I worry that I don't know enough linguistics-- that things I want to do in Nimyad aren't *really* how a language would work.
Do remember that languages often work in mysterious ways.
There are some things that many languages do, some that few languages do, and some that don't seem to be used in natural languages.
However, some things which seem implausible (to a given person) in natural languages nevertheless pop up from time to time in this or that language. (For example, the Semitic root-and-pattern morphology would probably have been deemed unnatural if it hadn't been attested in this languages.)
And lastly, whether you want to worry about whether a given thing is "natural" or not is up to you. Some people set off to create a conlang that could be mistaken for a natlang; others want the conlang to be how they like it, regardless of whether it could have been a natlang or not; and some even explicitly break "language universals", to see how things turn out. (For example, they create a language without verbs.)
If you're not on the CONLANG mailing list at brown.edu, I recommend that you subscribe; I've found it a treasure trove not only for linguistics information but also for seeing what other people do and for getting opinions on this or that language feature.
no subject
Do remember that languages often work in mysterious ways.
There are some things that many languages do, some that few languages do, and some that don't seem to be used in natural languages.
However, some things which seem implausible (to a given person) in natural languages nevertheless pop up from time to time in this or that language. (For example, the Semitic root-and-pattern morphology would probably have been deemed unnatural if it hadn't been attested in this languages.)
And lastly, whether you want to worry about whether a given thing is "natural" or not is up to you. Some people set off to create a conlang that could be mistaken for a natlang; others want the conlang to be how they like it, regardless of whether it could have been a natlang or not; and some even explicitly break "language universals", to see how things turn out. (For example, they create a language without verbs.)
If you're not on the CONLANG mailing list at brown.edu, I recommend that you subscribe; I've found it a treasure trove not only for linguistics information but also for seeing what other people do and for getting opinions on this or that language feature.