Author Archives: kazisiddiqui

A romantic song by a founder of a communist party (English translation in the subtitles): “At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.” – Che Guevara

For the first time, I’m trying to address this kind of a dimension in conlanging: Puns in the spoken language are a source of cultural associations. For example, the sea is associated with favor (lho). A cutlass is associated with waves (só). A sharp look is said to pierce the soul like a talon (lhé).Continue reading “Exploring cultural associations through conlanging”

Draft 9: Added vocabulary and sample sentences. Added spoken forms to the lexicon. Added sound changes to the spoken language. Added note about puns. Changed conworld details. Draft 8: Renamed archipelago. Edited descriptions. Added vocabulary. Noted irregularities. Regularized glottal finals. Removed evidentials. This language started as a dialect of Toukanta, but inexactness feels more piratey.Continue reading “A Pirate Language”

I’m obsessed with this Nazrul song. I’m at a loss on how to translate it. হারানো হিয়ার নিকুঞ্জপথেIn the bower-path of a lost life কুড়াই ঝরা ফুল একেলা আমি।I collect fallen petals by myself. তুমি কেন হায় আসিলে হেথায়Why did you, alas, come here সুখের স্বরগ হইতে নামি।।Descending from a heaven of pleasure? চারিপাশে মোরContinue reading “Translation: হারানো হিয়ার নিকুঞ্জপথে”

Nazrul Geeti. No, no, my love, these are not tears you see.Sleep, only sleep, has dimmed the kohl of my eyes.At the pale break of night you watch the dewlie on the lotus leaf, and you supposethe flower has blossomed out of grief.This is no more than a winter cloudbrushed by a false and treacherousContinue reading “Translation: নহে নহে প্রিয় এ নয় আঁখি-জল”

Nazrul Geeti. Oh maiden from a far-off island, I know you, I know.Stranger from the land of cinnamon, so sweet, soft-spoken.On the calm Pacific sea,through typhoon and the storm,I heard your restless tune.Do you play a wild flute of mountain cane?The woods are washed all over in a spring-gold smile.Deep in the coils of yourContinue reading “Translation: দূর দ্বীপবাসিনী”

An ex-member of Hindutva talks about his experience: There is so much right-wing propaganda because right-wing propaganda outlets are hiring in massive numbers. The Indian right hires “IT cells”, which are exactly what they sound like. Right-wing propaganda paints those crushed by the system as losers. The pressure generated by the system triggers the effectsContinue reading “Why Leftists Must Focus on Job Creation”