Tag Archive: perception





This word refers to surfaces, Michael Jackson’s smooth criminal would not be described by it. I don’t actually know what the song “smooth criminal” actually means. Also, ‘glatte Zahlen’ (literally: smooth numbers, ie: numbers that are either integers (when real numbers are expected) or end with zeroes (when numbers are big)) are not smooth, but they are short (ti). This refers to the way they are written* and pronounced. On the other hand, Rejistanis do use kaladek (long) which has normally a strictly temporal meaning for numbers like 1 093 256·2342**. Say it aloud in your natlang and you will know why.

Example: Itu’het mi’anik dejeni’het’ra vitil. (ball 3S-down surface-LOC smooth. The ball rolls downwards on the smooth surface) (Audio example to come when I feel better)

BTW: The Language Construction Kit is an interesting book and very readable. It is well written and understandable. It is also in a very readable font. This unfortunately is an exception these days. Unfortunately, the font is inconsistent for several special characters in the conlangs. Most people would not notice this, but it irks me for some odd reason.

Also, I recently talked to someone about how to translate the motto of the party in 1984 (Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength, War is Peace) into rejistanian and we came to a disagreement. Mikael thinks that the first terms are described and thus state verbs can be used. Ie: “Linux’tan mi’nijev, Ki’veri’tan mi’unuxi, kyus’het mi’likhat!” I disagree and think that they state that two things are declared as equivalent, which means that a construction with ‘aru is required: “Linux’tan mi’aru nijev’tan, Ki’veri’tan mi’aru unuxi’tan, kyus’het mi’aru likhat’tan.” What do you think?

* The English-speakers seemed to have invented the rejistanian system on their own lately. Why else would 2k9 for 2009 be understood so easily. :)

** The number is written like a rejistani would write it in arabic numbers.

While we have reached the tangible perceptions, ‘hamik is not an easy one. It is roughly the opposite of ‘to be smooth’. If something has a specific structure, it is/feels hamik. This is however a specific meaning of the word. Even if a structure is not tangible it can be still expressed by this word and it is far less likely to be said about a rock* than about treebark because to a certain point there is the lingering conotation of intention. To emphasize that something feels structured, the verb ‘kanti is used. Well, rejistanian has four terms for ‘to feel’, ‘demna and ‘sanja refer to ‘feeling emotion’, ‘jdunu means ‘perceive something by the sense of touch’ or ‘to feel something’ and ‘kanti means ‘to have the properties which can be felt’. The difference between ‘jdunu and ‘kanti is that between “I feel a hole in this cloth” and “this cloth feels smooth”.

Hamik’het is something that is hamik. Hamik’tan means structure, or pattern. The idiomatic expression hamik’tan’ny rejavisko means just “grammar”.

Example: Jdunu’het kesemak mi’kanti hamik. (skin snake 3S-feel structured. the skin of a snake feels structured) listen

*rejistanian geologists will probably use it about geological features though.

This word is the opposite of the word of yesterday. Even though I only used a visual term here, it can mean anything which is disgusting to the senses. Tesixu means the same thing, but is the related adjective/adverb (rejistanian does not see a difference between these categories). A tesixu’he should wear a bag over his head, shower or stop making so annoying noises, tesixu’het should be hidden from perception, and tesixu’tan is uglyness.

Tesixu can also refer to abstract uglyness: Ika’het’ny (temporary solutions) can ‘tesixu even if they are not directly observed. Sorry, I enjoy using state verbs in English far too much than a sane person should.

If something is only disgusting to one sense, you can, of course, specify it:
‘inta tesixu: to look ugly
‘dela tesixu: to sound bad
‘yjanu tesixu: to smell bad
‘mehda tesixu: to taste bad
‘kanti tesixu: to feel bad/to cause a bad tactile sensation.

Of course, these words work with oejelu (or more specific terms) as well.

Example: Rejistaniha mi’lil “tesixu” lystas alna “oejelu”. Jilih mi’ma’ta ‘kiska. (Rejistanian 3S-have ugly before-PST more beautiful. This 3S-be_able-NEG (INF)be_coincidental: Rejistanian had “ugly” earlier than “beautiful”. This can’t be coincidental.)

Sorry, could not resist (it is true, BTW. I used veka (good) for quite a time). Actual example: Ovik’het mi’tesixu. Mi’jumek yi. (food 3S-be_ugly. 3S-be_spicy too_much: The food tastes bad. It is too spicy)


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