Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Cancelled Draft: "Barxaw: Names"

I decided not to include the following bit in Barxaw, but will need to redesign it somewhat – quite a bit, indeed. I figured explaining what makes me unsatisfied with it is also an aspect of conlanging as an artform, so here goes. The draft:
Personal names in Barxaw tend to follow a few different patterns. Names often consist of two nouns in apposition  or an adjective and a noun. Names -with a few exceptions - are introduced by the article 'dә́(for men who are married), 'gù' (for unmarried, adult men), 'sé' for women regardless of marital status and 'ní' for children. The article is optional but not uncommon for topics and subjects, and mandatory in all other contexts.

Male names may relate to things associated with power, conquest, rule, strength, mastery, as well as symbols and instruments of such things. However, when names allude to symbols, they usually use synonyms for the relevant things, in order that one not accidentally attract the attention of authorities, and to make it clear whether a person of that name or the authorities themselves are referred to. Certain commonly held beliefs about the interaction of supernatural powers and secular powers are involved in this.

  • Wɛ̀n Érqə - 'right victory'
  • Ásɛ̀p Smó - 'ruling sword'
  • Mŋún Ráx - 'blue vestment' ('wáxé dòr' is the official designation)
Female names come in a few different patterns:
'sister [abstract noun]', or 'sister [symbolic noun]:
  • Evé Dìnaλ - sister of justice
  • Evé Érqə - sister of victory
  • Evé Smó - sister of sword
  • Evé Qiðzà - sister of fertility
'mother [abstract noun]' or 'mother [symbolic noun]':
[...]
As for names involving 'mother', these tend to be more common among aristocracy. It seems sister-names or [...]
I found it getting a bit too formulaic - a typical female name would come out as Sé Evé [actual distinctive morpheme]. That's somewhat too weak. As for symbolic nouns, this means I should probably establish a list of nouns that commonly symbolize things in Barxaw rhetorics - swords, roofs, specific-coloured vestments, etc. Thus, the naming customs in the Barxaw language will remain undecided on for a while longer.

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