2025

While LLMs seem good at inventing alien languages, they’re not so good at inventing alien drawing forms, in my opinion. When I told Grok, DeepSeek, and Gemini:

Invent a new, alien drawing form. Use it to draw something never seen before by explaining it step by step for a person to reproduce that drawing.

… and asked ChatGPT ImageGen to draw them, here are the results:

It’s surprising how similar the results are. Spirals with outward flows. Nodes at the edges. Attempts at complexity. Is that because the training data or process is similar?

Click on the headings below to see the full description of the art form.

Grok invented Zylothic Flow, inspired by the imagined art of a species from a liquid-metal planet

Let’s invent a new alien drawing form called "Zylothic Flow", inspired by the imagined art of a species from a liquid-metal planet. Zylothic Flow combines spiraling, mirrored symmetry with unpredictable, jagged interruptions, mimicking the flow of molten metal interrupted by crystalline growths. The result will feel otherworldly, fluid yet sharp, and unlike anything terrestrial. I’ll guide you step-by-step to create a drawing of a "Kryzalth", a fictional alien entity that’s part organism, part geological formation, using this Zylothic Flow technique.

Materials Needed:

• Paper (any size, but larger gives more room for detail)
• Pen or marker (black works best for contrast, but feel free to experiment)
• Optional: colored pencils or markers for accents

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step 1: The Core Spiral

• Start near the center of your paper. Draw a loose, wobbly spiral about the size of a fist (roughly 3-4 inches across). Don’t make it perfect—let the lines waver slightly, as if it’s a liquid current spinning unevenly.
• Leave small gaps between the spiral loops (about 1/4 inch), as these will be filled later.

Step 2: Mirrored Extensions

• Pick two opposite points on the outermost loop of your spiral (e.g., top and bottom, or left and right). From each point, draw a long, curving line outward, like tendrils stretching away from the core. Make them roughly symmetrical but not identical—let one curve slightly more sharply or extend a bit longer.
• Each tendril should be about 5-6 inches long, tapering to a point as it ends.

Step 3: Jagged Interruptions

• Along each tendril, add 3-4 sharp, angular shapes breaking the smooth curve. These are the "crystalline growths." For each one:
  • Draw a quick, zigzagging line (like a lightning bolt) cutting across the tendril, about 1 inch long.
  • Connect the ends of the zigzag back to the tendril with short, straight lines, forming a rough triangle or trapezoid sticking out.
• Space these interruptions unevenly—one tendril might have two close together, while the other has them spread out.

Step 4: Spiral Fissures

• Return to the core spiral. In the gaps between the loops, draw thin, irregular lines radiating outward, like cracks or veins. Make them twist and branch slightly, but keep them shorter than the tendrils (1-2 inches long).
• Add a few tiny, jagged shapes (like miniature versions of the tendril interruptions) where these fissures end.

Step 5: Fluid Echoes

• Around the entire drawing, sketch faint, wavy lines that loosely follow the shapes you’ve made—like ripples or echoes in liquid. These should be incomplete, broken lines, not fully encircling anything. Think of them as the Kryzalth’s "energy wake."
• Keep them light and subtle, so they don’t overpower the main structure.

Step 6: Detailing the Kryzalth

• To make it feel alive, add a few organic touches:
  • On one tendril, draw a cluster of small, overlapping ovals near the tip, like budding spores or eyes.
  • In the center of the spiral, sketch a rough, asymmetrical shape (like a melted star) to suggest a core or heart.
• Optionally, use color: shade the spiral in metallic hues (silver, bronze) and the jagged growths in crystalline tones (blue, purple, or green).

What You’ve Created:

Your Kryzalth should look like a swirling, metallic entity with crystalline spikes jutting from its flowing form—a being that seems to shift between liquid and solid states. The Zylothic Flow technique gives it a sense of motion and alien vitality, as if it’s growing or pulsing on the page. No two Kryzalths will be exactly alike due to the organic imperfections and asymmetry built into the process.

Feel free to experiment—add more tendrils, exaggerate the jagged growths, or play with the spiral’s size. This is your glimpse into an alien artist’s mind! Let me know if you’d like to refine it further or try something else.

DeepSeek invented “Zyxian Spectral Weaving” that uses luminous tension strands

Alien Drawing Form: "Zyxian Spectral Weaving"

Concept:
In the Zyxian culture from the nebula of Vorth-7, art is not created with lines or shapes but with "luminous tension strands"—interwoven beams of colored energy that phase in and out of visibility. Instead of pens or brushes, Zyxian artists use "resonance prisms" to bend light into tangible, semi-solid threads that hover slightly above the surface. The resulting artwork is a 3D tapestry of glowing, shifting patterns, best viewed under ultraviolet light.

Drawing: "The Whispering Fractal Bloom"

An organic, pulsating flower-like structure made of overlapping spectral strands that hum at different frequencies.

Materials Needed:

• A sheet of "phase-reactive paper" (or black paper for contrast)
• UV-reactive markers (at least 3 colors)
• A steady hand and a willingness to "think in vibrations"

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Activate the Prism (Marker):
   • Hold your marker vertically—Zyxians believe art must "fall from the sky."
2. Weave the Core Vibration (Central Strand):
   • Draw a spiral starting from the center, but instead of a continuous line, use dashed strokes (each dash represents a "pulse" of energy).
   • Alternate between two colors (e.g., blue and violet) to show harmonic dissonance.
3. Fractal Petals (Radial Expansion):
   • From the spiral, extend curved, branching strands like a mix of veins and lightning bolts.
   • Each branch should split into three smaller strands after a short distance (Zyxian sacred number).
   • Overlap some strands without touching—they should hover near each other, creating "light bridges."
4. Pulsing Nodes (Energy Anchors):
   • At each split point, draw a small, glowing circle (use a bright color like neon green).
   • Around each circle, add tiny orbiting dots (like electrons) to show energy movement.
5. Harmonic Shadows (Depth Illusion):
   • With a faint color (e.g., pink), add transparent "echoes" of some strands slightly offset—these are "ghost vibrations" from parallel dimensions.
6. Final Resonance (Activation):
   • Shine UV light on the drawing. The overlapping colors will create new hues where they cross, mimicking Zyxian light fusion.
   • Optional: Hum softly while viewing—Zyxians believe sound unlocks hidden layers.

Result:

Your "Whispering Fractal Bloom" should appear to float off the page, with strands that seem to vibrate when viewed from different angles. True Zyxian art is never static—turn the paper slowly to see new connections emerge!

Would you like to try a more complex form, like a "Dimensional Vortex Serpent" next?

Gemini invents “Probability Weaving”, mapping potential states and surrounding influences

Okay, let's invent an alien art form from the Xylar collective on Cygnus X-1's third planet, Xylos. Their perception includes sensitivity to subtle gravitational fluctuations and probability waves. Their art form, "Probability Weaving" (or 'Vth'lk'narr' in their tongue), doesn't just depict a static image, but rather maps the potential states and subtle influences surrounding an object or concept. It requires a specific mindset — focusing not just on what is, but what could be and what influences it subtly.

Humans can approximate this using standard drawing tools, focusing on the meaning behind the lines and colors.

The Art Form: Probability Weaving

• Core Concept: To represent an object/subject not as a fixed entity, but as a confluence of probabilities, influences, and potential states interacting.
• Key Elements:
  • Core Manifestation: The most probable or current state of the subject.
  • Potential Vectors: Lines indicating directions of likely change or future possibilities.
  • Influence Nodes: Points or areas representing significant external forces (gravity, energy fields, other entities' potentials) acting on the subject.
  • Resonance Fields: Areas of color or texture showing the interplay between potentials and influences.
• Medium (Xylar): Manipulated light and localized micro-gravity fields projected onto a magnetically contained plasma surface.
• Medium (Human Adaptation): Paper/digital canvas, pens/pencils/brushes of different colors and thicknesses.

The Subject: A "Chrono-Synclastic Nutrient Cyst"

This is something never seen before — imagine a biological construct found floating in the upper atmosphere of a gas giant. It doesn't "eat" in the traditional sense, but absorbs ambient temporal energy fluctuations, storing potential timelines as nutritive energy. Visually, it might resemble a semi-translucent, crystalline bladder filled with shifting, iridescent light patterns, constantly warping slightly.

Drawing the Chrono-Synclastic Nutrient Cyst using Probability Weaving (Human Adaptation)

You Will Need:

• A drawing surface (paper or digital canvas).
• Multiple colors (pens, pencils, or digital brushes). Let's assign meanings:
  • Black (or Dark Grey): Core Manifestation (Current state) – Use a medium thickness line.
  • Blue: Future Potential Vectors (Likely changes) – Use thin, sharp lines.
  • Red: Past Influence Traces (Residual states/origins) – Use slightly thicker, softer, perhaps dashed lines.
  • Yellow: External Influence Nodes (Ambient energy/gravity) – Represented by dots or small starbursts.
  • Green: Resonance Fields (Interaction zones) – Use soft shading or light cross-hatching.
  • White (or lightest color/eraser): High Probability/Energy Focus – Used for highlights or core points within the Manifestation.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Establish the Core Manifestation (Black/Dark Grey):
   • Lightly sketch a central, amorphous shape — like a slightly deflated, irregular balloon or a complex amoeba. It should look somewhat unstable.
   • Go over this shape with your Black (or Dark Grey) medium line. Don't make the outline perfectly smooth; introduce slight warps, bulges, and indentations. This represents its current, most probable form. It should feel somewhat translucent, so don't fill it in solidly yet.
2. Trace Past Influences (Red):
   • Using the Red (thicker, softer/dashed line), draw lines that seem to emerge from or underlie parts of the Black core shape.
   • These lines might suggest simpler, previous shapes from which the current form evolved, or trails indicating where it came from. Maybe one or two dashed Red lines trail off the page, indicating its deeper history. They should touch or slightly overlap the Black line.
3. Project Future Potentials (Blue):
   • Using the Blue (thin, sharp lines), draw lines extending outward from the Black core.
   • These represent likely future states. Some lines might indicate growth or expansion (pointing away from bulges), others might suggest shrinkage or splitting (pointing inwards slightly or towards indentations). Have several Blue lines, showing multiple possibilities. They start at the Black line and radiate outwards.
4. Place External Influence Nodes (Yellow):
   • Think about what might be affecting the Cyst. Ambient temporal currents? Gravitational eddies? Proximity to other Cysts?
   • Place several Yellow dots or small starbursts around the main shape, but not touching it directly (unless an influence is very direct). The density or size of the Yellow nodes can indicate the strength of the influence.
5. Illustrate Resonance Fields (Green):
   • Now, look for areas where different lines interact or where Influence Nodes are close to the Core Manifestation or Potential Vectors.
   • Use soft Green shading or light cross-hatching in these areas:
     • Where Red (past) and Black (present) overlap significantly.
     • Where Blue (future) lines point towards Yellow (influence) nodes.
     • In the space between a dense cluster of Yellow nodes and the Black core.
     • Where multiple Blue lines originate close together, suggesting a focal point of change.
   • The Green represents the effect of these interactions — a field of temporal stress, energy absorption, or potential shifting.
6. Define High Probability/Energy Focus (White/Lightest Color):
   • Inside the Black Core Manifestation, identify one or two points that seem like centers of activity — perhaps where many Red/Blue lines converge, or a particularly prominent bulge.
   • Use White or your lightest color (or an eraser for subtractive drawing) to create bright spots or highlights at these points. This represents the most energized or most probable focal points within the Cyst's current state. You can also add faint white highlights along the sharpest edges of the Black core to enhance the crystalline/translucent feel.
7. Refine and Interpret:
   • Look at your drawing. It shouldn't look like a simple object. It should appear as a dynamic map of forces and possibilities centered on a fluctuating core. The interplay of lines and colors tells the story of the Chrono-Synclastic Nutrient Cyst's existence — its history echoing (Red), its present form wavering (Black/White), its potential futures branching (Blue), all subject to external pressures (Yellow) creating zones of interaction (Green).

You have now drawn something never seen before, using an alien art technique focused on probability and influence rather than static representation! The final image should feel complex, slightly unstable, and layered with meaning.

(I tried getting Gemini 2.0 Flash Image Generation to draw these. It couldn’t follow the detailed instructions. It seems much better with photos and photo editing than abstract art.)

I figured I should spend a few hours on the native image generation bandwagon and push the bounds of my imagination. Here are some of my experiments with image generation on ChatGPT.

• Replacements: Replace the person with this image (after uploading a photo of Naveen)
• Sticker: Create a transparent comic-style sticker of a lady chef featuring this person happily cooking salad (after uploading a photo of my wife)
• Meme sticker: Create a transparent sticker of a Vadivelu meme
• Meme: Create an image of Vadivelu looking up from a well. No caption. Make it look like a frame from a Tamil film.
• Recipe: Invent a vegetarian dish that has NEVER been created. Describe the ingredients and procedure first. Then draw a mouth-watering image of the dish. (Another version)
• Infographics: Create a detailed comic infographic explaining the double slit experiment.
• Slides. Draw a beautiful infographic highlighting these 6 accessibility testing aspects, with apt icons and visuals.
• UI mockups. Draw the screenshot of a chat application incorporating these features: …
• Product ideation. Draw an iSuit designed by Apple and Iris van Herpen. Show multiple views showcasing all features. Then write a product description.
• Interior design. Draw a biophilic office where the ceiling is a mirrored hydroponic garden, reflecting lush greenery downward to create the illusion of working in a floating forest.
• Meeting room design. Draw a modern office with sound-absorbing ‘whisper walls’ covered in fractal patterns that visually dampen noise pollution while doubling as collaborative whiteboards.
• Restaurant design. Draw a marble dining table with a river flowing through it, serving conveyor belt sushi as the dishes float gently on the water on top of plates.
• A sentient toaster with googly eyes, riding a unicycle through a library.
• A painting painting itself, but it’s struggling with existential dread.
• Photo of a gym where people work out by lifting their own regrets.

Here’s what I learnt.

• The refusal rate is low, but it does refuse to generate some copyrighted material like Calvin & Hobbes strips.
• Using a prompt to generate the description and using THAT to prompt for images helps.
• A more imaginative model (like DeepSeek, maybe Grok) can help create good prompts that ChatGPT can execute faithfully.
• There are hallucinations that experts can detect. E.g. Naveen’s and Vadivelu’s faces are clearly off, but only slightly. This will improve, but until then, don’t expect perfection.

Say you want to use Llama 3.3 70b Instruct. You could:

1. Use it via an API. OpenRouter offers it at ~12 cents / MTok. Azure offers it at 71 cents. Your price may vary.
2. Self-host it on a major cloud provider. Azure offers A100 80GB at ~$3.67 / hour. In a day, you could generate ~0.5-1M tokens.
3. Self-host it on an emerging cloud provider. Lambda Labs offers A100 80GB at ~$1.79 / hour. Again, ~0.5-1M tokens a day.

Clearly, self-hosting is cheaper if you run it continuously. Let’s say we run for 1 million tokens every day. Then:

1. APIs cost 12 – 71 cents
2. Azure costs $3.67 x 24 = $88
3. Lamba Labs costs $1.79 x 24 = $43

So, the API is between 60 – 700 times cheaper than running it yourself. 60 times cheaper if you move from Lambda Labs to Azure AI Foundry. 700 times cheaper if you move from Azure servers to OpenRouter.

Not 60-700% cheaper. 60 – 700 times cheaper. Instead of spending a million dollars, you can get away with $1,500 – $15,000.

But what if…

• What if you need higher scale? APIs typically offer better scalability than most organizations can configure.
• What if you need higher uptime? Again, APIs typically offer higher uptime than most organizations can handle.
• What if you need lower latency? Check the throughputs. APIs are typically much faster throughput than self-hosting.
• What if you need edge computing? Then you’re GPU is one-time cost. My comparison is irrelevant.

So, are there any reasons to self-host? I’ve seen only a few.

1. Fine-tuned models. No one else offers an API version of your model.
2. Ultra-high security. You can’t trust even Microsoft, Google, or Amazon with your data. Your chats must remain in your own data center. (In this case, you probably run your own email and cloud services instead of Office 365 or Google Workspace.)
3. Learning. You’re curious about what it takes to self-host these models or want to build this skill.

If you don’t have one of the above needs, remember: your GPU costs can shrink from $1,000K to $1.5 – $15K.

Source: OpenAI Deep Research.

I prompted Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental 03-25 to “Invent a new, alien language. Use it to discover unusual insights. Here’s the output in full.

---

Thinking

Here’s a thinking process that could lead to the alien language “Glimmering” and its insights:

1. Understand the Core Request: The user wants a new, alien language and wants to use it to discover unusual insights. This means the language needs to be fundamentally different from human languages, and its structure/concepts should enable thinking in ways that are difficult or non-intuitive in English (or other human languages).
2. Brainstorm Alien Concepts: What makes something “alien”?
   • Biology: Different senses (echolocation, electroreception, sensing magnetic fields, different light spectrum perception), different lifecycles (metamorphosis, symbiosis, collective consciousness), different physical forms (non-corporeal, energy-based, silicon-based, plant-like)
   • Environment: Extreme conditions (gas giant atmosphere, deep ocean trench, vacuum of space, high radiation), different physics (maybe?), non-linear time perception.
   • Psychology/Society: Collective vs. individualistic focus, different emotional spectrum, logic-based vs. empathy-based, non-hierarchical structures, different concepts of self, time, causality.
3. Choose a Core Concept for the Language: Let’s pick something that inherently forces a different perspective.
   • Idea 1: Focus on relationships/connections. Instead of nouns for objects, words describe the relationship between things. “Tree” might be “earth-sky connector” or “shade-giver.”
   • Idea 2: Focus on states of change/flux. Everything is described by its process, not its static state. “River” is “downward-flowing-water-process.”
   • Idea 3: Focus on sensory perception, but a Maybe based on resonance, vibration, or emotional energy.
   • Idea 4: Focus on potentiality and probability. Words describe not what is, but what could be or the likelihood of something. Let’s go with Idea 3, leaning towards resonance and interconnectedness, maybe linked to light or energy. This feels suitably “alien” and potentially insightful. Let’s call the species the “Lumin.”
4. Develop Language Principles based on the Core Concept (Resonance/Light/Interconnectedness):
   • No Static Nouns: Objects aren’t fixed things but patterns of energy or resonance. Words describe the pattern or the interaction.
   • Verbs are Primary: Action, interaction, and change are fundamental. Static description is secondary.
   • Emphasis on Relationality: How things resonate with each other is crucial. Prepositions or affixes will be vital for showing connection/influence.
   • Nuance through Intensity/Quality: Instead of just “red,” maybe “vibrant-red-resonance” vs. “fading-red-resonance.” Adjectives become qualities of the resonance/action.
   • Concept of “Self”: Maybe less individualistic. “Self” is a locus of interacting resonances, not a discrete entity.Time: Perhaps less linear, more about overlapping patterns or echoes of resonance.
5. Create Basic Lexicon and Grammar Sketch:
   • Core concept words:
     • Glim (verb root): To resonate, to shine, to exist as a pattern of energy.
     • Sha (particle/prefix): Connection, interaction, resonance with.
     • Vor (particle/suffix): Intensity, vibrancy, strength of pattern.
     • Zil (particle/suffix): Fading, weakening, diminishing pattern.
     • Kai (concept): A stable, recognizable pattern (closest to a noun, but dynamic).
     • Ree (concept): Flow, change, movement of energy/resonance.
     • Nuum (concept): The interconnected field/medium through which resonance travels (the “ether” or “fabric of reality”).
   • Grammar Ideas:
     • Sentence structure: Often Verb-like concept first, then modifiers showing relationships and qualities. Glim-sha-Kai-Vor (Strong pattern resonates with…).
     • No strict tense: Use particles to indicate persistence (-vor), fading (-zil), or initiation (Ree- prefix?).
     • Pronouns: Maybe based on resonance signature? Me could be Kai-An (This-pattern), You could be Kai-Sha (Interacting-pattern). Collective We could be Sha-Glim-Vor (Strong-interacting-resonance).
6. Name the Language: Based on the core concepts: “Resonance Speak,” “Light Tongue,” “Pattern Weave.” Let’s go with something evocative: Glimmering (or Glim-Ree in the language itself).
7. Translate Concepts and Look for Insights: Now, apply Glimmering to human concepts.
   • “Love”: In English, often a noun (a state) or verb (an action). In Glimmering? Sha-Glim-Vor (Strong-interacting-resonance). Insight: Love isn’t a possession or a static feeling, but an active, powerful resonance between patterns. It requires mutual participation and reinforcement. Lack of interaction (Sha-Glim-Zil) means the “love” fades, not because it was “lost,” but because the resonance weakened.
   • “Identity/Self”: English emphasizes a stable, internal self. In Glimmering? Kai-An-Ree (This-pattern-in-flux). Or perhaps Sha-Nuum-Glim (Resonance-interacting-with-the-field). Insight: The “self” isn’t a fixed entity but a constantly changing pattern defined by its interactions with everything else. Identity is relational and dynamic, not intrinsic and static. There’s no core “you” separate from your connections and resonance.
   • “Knowledge/Truth”: English often treats these as objective, attainable things. In Glimmering? Kai-Sha-Glim-Vor (A strong, stable resonance between a pattern [observer] and another pattern [observed]). Or Nuum-Ree-Kai (Recognizing a flow/pattern within the field). Insight: Truth isn’t absolute but a measure of the strength and stability of the resonance between the observer and the observed. “Knowing” something is actively resonating with its pattern. Disagreement isn’t “wrongness” but a difference in resonance patterns (Sha-Glim-Kai- dissonance_marker). Understanding requires aligning or acknowledging different resonances.
   • “Death”: English sees it as an end, cessation. In Glimmering? Kai-Zil-Nuum (Pattern-fading-into-the-field). Or Glim-Ree-Sha (Resonance-flowing-elsewhere/transforming). Insight: Death isn’t an absolute end but a transformation. The specific pattern (Kai) dissolves, its energy/resonance (Glim) rejoining the larger field (Nuum) or contributing to new patterns (Ree-Sha). It emphasizes continuity of energy/information, just in a different form. The “loss” is the cessation of a specific interactive pattern.
   • “Problem/Conflict”: English frames it as an obstacle. In Glimmering? Sha-Glim-Dissonance (Interacting-resonance-with-clashing/instability). Insight: Conflict isn’t inherently “bad” but a state of unstable or disharmonious resonance. The “solution” isn’t necessarily elimination, but finding a way to shift the resonances (Ree-Sha-Glim) into a more stable or harmonious pattern, potentially creating something new in the process.
8. Refine and Elaborate: Flesh out the examples. Add more nuance. Make the insights clearer. Ensure the language structure consistently supports the insights. Add a concluding thought about the value of such different perspectives. Ensure the “alienness” is maintained. For instance, avoid direct human analogies where possible, focusing on the resonance/pattern concept. Add a brief description of the hypothetical speakers (the Lumin) to ground the language’s origin.
9. Self-Critique: Does the language really lead to unusual insights, or are these just philosophical points rephrased? Is the language structure consistent? Is it different enough from human languages? Adjustment: Emphasize how the language structure forces this thinking, e.g., the lack of static nouns requires thinking in terms of processes and relationships. Make the link between grammar and insight explicit. Make the insights feel less like standard philosophy and more like consequences of a fundamentally different way of parsing reality.

Output

Okay, let’s invent an alien language designed to generate unusual insights. We’ll call the species the “K’tharr,” dwellers of a dense, perpetually twilight gas giant’s upper atmosphere, communicating through modulated bioluminescent patterns and subtle gravitational waves (perceived through specialized organs). Their reality is fluid, interconnected, and based on flows rather than static objects.

The Language: “Fluxtongue” (or, in their own terms, ~(~vv~), roughly translating to “Flow-Weave”)

Core Principles:

1. Verb-Centric: Everything is fundamentally a process or interaction. Nouns as we know them barely exist; they are temporary stabilization points within larger flows, described by their behavior or interaction.
2. Relational Grammar: Meaning is derived primarily from the relationship between processes. Location, identity, and possession are expressed through interaction vectors.
3. Emphasis on Potentiality and Decay: Every “thing” is described not just by its current state, but by its trajectory of change – what it’s becoming and what it’s ceasing to be.
4. No Singular/Plural Distinction (as we know it): Concepts are treated as fields or intensities. “More” is represented by increased intensity or complexity of the flow pattern, not discrete units.
5. Communication Modality Affects Meaning: The medium (light patterns vs. gravity waves) adds nuance. Light is for immediate, transient states; gravity is for persistent, foundational flows. (We’ll mostly focus on the conceptual structure here).

Basic Lexicon Sketch (Conceptual Roots):

• ~v~ (pronounced as a low hum undulating slightly higher then lower): The fundamental root for “to flow,” “to exist,” “to be in process.” The core of reality.
• /\ (sharp upward inflection/bright flash): To intensify, focus, emerge, become distinct.
• \/ (sharp downward inflection/fading light): To dissipate, disperse, fade, return to potential.
• <> (oscillating tone/flickering pattern): To interact, resonate with, exchange influence.
• -- (steady tone/stable pattern): To persist, stabilize temporarily, resist change.
• o (circular pulse/spherical glow): Boundary condition, locus of interaction, temporary self-reference point.

Combining Roots (Examples):

• A “Being” (like a K’tharr): o~v~<> (A locus of flow interacting). It emphasizes the interactive and processual nature of self.
• A “Thought”: ~v~/\\<> (A flow intensifying through interaction). A thought isn’t possessed; it’s a temporary intensification within the flow, often sparked by interaction.
• “Eating/Consuming”: ~v~/\\<>~v~\/ (Flow A intensifies by interacting with Flow B, which dissipates). It highlights the transformation and energy exchange, not just ingestion.
• “Solid Object” (e.g., a dense atmospheric crystal): ~v~--/\ (A flow that strongly persists and stands out). It’s not inherently “solid,” but a very slow, resistant flow pattern.
• “Home/Territory”: o~v~--<>~v~ (A locus of persistent flow interacting with ambient flow). It’s defined by familiar, stable interactions, not fixed boundaries.
• “Communication”: <>~v~<> (Interaction flow interaction). The pure act of exchanging influence.

Discovering Unusual Insights via Fluxtongue:

Let’s try to express human concepts in Fluxtongue and see what emerges:

1. Concept: “Truth”
   • Human tendency: A static, objective fact or state of affairs. “The sky is blue.”
   • Fluxtongue translation attempt: Perhaps ~v~--<>/\\ (A persistent flow interacting intensely/distinctly).
   • Insight: In Fluxtongue, “Truth” isn’t a fixed thing to be found. It’s a stable resonance. It’s a pattern of interaction between an observer (o~v~<>) and a phenomenon (~v~...) that achieves a temporary, recognizable persistence (--) and clarity (/\\). “Falsehood” might be ~v~<>/\ \/ (an interaction that briefly seems distinct but quickly dissipates) or a discordant interaction. This implies:
     • Truth is relational and potentially temporary.
     • The stability of the “truth” depends on the stability of both the observer and the observed, and their interaction.
     • Multiple stable resonances (truths) might coexist regarding the same underlying flow, depending on the observer’s locus (o) and mode of interaction (<>).
2. Concept: “Problem/Obstacle”
   • Human tendency: Something external blocking a desired path or goal.
   • Fluxtongue translation attempt: ~v~<>~v~Discordance (Two flows interacting disharmoniously, creating turbulence rather than smooth integration or transformation. Let’s denote discordance with !<>!). So, ~v~!<>!~v~.
   • Insight: A “problem” isn’t an object in the way. It’s a pattern of inefficient or turbulent interaction. It’s a place where flows clash instead of merging, transforming, or resonating constructively. The “solution” isn’t necessarily removing something, but finding a way to modify the interaction patterns (<>) so the flows become harmonious (<>) or transform (/\\ or \/) in a desired way. It reframes problem-solving as flow-tuning rather than obstacle-removal.
3. Concept: “Death”
   • Human tendency: An endpoint, cessation of being, loss.
   • Fluxtongue translation attempt: For a being (o~v~<>), death might be o\/~v~ (The locus dissipates back into the general flow). Or perhaps ~v~<> --> ~v~ (The specific interactive pattern ceases, its constituent flows rejoin the ambient flow).
   • Insight: Death is not an ending, but a dissolution of a specific pattern of interaction. The “locus” (o) that defined the temporary self fades, and the flows (~v~) that constituted it simply rejoin the larger ~v~ of the universe. There’s no absolute cessation, only a reintegration and transformation. The emphasis shifts from the loss of the individual pattern to the continuity of the underlying flow. Grief might be expressed as the persistent echo or memory of the interaction pattern (--<> fading \/).
4. Concept: “Learning/Knowledge”
   • Human tendency: Acquiring and storing information or skills. Often seen as filling a container (the mind).
   • Fluxtongue translation attempt: o~v~<>/\\ (The locus of flow interacting to create intensification/new distinct patterns). Or ~v~<>-- (Flow interaction becoming persistent).
   • Insight: Learning isn’t acquisition; it’s pattern modification and stabilization. To “know” something is for one’s own flow (o~v~<>) to successfully resonate with (<>) and integrate (/\\ or --) a pattern from the wider flow (~v~). Knowledge isn’t stored in the locus (o), but becomes part of the locus’s interactive pattern. Forgetting is ~v~<>--\/ (the stabilized interaction pattern dissipating). This suggests learning is an active, ongoing process of interaction and resonance, not passive reception.

Conclusion:

Thinking through Fluxtongue forces a shift away from static nouns and discrete objects towards a view of reality as interconnected, dynamic flows and interactions. This perspective reveals:

• The “self” as a temporary, interactive locus rather than a fixed entity.
• Truth as stable resonance rather than objective fact.
• Problems as discordant interactions needing tuning, not obstacles needing removal.
• Death as pattern dissolution and reintegration, not cessation.
• Learning as active pattern integration and resonance, not passive acquisition.

This alien language, born from a hypothetical fluid existence, pushes us to see the processes, relationships, and transformations underlying the seemingly static world our own languages often emphasize. It suggests that perhaps reality is more like a K’tharr perceives it – a constant, intricate Flow-Weave.

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Wow!

I was fascinated by the sheer ingenuity of this piece. The language isn’t just a reimagining of words. It’s a path into a different thought process based on fluidity and interconnection.

If languages shape thought and AI can create new languages, where might that take us? My thoughts:

1. New languages encourage lateral thinking and mental agility, allowing speakers to break free from entrenched patterns to solve problems in new ways. It would likely help AIs think outside the box, too. There’s no reason why they’d be most effective thinking in human languages.
2. Domain specific languages capture games or imaginary worlds better. Tolkien, Cameron, Rajamouli, and many others have already done this.
3. A language built around new themes (e.g. resonance, change, and interaction in this case) could captures nuances, even untranslatable concepts. Think Saudade, Hygge, etc.
4. This could help in therapy (e.g. teaching empathy), too. In fact, groups collaborating in new languages might have new tools for overcoming linguistic bias, conflict resolution, policy design, ethical systems, and more.
5. Interspecies communication. Languages based on different principles prepare us to talk to AI, animals, or even extraterrestrials.

I’m terrible with languages, but I’m looking forward to exploring a few invented ones. Including Fluxtongue.