The CONLANG list is devoted to the discussion of "constructed" or

"artifical" languages for general communication. It is essentially

concerned with creative linbguistics and not such formal languages such

as programming languages or mathematical notation, except as they may

relate to a proposal for a mthod of communication. Since many constructed

languages have a fictional background, this description is complicated by

not being anle to use possibly descriptive terms such as "human language"

which would be descriptive, if it were not prejudicial to the Alien

conlangs.



The reasons for constructing languages cover a wide range of reasons,

from proposals to enhance international communication, to the creation of

more logical languages to enhance thinking or specialized forms of

communication, to exploring linguistic theory through model-building, as

background for fictional creation, as art for art's sake, and just for

fun.



SHORT AUXLANG DESCRIPTION, AND WHY THERE ARE TWO LISTS



The AUXLANG list is devoted to discussions of the merits and practicality

of particular International Auxiliary Languages -- languages intended to

enhance international communication. Since this topic inspires great

devotion and frequently also inspires high volumes of debate about the

merits and drawbacks of particular languages like Esperanto, the

discussion especially of the political, and strategic questions of IALs

has been moved to AUXLANG. Auxiliary languages are not banned from the

more general discussion on CONLANG, but the discussion's significance

should extend beyond the IAL community. For example, a discussion of

ergative case marking applied to Esperanto might be interesting to the

general community -- a lengthy discussion of the merits and disadvantages

of having case markings in an IAL would not be.



FLAMING



As current listowner for both lists, I would appreciate i