Writing #Sci-Fi , a guide to building worlds and alien language #newrelease from @kayelleallen

Creating Alien Languages by Kayelle Allen

Author of the Tarthian Empire Companion, an illustrated World-Building Bible and Guide to Writing a Science Fiction Series.

I'm not a fan of changing basic terms for the sake of making them sound alien. For example, we "inch" along, not "millimeter" along, so I apply the same principle in my books. Diamonds are diamonds. Water is water.

Language, however, is malleable. Considering how far in the future my own stories are, there would be few (if any) words in English that we'd recognize. Being the practical sort, I kept many current terms.

What better way to describe rock music than to call it rock? Why call a flashlight a "mobile light source" or some other phrase for the sake of sounding different? It comes across silly and pretentious instead.

People shorthand words and phrases to things like OMG, LOL, BFF, deets, and probably one of the most famous shortcuts of all -- the abbreviation for "more of the same" -- "etc." I prefer to use natural, understandable language whenever possible.

If you create a language, write down the words you use and keep a definition handy. This will keep you from later misspelling or contradicting yourself. You should also create a phonogram chart (list of sounds). This will help you create a richer language.

Slang

What terms do your characters use for slang? Define these and list them so you have a ready reference for future books. List how and why the words became slang. This not only helps you maintain consistency in creation, it also helps you with creating future slang you might need.

Here is a list of Kelthian Street Slang. It's used in limited places, and there is far more listed here than I used in my actual books. However, I wanted a big list from which to choose a term.

Cobber is Kelthian street cant (characteristic language) used on Kelthia by slaves and gangs.

Boastin';  mess with, put on a front, tease, etc.
Clinkers;  great, fine, no worries
Going all Kin;  becoming feral, unruly, wild
Hawkin';  watching from the sidelines
Junk me;  pay no attention to me
Leave me sly;  forgive me, let me off
Lipped;  said, explained, told
No new coins;  same stuff different day, nothing new
Notta boasted you clean;  shouldn't have messed with you, or shouldn't have put on a front with you, teased you, etc.
Ride my pocket;  Follow me, stay on my tail
Right clinkers;  perfectly fine, totally great
Royal;  excellent, top notch
Scam-butt;  cheater, scam artist
Scat these taggers;  get out of these clothes, undress
Screech, the;  sickness of any type
Seein' you slip;  noticing you're not doing well
Smacked;  happy, pleased
Smackers;  general swear word with unspecified meaning. Dang, damn, hell, etc.
Sotted;  drunk
Spacin' me;  In my space, close to me
Space me;  give me some room, move away
Street freak or freaks;  homeless person or people
Street;  the street in general. Culture of the street.
Tawkin';  looking for action
What's down;  what's up or what's new
You skinnin';  you're skin and bones
Shake out those taggers;  what's under those clothes
Taggers;  clothes

Taken from the Tarthian Empire Companion, an illustrated World-Building Bible and Guide to Writing a Science Fiction Series. The worldbuilding magic that makes Kayelle Allen's Tarthian Empire tick, the Companion shares 10k years of future history, peeks behind the curtain of scene and character creation, offers a quick tour of the empire, and dishes up a surfeit of secrets for fans, all in one illustrated volume. Original art by Jamin Allen and Kayelle Allen.

Where to Buy

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/526971

Amazon http://bit.ly/companion-az

Smashwords http://bit.ly/companion-sm

Goodreads http://bit.ly/1DtIrOR

Coming soon in print

Giveaway

Download the free "Top Stops" edition of the Companion and visit the most popular sites in the Tarthian Empire. Illustrated, 24 pp

http://kayelleallen.com/media/kayelle_allen_tec_topstops.pdf

Kayelle Allen is a best-selling, multi-published, award-winning author. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr.

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