As of May 31, 2023, we have updated our Code of Conduct.

Questions tagged [semantics]

The tag has no usage guidance.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
3 votes
1 answer
211 views

What languages prefer the shortest sentences?

I read somewhere that Chinese prefers short sentences while English prefers longer ones. I don't have great examples of this, yet. This is particularly problematic in legal texts where an English ...
Lance's user avatar
  • 1,551
2 votes
1 answer
37 views

How to structure verb phrases (as opposed to noun phrases)?

In my question about formal vs. casual noun phrases, I got to the point of distinguishing between causal and formal nouns. Notice that the noun phrases all end with -a, the noun-creator affix. That ...
Lance's user avatar
  • 1,551
7 votes
1 answer
88 views

Designing realistic pragmatics, particularly with respect to answering questions

Coming up with new kinds of pragmatics is sort of fun, but it's hard to tell when an idea is incompatible with how people work psychologically. For instance, what are the limits or universals around ...
Greg Nisbet's user avatar
  • 1,640
12 votes
7 answers
285 views

How could a conlang enforce subjective idealism in a constructed world

Subjective idealism is the monistic metaphysical doctrine that only minds and mental contents exist. It entails and is generally identified or associated with immaterialism, the doctrine that material ...
Bob's user avatar
  • 219
5 votes
3 answers
108 views

Should Auxlangs have metaphors?

Auxlangs are meant to be easily learnt/understood by the entire populace of the world, no matter their native language. So, they are constructed to be unambiguous and it's reference should have a one-...
Krutik Desai's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is the difference between tense and aspect?

Many conlangs contain tense, some contain aspect as well or instead, and much of the recommended reading for conlangers assumes that you know what tense and aspect are and what the difference between ...
Sparksbet's user avatar
  • 3,391
34 votes
2 answers
865 views

Are there any grammatical aspects which do not have parallels in natural languages?

In Describing Morphosyntax, Payne uses a number of diagrams for visually explaining aspects and what they say about actions relative to time. Payne outlines the following, all of which occur in ...
L. L. Blumire's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
276 views

Is there a practical lower limit to the number of morphemes required in a language?

Many conlangers have tried (and occasionally succeeded in) creating oligomorphemic¹ languages. What are the most minimalistic successful attempts? From this, can we extrapolate a lower bound? ¹also ...
Sascha Baer's user avatar
  • 3,472