Languages can be influenced by contact with other languages, leading to borrowing of words and even grammatical features.
Languages that exist in close proximity to one another over a long period of time can influence each other, leading to aerial effects.
When a group of people move into a new area, they may encounter existing languages and cultures, resulting in substrate effects.
Deep dives
Language contact and borrowing
Languages can be influenced by contact with other languages, leading to borrowing of words and even grammatical features. This borrowing can be influenced by cultural, historical, and geographic factors. Some languages are more open to borrowing, while others are resistant. Additionally, cultural and religious factors can affect language, such as the use of liturgical languages in religious ceremonies. The extent of borrowing and the perception of loanwords can vary from language to language and culture to culture.
Aerial effects and language change
Languages that exist in close proximity to one another over a long period of time can influence each other, leading to aerial effects. These effects can include the borrowing of sounds, idioms, and even grammar features. The level of interaction between languages can depend on geographical factors, cultural practices, and historical events. Aerial effects can result in similarities between languages in a particular geographical area or among specific language families.
Substrate effects and language diversity
When a group of people move into a new area, they may encounter existing languages and cultures. Substrate effects occur when elements of the local language are absorbed into the new language. This can include borrowing of vocabulary, place names, and even cultural practices. The extent of substrate effects depends on factors such as the outcome of the migration (peaceful or hostile) and the duration of contact between the groups. Substrate effects can lead to language diversity within a region.
Language perception and naming
The perception of language and naming practices can vary between cultures and can be influenced by historical and cultural factors. The name of a language can be an endonym (a term used by the speakers themselves) or an exonym (a term used by others). The perception of languages and naming practices can reflect power dynamics, cultural attitudes, and group identities. Additionally, different cultures may have different perceptions of time, which can be reflected in their language and vocabulary related to time.
Ingamud - Rare Evidentials and Noun Classes
Ingamud is a language that exhibits rare evidentials and has a unique noun class system. The language contains speculative slash fictional evidentials that are zero marked, which is typologically unusual. Additionally, it has eight noun classes, each with their own inflection patterns. It is interesting how the edibility distinction in the absolutive is only made in the singular and is related to the culture of the horse people who speak the language. The language also has a productive but potentially idiosyncratic edibility category.
Ingamud - Ergativity and Polypersonal Agreement
Ingamud is an ergative-absolutive language, with the absolutive role being marked by the A case. The language exhibits polypersonal agreement, where both subject and object are marked on the verb. The language has several noun classes, each with its own agreement markers, similar to the genders found in languages like Bantu. The language also has base eight numerals and interesting features such as an aggressive voiceless lateral alveolar fricative and clicks, which are rare outside of Southern Africa.
Check out the Serpent’s Tongue kickstarter I mentioned at the top of the show! After teasing Mike a bit about his trip to an Anime convention, we get down to business on how to make your conlang fit into a conworld. Then we cover an interesting and enigmatically-named Arka language. Top of Show Greeting: German (translation... Read more »
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
