No, but Gorillas have created sign-language grammar. So nothing is impossible.


That is a very good point. Of course, if we are dealing with a primitive, language-less lot, then there is no point, I suppose, in detailing their speech.


Nice to see that you got working security here.

Well, there's only one way I can think of right now for a language to do without a grammar; if it has a specific word for every possible concept (even concepts we normal humans would need entire books to express) then there will be no need for grammar. However, that is highly implausible.



Google is not exactly the best library service you can find, I must admit. I am glad to be of assistance, anyway.



I'd say that Finnish is a good example, but it is important to notice that just like that word you mentioned--'polysynthesis'--the term 'moderately agglutinative' is not very well-defined. Level of synthesis is relative; most languages are more synthetic than English, but less synthetic than Inuit. Nevertheless, you are correct.

Stuff you already know tend not to look as interesting. 


I'm always happy to show off, self-centered as I am.



I'll try not to be too technical, in that case. I'll make a habit of explaining all grammatical terms that pop up when I write about language.

Thank you very much.



That's quite amusing. I am going to call myself a conman henceforth, when people ask what I do for a hobby.


I come from Sweden.



Well, I guess it depends on preferences. Me, I like open syllables and few consonant clusters (but I love exotic consonants and my langs are ripe with retroflexes, ejectives, implosives, uvulars, and pharyngals and sounds like that). My main problem with phonology is that I am not very good at it. I am more of a grammar person and do not like spending time pouring over descriptions of Yawelmani phonology and whatnot.


Synthesis is a favourite trait of mine, though I am less of a polysynthesis fetishist than I used to be. Nowadays, the ideal is 'moderate agglutination' as far as I am concerned. References, you said? Let's see if I can produce a few:

http://repositories.cdlib.org/ucpress/ucpl/ ~ Here you can find (free) grammars of Wappo, Cupeño and Proto-Wintu (all of them Amerindian, though not related to one another)

http://scholarship.rice.edu/search ~ Search for 'grammar' and you'll turn up some very detailed descriptions of Matses, Warihiyo, Trumai, Khanty, and two more languages I cannot remember at the moment.

http://www.lotpublications.nl/index3.html ~ A good deal of free grammars can be found here (click 'Contents' to access the articles).

There are plenty more, but tracking them down would take hours.



The best one is http://www.armazi.demon.co.uk/.



Thank you for the information -- I'll be sure to remember to never hitch a ride with Tharoc, then.


Oh, but producing languages very far off the human norm is not as hard as you might think. All you need is some really freakish idea to base the grammar on (e.g. the stack rather than tree-based syntax in Jeffrey Henning's alien lang Fith, for example).

Nah, I'm not into chains and that sort of things.



Sadly, there is none. I am working on it though; I have to translate the material into English before I can put it out on the intarwebz.



Same here. Most of my conlangs don't get anywhere, except for a few lucky ones that develop into relatively complete languages. It depends on whether I am inspired when I start working on the conlang or not, I think. My most detailed conlang--Tinzirean, one of the main lingua francas of my conworld--is quite complete.


I shall see if I can find any group to work on, in that case. I have some nifty ideas of a relatively complex agglutinative-borderline-fusional lang with noun classes, tones, glottalized consonants, and object marking in verbs. Georgian, of course, is a major source of inspiration.



I'll look them over and see if I can come up with anything.

Thanks for the input, everyone!


Sarim looked at the stranger, his face twisted with shock and anger. He rose slowly, staring at the newcomer. "Those were meant for me," he stuttered, trying to sound as fierce and dangerous as possible.

Thanks for the responses, everyone.


Ah, yes. I thought about joining earlier (a year ago or so), but the sheer amount of information scared me away. Do not fear, though, this time I am prepared.



Merci, merci.


I can do just about anything related to linguistics -- just ask. I'm no linguist, but I have (if I am allowed to brag like this) quite some expertise within the field, as I've been making up languages of my own for years. If you would like to help me get started on the religion stuff, I will be eternally thankful.



Just wait and see. I've got some amusing linguistic escapades planned, and I am going to look at the unfinished religions in your link and see if there's any I could work on.


I shall have a look, and then I'll contact you.


That's nice to hear. For a moment I was afraid you had too many conlangers here. Is there any people/tribe/group in need of a language?



Thank you for the advise. I shall run over the religion section and see if anything strikes my fancy (I realise I sound terribly arrogant, but I hope no one minds).


Ah, indeed. There was once a man from Alaska who wanted to-- well, nevermind.

... and here I am!

What?

No applause? That's a shame. I guess I will have to live with that.

Perhaps a more proper introduction would be in order. I am Sarim--that's not my real name, but I thought it sounded fancy--and I joined this project spontaneously, just like that. Santharia is a conworld and I love conworlding (I've worked on one of my own for several years), simply put. My autobiography might not be of interest to you, but nevertheless I think I ought to mention exactly what I am interested in, and what I could help developing. While I have many interests, linguistics is definitely my main forte, and I have some expertise in language development, a hobby I've pursued for five years or so. Another interest is philosophy (especially Buddhist), mysticism and religion, so I guess I could do some work on esoteric stuff and religion and all that, if no one minds.

So ... well, that's really all I have to say. I hope I do not sound too self-centered (I mean, most of the above sentences start with the first person pronoun in some permutation).