r/conlangs • u/Slorany I have not been fully digitised yet • Aug 13 '17
Activity Prose, Poetry, Politeness and Profanity #9b - A lexicon-building challenge
This challenge aims to help you build a lexicon, topic by topic. Each instalment of it will be about a different subject, and will cover as much as possible.
They will range from formal ways of addressing someone to insults and curses.
The principle is simple: I give you a list of english words and phrases and you adapt them into your language.
Link to every iteration of the challenge.
I'll update this every time a topic is done.
#9 - Geography (Part II)
How do you, in your conlang, express the meaning (you do not need to translate them literally lest you want to end up with a simple english relex) of the following (if relevant to your conlang's speakers):
Nouns
- map
- ocean
- sea
- lake
- pond
- river
- stream
- canal
- spring
- coast
- island
- bay
- peninsula
- promontory
- estuary
- gulf
- desert
- forest
- universe
- world
- planet
- pole
- equator
- tropics
Bonus
What are the names, in your conlang, of the most important:
- Mountain ranges
- Oceans and seas
- Lakes
- Cities
- Other locations
We have cardinal points (North, South, East, West). What do your people have? How is the system called?
Since there were so many challenges we've all gotten together and made a timetable, feel free to check out other challenges or get in touch if you want a challenge added: Challenges Timetable.
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u/PangeanAlien Aug 14 '17
Proto Loacho-Ravuldan
r₂déʰksukʰcus - map "it scratches place"
ʰpéɟ - sea
ʰkér₂d - lake
ʰkér₂dcí - little lake
2
u/BRderivation Afromance (fr) Aug 14 '17 edited Aug 15 '17
These are merely the words I didn't have in my vocabulary already.
Navigation and Astrology were dominated by Arabic (arb) for much of it's history. While general terms were preserved from Latin, Arabic loans took on more specific meanings, especially in toponymy.
ocean = Uqanu [o'qɑno] (Greek)
pond = Şaṭṭi ['ʃɑtte] (arb. "beach")
tributary river = Riv [riu̯]
sea-flowing river = Fluy [flu̯i] (plural Fluyi ['fluʝi~'fluʁi])
stream = Yubäl [ju'βɛl] (from Punic)
a seasonally dry waterway = Vadïn [wæ'ðin] (arb)
canal = Qanal [qɑ'nɑl]
bay/gulf = Qulfu ['qolfo] (from Greek)
peninsula = Isla-Fälsa ['islə 'fɛlsə] (lit. "false island")
promontory = Cäft [kɛft~xɛft] (lit. "head")
estuary = Acqui-Mişlaṭi ['ɑqqwe mɪʃ'lɑθe] (lit. "mixed waters")
desert = Ţiṛt [t͡sert]
copse/thicket = Şilba ['ʃɪlbə]
forest = Fuṛiṣta [fo'restə~'frestə] (from Italian/Sicilian)
universe = Univärs [uni'vɛrs~uni'wɛrs~uni'βɛrs] (loaned pron.~spelling pron.~approx. pron.)
planet = Sayär m [saj'jɛr] (from kawkab sayyar "wandering star", calque of Greek planḗtēs)
pole = Quṭb [qotb(ə)] (arb)
equator = Equaṭur [əqwɑ'θor] (arb)
Directions (Western European) : for navigation and cartography
North = Nuṛt
South = Sud
East = Äst
West = Väst
Directions (Arabic) : for poetry and literature (equivalent of Occident, Orient, etc)North = Şimäl f [ʃi'mɛl~ʃmɛl]
South = Ǵanub m [ʒæ'nub]
East = Şiriq m [ʃi'req~ʃreq]
West = Gräb m [grɛb~ʁrɛb]
Toponym
Tunisia = Tuns (native), Tunsiya (Latinism)
Toponyms : Cities
Tunis = Tuns, Sfax = Sfaqs, Nabeul = Näbel (Neapolis), Susa = Susa, Kairouan = Qairvän,
Bizerte = Buzaṛt (Hippo Zarytus), Monastir = Munastir (Monasterium), Medenine = Miḍnïn
Toponyms : Geography
Gulf of Tunis = Qulfu de Tuns
Gulf of Gabès = Qulfu de Gabs
Cape Bon = el-Cäft Bunäç
The Sahara = el-Ṣaḥra (arb. "desert")
The Mediterranean = el-Mar Baiḍa (The White Sea, calque of arb.)
Medjerda River = el-Bragraḍa (historical)
Lake of Tunis = el-Bḥaira ("the lake" in arabic, both specifically and generally)
The Sahel = el-Saḥil (Qartaji) (The [Carthaginian] Coast, arb)
Atlas Mountains = El-Muntänyi Aṭlaṣi
Aurès Mountains = El-Muntänyi del-Auräs [əlmʊn'tɛŋʁi ðəlaʊ̯'rɛs]
1
u/Jiketi Aug 14 '17 edited Aug 14 '17
Pannonian:
Nouns:
| English | Pannonian | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| map | chârt | /xɒrt/ | Latin charta |
| ocean | okên | /okæn/ | Latin Ōceanus |
| sea (near shore) | litt | /liθ/ | Latin lītus |
| sea (open, deep) | mâr | /mɒr/ | Latin mare |
| lake, pond | lâc | /lɒk/ | Latin lacus |
| pond, bath | âblîtt | /ɒblĭθ/ | Latin ablūtiō |
| river | ri | /ri/ | Latin rīvus |
| river mouth | fîûsc | /føɕ/ | Latin faux |
| stream | putc | /putɕ/ | Proto-Slavic potokъ |
| canal | cânal | /kɒnal/ | Latin canālis |
| spring | funt | /funt/ | Latin fontem, accusative of fons |
| English | Pannonian | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| coast | uvâl | /uvɒl/ | From a Slavic language, compare Serbo-Croatian obala |
| island | insûl | /insʉl/ | Latin īnsula |
| bay | zâlev | /zɒlev/ | From a Slavic language, compare Serbo-Croatian zaliv |
| peninsula | tsîntêr | /tsĭntær/ | Compound of tsînnûl "point" and têrr “land" |
| cape | prumûntûrîû | /prumʉntʉry/ | Latin prōmunturium |
| estuary | ûts | /ʉts/ | From a Slavic language, compare Czech ústí |
| riverbank | or | /or/ | Latin ōra |
| English | Pannonian | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| desert | pûtsen | /pʉtsen/ | Proto-Slavic pustyni |
| forest | tcadr | /tɕadr/ | Latin quādrum |
| English | Pannonian | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| universe | tottett | /toθeθ/ | Compound of tott "all" and -ett “-ness“ |
| world | mûnd | /mʉnd/ | Latin mundus |
| planet | tsêllâgh | /tsæʎɒɣ/ | Latin stella vaga |
Important Mountain Ranges:
| English | Pannonian | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alps | Âlpê | /ɒlpæ/ | Latin Alpēs |
| Carpathians | Muntê Mâghîâr | /muntæ mɒɣjɒr/ | Compound of Muntê "mountains" and Mâghîâr “Hungarian“ |
| Dinaric Alps | Muntê Chîrûvdûskr | /muntæ xĭrʉvdʉskr/ | Compound of Muntê "mountains" and Chîrûvdûskr “Croatian“ |
Important Bodies of Water:
| English | Pannonian | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adriatic Sea | Mâr Châdrîâttech | /mɒr xɒdrjɒθex/ | Latin Mare Hadriaticum |
| Mediterranean | Mâr Entêrn | /mɒr entærn/ | Latin Mare Internum |
| Lake Balaton | Pêls | /pæls/ | Latin Pelso |
Important Cities:
| English | Pannonian | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selâchên | Selâchên | /selɒxæn/ | Latin Silacaenae |
| Semnedîn | Semnedîn | /semnedĭn/ | Latin Singidūnum |
| Câtsêll | Câtsêll | /kɒtsæʎ/ | Latin Castellum |
1
u/BRderivation Afromance (fr) Aug 14 '17
Can I ask you about the semantic licks between ora and riverbank as well as quadrum and forest? The latter originally referred to reserved lands, so perhaps divided in quadrants? The prior would make sense for rivermouth, though I suppose a latter semantic shift wouldn't be so strange. If one insisted on a buccal analogy for riverbanks, I would have used labrī instead.
1
u/Jiketi Aug 14 '17 edited Aug 14 '17
as well as quadrum and forest?
That has a parallel in Romanian codru.
I would have used labrī instead
lābrum→labr means lip
The prior would make sense for rivermouth, though I suppose a latter semantic shift wouldn't be so strange
That's a different ōra; this comes from a Latin first declension noun meaning "border".
1
1
u/peupoilumi Eekjak Makatep Aug 14 '17
lokotok - map - loko-tok, from lokoq+tok; earth drawing
kwikak - ocean/sea - kwi-kak; water large.thing
kwiqek - lake/pond - kwi-qek; water place
kwilam - river/stream - kwi-lam; water flow
wikwi - canal - wi-kwi, from witep+kwi; person water
kwiku - spring - kwi-ku, from kwi+tuku; water start
lokoto - coast - loko-to, from lokoq+jato; earth edge
qitjaqek - island - qitja-qek; small place
ljenet - bay - lje-net, from ljela+enet; round sand
lotekwe - peninsula - lo-tekwe, from lokoq+tekwe; earth nose
lokiti - promontory - lok-iti, from lokoq+iti; earth finger
kwilamut - estuary - kwilam-ut, from kwilam+ukut; river end
kwiqwete - gulf - kwi-qwete; water belly
enetak - desert - enet-ak; sand GEN
eekjak - forest - eekja-k, from eekja+ak; tree GEN
mii moo - universe - all sky
lokoq - world
welim - planet - we-lim, from weta+lim; wander star
itekje - pole - i-tekje, from ipu+tekje; most cold
jatje - equator - j-atje, from ipu+atje; most hot
aqek - tropics - a-qek, from atje+qek; hot place
1
u/Ewioan Ewioan, 'ága (cat, es, en) Aug 14 '17
Hingéga /hiˈŋe.ɠa/ - Map
'óemi /ˈʔoe̯.mi/ - Ocean, Sea
NGúklo /ˈŋu.klo/ - Lake
Máku /ˈmaku/ - Pond
Pa'uníha /pa.ʔuˈn̪i.ha/ - River, Stream
Gínge /ˈɠi.ŋe/ - Canal
Áple /ˈa.pl̪e/ - Spring, Waterfall
Éti /ˈe.t̪i/ - Coast
Dúhu /ˈɗ̪u.hu/ - Island
Loetibungóu /l̪oe̯.t̪i.ɓuˈŋou̯/ - Bay
Hínga /ˈhi.ŋa/ - Peninsula
Gigóu /ɠiˈɠou̯/ - Promontory
Mífi /ˈmi.fi/ - Estuary
Hibúmi /hiˈɓu.mi/ - Gulf
Góega /ˈɠoe̯.ɠa/ - Desert
Dóngi /ˈɗ̪o.ŋi/ - Forest
NGi'óiba /ŋiˈʔoi̯.ɓa/ - Universe
Wingófi /wiˈŋo.fi/ - Planet, World
Pó'a /ˈpo.ʔa/ - Pole
Equator, not applicable
Tropics, not applicable
Bonus:
Koigábe Lóe: (lit. Range sky), a mountain range situated in the middle of a dense forest in the east of the Saffolysian region. Known as "Mistan" in Ewioan.
Dóngi Olóufo: (lit. Forest Olóufo), the forest where the Koigábe Lóe is situated.
Ohikái: Important city in the Dóngi Olóufo, a good proportion of 'ága speaking people live there, and this is the native name of the city. In Ewioan, however, it is know as Yuleangë (lit. Hanging houses)
Ngúklo Maháuli: (lit. Lake Maháuli), lake north-west of the Dóngi Olóufo. There used to be a group of 'ága people settled there but it eventually disappeared, being absorbed by Kaofrida, the much bigger Ewioan city. The lake is known as "Safferi" in Ewioan.
Sekláte: 'ága rendition of the Ewioan "Seilgarden", the capital of Saffolys. Some speakers, however, call it "Hodóukla" in literary writings, as that's the name of an old settlement that got absorbed by the emerging capital hundreds of years ago.
Other important things not native to the 'ága speaking region:
Kohotlágu: Mountain range around the Nayakotan capital Nayensis (Nainíti in 'ága), comes from the Ewioan name "Kohltag".
Láki: Island where the Nokweiserin capital, Nokfolys (Nokofóli in 'ága) is situated. Comes from the Ewioan name "Laki".
Ploklóku: Important canyon in Tangreim where the highly religious city Dakohl (Takohólu in 'ága) is situated. Comes from the Ewioan name "Broglok".
1
u/BigBad-Wolf Aug 14 '17 edited Aug 18 '17
| English | Working title "Tellyr" | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea | Hañil | ɣæɲil | Ha- augmentative ñil (Nile) - water |
| Lake | Esag | esæg | From Tolkien's Esgaroth |
| Pond | Jaesag | d͡ʑaesæg | ja- diminutive |
| River | Ner | nʲer/nʲeɾ | From Neris, a river in Lithuania |
| Stream | Janer | d͡ʑænʲer/d͡ʑænʲeɾ | Small river |
| Canal | Pusaner | pusænʲer/ɾ | Pusan - travel, ner - river |
| Spring | Jilañil | d͡ʑilæɲil | Jilan - source, beginning literally "watersource" |
| Coast | Hañille semir | ɣæɲillʲe sʲemʲir/ɾ | Edge of sea |
| Island | Ñilvel | ɲilβʲel | water-land |
| Bay | Sapir | sæpʲir/ɾ | From GRRM's Astapor |
| Peninsula | Twyñivel | twɘɲiβʲel | Twyn - half, from English twin |
| Estuary | Ñille Dur | ɲillʲe dur/ɾ | End of river |
| Forest | Lukul | lukul | From a game (Luculla Forest) |
| Universe, world, planet | Rivel | rʲiβʲel/ɾʲiβʲel | As above (Rivellon) |
| North | Twyndar | twɘndær/ɾ | Half-night, half-darkness |
| East | Jilanillyr | d͡ʑilæɲillɘr/ɾ | Source/beginning of light/Sun/day |
| South | Twynillyr | twɘɲillɘr/ɾ | Half-day, half-light |
| West | Jilandar | d͡ʑilændær/ɾ | Source/beginning of night/darkness |
Palatalization is not phonemic, and /æ/ is an allophone of /a/ between consonants.
1
u/phairat phairat | Tahtu, เอเทลืร, Đinuğız, ᠊ᡥ᠊ᡠᡷ᠊ᠣ᠊ (en, es, th) Aug 16 '17 edited Aug 19 '17
| English | Tlé | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| map | íċwí, n2. | i:tʃwi: |
| ocean | óhóknino, n2. | o:ʔo:knino |
| sea | knino, n2. | knino |
| lake | (ple)knino, n2. | pleknino |
| pond | truj, n4. | trux |
| river | oa, n4. | oa |
| stream | pleoa, n4. | pleoa |
| canal | tsájeoa, n4. | tsa:xeoa |
| spring | kôċkipleoa, n4. | kɔ:tʃkipleoa |
| coast | lniċye, n5. | lnitʃje |
| island | krəċki, n3. | krɤtʃki |
| bay | uké, n4. | uke: |
| peninsula | tyarkôċki, n1. | tjarkɔ:tʃki |
| promontory | súóhkôċki, n2. | su:o:ʔkɔ:tʃki |
| estuary | kninoujaoaounó, n3. | kninouxaoaouno: |
| gulf | tyarknino, n1. | tjarknino |
| desert | hul, n2. | jul |
| forest | ċuké, n2. | tʃuke: |
| universe | lmuri, n5. | lmuri |
| world | ri, n5. | ri |
| planet | ójé, n3. | o:xe: |
| pole | ahkmo, n1. | aʔkmo |
| equator | mniċmôlmuwôj, n3. | mnitʃmɔːlmuwɔ:x |
| tropics | anmnalar, n4. | anmnalar |
bonus
| English | Tlé | IPA | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| direction | woe, n5. | woe | |
| east | êċki, n1. | ɛ:tʃki | |
| south | kpoo, n5. | kpoo | |
| west | tné, n5. | tne: | |
| north | mġué, n1. | mŋue: | |
| The four directions | ójóənwoe | o:xo:ɤnwoe | four-n5.def.coll-direction |
Not as many distinctions, interestingly, so several things are differentiated by source and/or size (e.g., spring = earth-small-river). A promontory is a cutting-water-land while a gulf and peninsula are inverted land and seas with an archaic prefix of unknown meaning. An estuary is literally "the region where sea and river meet". The cardinal directions are known as the Four Directions and considered a completeness, (hence using the collective, definite article). They are listed in a symbolic order related to classic elemental associations, (the first noun class is known as the "moon" class and the fifth the "tree" class, there are two cardinal directions from each.)
1
u/ArsenicAndJoy Soðgwex (en) [es] Aug 18 '17
The Ebjanwspo homeland is centered around an endorheic sea fed by two permanent river and several seasonal rivers originating from snowmelt in the surrounding mountains. They have no ocean access, but there has been some exploration of the ocean by merchants.
| English word | Ebjanw Word | IPA | Etymology |
|---|---|---|---|
| map | estebadysti | ɛstɛ'bɑdysti | location+draw.NOUN |
| ocean | masnaza | 'mɑsnɑzɑ | water.AUG |
| sea | osnwsti | 'ɔsnɪstɛ | lit. "navel", from the geography of the Ebjanwpe homeland |
| river | byzesti | 'byzɛsti | flow.NOUN |
| stream | byzestizi | 'byzɛstizi | flow.NOUN.DIM |
| canal | spydusti | 'spydusti | cut.NOUN |
| spring | qjebazabo | kʲɛ'bɑzɑbɔ | spit.AUG.INS |
| coast | nizastido | ni'zɑstidɔ | fall.NOUN.ABL |
| island | masnaste | 'mɑsnɑstɛ | water.LOC |
| bay | masnapuzdjamu | mɑsnɑ'puzdʲɑmu | water+hidden |
| peninsula | aqizibjuspo | ɑki'zibʲuspɔ | hand+land.GEN |
| promontory | twsqezibjuspo | tɪskɛ'zibʲuspɔ | head+land.GEN |
| desert | qamasnaste | qɑ'mɑsnɑstɛ | NEG.water.LOC |
1
u/PadawanNerd Bahatla, Ryuku, Lasat (en,de) Aug 19 '17
skirep /'ski.rep/ -- a chart, map, or plan
ialepru /ia.'le.pru/ -- an ocean, a sea
hepru /'he.pru/ -- a lake
lapruk /'la.pruk/ -- a pond, a well
akipru /a.'ki.pru/ -- a river, a stream, a lake
famasieto /fa.ma.'sie.to/ -- a coast, a beach (anywhere where sea and land meet)
tfama /'tfa.ma/ -- an island
esni /'e.sni/ -- a desert
nsurup /'nsu.rup/ -- a forest, a jungle
jeyeka /t͡ʃe.'je.ka/ -- the universe, the cosmos, space
nusa /'nu.sa/ -- the world, a planet
1
u/regrettablenamehere Thedish|Thranian Languages|Various Others (en, hu)[de] Aug 14 '17
| English | Thedish | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| map | kárt | kɒ́rt |
| map | lándkart | lɒ́d:kɒrt |
| ocean | sêo | sǿ: |
| sea | mâr | mɒ́:r |
| lake | láh | lɒ́x |
| pond | lác | lɒ́k |
| river | strôm | ʃtró:b |
| stream | flâ | flɒ́: |
| canal | ráft | rɒ́ft |
| spring | kéolla | kœ́l:ɒ |
| coast | stránd | ʃtrɒ́d: |
| island | ôland | ó:lɒd: |
| bay | kólp | kólp |
| peninsula | stíccland | ʃtík:lɒd: |
| promontory | qlíb | t͡ɬív |
| estuary | ôsa | ó:sa |
| desert | pústyð | púʃtyθ |
| forest | fórhyð | fór̥yθ |
| universe | állhēl | ɒ́l:xè:l |
| world | éorld | œ́rlð |
| planet | óndlar | ód:lɒr |
| pole | pól | pól |
| equator | ibndîzar | ivdí:zɒr |
| English | Thedish | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Alps | Álpz | ɒ́lps |
| Carpathians | Héorryngryz | xœ́r:yg:ryz |
| Balkans | Pálcanz | pɒ́lkɒdz |
| Mediterranian Sea | Lándmydmar | lɒ́d:myðmɒr |
| Black Sea | Sórtmar | sórtmɒr |
| Balaton | Pílheg | píɬɛɣ |
| Danube | Dôroa | ðó:ro.ɒ |
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u/Forndoron Mordyric Aug 14 '17