Conlang relay

A conlang relay is a translation game involving conlangs. It is similar to the game called by names such as Telephone or Chinese Whispers, where a message is whispered from person to person, often in the process being changed beyond recognition. Instead of by whispers, in a relay the text is passed by translation: it is translated from the conlang it is received in, into one's own conlang, and then passed to the next person to be translated. The resulting text is generally much changed; a tendency noticed in early relays was for the original texts to mutate into creation myths.

A typical conlang relay takes around a month or two to run, excluding the initial planning phase and delays in publishing the final results (which are unfortunately common). On the relay mailing list one or two relays are run per year.

Current relays

• There are currently no Conlang relays running or being planned.

Known previous relays are listed in the navigation box below.

Rules

One person, the relay master, organizes the relay — typically on the relay mailing list and/or here.

Gather the players

To sign up for a relay, follow these steps:

1. Go to the “Participants” section on the relay page
2. Edit the section (clicki the link next to the header)
3. Sorted ASCIIbetically, add your name or alias to the list, along with a link to your user page
4. Add your conlang, optionally with a link to its grammar or other description
   • If you don't know what language you will use, you can enter ''unknown'' for now
5. If you are signing up for multiple entries, add ₍₂₎ (or ₍₃₎, and so on) to you name on the extra entries. You cannot have multiple slots in a single ring, so these entries will only make it if there are, e.g. at least 4 rings for an entry marked ₍₄₎
6. Collaborations are allowed, but the previous step still applies (please mark each name separately)
7. After submitting your edit, please subscribe to the relay mailing list unless the relay page specifically says otherwise

Set up the pieces

When enough participants have signed up, they publish a schedule: there may be one or more rings, each with a list of participants in the order of when they will take their turns. Each participant is listed with the language they will be using. Someone who knows* multiple conlangs may participate in multiple rings.

*Other than their own conlangs, participants are also usually permitted to use popular conlangs such as Klingon, Lojban, Esperanto or Toki Pona. However, each conlang may only be used once per relay, with the exception of the wrapping conlang which is often used by the relay master as the last language in each ring.

Play the game

The relay master then writes a text in their conlang, along with the necessary grammar notes and vocabulary for the text to be understandable. The relay master then sends one copy of these documents (the torches) to the first participant in each ring. Now, this participant has a deadline (usually 48 hours) to decipher the torch, translate it into their language, write up the necessary grammar notes and vocabulary, and send their torch to the next participant (and to a backup mailbox in case someone goes missing during the relay). This continues until the torch has been passed along the entire ring; the last participant passes the torch back to the relay master, who then translates it into the wrapping conlang (which is often the same as the starting conlang).

Game over

After the relay is over, all torches are published in all languages they were translated to during the relay, including an English translation of each version of the text. You can see the full list of relays and participants here.

Variations

Some rings, or even entire relays, vary these rules. The following variations have been used:

• Conscript: Conlangs are written in their native scripts, usually with no romanization.
• Inverse: Each participant receives a text in their own conlang, and translates it into the conlang of the next participant. No grammar notes or vocabulary are added.
• LCC: The results are presented live at the next LCC. Only attendees may participate.
• Natlang: Only natlangs may be used. As with inverse relays/rings, no grammar notes or vocabulary are added. Instead, the schedule is prepared so that everyone receives the torch in a language they are familiar with.
• Romlang: Only romlangs may be used. Instead of a vocabulary list, notes on the etymology of each stem are given.
• Scheduleless: Each participant has as long as they want for translating the text. The torches of these rings are usually published immediately after passing them, and the next participant is sometimes determined “first come—first serve”.

External links

• Preliminary Relay Scheduler at Theiling Online