Let’s make a language, part 21c: Occupations and work (Ardari)

For Ardari, things aren’t much different from Isian. There’s still the big difference between the agris “rich” and nydor “poor”, those who have a kroll “job” and those who don’t. Ardari speakers are a bit more worldly, however, as can be seen in the modern öskul “school” common to every town. Their larger cities also each have a bank (prèt), ready to lend (khipy-) money to anyone who might need it.

By contrast, the alz “farm” isn’t as central to Ardari culture as it is to Isian. Being more urban, Ardari speakers are more likely to work at (if not run) a chemba “shop” or pyuli “restaurant” instead. Many work at building (moll-), as their people are in a state of growth these days. Diggers (dròkön, the same term is used generically to refer to any “blue-collar” worker) are needed everywhere, as well. Most of these, however, are men, while women tend to do things like cook (lòsty-) or weave (urdè-). Most respected of all, though, is the sydonkön “teacher”, an important man (or, as is increasingly the case, woman) in every locale.

Although farming isn’t as big a deal as it once was, rural areas still rely on it heavily. The èmlokön remains a necessary and honorable profession; land is passed down from father to son as it has been for centuries. Mills (panad) are integral, even if the miller (tyokön) more often observes and pushes buttons these days. Finally, the market (virdègh) continues to act as the center of an Ardari community, no different from how our shopping malls used to be.

Next time…?

So that covers Part 21 of our series on creating conlangs. We’re nowhere near done—if you think about it, we’re never truly finished, but bear with me here. Now, I can keep going. I actually do have plans all the way out to Part 27. However, as you’ll see in the coming days, I’ve got other things on my mind. There are places I want to go with Prose Poetry Code, and that includes this series. So I might slow down a bit on these posts. Or I may continue on the current schedule, with three posts (comprising one part) a month. I’ll be good through the first half of 2017 if I do that. Stay tuned for my decision; in the meantime, keep creating, and have a happy holiday, whichever one you celebrate.

Word list

General terms
  • job: kroll
  • poor: nydor
  • rich: agris
  • to borrow: mänyt-
  • to create: grät-
  • to destroy: sògör-
  • to lend: khipy-
  • to repair: èbord-
  • to use: qas-
  • to work: nafèlo
  • work: naf
Places of work
  • bank: prèt
  • bar (pub): om
  • farm: alz
  • inn: mäsoza
  • market: virdègh
  • mill: panad
  • restaurant: pyuli
  • school: öskul (borrowing)
  • shop: chemba
Work actions
  • to bake: mej-
  • to build: moll-
  • to clean: fènt-
  • to cook: lòsty-
  • to dig: drò-
  • to drive: brech-
  • to fold: sòv-
  • to grind: tyokh-
  • to guard: chud-
  • to hunt: kwar-
  • to pour: swar
  • to press: akwèt-
  • to serve: klo-
  • to sew: wènt-
  • to shoot: käzh-
  • to sweep: nwèse-
  • to teach: sydon-
  • to tie: tölon-
  • to wash: majtas-
  • to weave: urdè-
Occupations
  • baker: mejkön
  • carpenter: mollkön
  • cooking: lòstyënda
  • driver: brechkön
  • farmer: èmlokön
  • hunter: kwarkön
  • hunting: kwarönda
  • janitor: nwèsekon
  • laborer: dròkön
  • miller: tyokön
  • servant: klokön
  • tailor: wèntökön
  • teacher: sydonkön
  • teaching: sydonda (from sydon- + -önda)

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