Description
Megan Caldwell is looking for a language expert to create two languages for a fantasy novel series revolving around wolves. These languages will appear mostly in the names of characters, locations, culturally relevant items and concepts, and some phrases and short sentences.
There are two main wolf cultures in this fantasy world: a main culture of wolves who believe they live where wolf culture originated, and an offshoot born from disgruntled wolves who fled across a mountain range. The two languages needed are the languages of these two groups:
- The employer envisions the language of the main culture to have a Germanic and/or Scandinavian influence. It should be relatively familiar to Anglophone readers yet foreign;
- The second language is a direct offshoot of the first one, and the two are still partially mutually intelligible, in a relationship similar to that of Dutch and Afrikaans. The wolves of that group have also consciously modified their language, mostly in the lexicon, in order to sound more elegant and refined compared to their neighbours.
Although the main use for the languages will be names for characters, locations and things of nature, the employer expects to use phrases and short sentences as well and therefore needs full conlangs. The language of the main culture will have to be developed as a full conlang, with up to 500 words of vocabulary and a simple grammar description, while the language of the offshoot culture can be derived from the first one. The employer also wants to collaborate with the language expert to flesh out the cultural background of both languages. There is no script needed.
Employer
Megan Caldwell
Application Period
Closed due to job filled
Term
The initial work should be done by mid-July, with at least a kernel of useful vocabulary ready by the beginning of July, to be negotiated with the employer.
Compensation
$450 for the two languages as described above, subject to negotiation. Compensation for additional work can be negotiated.
This is a “work for hire” deal. Partially paid up front and partially at completion, with some paid in between as required. Credit to the conlanger will be given in the contract format that they prefer on the copyright page, as with cover art.
To Apply
Email Megan Caldwell at – “at” – “dot” – to express your interest in the project. Examples of previous work are required.
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