [ˈduruwuwaab] n. arrival
ruuawuruu /ˈruuawuruu/ [ˈduawuruu] n. violence
ruubaaruu /ˈruubaaruu/ [ˈduubaaruu] adj. sharp
ruubawu /ˈruubawu/ [ˈduubawu] adj. wide
ruubuu /ˈruubuy/ [ˈduubuy] n. success
ruurar /ˈruurar/ [ˈduurar] v. ride
ruururur /ˈruururur/ [ˈduururur] adj. curious
ruuruwab /ˈruuruwab/ [ˈduuruwab] v. support; n.support
ruuur /ˈruyur/ [ˈduyur] v. like
ruuuubu /ˈruyuubu/ [ˈduyuubu] n. cloud
ruuuuwaa /ˈruyuuwaa/ [ˈduyuuwaa] n. pillow
ruuwa /ˈruuwa/ [ˈduuwa] n. result
ruuwaawu /ˈruuwaawu/ [ˈduuwaawu] n. elbow
ruuwawaab /ˈruuwawaab/ [ˈduuwawaab] n. torch
ruuwuruur /ˈruuwuruur/ [ˈduuwuruur] v. manage
ruuwuuwub /ˈruuwuuwub/ [ˈduuwuuwu] n. event
ruwaaba /ˈruwaaba/ [ˈduwaaba] n. coat
ruwaarubaab /ˈruwaarubaab/ [ˈduwaaruwaab] n.settlement
ruwaawab /ˈruwaawab/ [ˈduwaawab] n. doctor
ruwaba /ˈruwaba/ [ˈduwawa] n. valley
ruwaw /ˈruwaw/ [ˈduwaw] adj. great
ruwuab /ˈruwuab/ [ˈduwab] v. run
ruwubuw /ˈruwubuw/ [ˈduwuwuw] n. site
ruwuruur /ˈruwuruur/ [ˈduwuruur] adj. medical
ruwuur /ˈruwuur/ [ˈduwuur] n. thorn
ruwuuwaaw /ˈruwuuwaaw/ [ˈduwuuwaaw] n. phone
ruwuwaa /ˈruwuwaa/ [ˈduwuwaa] n. charge
u /u/ prep. at
uaaar /ˈyaaar/ adj. round
uaabubarur /ˈyaabubarur/ [ˈyaabuwarur] n. pump
uaar /ˈyaar/ n. spear
uaarabuba /ˈyaarabuba/ [ˈyaarawuβa] v. sing
uaaruruwaa /ˈyaaruruwaa/ n. hospital
uaawa /ˈyaawa/ v. accept
uaawar /ˈyaawar/ n. knife
uaawurubu /ˈyaawurubu/ [ˈyaawuruwu] n. crystal
uaawuwur /ˈyaawuwur/ v. seek
uabaarub /ˈyabaarub/ [ˈyawaaru] n. painter
uabuur /ˈyabuur/ [ˈyawuur] n. colour
uarur /ˈyarur/ n. flame
uaw /ˈuaw/ [aw] v. roll
uawawur /ˈyawawur/ n. belly (stomach area)
uawuwabub /ˈyawuwabub/ [ˈyawuwawu] n. sailor
ubaabaab /ˈubaabaab/ [ˈuwaabaab] n. defence
ubab /ˈubab/ [ˈuwab] v. suggest
ubawub /ˈubawub/ [ˈuwawu] n. answer
ubur /ˈubur/ [ˈuwur] adv. then
ubuwubuu /ˈubuwubuy/ [ˈuwuwuwuy] v. hide
uraar /ˈuraar/ adj. fine
uraubu /ˈuraubu/ [ˈurauwu] adj. risky, dangerous
ururub /ˈururub/ [ˈururu] n. purpose
uruubuub /ˈuruubuyb/ adj. successful
uruwaaraa /ˈuruwaaraa/ adj. fashionable
uua /ˈuua/ n. daughter
uub /uub/ conj. since
uubaababaa /ˈyubaababaa/ [ˈyuwaabawaa] n. pin
uubaawaabaab /ˈyubaawaabaab/ [ˈyuwaawaabaab] n.identity
uubarur /ˈyubarur/ [ˈyuwarur] n. challenge
uububur /ˈyububur/ [ˈyuwuβur] n. rubbish
uubuub /ˈuubuub/ n. class
uubuuwaraar /ˈyubuuwaraar/ [ˈyuwuuwaraar] num.eight
uura /ˈyura/ n. research
uuraau /ˈyuraay/ v. understand
uurauaab /ˈyurayaab/ n. hearing
uurur /ˈyurur/ n. wall
uuruu /ˈyuruu/ v. miss (long for)
uuruwu /ˈyuruwu/ adj. frequent
uuua /ˈyuua/ n. triangle
uuubar /ˈyuubar/ v. suck
uuura /ˈyuura/ n. rifle
uuurubuuwaau /ˈyuurubuuwaay/ [ˈyuuruwuuwaay] n.environment
uuuuaaw /ˈuyuuaaw/ [ˈuyuaaw] adj. distant
uuuuu /ˈyuyuy/ n. candle
uuuuuu /ˈuyuyuu/ adj. evident, obvious
uuuuwa /ˈyuyuwa/ adj. left
uuuwaaraabur /ˈyuuwaaraabur/ n. transport
uuuwubaba /ˈyuuwubaba/ [ˈyuuwuwaβa] n. tray
uuuwuwub /ˈyuuwuwub/ [ˈyuuwuwu] n. driver
uuwaaara /ˈyuwaaara/ n. comfort
uuwaau /ˈyuwaay/ v. climb
uuwabaa /ˈyuwabaa/ [ˈyuwawaa] n. arch
uuwawaa /ˈuuwawaa/ n. flesh
uuwu /ˈuuwu/ v. break
uuwubur /ˈyuwubur/ [ˈyuwuwur] v. step; n. step
uuwuruu /ˈyuwuruu/ n. anger
uuwuurur /ˈyuwuurur/ v. form
uuwuwaraa /ˈuuwuwaraa/ n. beast
uwaab /ˈuwaab/ n. government
uwaawa /ˈuwaawa/ n. swamp
uwaruwuur /ˈuwaruwuur/ n. vein
uwu /ˈuwu/ v. help; n. help
uwurab /ˈuwurab/ n. liquid
uwuuub /ˈuwuyub/ [ˈuwuyu] n. button
uwuwar /ˈuwuwar/ v. hint; n. hint
waa /ˈwaa/ [ˈbaa] n. debt
waabaa /ˈwaabaa/ [ˈbaabaa] conj. while
waabawaar /ˈwaabawaar/ [ˈbaabawaar] v. regret
waabuur /ˈwaabuur/ [ˈbaabuur] n. type
waaraab /ˈwaaraab/ [ˈbaaraab] n. job
waarub /ˈwaarub/ [ˈbaaru] n. industry
waaruw /ˈwaaruw/ [ˈbaaruw] v. hope
waauuu /ˈwaayuu/ [ˈbaayuu] adj. federal
waawa /ˈwaawa/ [ˈbaawa] v. show
waawawur /ˈwaawawur/ [ˈbaawawur] v. drown
waawuuw /ˈwaawuuw/ [ˈbaawuuw] n. stock
wabaawub /ˈwabaawub/ [ˈbawaawu] n. visitor
wabuur /ˈwabuur/ [ˈbawuur] n. key
warar /ˈwarar/ [ˈbarar] n. field
waruwar /ˈwaruwar/ [ˈbaruwar] n. blood
wauuub /ˈwayuub/ [ˈbayuub] n. neck
wawabur /ˈwawabur/ [ˈbawawur] n. shield
wawuur /ˈwawuur/ [ˈbawuur] n. shrine
wuaawa /ˈwuaawa/ [ˈbaawa] n. excuse
wubaar /ˈwubaar/ [ˈbuwaar] adv. already
wubaw /ˈwubaw/ [ˈbuwaw] v. die
wubururaab /ˈwubururaab/ [ˈbuwururaab] n. pleasure
wubuw /ˈwubuw/ [ˈbuwuw] det. whose
wuraauuu /ˈwuraayuu/ [ˈburaayuu] v. take out
wuraw /ˈwuraw/ [ˈburaw] adv. even
wururaar /ˈwururaar/ [ˈbururaar] n. match
wuruuru /ˈwuruuru/ [ˈburuuru] v. cover
wuruwuw /ˈwuruwuw/ [ˈburuwuw] v. rub
wuub /wuub/ [buub] pron. who
wuubabar /ˈwuubabar/ [ˈbuubawar] n. credit
wuubuu /ˈwuubuy/ [ˈbuubuy] v. put
wuuraar /ˈwuuraar/ [ˈbuuraar] n. heart
wuurub /ˈwuurub/ [ˈbuuru] n. work
wuuruwu /ˈwuuruwu/ [ˈbuuruwu] n. tower
wuuurur /ˈwuyurur/ [ˈbuyurur] v. massage; n. massage
wuuuuruu /ˈwuuyuruu/ [ˈbuuyuruu] n. beauty
wuuuuw /ˈwuyuuw/ [ˈbuyuuw] n. section
wuuwaab /ˈwuuwaab/ [ˈbuuwaab] n. experience
wuuwau /ˈwuuway/ [ˈbuuway] n. shade, shadow
wuuwuub /ˈwuuwuub/ [ˈbuuwuub] n. impact
wuwaa /ˈwuwaa/ [ˈbuwaa] n. rain
wuwaawu /ˈwuwaawu/ [ˈbuwaawu] n. dress
wuwau /ˈwuway/ [ˈbuway] n. wood
wuwubar /ˈwuwubar/ [ˈbuwuwar] n. ticket
wuwuu /ˈwuwuy/ [ˈbuwuy] adj. dead
wuwuuu /ˈwuwuuy/ [ˈbuwuuy] n. waist
Version 6.5.1
Created and designed in Sydney, Australia.
Vulgarlang.com © 2017.
June 28, 2017
The Goose’s Wing: first line
The last echoes of the call to worship fade into the heat rising off Cordoba, and against Tariq’s back the glider shivers.
But you want more, don’t you, you rapacious hordes? You’ll get it — the whole first scene of “The Goose’s Wing”– if you sign up for my mailing list.
“The Goose’s Wing” is a short story I’m writing for Tales of Alternate Earths 2 , a sequel to the first anthology, which got me nominated for a Sidewise Award. If you want a taste, just sign up and wait until the first of the month.
June 27, 2017
Family Pre-Union
I’m working through Story Genius by Lisa Cron and I thought I’d share some of the process. The book instructs me to write three scenes about “turning points” in the main character’s life from before the book begins. This is the first of those scenes.
Subscribers to my mailing list got a first look at this scene two months ago, but now I’m opening it up to everyone 
June 22, 2017
The Hinterlands
Whew, what a vacation that was. I even got a chance to talk to my wife. We discussed urbanization.
Our terrible vision of a future: extreme urbanization where cities are pressure-cookers of both problems and their solutions. The problem-solution cycle is so fast that city-dwellers aren’t aware of it, but when those diseases, computer viruses, pollution, climate change, and angry mobs spill out into the surrounding hinterlands, they can do a lot of damage before someone gets around to dealing with them. So…that’s bad.
June 21, 2017
The Goose’s Wing: Materials and Design
I started a thread on the Alternate History Forum, but here’s what I got so far:
First, I should point out that by “glider” I mean a device that would have allowed Firnas to jump off the top of the minaret of the Great Mosque of Cordoba (the modern Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba) and travel farther horizontally than vertically before landing with minimal injury. Hopefully not too difficult a suspension of disbelief (or of Firnas).
Materials:
searching for “easiest glider to build” turns up some materials that Firnas would have had access to: wood, wax, leather, and (maybe) papyrus (as a substitute for paper) and silk. Or Perhaps my POD can be a stray shipment of bamboo that somehow makes it into Firnas’s life…
Designs:
One design is the “armchair glider,” which may have been a stretch for Firnas’s engineering skills, and would present plot problems.
I’m more interested in the Chanute glider design, which looks like a biplane you strap to your back
Writing the outline of the story, I was thinking of an A-shaped hang glider which seems easy enough to construct
But what if Firnas’s intuition took him to a paraglider?
Probably all of these designs will find their way into this timeline, but for the time being I’m confident that Firnas could conceive of and build one of them. Unless someone has a better idea, I’m going with an A-shaped glider, perhaps inspired by tales of Chinese kites.
June 20, 2017
I’ve been Nominated for a Sidewise Award
What the hell is going on? My jet-lagged two-year old is getting me out of bed at 2am and my short story is being considered for THE alternate history award? My name is on the same short list as Bruce Ovo-E-Budućnost STERLING? What IS this??
We’ll find out who wins the award in mid-August. Until then, may I suggest you:
Read a sample of “Treasure Fleet.”
Read the whole thing (as well as the Sidewise-nominated “Twilight of the Mesozoic Moon”) in the Tales from Alternate Earths anthology.
Check out some more background on the story’s process and world-building.
I’d like to thank Melissa Walshe for getting me digging in the Chinese discovery of America.
Also, whatever dark forces got me nominated. I owe you guys a black cockerel.
June 18, 2017
June 12, 2017
The Speculative Dinosaur Project
Those of you with long memories might remember that I was involved in the Speculative Dinosaur Project back when I was in high school. The project is moribund now, but it’s still getting attention. Nikolay Kilyachkov is one such attention-giver, and kindly asked me some questions about Specworld.
1. When did the Specworld project begin?
The Speculative Dinosaur Project began in 2001 with this thread on the Dinosaur Mailing List.
2. What idea lay in the beginning of Specworld project?
“What if the KT extinction didn’t happen?”
How Spec team gathered together? Did you look for them or did they come up themselves?
The original Spec collaborators were contributors to that DML thread, but after we started our own web page, other people found us. The primary collaborators to the original Speculative Dinosaur Project were me (Daniel Bensen doing webhosting and editing), David Marjanovic (science), Brian Choo (writing), and Tiina Aumala (art and web design), with a few other people contributing bits and pieces.
How was the work over the project organized?
We all contributed pictures and descriptions of species. I was the editor and had final veto power. David had the best grasp of science, so he also had a lot of veto power. Tiina ended up with final say over creature designs because she was the best artist of us. Brian gave the world a lot of its humor.
Where did you get the ideas for Spec?
Sometimes we tried to illustrate concepts in biology using fictional creatures (baleen-squids, for example). Other species were extensions of Mesozoic clades (like the draks). Some were jokes, like Brian’s “dire rhea.”
What Spec creature / idea / text did you like most?
My favorite organism is the paintree. I like how it tied together several species into a believable ecosystem. (a close second is the rectal probe)
7. What Spec idea you really liked, did not finally appear on Spec site?
I was the editor. Everything I liked ended up on the site 
