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Lexember 2025: Days 1-8

 Lexember is where conlangers create one word per day for the month of December. I participated in this language on Bluesky last year and it really helped build up my conlangs: Kalovanian, Lubenavian and Vasatulokian. It also gives me a chance to be more active on Bluesky (an alternative to Twitter that isn't as toxic as what Twitter has become). The prompts were created by David J. Peterson (creator of Dothraki, High Valryian, etc)and Jessie Peterson of the LangTime Studio podcast and author of How to Create a Language. I would recommend following them on Bluesky and using the hashtag #Lexember so that your post can be found and seen by fellow conlangers.

Without further ado, here are the first 4 prompts for Lexember in Kalovanian, Lubenavian and Vasatulokian:

Dec 1: A way of preparing food (e.g. Chop, grind, dice, mince)

KalovanianTalia /talia/- To cut, to slice, to chop, to dice, to sever, to amputate, to behead, to separate, to split apart, to tear (apart).

Example:  Sandra terrapoma ke suppe talian- Sandra chops potatoes for the soup.

/Sandra tɛr:apɔma kɛ sup:ɛ talian/

[Sandra- potato- to- soup- to cut-1st pers pres]

LubenavianFinōasūlūko-/Finɔ:asu:lu:ko/- To cut, to slice, to chop, to dice, to sever, to amputate, to behead, to separate, to split apart, to tear (apart).

Example: Finōasūlūkoēkuieilai dōneilos nykuifaubuku- He chopped the carrots for the salad.

/To chop-PST-3SG-carrot-DEF-COM GEN-SUFF-PL-salad-DEF-NEU GEN-SUFF-for-ALL SUFF/

/Finɔ:asu:lu:ko ɛ:kui eilai dɔ:neilɔs nykuifaubuku/

VasatulokianHageli-/Hagɛli/-To cut, to slice, to chop, to dice, to sever, to amputate, to behead, to separate, to split apart, to tear (apart).

Example: Bekusi ferolapko hoa nayakbaatuk hageliehui- The tomatoes have been diced for the salad bar.

/bɛkusi fɛʁɔlabkɔ hɔa naijag ba:tug hagɛliɛhui/

/DEM-PL-tomato-PL-NOM SUFF-for-salad bar- ACC SUFF- to dice- PST-PRF/

Dec 2: A way of making food (e.g. bake, cook, sauté, boil)

Kalovanian: Uka /uka/- To cook, cooking, to bake, baking

Example: Mū ke festa ugalemoluvama vauka-I baked dessert for the party.

/Mu: kɛ fɛsta ugalɛmoluvama vauka/

/1ST PERS SING- to- party-dessert-PST-to bake/

Lubenavian: Farakurauo-/farakurauo/- To cook, to bake

Example: Ataufarakurauoeilai faūbēitosjufei bakufūko-He cooks for his parents everyday.

/Ataufarakuauo ɛilai fau:ɛ:itosjufei bakufu:ko/

/PRES-to cook-3SG-parents-COM GEN PL-3RD PERS POSS SUFF-everyday/

Vasatulokian: Okara- /ɔkaʁa/- To cook, cooking, to bake, baking

Example: Saiosainu hoa eki mulochaibe jeki urelo okarahuihi -My dad cooked dinner for me yesterday

/Saiɔsainu hɔa ɛki mulɔtʃaibɛ d͡ʒɛki uʁɛlɔ ɔkaʁahuihi/

/Yesterday-for-1SG- father-1 PERS POSS- dinner- to cook-3PERS PST/

Dec 3: A type of dish (e.g. stew, soup, cake, biscuit, bread)

Kalovanian: Suppe kana fuma /sup:ɛ kana fuma/- Spicy chicken soup

 Example: Mū suppe kana fuma ugalemolu sepunan- I like to eat spicy chicken soup.

/Mu: sup:ɛ kana fuma ugalɛmolu sɛpunan/

/1SG-soup-chicken-spicy-to eat-to like-PRES/

Lubenavian: Goletina porufa-/gɔlɛtina porufa/- Bread used to dip in soup (Lit: Fog bread)

Example: Atauvatasanauko kufaōlūrauko tsuppa kolo goletina porufa-I like to eat soup with fog bread.

/Atauvatanasaukɔ kufalɔ:lu:rauko: tsup:a kɔlɔ gɔlɛtina porufa/

/PRES-to like-1SG-to eat-soup-with-bread-fog/

Vasatulokian: Zhup nukodavolei-/ʒub nukɔdavolei/- Vegetable soup

Example: Palo nala rinakotalasako tosai vimui ebo tarbeilumar zhup nukodavoleituk ilogulisi -She eats vegetable soup during the autumn and winter seasons.

/palɔ nala ʁinakɔtalasakɔ tɔsai vimui ɛbɔ taʁbeilumaʁ ʒub nukɔdavoleitug ilɔgulisi/

Dec 4: Something that adds flavour (e.g. cinnamon, salt, pepper, basil, bay leaf)

Kalovanian: Fumanau /fumanau/- Cinnamon

Example:  Aketa ugalemoluvama me poma ja fumanau-This dessert contains apples and cinnamon.

/DEM-dessert-with-apple-and-cinnamon/

/Akɛta ugalɛmɔluvama mɛ pɔma ja fumanau/

Lubenavian: Sale/salɛ/- Salt

Example: Ataukufaōlūraukouko degauo kolo burro li sale- I eat corn with butter and salt.

/ataukufaɔ:lu:raukɔuko dɛgauɔ kɔlɔ bur:o li salɛ/

/PRES-to eat-1SG-Corn-with-butter-and-salt/

Vasatulokian: Kuti- Basil

Example: Pozu sebikohui kuti da bachu solitu ferolap- There's basil in this tomato sauce (pasta sauce).

/pɔzu sɛbikɔhui kuti da batʃu sɔlitu fɛʁɔlab/

/DEM-To be-3SG-basil-in-this-sauce-tomato/

Dec 5: Something to cook with (e.g. pot, pan, skillet)

Kalovanian: Nabe- Pan

Example: Aketa nabe sū?-Is this your pan?

/Akɛta nabɛ su:/

Lubenavian: Gopovega- Frying pan, skillet

Example: Nuofafūkōa kuataukori gokunaifau gopovegafa- The pancakes were made using a skillet

/nuɔfafu:kɔ:a kuataukɔri gɔkunaifau gɔpɔvɛga/

/PASS-to do-to use-pancake-NEU GEN PL SUFF-skillet-NEU GEN SING/

Vasatulokian: Okarapalilaigu- Pot (Bakeware and Cookware)

Example: Palikagibajaiko da okarapalilaigutuk okarahui-The noodles are cooked in a pot.

/palikagibad͡ʒaikɔ da ɔkaʁapalilaigutug ɔkaʁahui/

/noodle-NOM PL-in-pot-ACC SUFF-to cook-PST/

December 6: Something to eat with (e.g. spoon, fork, chopstick)

Kalovanian: Tekujera- Spoon

Example: Aketa tekujera-This is a spoon.

/akɛta tɛkujɛra/

/DEM-spoon/

LubenavianJūloto- Chopstick

Example: Ataukufaōlūraukouko fenuo kolo jūlotoifau-I eat rice with chopsticks.

/ataukufaɔ:lu:raukɔukɔ fɛnuɔ kɔlɔ ju:lɔtɔifau/

/PRES-to eat-1ST PERS SUFF-rice-with-chopstick-NEU PL SUFF/

Vasatulokian: Ilugulo- Fork

Example: Palikagibajai jegui italia gu ilugulo ilogulin -I eat spaghetti with a fork.

/palikagibajaid͡ʒai d͡ʒɛgui italia gu ilugulɔ ilɔgulin/

/noodle-yellow-Italy-with-fork-to eat-1 PERS PRES/

December 7: Something to drink with (e.g. cup, stein, glass, mug)

Kalovanian: Pullo- Mug

Example: Akedes pullo ve mū kāva -My coffee is in that mug.

/DEM-mug-in-my-coffee/

Lubenavian: Galasu- Glass

Example: Ataukokānebeuko lēgūako galasupo asūlū? -May I get a glass of water?

/PRES-to consent-1SG-to have-glass-NEU INDEF SUFF-water/

Vasatulokian: Kokuong- Cup

Example: Pozu amupa da bachu kokuong sebikohui-There's water in this cup.

/pɔzu amupa da bau kɔkuɔnk sɛbikɔhui/

/DEM-water-in-this-cup-to be-3SG/

December 8: Something to eat on (e.g. plate, bowl, saucer)

Kalovanian: Bol- Bowl

Example: Aketa bol mūtarel-This bowl is green.

Lubenavian: Piatto- Plate

Example: Ataunēbēkouoliu reiau piattokai- This is my plate.

/ataunɛ:bɛ:kɔuɔliu reiau piattokai/

Vasatulokian: Sala- Plate

Example: Pozu sebikohui enu takolevtuk sala-There is a plate on the ground.

/pɔzu sɛbikɔhui ɛnu takɔlɛftug sala/


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