Reduplication: a typological overview

I was recently asked about my setup for <a href="https://twitch.tv/colingorrie">livestreaming</a> and filming <a href="https://youtube.com/colingorrie">Youtube videos</a>. Since this is something that came about as a result of a good deal of trial and error, I thought it might be nice to spare others the same struggle. So here is a brief explanation of my setup for filming videos as of March 2022. I'll try to keep this reasonably up to date as my technique improves.
In some cases, I've linked to where I bought the products from. These aren't affiliate links – they're merely conveniences and ways to keep track of the particular products.
It can get expensive to set up a studio to produce videos, but chances are that you have some of the equipment already. Also keep in mind that this is a (relatively) mature setup: I've been producing online courses since mid-2020 and streaming since late 2021, and I've gradually upgraded things to the point outlined here. You can certainly get started with a lot less.
I'd also like to note that half of this setup has come about through the help of my producer Lucy. So let's all thank Lucy for helping us make better videos!
<h2>General setup</h2>
The format of the channel is as follows: the source of all videos is a stream which I do every week for 2–4 hours. I break it up over two days or else my voice would give out. If you can stream for longer than 2 hours straight, I doff my hat to you.
I like to break up each streaming session into 2–4 segments. These segments will later be extracted from the stream video and uploaded to Youtube as separate videos. Therefore, Before and after each of these segments, I do a greeting for Youtube.
After the stream is done, I leave up the full stream video (this full stream recording is called a VOD, or video on demand, which I didn't know beforehand) so that people can watch it later.
Then, Lucy takes the stream video, chops it up into segments, does some light post-production on audio and colour, adds a short intro segment, and schedules it to be uploaded according to our upload schedule (currently 3 videos a week).
<h2>Software</h2>
For streaming, I use Streamlabs OBS (requires subscription) to stream simultaneously to Youtube and Twitch. There is a learning curve to this software that I haven't fully ascended yet. But, nevertheless, it is the centrepiece of the whole setup. You will need to look things up when setting up Streamlabs OBS. In some aspects Streamlabs OBS works the same as the free OBS Studio (which Streamlabs OBS is built on), and in others it has its own idiosyncracies. So keep that in mind when looking up solutions – sometimes searching for "obs" works and other times it won't.
Some things I've learned about Streamlabs OBS:
<ul>
 <li>Streamlabs OBS won't automatically show you the combined YouTube/Twitch chat. You need to activate this yourself every time by clicking Multistream.</li>
 <li>If you plan on using stream footage to create other videos, you should record your streams locally rather than relying on downloading them from Youtube. Lucy (my producer) and I have found that Youtube compresses longer streams even when you download the supposed full-quality version.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Computer</h2>
I currently use a Windows desktop to stream. At the time I started in late 2021, my Macbook Pro (2014-era) was showing its age and my Windows desktop was the only machine capable of streaming. I will be testing out streaming from a 2021-era Macbook Pro in the coming months and will report back.
I have found it important to have a wired Ethernet connection when streaming. On a wireless connection, I experienced stuttering and dropped frames. Your mileage may vary here, depending on the particulars of your internet connection.
I use a dual-monitor setup: one monitor is for the content of stream, and the other I use to monitor the chat and hold any notes I'm using. Be mindful that the aspect ratio of a youtube video isn't necessarily going to be the same as your monitor. Streamlabs OBS (or equivalent) will help you set up your windows so that they fit on screen when you stream.
<h2>Audio</h2>
I have two microphones I can recommend. The one I use for streaming is the Behringer XM8500. Note that this microphone requires phantom power, so I also use a mixer (specifically the Behringer XENYX 302USB). This route requires some fiddling with settings, but there are ample tutorials on Youtube.
As a simpler alternative, I can also recommend the Samson Q2U, which connects by USB. I use this on my non-streaming computer and would have no hesitation in using it for streaming as well.
In each case I use a boom scissor arm (<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B076ZKGZ5X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&#x26;psc=1">example</a>) to hold and position the microphone close to my mouth. This is essential to get good, clean sound.
I also use a <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0002GXF8Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&#x26;psc=1">foam windscreen</a> to reduce breath sounds and pops. It's not perfect, but it's unobtrusive, unlike the pop filter I used in earlier videos, which tended to block my view.
Finally, be sure to wear headphones while streaming to minimize any potential for feedback.
<h2>Video</h2>
Right now I am using a simple 1080p webcam as the video source, the Logitech C920. I have tried getting my relatively inexpensive DSLR camera (the Canon EOS Rebel T7) to work for this and the framerate was unacceptable. In general, you will need an expensive camera to use it to stream. I don't think this investment is worth it for my channel right now but I hope to change this in the future.
Note that, for prerecorded videos, the Canon EOS Rebel T7 is perfectly acceptable, and, in fact, looks great. If I ever return to doing prerecorded videos,
<h2>Thumbnails</h2>
The thumbnail production process is more involved than I'd imagined it would be at the outset. At the beginning of the week, I do a photoshoot (Youtube's algorithm likes goofy poses, so be prepared to sacrifice your dignity) in the clothes I'll be wearing for the week's stream.
This is important because scheduling the stream in advance, along with a thumbnail, means that people will see that it's scheduled on their Youtube feeds. Keeping the outfit constant between stream and thumbnail is important because people use the outfit as a signal for whether they want to watch the edited videos: if they've seen the stream with that outfit already, they won't need to watch the excerpt videos where I'm wearing the same thing. Yes, people actually do keep track of this!
My sister Katie acts as photographer, using my Canon EOS Rebel T7.
I then send Lucy the photos and she crops, colour corrects, and decoration to them. We use a plain photo without decoration for the stream thumbnails, and add a frame and text to the excerpt videos.
<h2>Lighting</h2>
Lighting is a difficult topic. I use a <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07MCW8BK5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&#x26;psc=1">45 Watt CFL bulb</a> with 5500K colour temperature mounted on a pole on the other side of my desk. I have set up the light with a white diffuser umbrella in front of it, as is pictured in <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Photography-Portrait-Umbrella-Continuous-Lighting/dp/B018KE5XUO/ref=sr_1_29_sspa">this product listing</a> (I don't use this particular product, but I do use one like it). I do this not only so that the light is more even but also so that I don't have to see a bare bulb.
Along with this, I ensure that all other lights in the room are off when filming and that the blinds are shut. Otherwise, the lighting is just too variable to work with.
<h2>Background</h2>
I had thought a very plain background would be best, but in fact it seems to look better to have some visual interest in the background. I use a folding screen, a bookshelf, paintings, and plants, and it all seems to work. Some people have even asked me if it was a green screen!
One thing that surprised me is that the background started looking even better when I put more distance between me and it. That separation seems to make the subject (yours truly) 'pop' out and avoid getting lost in all the detail. So, if you can, don't film directly with your back to wall if possible. I think I have about a metre between my desk and the wall and this looks good without taking up too much space in the office.
<h2>Psychology</h2>
The only reason I'm able to create so much content is that I do it live. I have perfectionist tendencies, so when I'm left without a deadline, I tend to take ages to create anything.
Livestreaming, by contrast, has forced me to accept imperfection. Instead of treating videos as precious objects that can be perfected, I now treat them as classes, lectures, or workshops which are captured for posterity. They're imperfect but they have a live "energy" that makes up – I think – for the inevitable "ums" and "ahs".
As a result of accepting the imperfection of livestreaming, I am able to create content in great quantity, and have ended up learning a great deal more than I otherwise would have. The <a href="https://austinkleon.com/2020/12/10/quantity-leads-to-quality-the-origin-of-a-parable/">parable of the two pottery classes</a>, I think, is relevant here.
<hr>
I hope this guide helps you! Please let me know on <a href="https://twitter.com/colingorrie">Twitter</a> if you have any questions.

A Walkthrough of My Streaming Setup

This is the third in a series of Old English readings. If you haven't read the previous entries in the series yet, <a href="/articles/old-english-reading-matthew-12">start there</a>.
Like the previous texts, this text is lightly adapted from <a href="https://archive.org/details/ananglosaxonrea00whitgoog/page/n158/mode/2up">Sweet's reader</a>.
I have added explanatory notes for:
<ol>
 <li>All the words that did not appear in the previous reading,</li>
 <li>All words not on the <a href="/articles/old-english-vocabulary">basic vocabulary list</a></li>
 <li>All grammar points that might be tricky for a beginner</li>
</ol>
Happy reading!<aside class="flex flex-col text-md items-start bg-white dark:bg-black p-8"><h2 class="mt-0 mb-4 text-lg">By the way...</h2>If you find this content interesting, consider subscribing to my newsletter to hear when something new gets published.<div class="not-prose"><a class="button button-primary mt-1 py-2" href="https://colingorrie.substack.com"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" role="img" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="h-4 w-4 mx-1 inline-block mr-2" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title></title><path d="M22.539 8.242H1.46V5.406h21.08v2.836zM1.46 10.812V24L12 18.11 22.54 24V10.812H1.46zM22.54 0H1.46v2.836h21.08V0z"></path></svg>Read on Substack</a></div></aside>
<h2>Matthew 13:3–8</h2>
Today's reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Here is the complete text.
<blockquote>
 Sōþlīċe ūt eode se sāwere his sǣd tō sāwenne. And þā þā hē sēow, sume hiġ fēollon wiþ weġ, and fuglas cumon and ǣton þā. Sōþlīċe sume fēollon on stǣnihte, þǣr hit næfde myċle eorþan, and hrædliċe upp sprungon, for þām þe hiġ næfdon eorþan dȳpan; sōþlīċe upp sprungenre sunnan, hiġ ādruwedon and forsċruncon, for þām þe hiġ næfdon wyrtruman. Sōþlīċe sume fēollon on þornas, and þā þornas wēoxon, and forþrysmodon þā. Sume sōþlīċe fēollon on gōde eorþan, and sealdon wæstm, sum hundfealdne, sum sixtiġfealdne, sum þrittiġfealdne.
</blockquote>
Let's break it down into more manageable parts.

 Sōþlīċe ūt eode se sāwere his sǣd tō sāwenne.
 Now out went the sower to sow his seeds.

<ul>
 <li>ūt out.</li>
 <li>eode went. Irregular past tense of gān to go in its 1st/3rd person singular form.</li>
 <li>sāwere sower. From the verb sāwan to sow (seeds).</li>
 <li>sǣd seeds. Accusative plural (or singular) of sǣd seed.<a href="#user-content-fn-3a" id="user-content-fnref-3a" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">1</a></li>
 <li>tō sāwenne to sow. Sāwenne is the inflected infinitive of sāwan to sow. The inflected infinitive is used to express purpose, among other things.</li>
</ul>

 And þā þā hē sēow, sume hiġ fēollon wiþ weġ,
 And when he sowed, some of them fell along the road,

<ul>
 <li>þā þā when.</li>
 <li>sēow sowed. Past tense of sāwan to sow in its 1st/3rd person singular form.</li>
 <li>sume some. Nominative plural neuter strong form of sum one, a certain; some.</li>
 <li>hiġ they. Variant form of hīe they.<a href="#user-content-fn-4a" id="user-content-fnref-4a" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">2</a></li>
 <li>wiþ against; along; with.</li>
 <li>weġ way, road.</li>
</ul>

 and fuglas cumon and ǣton þā.
 and birds came and ate them.

<ul>
 <li>fuglas birds. Nominative plural of fugol bird (> fowl).</li>
 <li>ǣton ate. Past tense of etan to eat, in its plural form.</li>
 <li>þā them. Neuter accusative plural of hīe they.</li>
</ul>

 Sōþlīċe sume fēollon on stǣnihte, þǣr hit næfde myċle eorþan,
 Now some fell on stony (places), where it did not have much earth.

<ul>
 <li>stǣnihte stony (ones). Variant form of stāniht stony. Accusative plural neuter strong form, governed by on onto).</li>
 <li>þǣr where.</li>
 <li>næfde = ne hæfde did not have.<a href="#user-content-fn-4a" id="user-content-fnref-4a-2" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">2</a> Hæfde is the 1st/3rd person singular past tense form of habban to have.</li>
 <li>myċle much. Feminine accusative singular strong form of miċil much, many, agreeing with eorþan earth.</li>
 <li>eorþan earth. Accusative singular of eorþe earth.</li>
</ul>

 and hrædliċe upp sprungon, for þām þe hiġ næfdon eorþan dȳpan;
 And at once they sprang up, because they did not have depth of earth.

<ul>
 <li>hrædliċe promptly, at once.</li>
 <li>upp up. Variant form of ūp.</li>
 <li>sprungon sprang. Past plural form of springan to leap; burst forth; spring.</li>
 <li>for þām þe because.</li>
 <li>eorþan of earth. Genitive singular form of eorþe earth.<a href="#user-content-fn-5a" id="user-content-fnref-5a" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">3</a></li>
 <li>dȳpan depth. Accusative singular form of dȳpe depth (variant of dīepe).</li>
</ul>

 sōþlīċe upp sprungenre sunnan, hiġ ādruwedon and forsċruncon,
 Then the sun having sprung up, they dried up and withered.

<ul>
 <li>sprungenre sprung. Feminine dative singular of (ġe)sprungen, past participle of springan to leap; burst forth; spring. In agreement with sunnan sun</li>
 <li>sunnan sun. Dative singular form of sunne sun. Together sprungenre sunnan is a dative absolute clause,<a href="#user-content-fn-6a" id="user-content-fnref-6a" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">4</a> which expresses the circumstances under which something has taken place. They have the structure X(dative) Y(dative), where X is usually a noun and Y is usually a participle. X and Y can appear in either order. You can translate these constructions as X having Y or with X having Y, as I have here with the sun having sprung up.</li>
 <li>ādruwedon dried up. Past plural form of ādrȳġan to dry up. The textbook past tense form of this verb is ādrȳġdon, but, in Old English as in so many things, real life isn't always like the textbook.</li>
 <li>forsċruncon withered. Past plural form of forsċrincan to shrink up, wither.</li>
</ul>

 for þām þe hiġ næfdon wyrtruman.
 because they did not have roots.

<ul>
 <li>wyrtruman roots. Accusative plural of wyrtruma (var. of wyrttruma root).<a href="#user-content-fn-6b" id="user-content-fnref-6b" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">5</a></li>
</ul>

 Sōþlīċe sume fēollon on þornas,
 Some, however, fell on thorns,

<ul>
 <li>þornas thorns. Accusative plural of þorn thorn.</li>
</ul>

 and þā þornas wēoxon, and forþrysmodon þā.
 and the thorns grew, and choked them.

<ul>
 <li>þā þornas the thorns. Here þornas is nominative plural.</li>
 <li>wēoxon grew. Past plural form of (ġe)weaxan to grow. Compare Present-Day English wax, something the moon does for about half of the month.</li>
 <li>forþrysmodon choked. Past plural form of forþrysmodon to choke.</li>
</ul>

 Sume sōþlīċe fēollon on gōde eorþan, and sealdon wæstm,
 Some, however, fell onto good earth, and gave fruit.

<ul>
 <li>gōde good. Feminine accusative singular form of gōd good. Accusative agreeing with eorþan earth, the phrase as a whole taking accusative due to on in its directional meaning onto.</li>
 <li>sealdon gave. Past plural form of sellan to give; betray.<a href="#user-content-fn-7a" id="user-content-fnref-7a" data-footnote-ref="" aria-describedby="footnote-label">6</a></li>
 <li>wæstm fruit. From the same root as weaxan to grow. No descendant form survives in Present-Day English.</li>
</ul>

 sum hundfealdne, sum sixtiġfealdne, sum þrittiġfealdne.
 some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

<ul>
 <li>hundfealdne hundredfold. Masculine accusative singular form of hundfeald, agreeing with an elided wæstm fruit.</li>
 <li>sixtiġfealdne sixtyfold. Ditto.</li>
 <li>þrittiġfealdne thirtyfold. Ditto.</li>
</ul>
<h2>References</h2>
<ul>
 <li>Sweet, Henry (1879). An Anglo-Saxon Reader in Prose and Verse. Oxford: Clarendon.</li>
</ul>
<section data-footnotes="" class="footnotes">
 <h2 class="sr-only" id="footnote-label">Footnotes</h2>
 <ol>
 <li id="user-content-fn-3a">
 The word sǣd is the same in the singular and plural in the nominative and accusative cases. <a href="#user-content-fnref-3a" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a>
 </li>
 <li id="user-content-fn-4a">
 sume hiġ some of them, literally some they. <a href="#user-content-fnref-4a" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a> <a href="#user-content-fnref-4a-2" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩2</a>
 </li>
 <li id="user-content-fn-5a">
 Nouns of this declension (called n-stems, or weak nouns) is sometimes difficult to translate because so many forms take the same ending: -an. <a href="#user-content-fnref-5a" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a>
 </li>
 <li id="user-content-fn-6a">
 The dative absolute construction in Old-English is comparable to the Latin ablative absolute construction. <a href="#user-content-fnref-6a" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a>
 </li>
 <li id="user-content-fn-6b">
 Etymologically, wyrttruma is a compound of wyrt plant (as in St. John's Wort) and truma troop of soldiers, which does not survive. <a href="#user-content-fnref-6b" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a>
 </li>
 <li id="user-content-fn-7a">
 The principal meaning of sellan in Old English was to give, and secondarily to betray, that is, to sell (someone) out. The main modern meaning involving commerce is a later development which only starts appearing at the very end of the Old English period. <a href="#user-content-fnref-7a" data-footnote-backref="" class="data-footnote-backref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a>
 </li>
 </ol>
</section>

Old English Graded Reader #3. Matthew 13:3–8

Fascinating journey through the world of alphabets, phonemes, graphemes, morphemes, writing systems, hieroglyphs and countless other insightful concepts that helped me progress in creating a 3D writing system. Thanks to Colin and my peer learners, I feel that I'm better connected to this beautiful universe of writing and symbols. Highly recommended to every polymath looking for new dots to connect with.

Wouldn't it be cool to invent your own alphabet? A unique form of calligraphy all your own? A script for one of the cultures in a world that you're building? Do you have a conlang that is crying out for a way to be written?
If you've ever asked yourself questions like these, Inventing Alphabets is for you. This course is a guided introduction to the practice of creating original writing systems as well as a grand tour of the anthropology, history, and linguistics of the world's writing systems.
<h2>Course Goals</h2>
By the end of this course, you will:
<ul>
 <li>Have invented an original writing system for a language of your choosing (could be a conlang!)</li>
 <li>Understand the organizational principles which govern writing systems.</li>
 <li>Have become aware of the diversity of the world's existing writing systems.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Course Structure</h2>
<ul>
 <li>Students: 10</li>
 <li>Length: 2hr sessions x 6 weeks (taught live over Zoom)
 <ul>
 <li>4 lecture sessions</li>
 <li>2 workshop sessions (space for Q&#x26;A and working side-by-side on your own writing systems)</li>
 </ul>
 </li>
 <li>Technical details: you can use whatever medium you like to create your system (either digital or using paper), as long as there's some way to show us what you've been working on! :smiley:</li>
</ul>
<h2>Syllabus</h2>
<h3>Week 1: The Origins and Development of Writing</h3>
The goal of this class is to get you acquainted with how writing works and where it came from. First, we'll disentangle the ideas of language and writing: these things are distinct but related, and related in interesting ways. Then we'll explore the origins of writing. We'll look at the material, social, and economic environments in which writing first arose, and how these things influenced the shape of early writing systems. We'll end with an interactive exercise to explore the effect of writing material and technology on the visual aspects of writing systems.
<h3>Week 2: The Structure of Writing Systems</h3>
The goal of this class is to introduce you to the internal structure and logic of writing systems, using the Latin alphabet (the one you're reading right now) as an example. We'll look in more depth at the many ways in which writing relates to language. Then we'll introduce the different organizing principles that the writing systems of the world use which we'll be delving more deeply into in the second half of the course. We'll end with an exercise to develop an alternative alphabet for English or another language.
<h3>Week 3: Workshop Session 1</h3>
Workshop sessions are a combination of co-working, show and tell, troubleshooting, and office hours.
<h3>Week 4: Writing Sound</h3>
The goal of this class is to introduce you to the families of non-alphabetic writing systems that nevertheless represent sound: these are the abjad, abugida, and syllabary. We'll be looking in depth at three systems: the Hebrew abjad, the Devanagari abugida, and the Cherokee syllabary. The class will finish with an exercise where we try to adapt the alphabet we made last time into an abjad, abugida, or syllabary.
<h3>Week 5: Writing Meaning</h3>
The goal of this class is to introduce you to the family of morphographic writing systems, systems which primarily encode minimal units of meaning (i.e. morphemes) rather than sound. We'll look at the ways these systems manage the complexity of representing all the morphemes in a language, when the number of morphemes in a language has no upper limit. We will use as our examples Chinese characters, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and cuneiform. Finally, we'll end with an exercise to add some morphographic elements to one of the writing systems we've worked on in previous weeks.
<h3>Week 6: Workshop Session 2</h3>
Workshop sessions are a combination of co-working, show and tell, troubleshooting, and office hours.
<h2>Who Should Sign Up?</h2>
This course requires no linguistic training, knowledge of any languages but English, or artistic prowess. What it does require is a spirit of curiosity and play: curiosity because you'll be learning a lot about how people have written things across time and space, and play because you'll be experimenting, brainstorming, sketching and revising until you've made the writing system of your heart's desire.

Inventing Alphabets

Bülent Duagi

I've been taking <a href="https://twitter.com/colingorrie">@colingorrie</a>'s Meta-Skills for Language Learning course via @hyperlink_a and it's been incredibly insightful!

Learning a second language: Many people attempt it but few accomplish it. Despite the wide variety of books, apps, and courses promising fluency with little effort ("in only 15 minutes a day"), most language learners do not achieve their goals. But there is lots of research studying how language learning works and how to do it effectively. Unfortunately, few language learners are aware of it.
Let's fix that. This course is an accessible introduction to the science and practice of language learning. You'll learn:
<ul>
 <li>How to select materials for language learning (and which kinds to avoid!)</li>
 <li>How to use language learning materials effectively</li>
 <li>How to manage motivation throughout the language learning process</li>
 <li>How your needs change as you progress from beginner to intermediate to advanced</li>
 <li>How to learn multiple languages at once (and whether you should!)</li>
 <li>How a little knowledge of how language works can save you a lot of time</li>
</ul>
In short, this course provides you with a toolkit of knowledge, techniques, and mindsets you can use over your lifetime as a language learner.
<h2>What You'll Get</h2>
Meta-Skills for Language Learning is a self-paced online course divided into 5 modules
<ul>
 <li>Audio lessons with transcripts.</li>
 <li>PDF worksheets.</li>
 <li>Access to live monthly Q&#x26;A session</li>
</ul>
<h2>Structure of the Course</h2>
<h3>Module 1: Why most language learning resolutions fail</h3>
In this module, you'll learn the answer to the question: Why do so many language learning resolutions fail? We'll talk about why we learn languages, and how your reason for learning a language affects how you go about learning it. We'll also highlight some unsuccessful strategies for learning languages and why they don't work. We'll discuss some assumptions people often bring to language learning and show you which are legitimate and which are false and unhelpful. Finally, I'll show you how to take an inventory of your language learning practice as it is today and use it as a starting point to build a new one.
<h3>Module 2: The science of how we learn languages</h3>
This module introduces the results of the last few decades of research in second language acquisition. We now know a lot about how language learning works. And it turns out that it's not much like the way most people go about learning languages. I'm going to bust language learning myths, and replace these myths with science-backed knowledge.
<h3>Module 3: Spending your time and money wisely</h3>
In this module we will use what we learned in the last module to review different types of language learning materials and methods: from formal classes and private tutors to conversation partners, textbooks, and apps. Along the way, you'll learn why the best apps for language learning aren't language-learning apps at all.
<h3>Module 4: The language learning mindset</h3>
This module introduces a factor that will make or break your language learning success: your mindset. I'll teach you practical techniques for working within the constraints of human psychology: techniques for maintaining motivation, fighting burnout, and keeping your love for language learning alive. I'll teach you the counterintuitive way you can keep your progress steady by doing less.
<h3>Module 5: Creating your language learning roadmap</h3>
In this final module, we'll taking what you've learned in the previous modules and apply it to your own language learning practice. We'll also discuss some special situations you may find yourself in, such as:
<ul>
 <li>learning dead languages</li>
 <li>learning less-commonly taught languages, and</li>
 <li>learning multiple languages at the same time (including the age-old question how to learn Spanish and French at the same time without mixing them up?)</li>
</ul>
Finally, you'll create a new language learning roadmap you can use to guide you over the coming months and years of your language learning.
<h2>About Colin</h2>
Colin Gorrie is a linguist and experienced language learner. He has been learning languages for 25 years and has spent a decade studying how language works. In this course, he joins his theoretical background in linguistics with his practical experience as a learner of many languages to give you the tools to get you making progress in your target language – and start having fun – once again!
<h2>FAQ</h2>
<blockquote>
 Is this course suitable for someone who has never learned a language before?
</blockquote>
Yes, this course is perfect for someone who wants to get start their language learning journey on the right foot.
<blockquote>
 Is this course suitable for an experienced language learner?
</blockquote>
If you are an experienced polyglot with a string of language learning successes under your belt, this course will likely be too basic for you.
However, if you've been learning a language for a while, and you feel frustrated with your lack of progress, this course will be able to help you.
<blockquote>
 Do I have to be learning a commonly studied language like French or Spanish?
</blockquote>
No, these techniques will work for any language – even dead ones! I'll show you how to adapt these techniques and apply these strategies to less-commonly taught languages as well.
<blockquote>
 Do I have to be available at a particular to take part?
</blockquote>
No, this class is completely asynchronous and self-paced.

Meta-Skills for Language Learning

Fanny Luor

Learning about the effectiveness of comprehensible input significantly improved my approach to learning German. Fewer boring flash cards, more interesting texts, podcasts, and videos. That insight alone was worth the price of the course.

Glenn

Colin is an absolute genius, a patient teacher, and a thrilling linguist.
He encouraged our cohort to explore unique directions and was able to facilitate everyone’s different ideas. Throughout the course, Colin brought each of our projects from a handful of lip-and-tongue noises to a complex, beautiful, and unique language. I hope to take another course with him soon!

<h2>Course Goals</h2>
This course is a hands-on introduction to making constructed languages (or conlangs) as a creative pursuit, taught by a linguist and experienced conlanger. The course also serves as an introduction to linguistics, but instead of learning the material in a dry, lecture style, you'll learn it all by doing. By the end of the course, you'll not only have created a language of your own, but you'll also have the ability to repeat the process and create whole worlds full of languages.
<blockquote>
 Colin is an absolute genius, a patient teacher, and a thrilling linguist.
 
 He encouraged our cohort to explore unique directions and was able to facilitate everyone’s different ideas. Throughout the course, Colin brought each of our projects from a handful of lip-and-tongue noises to a complex, beautiful, and unique language. I hope to take another course with him soon!
 —Jake
 
</blockquote>
<h2>Length / Commitment</h2>
<ul>
 <li>Length: 6 weeks</li>
 <li>Classes: 2-hour live workshop sessions
 <ul>
 <li>These are live sessions but are recorded for you to review if you need to miss a session.</li>
 </ul>
 </li>
 <li>Homework: Approx. 1 hour per week</li>
 <li>Also includes:
 <ul>
 <li>Course textbook written by me, Colin (~90pp)</li>
 </ul>
 </li>
</ul>
<h2>Syllabus / Schedule</h2>
<h3>Week 1: Introduction</h3>
What is a language and what does it mean to construct a language? In this session you’ll learn enough of the basics of linguistics to figure out what we need to do to make our first conlang. We’ll use this knowledge to break the task into chunks and set up a logical progression which will guide the rest of the course. Finally I’ll send you away with a mission to find a spark of inspiration for your first language that will guide you throughout the process.
<h3>Week 2: Sounds</h3>
What gives a language its unique sound? In this session, you'll learn about the range of sounds made by the languages of the world. You'll also learn a system of classifying sounds and use that information to create a palette of sounds for your language to draw on.
<h3>Week 3: From Sounds to Words</h3>
In this chapter, you'll learn how to combine sounds to make words according to a blueprint that you'll develop for your language. This is where your language starts develop its unique flavour.
<h3>Week 4: From Words to Sentences</h3>
This session is about going from your language’s first words to your language’s first sentences. To do this, we’ll learn the different strategies languages use to package meaning into words. Then we’ll learn about the different ways languages express relationships between words. This will give us the tools to start making sentences.
<h3>Weeks 5–6: A More Powerful Grammar, Parts 1 and 2</h3>
In these sessions we will start to increase the expressive power of your language by introducing the many things you can do with sentences that are not so simple. You'll learn thrilling grammatical strategies for adding additional details about when, where, and why something happened. You'll marvel at the ease with which you'll be combining sentences – ok, look: it's hard to write a captivating description of grammatical topics. But trust me, we'll have fun making your language capable of doing more.
<h2>Artifacts</h2>
By the end of the course, you will have created a set of core reference material for a new language:
<ul>
 <li>A short guide to your language, including information on spelling, pronunciation, as well as how to form words and sentences.</li>
 <li>A small dictionary for your language</li>
 <li>A translation of a short fable (&#x3C; 100 words in English)</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
 
 I must say I was really curious before we started the course - and all of my expectations went completely fulfilled. I think the course is really well structured as a sort of path that guides the student through the basic steps of building a conlang. At week 0, I knew nothing about conlangs and in just two months I got to write a sample story, how exciting!
 —Sandro
 
</blockquote>
<h2>Who Should Sign Up</h2>
This course is for you if you:
<ul>
 <li>Have a creative project you'd like to make a realistic language for (e.g. authors, game designers, worldbuilders).</li>
 <li>Want to learn to conlang as a creative pursuit.</li>
 <li>Are curious about linguistics and want to learn it in a fun and creative way.</li>
</ul>
But it's probably not for you if you...
<ul>
 <li>Are an experienced conlanger (this will be too basic for you).</li>
 <li>Are most interested in making a planned language for international communication (i.e. an auxlang).</li>
</ul>
<h2>Requirements</h2>
<ul>
 <li>No linguistics background is assumed.</li>
 <li>You'll need a Google account to participate in shared Google Docs/Sheets.</li>
</ul>

Language Construction Workshop

Jake Fee

I've wanted to learn how to create a language but almost gave up hope until I found Colin's Language Construction Workshop. I started with nearly zero linguistics background, and in the end, I learned all the necessary foundations to create my first language. Colin is a fantastic teacher, and I want to recommend his course to anyone interested in making their first language!

Ji Woo Kim

Natasha Lipman

I must say I was really curious before we started the course - and all of my expectations went completely fulfilled. I think the course is really well structured as a sort of path that guides the student through the basic steps of building a conlang. At week 0, I knew nothing about conlangs and in just two months I got to write a sample story, how exciting!

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