Jonathan
@levunalangs.bsky.social
they/them
I’m here to post about my conlangs and read about yours! You can also find me at https://levunalangs.tumblr.com/ and https://youtube.com/@levunalangs
I’m here to post about my conlangs and read about yours! You can also find me at https://levunalangs.tumblr.com/ and https://youtube.com/@levunalangs
Today’s Valya word for #Lexember is *dishu*, meaning “dry” or “dried.” When used as a noun by itself, it often refers to dried fruits. It’s also used to mean “thirsty,” though there are a few other ways to say that as well. You can find out about those other ways here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
December 5, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Today’s Valya word for #Lexember is *dishu*, meaning “dry” or “dried.” When used as a noun by itself, it often refers to dried fruits. It’s also used to mean “thirsty,” though there are a few other ways to say that as well. You can find out about those other ways here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Today’s Sdefa word for #Lexember is C B C D C, meaning “lack” in a fundamental, permanent, or intrinsic way, not just missing something temporarily.
You can read more about the story behind this word here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
You can read more about the story behind this word here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
December 4, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Today’s Sdefa word for #Lexember is C B C D C, meaning “lack” in a fundamental, permanent, or intrinsic way, not just missing something temporarily.
You can read more about the story behind this word here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
You can read more about the story behind this word here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Back to Valya for #Lexember 3rd! I had to make a new dissimilation rule for this word, because I could *not* deal with saying [ra.ra.ru]. So instead *radaru* means “pond,” diminutive of *radu* “lake,” itself originally the diminutive of “sky,” because reflections.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
December 3, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Back to Valya for #Lexember 3rd! I had to make a new dissimilation rule for this word, because I could *not* deal with saying [ra.ra.ru]. So instead *radaru* means “pond,” diminutive of *radu* “lake,” itself originally the diminutive of “sky,” because reflections.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
I almost forgot to post today’s #Lexember word, which is a great sign this early in the month.
This time it’s in my musical #conlang Sdefa: this word means “count” or “measure.” Sdefa has two orthographies, so you get both of those in addition to the music notation!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
This time it’s in my musical #conlang Sdefa: this word means “count” or “measure.” Sdefa has two orthographies, so you get both of those in addition to the music notation!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
December 2, 2025 at 11:29 PM
I almost forgot to post today’s #Lexember word, which is a great sign this early in the month.
This time it’s in my musical #conlang Sdefa: this word means “count” or “measure.” Sdefa has two orthographies, so you get both of those in addition to the music notation!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
This time it’s in my musical #conlang Sdefa: this word means “count” or “measure.” Sdefa has two orthographies, so you get both of those in addition to the music notation!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
It’s #Lexember again! Just like last year, I’ll be posting new words in my #conlang Valya, with more detailed posts on Tumblr.
Day one is *buba*, meaning “frog”! That is of course a very subtle reference to my friends at @letshaveabouba.bsky.social!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Day one is *buba*, meaning “frog”! That is of course a very subtle reference to my friends at @letshaveabouba.bsky.social!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
December 2, 2025 at 12:58 AM
It’s #Lexember again! Just like last year, I’ll be posting new words in my #conlang Valya, with more detailed posts on Tumblr.
Day one is *buba*, meaning “frog”! That is of course a very subtle reference to my friends at @letshaveabouba.bsky.social!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Day one is *buba*, meaning “frog”! That is of course a very subtle reference to my friends at @letshaveabouba.bsky.social!
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Today’s Valya word is hnuhnulu, meaning “bat!”
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Lba kibgha fu sika hnuhnulu nwi, ba tu kngiva tni mu nitya zaku.
Hundreds of bats live under that bridge, and they fly out at sunset.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Lba kibgha fu sika hnuhnulu nwi, ba tu kngiva tni mu nitya zaku.
Hundreds of bats live under that bridge, and they fly out at sunset.
October 31, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Today’s Valya word is hnuhnulu, meaning “bat!”
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Lba kibgha fu sika hnuhnulu nwi, ba tu kngiva tni mu nitya zaku.
Hundreds of bats live under that bridge, and they fly out at sunset.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Lba kibgha fu sika hnuhnulu nwi, ba tu kngiva tni mu nitya zaku.
Hundreds of bats live under that bridge, and they fly out at sunset.
Valya!? Again!!??
Yes, I am returning to working on a *spoken* conlang! Imagine that.
I’m easing back into daily-ish Valya posts with a quick translation, which you can read more about at www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Yes, I am returning to working on a *spoken* conlang! Imagine that.
I’m easing back into daily-ish Valya posts with a quick translation, which you can read more about at www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
October 31, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Valya!? Again!!??
Yes, I am returning to working on a *spoken* conlang! Imagine that.
I’m easing back into daily-ish Valya posts with a quick translation, which you can read more about at www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Yes, I am returning to working on a *spoken* conlang! Imagine that.
I’m easing back into daily-ish Valya posts with a quick translation, which you can read more about at www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
After no conlang posts in over a month (!) here’s a new post for a new language! It’s a “cursed” musical conlang, involving harmonies strange enough that they’re basically unplayable on any instrument. As far as I know, anyway.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
August 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
After no conlang posts in over a month (!) here’s a new post for a new language! It’s a “cursed” musical conlang, involving harmonies strange enough that they’re basically unplayable on any instrument. As far as I know, anyway.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
I’m taking a break from the word of the day posts for a bit! They will be back sometime soon, but in the meantime I’ve got some other conlang stuff to work on.
July 21, 2025 at 2:07 AM
I’m taking a break from the word of the day posts for a bit! They will be back sometime soon, but in the meantime I’ve got some other conlang stuff to work on.
Today’s Valya word is pyapra, meaning ‘party’ or ‘festival.’ It comes from pya, ‘meal,’ plus the (brand new) augmentative suffix -pra. Because the augmentative conveys significance more than literal size, it’s occasionally combined with the diminutive!
Read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
July 19, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Today’s Valya word is pyapra, meaning ‘party’ or ‘festival.’ It comes from pya, ‘meal,’ plus the (brand new) augmentative suffix -pra. Because the augmentative conveys significance more than literal size, it’s occasionally combined with the diminutive!
Read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Today’s Valya word is dghalwu, ‘oak.’ Since gvu is both ‘leaf’ and ‘piece,’ gvu dghalwu is ambiguous.
Prepositions might clear it up (da is ‘of’ and hru is ‘made of,’ more or less) but it could still be unclear. I’m sure there’s a way to disambiguate that the Valya speakers haven’t taught me yet.
Prepositions might clear it up (da is ‘of’ and hru is ‘made of,’ more or less) but it could still be unclear. I’m sure there’s a way to disambiguate that the Valya speakers haven’t taught me yet.
July 19, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Today’s Valya word is dghalwu, ‘oak.’ Since gvu is both ‘leaf’ and ‘piece,’ gvu dghalwu is ambiguous.
Prepositions might clear it up (da is ‘of’ and hru is ‘made of,’ more or less) but it could still be unclear. I’m sure there’s a way to disambiguate that the Valya speakers haven’t taught me yet.
Prepositions might clear it up (da is ‘of’ and hru is ‘made of,’ more or less) but it could still be unclear. I’m sure there’s a way to disambiguate that the Valya speakers haven’t taught me yet.
Today’s Valya word is ‘nuna,’ meaning ‘circle’ or ‘loop.’ ‘Nunarwa,’ lit. ‘loop-make,’ is ‘repeat’ or ‘return.’ ‘Tnuna,’ from ‘the loop,’ is ‘year,’ so ‘the year’ is ‘kitnuna,’ etymologically ‘the the year.’ A more poetic way to say ‘year’ is ‘kihngüli krimwa,’ ‘the wheel of seasons.’
July 18, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Today’s Valya word is ‘nuna,’ meaning ‘circle’ or ‘loop.’ ‘Nunarwa,’ lit. ‘loop-make,’ is ‘repeat’ or ‘return.’ ‘Tnuna,’ from ‘the loop,’ is ‘year,’ so ‘the year’ is ‘kitnuna,’ etymologically ‘the the year.’ A more poetic way to say ‘year’ is ‘kihngüli krimwa,’ ‘the wheel of seasons.’
Yesterday’s word (oops!) was ‘hngüli’ /ŋ̊y.li/, meaning ‘wheel.’ It’s related to ‘hngu’ ‘turn’ (intrans.), ‘hündi’ ‘turn’ (trans.), and ‘hunggla’ ‘spin.’
You can find out just how those words are all related here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
You can find out just how those words are all related here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
July 18, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Yesterday’s word (oops!) was ‘hngüli’ /ŋ̊y.li/, meaning ‘wheel.’ It’s related to ‘hngu’ ‘turn’ (intrans.), ‘hündi’ ‘turn’ (trans.), and ‘hunggla’ ‘spin.’
You can find out just how those words are all related here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
You can find out just how those words are all related here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Today’s Valya word is ‘krimwa,’ meaning ‘time’ or ‘season.’ ‘Time’ in this case is (generally) a longer period, as opposed to ‘sivi,’ a moment. The seasons’ names (or at least one set of them) are ‘krimwa’ with various colors: green for spring/summer, red/orange/brown for fall, and white for winter.
July 13, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Today’s Valya word is ‘krimwa,’ meaning ‘time’ or ‘season.’ ‘Time’ in this case is (generally) a longer period, as opposed to ‘sivi,’ a moment. The seasons’ names (or at least one set of them) are ‘krimwa’ with various colors: green for spring/summer, red/orange/brown for fall, and white for winter.
Two Valya words today, since I missed yesterday: ‘ngaba,’ ‘light,’ and ‘gvihwa,’ ‘fire.’ The latter is the nominalization of ‘bihwa,’ ‘to burn.’
You can read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
You can read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
July 12, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Two Valya words today, since I missed yesterday: ‘ngaba,’ ‘light,’ and ‘gvihwa,’ ‘fire.’ The latter is the nominalization of ‘bihwa,’ ‘to burn.’
You can read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
You can read more here: www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Today’s Valya word is ‘tüsu,’ ‘to stand.’ To make ‘stand up,’ the inchoative suffix -ntsa is used.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
July 10, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Today’s Valya word is ‘tüsu,’ ‘to stand.’ To make ‘stand up,’ the inchoative suffix -ntsa is used.
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
www.tumblr.com/levunalangs/...
Today’s Valya word is ‘basha,’ meaning ‘right.’ When used as an adverb (to the right, turning right, turning clockwise, etc.) you add the preposition ‘di,’ ‘with,’ even though ‘basha’ isn’t a noun. This is due to analogy with ‘di lwika’ from yesterday, as well as the cardinal directions!
July 9, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Today’s Valya word is ‘basha,’ meaning ‘right.’ When used as an adverb (to the right, turning right, turning clockwise, etc.) you add the preposition ‘di,’ ‘with,’ even though ‘basha’ isn’t a noun. This is due to analogy with ‘di lwika’ from yesterday, as well as the cardinal directions!
Today’s Valya word is ‘lwika,‘ ‘heart.‘ From it are derived ‘di lwika,‘ ‘left‘ (lit. ‘with the heart‘) and ‘mpi lwika,‘ ‘left side.‘
July 8, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Today’s Valya word is ‘lwika,‘ ‘heart.‘ From it are derived ‘di lwika,‘ ‘left‘ (lit. ‘with the heart‘) and ‘mpi lwika,‘ ‘left side.‘
Today’s Valya word is ‘riha,’ ‘to smell.’ The nominalized form ‘kriha’ is used to describe what things smell like.
July 8, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Today’s Valya word is ‘riha,’ ‘to smell.’ The nominalized form ‘kriha’ is used to describe what things smell like.
Today’s Valya word is ‘mirgngi’ /mirɡ.ŋi/, meaning ‘wren’ (usually, the Carolina wren specifically). I found out after writing the example sentences that only male Carolina wrens sing, so it turns out these birds are gay!
July 7, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Today’s Valya word is ‘mirgngi’ /mirɡ.ŋi/, meaning ‘wren’ (usually, the Carolina wren specifically). I found out after writing the example sentences that only male Carolina wrens sing, so it turns out these birds are gay!
Today’s Valya word is ‘dli,’ meaning ‘come.’ When paired with ‘tsivünga’ ‘again,’ it means ‘come back.’
In the example below, the last glyphs on each line are ‘pa’ and ‘du,’ used here to refer to their shapes (“kimazi pa” is “the shape of ‘pa’”).
In the example below, the last glyphs on each line are ‘pa’ and ‘du,’ used here to refer to their shapes (“kimazi pa” is “the shape of ‘pa’”).
July 5, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Today’s Valya word is ‘dli,’ meaning ‘come.’ When paired with ‘tsivünga’ ‘again,’ it means ‘come back.’
In the example below, the last glyphs on each line are ‘pa’ and ‘du,’ used here to refer to their shapes (“kimazi pa” is “the shape of ‘pa’”).
In the example below, the last glyphs on each line are ‘pa’ and ‘du,’ used here to refer to their shapes (“kimazi pa” is “the shape of ‘pa’”).
I forgot to share yesterday’s word here! It was ‘rüni,’ meaning ‘thing’ or ‘tool,’ derived from ‘rwa,’ ‘to make.’ It can refer to any sort of thing but mostly to human-made things, while ‘lki’ is even more general, including naturally-occurring objects.
July 5, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I forgot to share yesterday’s word here! It was ‘rüni,’ meaning ‘thing’ or ‘tool,’ derived from ‘rwa,’ ‘to make.’ It can refer to any sort of thing but mostly to human-made things, while ‘lki’ is even more general, including naturally-occurring objects.
Today’s Valya word is ‘fwirdu,’ meaning ‘goose.’ This is the source of one of two words for south: ‘difwirdu,’ ‘with (the) goose,’ referring to their migration away from the island. The other is the more general ‘ditya,’ ‘with (the) bird.’
July 4, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Today’s Valya word is ‘fwirdu,’ meaning ‘goose.’ This is the source of one of two words for south: ‘difwirdu,’ ‘with (the) goose,’ referring to their migration away from the island. The other is the more general ‘ditya,’ ‘with (the) bird.’
Today’s Valya word is ‘mihwa,’ meaning ‘alcohol.’ It can be combined with various words to specify different kinds, or be used alone if there’s enough context. ‘Rigisha,’ ‘nasünu,’ ‘dghi,’ and ‘sudgha’ are wheat, honey, grape, and potato respectively.
July 2, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Today’s Valya word is ‘mihwa,’ meaning ‘alcohol.’ It can be combined with various words to specify different kinds, or be used alone if there’s enough context. ‘Rigisha,’ ‘nasünu,’ ‘dghi,’ and ‘sudgha’ are wheat, honey, grape, and potato respectively.