u/Dense-Nobody2714

Hey there! There's a lot here to dig into, so let's start with a basic English translation of this text string:

1: yo, can we talk?

2: yeah yeah what is it?

1: uhhhh you remember my classmate?

2: who?

3: oh yeah from your history class?

1: yeah yeah...

2: you like her?

1: maybe...

3: understandable, she's cute

2: yeah she's so fucking sexy

1: hey don't say shit like that!

2: sorry sorry

1: but... she's so cool, and fashionable, ,and- she also likes fantasy novels!

3: oh a nerd? they're made for each other! you should ask her out

1: yeah but i can't

3: why not?

2: it's easy, we'll help you out

1: ahh thanks my friends

Okśa ['okʃa] is a Romance language with some Brittonic superstrate spoken in the fictional Western European island nation of Okśa. The participants in this conversation are all university students in the capital/largest city of Montśinok, so they are using a lot of slang- much of which is borrowed from French, various Celtic languages (mostly Welsh), and Esperanto (long story).

Pronunciation: five vowel [a] [e] [i] [o] [u], with a few allophones. Written mostly as IPA (at least in this sample). Stress is mostly on penultimate syllable, but a macron indicates a lengthened vowel and sometimes a shift in stress- so liverās is [live'ɾaːs], not [liˈveras]. There's also a lateral fricative (unique evolution of Latin's geminated [l], possibly influenced by later Welsh settlers), but sadly you don't see that here. There's far too many lexical and grammtical oddities to discuss here, so I'll put it in a comment.

If you're curious what happens to these characters, I may make this a series! Thank y'all, happy conlanging:)

of course he also says that he doesn't exist, and he claims to have fought Mara the god of death, so maybe he IS a crackpot...

(also this is my first contribution here, you're welcome!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcwozbKWh4M

context: i've been collecting recordings of Les Mis in every language i can find for a... personal project. when i found this video, from a 2010(?) norwegian production, i was simply blown away. the choice to massively slow down the first half, to linger on every word, to sing so softly, makes the second half (i love him/ but when the night is over...) that much more impactful. and Johansen's DYNAMICS, her FACIAL EXPRESSIONS(!!) ... i'm sad i can't find a full recording of this, i'm geniunely in love with this Eponine ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹