Conlang-L FAQ

Subject Topic Tags

In the subject line of a post, you can mark the post with one of the following tags. Tags are only recognised if a colon follows and not other decoration (e.g. brackets) are used. Any 'Re:' etc. is irrelevant -- the software skips it.

Good tag syntax:

 CHAT: Is the world really round?

Bad tag syntax:

 [CHAT]: Is the world really round?

These are the official tags the listserv software can be instructed to filter automatically. There are currently exactly three:

• CHAT: off-topic stuff of the conversational sort
• USAGE: natural language usage (all of the YAEPT and similar should use this)
• THEORY: linguistic theory discussions

Only the above three tags are official and configured for filtering. However, most advanced mail clients can be set to have extra filters, such as for the following unofficial tags:

• OT: should not be used, use CHAT instead as some software had problems with 'OT'
• OFFLIST: not actually seen on-list, this tag is added to make explicitly clear that you are taking a subject offlist (i.e. you're emailing someone directly about it)

The following are explicitly not included in the list of filterable tags:

• META: threads about CONLANG-L itself
• TECH: technical issues (e.g. email programs, list-related technical problems, etc)

Finally, there is are two meta-tags:

• [CONLANG]: This should not be actually added when starting a new subject; the listserv prepends it automatically
• WAS: used to change the subject

Example:

 JAMA says flat earth leads to flat [@] (WAS: CHAT: Is the world really round?)

Note that tags ARE included after the WAS, but RE: is NOT, nor is [CONLANG].

Acronyms

List of acronyms specific to the Conlang Mailing List:

• ANADEW - "A natlang's already dunnit, except worse"
• ANADEWISM - Something you thought was unique, but ANADEW
• YAEPT (the original acronym) - Yet Another English Pronunciation Thrread
• YADPT ... Dutch Pronunciation ...
• YAGPT ... German Pronunciation ...
• YAEGT ... English Grammar ...
• general pattern: YA(Language)(Topic)T
• LCC - the Language Creation Conference
• NLF2DWS or NLWS - Non-linear [fully 2-dimensional] writing system

CXS (Conlang X-SAMPA)

A version of X-SAMPA for use on the CONLANG mailing list. X-SAMPA is a way to write the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) using normal plain-ASCII text that everyone can read.

• Theiling Online: Conlang X-Sampa (CXS) - includes CXS-to-IPA conversion chart
• CXS (Conlang Modified X-SAMPA)