Der Feuervogel aufersteht.

Remember how a few years ago I started a column on tor.com and eventually a patreon (which I am really bad at, I'm so sorry)? I've finally got the motivation to finish the writer's guide to linguistic worldbuilding that I thought of back then. (That motivation is "earning money so Germany doesn't kick me out next winter." Plus a LOT of guilt about not being finished with it yet.)

I'm currently planning to launch on August 15, and you can sign up here to be notified when it does. I have reward tiers as low as 3 € as well as some really cool limited-quantity ones. There will be an ebook and print books, and I've got some fun stretch goals planned, too.

What will be in the book?
- how to make up names that sound like they're from the same language
- how to adapt sounds for non-human vocal tracts and other different anatomical/physiological features
- how to do first contact without a universal translator
- how to make a universal translator distinguishable from magic
- how to invent proverbs, slang, and cuss words for your invented society
- and more!

These will be illustrated with examples from some of my favorite books and supported with real linguistic theory. I've got 15,000 words so far.

Please share widely!

I like this quiz a lot better than some other dialect/accent quizzes I've seen. I did, in fact, grow up south of the Mason-Dixon line, by about 20 miles. I spent 3 years in Pennsylvania for college (where people said don and dawn exactly the same) and a year in upstate Noo Yawk (where I picked up a habit of saying "kawfee," thankfully now relegated to the past), and I've lived in Nawth Caruhlahna for about 12 years (except the disastrous year in Oregon, which didn't affect my accent any).

Actually, several Oregonians commented that I didn't have an accent; it's not very strong unless I get around other heavily-accented Southerners. What I think they meant was "you don't sound like a hillbilly," because a lot of Northerners equate a Southern accent with mental deficiency or being an utter backwater hick (which to some people are equivalent), which makes me extremely stabby. One kid I spent a little time rotating with said he heard it after I said "Nice meeting you" as we left a patient's room. (It came out approximately "naahs meetin yeew.")

I have picked up one North Carolina-ism since I've been here, and that's the double modal: might could/might should, where might means approximately maybe. I like it, actually.