Contacting zompist.com

Why this page? Well, so I can put in announcements like this:

My mail is overflowing with spam these days. To avoid getting deleted make sure you use a non-spammy subject line. Spammers these days are masters of innocuous or chatty-sounding subject lines, but they can't make it sound like they've actually read the site.

Bad examples:     A great site!     Thanks!     Have you heard about this?     Info     You'd like this     (no subject line)

Good examples:     Disagreement on your taxes rant     Question about languages     When do we get more Fuschia comics?     Indian languages     You'd like this sf author     Hey, Zomp, is this right?

Also note: I'm incredibly behind on e-mail. I avidly read it, but it will take awhile to reply.

If your account rejects mail from unknown senders, add my e-mail address to your approved list before writing me. It's rather rude to ask a question and then bounce replies away.

Unfortunately required note: Mail that starts out with insults will be junked without response. This is for your good as well as mine: if you're that upset, chill out and rewrite later; your letter will be better for it.

Can I link to your site?
Can I put some stuff from your page on my site?
You made an error!
Can you tell me...
Do you know how to say --- in ---?
Do you what language --- might be or what it means?
Can you tell me --- by Friday?
Can you send me --- in --- format?
I found my family name, ---, on one of your pages!
Can you look at my constructed language?
Je suppose que vous parlez français ?

Can I link to your site?

Sure. Thanks.
 

Can I put some stuff from your page on my site?

I'd really rather you didn't. I'd rather my stuff be in one place where I can make corrections, track usage, etc. If you like my stuff, you can always link to it.

Exception: The sci.lang FAQ can be freely redistributed, so long as credit is given and you don't make money off it.

Partial exception: translations. If you want to translate some pages, e-mail me.
 

You made an error!

No doubt. But please tell me what page it's on. There's over 240 pages on this site, so "this page" or "here" is not really clear enough.
 

Can you tell me...

Possibly, if your return e-mail address works. You'd be surprised how many queries I get from (say) public terminals at libraries that can't receive e-mail.
 

Do you know how to say _______ in ________?
Do you know what language _________ might be or what it means?

No harm in asking, but if I don't reply, I probably don't know. I refer to a lot of languages on these pages that I don't speak!
 

Can you tell me _________ by Friday?
Can you send me _______ in ________ format?

Well, probably not. This is entirely a sideline for me; I have a full-time job and a family too. I love mail, but I don't really like mail that creates extra tasks for me. :)

Special note on the Language Construction Kit: The Kit lives in just two files, this one and this one. So it's really not that hard to download it all.
 

I found my family name, ________, on one of your pages!! What does this mean?

This happens surprisingly often. I have a bunch of constructed languages on my site, with thousands of invented words; see Virtual Verduria for a general introduction. It's almost always a pure coincidence. You can't invent that many words without duplicating some word in some real language.
 

Can you look at my constructed language?

I'm afraid I can't; but there's a better alternative: Put a description of your language up on the Web; then give the URL on the Zompist BBoard. You can get some feedback this way; please be willing, as well, to review projects that other people announce there.
 

Je suppose que vous parlez français ?

Oui; vous pouvez m'écrire en français.