Project: Emotions during the Outbreak

[Rachel Singh]

I've asked my own friend group as well as the Láadan group to describe some emotions they've been feeling during the Covid-19 outbreak, with the intent of trying to come up with some new words to describe these emotions in Láadan. I'll post some of the feelings here:

• self-friendship... I'd describe as learning to treat myself more like a friend and try to be more patient and caring with myself, especially when there isn't as much I can distract myself with to avoid negative emotions these days.
• that feeling of missing being physically in the presence of friends and loved ones. You can still talk to them, but there's still that sense of longing and closeness.
• Worrying I'll never make it back to Israel in my lifetime bc pandemic and school and gonna have to get a big girl job someday
• The existential crisis and soul deep pain that you feel when you observe the thing you spent a lifetime working to implement and improve in the process of being utterly destroyed by those who come after.
• I have been enjoying more time to work on conlangs and building. And it's nice not having to go into the office
• the feeling of being a plague carrier, a danger to loved ones.
• the feeling of having to deny yourself what you most need, out of love.
• the stasis feeling of every day feeling the same, going nowhere, no growth or improvement or perspective of change.

And, in particular, I'd like to highlight this feeling, which already has a word:

• "Well, one feeling I definitely don't need to coin a new word. My feeling toward the pandemic is bana."

Of course if anyone wants to try to derive a new Láadan word feel free! Otherwise, I'll work on this more as I get to that point in the zine.

Also let me know if you're feeling any other emotions that need words. <3

[Rachel Singh]

Another suggestion from a friend:

"A brief moment of confusion about something that is unimportant compared to something else going on, so you don't have time to follow up on it."