Conlang Samples
A brief portfolio of samples texts and sentences pulled from a PDF I used to send with applications for conlang jobs—a great place to get an overview of my languages without having to deal with glosses and X' analyses!
Sample Grammars
A few examples of what a conlang grammar might look like; two written for a previous client, two compiled for conlang relays.
- Sample Phonology: High Akhirene
Created for a private client [naming language] - Sample Grammar: Akhirene Family
Expansion of the previous project, including ancestral language and three dialects [2 basic conlangs, 3 advanced naming languages] - Sample Grammar: Northern Nemorian
Includes phonology, morphology, and syntax. Created for a private client. Partially redacted for story-sensitive content [advanced sketch grammar] - Short Grammar: Classical Armundic
Part-grammar compiled for the dLLC conlang relay - Short Grammar: Old Besokian
Part-grammar compiled for the LCC10 conscript relay - Sample Lexicon: High Akhirene
Spreadsheet-style dictionary for High Akhirene, including etymologies and irregular inflection [see above] - Sample Writing System: Besokian Abugida
Character chart for Old Besokian, as referenced in the short grammar
Longer Text Samples
This section presents a selection of longer samples of several conlangs, mostly chants and texts from different religions of my fantasy world (and a wee gimmick because I compiled this around Christmas).
An Extract from the Lonsorigi, the Olgish Holy Scriptures (IV-3 Eth) • Middle Olgish
Ká terg nárion nihik to lejnrat dua terg gël-Iilimúrin dua terg Nendrem-Tinar i murnat dí gínat to-aumíran. I núrikat Etherin dua terg nárissal. I ‘ir-ermon nihika mernat terg gël-jombaïn i sémat ten aumíran ahandrik säm. Seret ébrinét dua nárion elôreni du terg belak dua terg túr i sórisson kâla du ter ríd dua ter ríd i gránét eserm in tän. Gínik in nárimnolik rilakat i gránidh ter niomtinar tú ter autar du terg belak dua terg túr eld don rídi dírét ortik pirét elik fádat närm dua teg belak. I ‘ende inirat mônessin in inibtinar i seret mônis núrinét ter élin-cúris dua terg asárem. Ten jöss gínik in lendír Thunnir ärnét närm Auol.
On the seventh day they reached the banks of the Iilimmurh by the white strand of Nendrem-Tinar, and there on the coast they settled to produce their ships. And Etherin was chosen their principal. And for sixty days they garnered wood in the forests along the white shore and thereof timbered their ships, by number twenty-four. From bow to tail they measured seven paces each of them, and twenty-one feet from one side to the other, and each of them might carry one hundred and forty-four men. They were made of bright pine’s timber, bearing a bond of white alike a wave from tail to nose on either side of their hull, widening in the beginning, reducing toward the prow, thus they both met there. And the women wove sail’s cloth by white thread, and every sail bore the shipmaster’s arms in its centre. The masts were made of sacred oak, and Thunnir hallowed them to Auol.
Besokian Liturgy: Opening and Entry of the Gods • Old Besokian
Êrûn! Êrûn! Êrû’ mûkûn mênûrû îr-kâmoc!
Light! Light! Bring light onto the shadows, creators of all good things!
Êrûn! Êrûn! Êrû’ mûkûn kôkêlûc!
Light! Light! Bring light onto the shadows, benignant ones!
Êkerâ’ mâtenâ’ kâ kôlân.
We have gathered, lowly, for your reverence.
Nishunâc! Nishunâc! Nishunâc! Nishunâc âm sârish!
Arrive! Arrive! Arrive! Arrive and gather!
Nishunâc! Nishunâc! Nishunâc dîl nâlac mênîr!
Arrive! Arrive! Arrive to receive our sacrifice!
See also: Besokian Cosmogony (text) ‒ or give it a listen!
The Twelve Tenets of Armundic Dualism • Classical (Eastern) Armundic
- Calam faeo mae ques naemetēvī:
The powers are split in two: - Nūvonti nae hūcconti;
The divine is female; - Tīccasti nae hūvonti cuvī.
The mundane is male. - Tīccas nos pūne fenānti haecī naementa rīva nē faevī.
Humans are by birth destined to serve one side. - Nūvo mae ques naemetēvī:
The heavens are split in two: - Nūvo tenonti tēnomo nequo coeo calam fānī mae sevī;
In the bright heaven of daylight live the gods, the powers of good; - Nūvo arvelosti tēnogenti nequo recca calam recamae mae sevī.
In the dark heaven of nightlight live the devils, the powers of evil. - Tīccas Iuvorīttar quomae naementa rīva nē monaī ēttāve.
The humans in the middle-earth must choose a side. - Naeme mae haeanu pūne rīvanti laesevī.
Only in balance can the world persist. - Calmana haecī fānī nae faevī; iecce nōs.
The lawful serve the good; theirs is the law. - Reccētta haecī recamae nae faevī; iecce recauta.
The lawless serve evil; theirs is the un-law. - Nōs hecci rīvanti baeo nae, recauta hecci nōs nē faelemēve.
Only the law can sustain the state; only the un-law can sustain the law.
Silent Night (Mál-elónis, dír’elónis) • Middle Olgish
| Liturgical Middle Olgish[1] | Literal English Translation |
|---|---|
Mál-elónis, dír’elónis! |
Silent night, holy night! |
- ↑ Translated from the original German lyrics by Joseph Mohr. Christian concepts were matched to the best-fit olgish equivalents, with Pacasgila ‘guardian spirit’ used for ‘angel’; ‘Christ’ was adapted phonemically into the Olgish name Kristin, bearing the masculine agent suffix -in.
Single-Sentence Samples
An incantation and a couple of (quite random) phrases in different conlangs, some with imitated, some with original flavours.
Incantation of the Forest • Shīndhrūn Nūrthāpya (Language of the Forest)
Syēdi ronādyas thāyanyēpī nūrthāpya, ropēshanyētī dharmūtūva, veshratūn yīmishādhya, syēdi ronādyas tam yīmotūva rokhōnomō melepī syēnodhrā tabhya, nadhamēbhumō shīndhrū syēnūva tabhya, syēdi ronādyas rosharbathomō roshvāyo syēnūva tabhya, nabhya rōshomō nā tau ro pēshyenabhrū.
I call upon you, children of the forest, offspring of the earth, pillars of the sky, I call upon you, I, child of the hill, to stretch your arms for me, to gift me your word, I call upon you to lend me your power, to accept this covenant, so that great things be!
Quotes from the Philosophical Works of Márir the Younger • High Aribelian
O’sirencossan dos alon, sirarcan alon.
Who is gifted much shall themselves give much away.
Sérdis annádaran senúr, cán hálanaran sal méres noiïnd oka sal méres dírossind.
When prompted to judge, weigh the merit of punishment against the merit of recompense.
Etoharan dáres du sal níces, ká tu’unméran vep sal elónis.
Be proud of the day when at night you go to bed.
Dialogue Fragments and Samples • Vulgar Aribelian
Ettorà dall’ nice dare qua tumerà pepp’ a leone.
Be proud of the day when at night you go to bed.
Mario, Nicessio, anerà le remi del corrini sergi!
Maria, Nicessio, go and fetch these gentlemen’s horses!
Asparino, ocassinare! — Serge, Veglio, quatta!
Asparino, come on! — Certainly, father, immediately!
Sample Sentences • Southern Iliatarian
Given in both dialects, the eastern variety of the Sulutmuri and the western variety of the Ngwano.
| Sulutmuri Dialect | Ngwano Dialect | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Taka lep’ antomba labe. | Taka yip’ antomba yabe. | When the herds cross [the country], the people spy [after them]. |
| Ngwaliloso lamba? | Ngweyošo unda? | How big is the house? |
| Jambala nkeb’ altasa ki lmoto. | Yambaya nkeb’ aytaša k’ iwoto. | The priest ties a talisman from straw. |
| Labe danaba sul’ otmuri. | Yabe danaba huy’ otmuri. | The people dwell under the sky. |
Short Samples of Other Conlangs
Tuau kono inua mēa weki lu‘u.
Untamed storms blow over the islands. [‘Iru Ni‘i]
Cīryesī mwēcīrysā nȳcrasōz talomō.
The three of them will freeze to death on the frigid ice. [Acāresā Nrusī]
Dhanasgeshenaleneqonenesgadhidhėsonithalathodhėsaniganakaolisganenanėgaqavon.
The guard saw the priests’ ship arrive when the sun rose. [Sgenash]
Mo mesklirim plein triasmurh. Kraïbnen glor sahac sis?
I like this little vase. How much is it? [Iilish]
Diuraitheam mherinnanois!
Be mindful of the past! [Brethanian Olgish]
Lénima nėt itrúvat èʔišosa ghōrė vhìriš néʔiš.
The spice merchantmen departed the following morning. [Mikoshi]
Metikini kepanuku i taraniki: penana tal. Mit kelunukula artutula unarikusun, kekaluman. Kieanukun kelunitula, ilunna ulikin, sisi kekaluman.
Yesterday, I went to the green hills, the habitat of the swallows. Unfortunately, I did not see any, since they were hiding. I wanted to see them, but, in fact, only few ever do, much to my dismay. [Kalparian]