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The Routledge Companion to Imaginary Worlds

Mark J. P. Wolf

Invented Languages

Publication details https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 , Andrew Higgins Published online on: 09 Oct 2017

How to cite :- Dimitra Fimi, Andrew Higgins. 09 Oct 2017, Invented Languages from: The Routledge Companion to Imaginary Worlds Routledge Accessed on: 23 Sep 2021 https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315637525.ch3

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The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The publisher shall not be liable for an loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 Vice” withlanguageinvention thathisearliestexperience andelements ofworld-building inventorthe greatest offictionallanguages, J. R. R. Tolkien, indicates inhisessay “ASecret and aninvented language baseduponthe conceived afanciful “Great Glass Town” lands, encompassingaconfederacyofsoldier-ruled “Twelves.” Intheiradventures, the “Twelves” eventually setfootin whothechildren characters calledthe which sparked asetofimaginary “Y eight, and after thedeathoftheirmother, whenCharlotteBrontë was tenyears old, Branwell nine, Emily tives, maps, pictures, andelementsoflanguageinvention. These activitiesin1826, occurred As children the Brontës created several invented worlds thatthey- brought tolifewithnarra tion comesfrom theearlyworks oftheBrontë children, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and language (Morris, 1994: 52). and hissisterwere thekingandqueen. InhabitantsofRücken spoke asecret backward invented kingdomofRücken thefantasy (“thebackward kingdom”)inwhichMozart in childhood, thecomposer Wolfgang Ejuxria, completewithpeoples, geography, andinvented languages(Ibid.: 85). Moreover, Romantic poetSamuel Taylor Coleridge, Coleridge, Hartley alsoinvented aworld called Allestone, whichincludedaninvented languagebasedonLatin(Ibid.: 82). The sonofthe describes Thomas asachildprodigy called andtheinventor country ofanimaginary account ofthelifeandpremature deathofMalkin’s son, Thomas WilliamsMalkin. Memoirs and scholarBenjaminHeathMalkininhisA tories, children’s “world-play” thecompositionof “languages andcodes” alongsidestories, his- imaginative works inadulthood. Root-Bernstein’s recent studyofparacosmsincludesin of severalthe and childhood artists,experiences authors often leading to more developed as P the two isthecaseofchildhoodparacosms(see oftenmeetnaturally andeffortlessly “Worlds worlds.of acommonhumanactivity asisthebuilding ofimaginary Infact, onefieldwhere Okrent, 2009). an increasingly globalized world by creating languages such as Ages (Eco, communication in aimoffacilitating 20th-century 1995)tothemore utilitarian fortheprelapsarian ­philosophically driven pursuit “perfect language” of Language invention mindsthroughout hasoccupiedmany history, brilliant from the P Invented out of childhood play languages emerging and world-building can be seen in aracosms” inthisvolume). erhaps themostsignificantearlyexampleof “world-play” thatincludedlanguageinven- Invented Languages ­pictures, maps, etc. (2014: 70). Anne six. Branwell hadreceived asetoftwelve wooden from soldiers theirfather, Dimitra Fimiand Andrew Higgins At thesametime, languageplay andlanguageinvention seemtobeasmuch n early example is recounted by the British writer An early example is recounted writer by the British Amadeus Mozart, alongwithhissisterNannerl, Y orkshire dialect(Brontë, 2010: 47). Even arguably 3 21

Father’s MemoirsofHisChild(1806), an speranto and its offspring (see and its offspring Africa, where thechildren Adam intheMiddle oung Men” orthe Anne.

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 framework becamepopularintheMiddle world istobefoundinagenrean imaginary known as “the traveler’s tale.” This narrative historical, cultural, worlds) andsocialcontextinwhichthey are (andtheirimaginary born. International sophical languagestoaposteriori in thePrimary World, philo- withtheintention to beusedforcommunication (from apriori origins, nature, androle oflanguageinhumansocieties; ofinvented (c)thehistory languages );to sciencefictionand (b)the evolution orscientificthinkingaboutthe oflearned worlds (fromment ofgenres imaginary thatrely utopiasandtravelers’ onconstructing tales moved alongsideanumber processes: ofdifferent parallelculturalandliterary (a) thedevelop- Okrand andDavid J. P invention isclearinthework K. ofUrsula Le Guin, , andmore recently Mark systems,visual writing andotherparatextualdocuments. Tolkien’s legacyofdetailedlanguage Tolkien didnotonlyinvent names, but alsocompletevocabularies, , grammars, ency ofreality” (Tolkien, 2008: 59), himselfbeingachiefpractitioner. worldit togive withwhat theillusionofanimaginary Tolkien calledthe “inner consist- that iscoherent andconsistentexploitthepotentialoflinguisticinvention even further, using “otherness” (ibid.). , inthenamesofaliensorder andZ)denseconsonantclusters tostress thissenseof science works there isatendencytouseinfrequent Englishconsonants(suchasQ, “otherness” world. raceorculture inasecondary ofaparticular For example, inmany English to castthePrimary World word inanew light. Namingcanalsobeusedtoemphasizethe Naming is, indeed, asubcreative act: itcanbeusedtointroduce new ideas or concepts, or andcreaturesnames forthecharacters oftheirfictive world (Conley andCain, 2006: xvii). settinghaveof fictionwithanentirely imaginary to “play theirspeakers andtheirculture.guages canstillbeusedtocharacterize Nevertheless, qualities andvalues, tothemparticular by ascribing suchmerely namedlan- language that if spoken would demonic and evil call powersforth (see Clore, 2009: 32–33). Dunwich Horror” (1929)and “The Haunter intheDark” anecromantic (1936))todescribe and thenusedagainby H. P language of a senseofmysteryandeven totheirnarratives. horror of eral authors “weird literature” have invented andevoked justthenameoflanguagestoadd Makar, but noactualexamplesofthelanguageare recorded (Wolf, 2012: 186). Moreover, sev - language isevoked by toemphasizethestrangenessofpeopleencountered N orthmore in strange placecalledMakarwherethelanguageofnatives. hisfictionalexplorer learns The Planetes, oftheLawsandMannersMakar (1795), oraSketch a describes Thomas Northmore any giving samplesofthatlanguageintheirnarratives.sarily For example, inTheMemoirsof invention isabroad one. language, onlymentionanimaginary Oftenauthors withoutneces- ofcomplexityandcompleteness.though withvaryingdegrees oflanguage The spectrum or “art-langs” languages) have (art and enhance world-building, been used widely to support narratives. cinematicanddigital contemporary Indeed, “con-langs” languages) (constructed ­integral “infrastructure” worlds, for building imaginary both for fiction andfor and this is true who were engagedininventing languages suchas nursery may have inspired by beenpartially Incledon, play withhistwo andMarjorie cousinsMary It isnotanaccidentthatthe earliest exampleusuallycitedofan “art-lang” tofleshout The invention to offictionallanguagesthatcontribute world-building hashistorically A frequent usageofinvented languagesisnaming. K. Ursula LeGuinnotesthatallwriters As theexampleofchildhoodparacosmsdemonstrates, languageinvention isoftenan klo first mentioned Aklo first by Language inventors who take nomenclature care to construct particular eterson. rew Higgins Fimi andAnrew Dimitra . Lovecraft inhisCthulhumythos (specificallyinhisstories “The achen in his story Macheninhisstory Arthur “The White P Ages andEarlyRenaissance. It mergedfictionand 22 uxiliary Languages);Auxiliary and(d)ultimatelythe A goodexampleofthisistheinvented Adam” inthatthey must make up Animalic (Tolkien, 2016: 8–12). As we shallseebelow, eople” (1899) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 national languages that sought to bring different peoplesclosertogether bynational languagesthatsought tobring simplifyingthe making explicititsnature” (citedinRogers, 2011: 168). elements ofspeech.first without at the same time One can notname anything inthat country that the “the advantage ofthissystemisthatonebecomesaphilosopherassoon as onelearns while theconsonantsstandforotherelementalwords orideas(e.g., c=hot). Foigny wrote five elements:representprimary the five fire (a), air(e), salt(o), water(i),earth (u), and philosophic languages (see Conley and Cain, 2006: 167–169). In “Australian,” for example, the invented a language called “A ustralian” that reflects the ple, deFoigny LandKnown)Gabriel Connue(TheSouthern inhis1676work LaTerreAustrale reflect the flavor of philosophicallanguagesintheir andstructure world-building. Forexam- they donot reflect any overt elementsof real world languages. Several fictionauthors would Okrent, 2009: 19–75). languages as These types of philosophical languages are called a priori ofthe universelanguage that would (see and mathematical description bebased on alogical Leibniz, John Wilkins, auniversal attemptedtoconstruct philosophical andGeorgeDelgarno fectly as mathematical notation. Several philosophers, including Francis Lodwick, Gottfried and adesire foralanguagethatwould express thenew scientific “truths” asclearlyandper- mind thesoundsofahorse’s whinny (e.g., “Gnnauyh” means “bird ofprey”). Houyhnhnm, Swiftinvents andgives examplesofwords to thatuseonomatopoeiatobring can beseenelsewhere in thelanguageofHouyhnhnm, araceofcivilized horses. For the dental . Island ofSorcerers”), whichtendstousehard consonantsandword endingsinplosive and vowels, (“The with the soundaesthetic of thelanguagespoken on theislandofGlubbdubdrib fragments in thisvolume). different peoplesthatGulliver travels encountered onhisfantastical (see David sound-aesthetic construction, whichhelpeddistinguishbetween thenature andculture ofthe Gulliver isshipwrecked. OneoftheuniqueelementsSwift’s languageinvention was its in several imaginative languages spoken by placeswhere theresidents Lemuel ofthefantastical world-building combinedwithpoliticalsatire. Swiftcreated names, place-names, andphrases (1726), landmarkinthisearlyuseoflanguageinvention animportant asakey componentof P Editions thatfollowed includedaninvented alphabeteitherby More orhishumanistcolleague a notedEuropean diplomat). More includedaLatintranslationofthequatrainforhisreaders. P that ha Boccaspeula-chamapoltachamaan” (Conley andCain, 2006: 202)andclearlyindicates inhisinventedrain written languageof “Utopian.” withtheline This quatrainstarts “Utopos More’s encounter new andstrangelands, peoples, andlanguages. Oneoftheearliesttheseis Thomas followed used this trope these real-world to mirror explorationsand have an invented traveler Mandeville (c. 1357)thatactuallyimitatedP knight’saccount ofacrusader supposedtravels andadventures intheEastTheBookofSirJohn is Marco P real andsomeinvented. Two andfictionaltraveler’s earlyexamplesofthismixhistorical tales ­non-fiction in accounts oftravels with strangepeoples, to distantlandsand encounters some eter Gilestovisuallyrepresent theUtopianlanguage(seeConley andCain, 2006: 201–203). (beforeersian becomingHenry VIII’s Lord Chancellorandsubsequentlyexecuted, More was By the19thcentury, languagesoftheprevious erahadgiven theapriori way tointer- The Enlightenmentbrought anew focusonphilosophy, science(especiallymathematics), After More, arguably thebest-known traveler’s taleisJonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels Utopian was an (1516). Swift gives of the olo’s accountofhisrealtotheEastinTravels journey (c. 1298)andthefictional A goodexampleofhow this works istocontrastthephoneticmakeup ofthe Another example of Swift’s focus on the soundof his invented languages language based on elements of a posteriori More included in the back of the 1516 edition of Lilliputian language, which tends to have words that end in open Invented Languages olo’s chronicle. The fictional “traveler’s tales” that 23 structure of the structure a priori , Greek, Utopia a poetic quat- Italian, and even lff’s chapter Alff’s Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 language groupsanddialects. Indo-Europeans, whichthroughhad becomesplintered intodifferent timeandmigration ested intheexistenceofa “proto-language” spoken by ahypothetical commonpeople, the Philosophy gave way to philology, becoming inter- philologists with 18th- and 19th-century ofart-langs.a paradigmshiftinthestudyoflanguagealsoinfluencedconstruction (see Okrent, 2009: 79–124). ingly becomingsmaller. The mostwell-known languagesisEsperanto oftheseauxiliary languages” were communication atatimewhentheworld meanttofacilitate was seem- vocabulary, structure, grammatical andsyntaxofexistingnaturallanguages. These “auxiliary ing theFinnishlanguagesound aestheticthat Tolkien hadfoundattractive from anearlyage. 2004: 377). Rings (1954–1955): lantarlassi súrinen,“Ai! laurië /yéniúnótimëve rámaraldaron!” (Tolkien, lineoftheElvishpoem of thisaestheticcanbeseenin thefirst “Namarië” from TheLord ofthe Tolkien’s , andmeanttoreflect beings. thehighestandpurest ofhisimagined most prevalent in Tolkien’s aesthetically pleasingandasenseoffitnessbetween andmeaning.word form Theseideasare two oftheseareandmutually supporting: interrelated thecreation ofword thatsound forms fiction shouldhave, allofwhichare reflected inhis ownElvishlanguageinvention. The first of guages that, asthey developed, would connectedtohisworld-building becomeinextricably attempts would leadincirca 1915to Tolkien inventing theearliestversions ofhisElvishlan- qualities that Tolkien foundattractive, suchas “Naffarin” (see Tolkien, 2016). These early languages suchas withearlylanguageplay and invention,rience moving from gradually codesorreplacement P language invention forfiction, inhispaper mostimportantly “ASecret Vice” delivered at as capable of .art-langs Tolkien to theorize was practitioners also one of the first invention forfictionthatpreceded himandatthesametimepushedforward the role of with hismyth-making andworld-building. Tolkien bothbuilt uponthetraditionoflanguage J.philologist R. R. Tolkien built hisown uniquebodyofinvented languagesintertwined Klingon andDothraki. of today’sfantasy conventions and like speak art-languages where participants (Anon,used ingreeting 1891: 129)—anevent thatcaneasilybeconsidered asapredecessor brochures ofthelanguage, containingaglossary includingsomeconversational phrasestobe the cavern ofthe were andparticipants encouragedtospeakin Vril aidedbyVril-ya printed Bazaar” fundraiser. For one weekend, theRoyal and Germany. In1891, ofBulwer- agroupoffans L L the linguisticscienceof the time” (p. 45). By thelate 19th andearly20th century, Bulwer- For thelanguageof asanextrapolationfrom of isconstructed theacceptedtruths Vril-ya L Müller in Müller’sincorporated ideasonlanguagedevelopment anddecay thathadbeenexplored by dedicated totheOxford Maxüller(1823–1900). philologist Bulwer-L L digm shift and the invention is the idiom of of art-languages in Vril-ya embroke College, Oxford, on November 29, 1931. Inthistalk Tolkien hisown charts - expe ytton’s ytton’s ytton’s TheComingRace(1871), earlydystopiansciencefictionstory whichBulwer-L Arda (see “Tolkien’s In “” Tolkien outlinedseveral key thatinvented characteristics languages for andimaginativeIt was predecessorsthattheauthorand upontheseacademicprinciples had become very popular with various occultgroupsin EnglandThe ComingRacehadbecomevery popularwithvarious The ComingRaceasawork that “most deserves thenameoffiction-linguistics. The Stratification of Language (1868). As thislineshows, words andnamestendtocontainopenvowels reflect- Animalic tolanguagesthatexhibitedelementsofuniquephono-aesthetic rew Higgins Fimi andAnrew Dimitra Arda” inthisvolume). Elvish language of Quenya, one of the main languages spoken by Alongside whatbecameavogue languages, forinternational A goodexampleofthisdialogue between thisacademicpara- 24 Y lbert Albert aguello (1991) has characterized Bulwer-aguello (1991) has characterized ytton’s work organizeda “Coming Race Hall in Londonwas converted into ytton imaginatively Edward Bulwer- An example ytton Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 developing anew languageinwhichwords are structure designedto­ andgrammatical the nature ofthelanguagenextgeneration oftheP mental framework canbeconverted from oneofpacifismtoaggression by changing fiction is Jack Vance’s LanguagesofPao (1958)inwhich Vance explores how awholerace’s Orange. ofthedystopianandviolentworldin Nadsatthatthereader becomespart ofAClockwork his bandofdelinquent “droogs” speak. Itisthrough European languages.and Eastern Nadsatrepresents therebellious language that ofslang, more intothecategory thatfalls cant, orargot, from elementsofRussian English languagedown into850core words, called “Basic English” (seeOkrent, 2009: 139). tion forNewspeak from anattemptby areal-world philologist, C. K. Ogden, todistillthe “Big Brother” (IngSoc). invented languageofNewspeak to represent theaposteriori thethoughtcontrol appliedby through the diminishment of words (and thus ideas) in the language of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis by inwhichthought is suppressed depicting a linguistichorror the future, in1947–8), NineteenEighty-Four(written GeorgeOrwell imaginatively explored of culture they invented inthevocabulary oftheinvented language. Inhisdystopiannovel of offiction Authors would explore thisconceptintheir world-building by reflecting thetype oflanguageinfluencesthemodesthoughtculturestructure inwhichitisspoken. esis. isknown toconceptualize these types of art-langs asthe authors hypoth“Sapir-Whorf” - developed fordystopianfiction. growing political and social tensions became reflected insome ofthe that key art-langs were fiction that would follow him. world-build uptothispointisuniqueandwould for influencetheart-languages alsogreatly (1937)andTheLord oftheRings(1954–1955). Tolkien’s useofinvented languagesto It would bethiswork thatwould appeartoinhistwo first readers key published works The of his were derived andcouldbetracedbackto. Inthe1930s Tolkien expandedthetwo key strands ment ofsound-symbolismby developing ofbaseroots from aseries whichwords andnames trees,ments asmapsandfamily hadacoherence andconsistencyaswell asadominantele- thatthenomenclature thatbuilt hisworld,ensuring andappeared insuchpara-textualele- Tolkien’s creative development ofhislegendarium. that reflected of a complex and detailed system theof differentart-langs conceptual periods cal) timeandthrough cross-migrationofpeoples. Tolkien usedthesefourelementstoinvent through couldimaginatively whichart-langs reflect how languageschange over (hypotheti - ofmythintertwining andlanguagetocreate “an illusionofhistoricity” (Tolkien, 1981: 143) of periods Tolkien’s creative work. that characteristic The fourth Tolkien emphasizedisthe ofphonologies,rich corpus grammars,reflect a and word-lists from thedifferent conceptual in such detail. Tolkien’s are language papers still in the process of being published, and they thatvery few previousof elaborategrammars inventors offictionallanguagesengagedwith gimbatul” (Ibid.: 254). on the Ring ofP Lord inmockeryoftheElvishlanguages), asevidentlineoftheinscription inthefirst the peoplesspeakingitisevident in Tolkien’s BlackSpeech(alanguageinvented by theDark A contrastinguseofinvented words withadifferent sound-sensetoemphasizethenature of In By thelate1960s, oftwo theaftermath World Wars, theadvent oftheCold War, and According tothistheory, namedafterlinguistsEdward SapirandBenjamin Whorf, the A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork (1962) Elvish language inventiongrowing to reflect the world andcultures he was building. Another example of theSapir-Whorf hypothesis influencingthe useoflanguage in ower clusters: with its use of harsh “Ash nazgdurbatulûk, ashnazg third characteristic of A third characteristic Tolkien’s languageinvention ishisconstruction s with other art-languages surveyedAs withotherart-languages above, Orwell drew- hisinspira Invented Languages linguistic theory ofthetimethatwasA linguistictheory usedby several Anthony Burgess invented languagecalled anaposteriori 25 As explored above, Tolkien focusedon Alex’s ofthetext narration first-person aonese istaught. This isachieved by Newspeak. Alex and Orwell create Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 secondary worldsecondary by collectinglogos andsymbols, whichthey would addtotheirLogos Table. that aplayer would masterthrough themselves immersing inthe environment oftheonline tocatchonwithplayers.failed Logos was designedtobeahighly complexsymboliclanguage language created foraMMOGhasbeenL ogos, createdTabula for Rasa (2007), aMMOGthat (see P player, on D’ni were additional materials published clues as to how giving to read the language systemofD’nitosolve thenumeric puzzlesinthegame.needed tounderstand To aidthe abouttheminbooks.writing InthesequeltoMyst, thevideogameRiven (1997), theplayer diegetic language of an ancient race who had the to ability other to worldscreate portals by language isD’ni, whichwas invented fortheimmersive world ofMyst(1993). D’niwas the clear through gestures andintonations. difficult tolearn. Itfeatures aflexible word ofspeechandtensesthatare order made andparts game.video This language ofGargoyles inUltimaIV(1990), was languages developed oneofthefirst fora of today, like TheElderScrolls V: (2011)andDragon Skyrim (2009). Age:Origins Gargesh, the earliest text-basedworld-building gamestothemassive multiplayer onlinegames(MMOGs) computer gameofAvatar (Wolf, 2012: 188). linguistics, invented Na’vi fortheworld-building ofP 2009, P created anEnglish-to-P andbefriends, encounters the family theraceofP a professor oflinguistics, Fromkin,Victoria tobespoken by thesmallape-like humanoidsthat verse, ostensibly revising theage-oldtraveler’s taletrope fortelevision. P the Marshalls, explorers, ofmodern afamily alternative uni- becometrappedinaprehistoric was Okrent, 2009: 255–272). culture themselvesthislanguagehelpedshape(see acting andimmersing intheimaginary languageforcommunication amongagroupofpeoplewhoareof atypeauxiliary inter- “qep’a.” hasnow forfictionalcharacters moved asanart-language What started intothe realm of speakers whodress upasKlingonsandcelebratetheKlingonculture atconventions called guage that is used in a community for social communication by (in varying degrees) a group worlddiegetic secondary environment (thetransmedialworld ofStarTrek ) tobecomealan- its superseded role asafictionallanguage ina thathastruly art-languages is oneofthefirst in thisvolume, “Roddenberry’s tion franchisesthathasbeencreated aroundworld McAuley’s asecondary (seeMary chapter fictional KlingonsintheStarTrek universe, oneofthelargestandmostpopularsciencefic - For example, linguistMark and use the languages as they engaged with,learn and built upon, these transmedial texts. would whowould ofonlinecommunitiesof theseart-languages offans becomepart both R. R. Martin’s Gameof Thrones series. intheearly1990s, oftheInternet With therise many ofsuchfranchisesasStarTrektransmedial storytelling , motion-pictures, television shows, andcomputer gamestoincludeinvented languagesinthe building would ultimatelybecomethedomain ofprofessional linguistshired by producers of new more aggressive racethatbecomesathreat itself. language tochangethinkingprevents theplanet ofP more aggressive feelingsandattitudesamongthenew generationoflearners. This useof Language invention hasalsobeenusedintheworld-building ofcomputergames, from the n the late 20th century anduptothepresent day,In thelate20thcentury languageinvention ofworld- aspart P aku, developed for the ortnow, 2011: 144–146; and Wolf, 2012: 228–229). To date, themostcomplexinvented aul Frommer, aprofessor SchoolofBusinesswithadoctoratein attheUSCMarshall languagewas Millerandwas designedby intendedtobe a posteriori Herman rew Higgins Fimi andAnrew Dimitra aku dictionary (Conley and Cain,aku dictionary 2006: 107). Inasimilarfashion, in nother art-language that came out of a fictional television series thatcameoutofafictionaltelevision series Another art-language merican television series television series American Okrand was hired toinvent Klingon, spoken anart-lang by the Star Trek Galaxy”). nother highly complex and enigmatic imaginary Another highlycomplexandenigmaticimaginary 26 As Okrent (2009)hasdiscussed, Klingon ao from beinginvaded but alsocreates a andora inthefilmandlatertransmedial akuni. To invent thedialogue Fromkin Land of the Lost (1974–1976) in which Star Wars, andmostrecently George aku was invented by Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 Adams, M. (ed.)(2011), FromElvishtoKlingon: Invented Languages , Oxford: Exploring Oxford University better describe, andilluminatethe real world aswell. worlds, language invention is being used not only for world-building but also to enhance, books withwhichtoinvent new languages. Today, bothinthe Primary World andsecondary P inventors andbookssuchasMarkRosenfelder’s Language ConstructionKit(2010)andDavid The LanguageCreation listshundreds Society(http://conlang.org)currently oflanguage in stated thathewas inspired by apuzzling use ofaword inoneoftheStarWars languagesused example, theinventor Dothraki(andmanyavid others) oftheart-language P their own languagesnotjustforfiction(ofalltypes) but alsoasapurely private pleasure. For some ofthemostpopulartransmedialfranchisesalltime has alsoinspired peopletoinvent andsciencefictiontexts.ural elementoffantasy Theprevalence ofthese languagesattachedto World (2013)(seeP the languageofDarkElves, Shivaisith, underworld fortheNorse Dark ofthemovieThor: The inthesciencefictiontelevision showa post-apocalypticEarth Defiance(2013–2015)aswell as other transmedialworld-building environments, includingCastithan, Irathient, andOmecfor inTheLord oftheRings.Age ofMiddle-earth P as insongandliterature, notunlike therole that Tolkien’s Quenya would play inthe Third andeducationamongthenobilityofEssos a languageusedforlearning Westeros, aswell mentioned inMartin’snovels. original IncontrasttoDothraki, High Valyrian ismeanttobe series, P from the “dorthralat,” (P to ride culturethe centralityofhorse Dothrakipeople. The very nameDothrakicomes Ana Dothrak Chek, whichisusedfor “I amfine” but literally means well,” “Iride indicating series. The Sapir-WhorfelementofthelanguagecanbeseeninDothrakiexpression proposal was selectedandhebecamethe “inventor” ofthedialogue forthepilottoHBO rounds from ofjudging among30languageinventors, David J. P A contestoflinguistsfrom around theworld was launchedtoinvent thislanguage. set ofwords andphrasesforbut didnotinvent asalanguagethatcouldbeusedindialogue. Dothraki languagewhich, three inthefirst volumes ofhisseries, gave Martin small afairly D guage isusedpurely forday-to-day communication. In2008, thecreatorsofHBOseries world of Westeros. The Dothrakidonothave systemorusebooks, awriting andthelan- whomake their home onthestepsofEssosininvented warriors ofhorse-riding tribes sent). Inthenovels, Dothrakiisspoken by apopulationof Hun-like, looselyconfederated adaption ofGeorgeR. R. ASongofIceandFire(1996–pre- Martin’s series fantasy historical ing isDothraki, whichwasofThrones(2011–present), created forHBO’s thetelevision Game environment. Middle-earth virtual like pulled afteroneyear andtaken offlinein2009(seeP However, the game itself had many flaws andafter investing millions inits production it was eterson’s own The ofLanguagelanguageinventors Invention (2015)togiveArt aspiring hand- . B. Weiss andDavid Benioffapproached theLanguageCreation Societyaboutcreating the Press. The interlacingoflanguageinvention withotherelementsofworld-building isnow anat- The mostrecent majorexampleoflanguageinvention linked inextricably toworld-build - (1983) to start inventing oftheJedi(1983)tostart The Return hisown languages(P Lord oftheRingsOnline(2007)alsouseelements Tolkien’s Elvishlanguagestobuild a eterson alsodevelopedeterson another invented language, High Valyrian, which, again, isonly eterson, 2015). Invented Languages Further Reading Further eterson, 2014: 37–38). For the last season of the HBO 27 eterson hasgoneontoinventeterson languagesfor ortnow, 2011: 154–155). games Current eterson’s 300-pageDothraki eterson, 2015: 3–4). eterson has eterson After two

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 P P Orwell, G (2009),Okrent, Arika Northmore, T. (2010[1795]), MemoirsofPlanetes: oftheLawsandMannersMakar, OraSketch London: Müller, M. (1868), OntheStratification ofLanguage, London: Longmans, Green, Readerand Dyer. Morris, J. (1994),, OnMozart Cambridge: University Press. Cambridge More, T. (2003[1516]), Utopia, London: P Mandeville, J. (2005), The Travels ofSirJohnMandeville, London: P Malkin, B. (1997[1806]), AFather’s MemoirsofHisChild, London: Woodstock Books. P Tolkien, J. R. R. (2008), Tolkien, OnFairy-stories editedby VerlynTolkien, FliegerandDouglas J.R.R. (2007[1937]), TheHobbit, London:HarperCollins. Tolkien, J. R. R. (2004), TheLord oftheRings, 50th Tolkien, J. R. R. (1981), TheLettersofJ.R.R. Tolkien , editedby , with theassistance Swift, J. (2005[1726]), Gulliver’s Travels, editedwithanintroduction by ClaudeRawson andnotesby Ian Rosenfelder, M. (2010), TheLanguageConstructionKit, Chicago: Root-Bernstein, M. (2014), Inventing Imaginary Worlds: FromChildhoodPlay to Adult Creativity Across the P Rogers, S P (2009),Okrent, Arika Conley, T. andCainS Machen, Foigny, G Eco, U Conley, T. andCain, S Clore, D Burgess, A.(1962), Bulwer-L Brontë, C., Brontë, E., andBrontë, Anon. (1891), “Revelations ofaReveller,”, Punch 100(March 14), p. 129. Lovecraft, H. P Y Tolkien, J. R. R. (2016), ASecret Vice: Tolkien onLanguageInvention, editedby DimitraFimiand eterson, D eterson, olo, M. (2015), TheTravels,New ortnow, J. (2011), “Gaming Languagesandanguageames” inM. eterson, D aguello, (1991), Marina LunaticLovers ofLanguage: Languagesand Imaginary Their Inventors, translatedby Building, New Gameof HBO Series Thrones, New and theMadDreamerswho Tried toBuildaPerfectLanguage, New Kessinger Publishing. and ,and Christina London: HarperCollins. of , London: George Higgins, Oxford: Oxford UniversityPress. andSciences,Arts New London: HarperCollins. Invented Languages,Exploring Oxford: Oxford UniversityPress, pp. 135–160. and theMadDreamerswho Tried toBuildaPerfectLanguage, New Press. Publishing Corporation. Press. edited by Christine Building, New Société des Textes FrançaisModernes. Slater,Catherine London: Higgins, London: HarperCollins. . (1995), forthePerfectLanguage, TheSearch translatedby James Fentress, Oxford: Blackwell. . (2009), Weird Words: A Lovecraftian Lexicon, New A. (2012[1899]), The White PeopleandOther Weird, Stories New . (2011), ofMade-UpLanguages, TheDictionary New ytton, E. (2009[1871]), Vril: The PoweroftheComing Race, New . (1676), Les Adventures deJacques etla SadeurdanslaDecouverte Voyage dela Terre Australe, P D . (1954), NineteenEighty-Four, New . (2015), The of Language Invention:Art From Horse-Lords to Dark-Elves, The Words behind World- . (2015), The ofLanguageInvention:Art FromHorse-Lords toDark-Elves, the Words behind World- . (2014), . (2014)TheNew Annotated H.P. Lovecraft , editedby LeslieS Y Y ork: P ork: P A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork , New Living Language Dothraki: A Conversational Language Course based on the Hit Original . (eds.)(2006), ofFictionalandFantastic Encyclopedia Languages , London: Greenwood . (eds.)(2006), ofFictionalandFantastic Encyclopedia Languages, London: Greenwood In theLandofInvented Languages: EsperantoStars, Rock Klingon, Poets, LoglanLovers, In theLandofInvented Languages: EsperantoStars, Rock Klingon, Poets, LoglanLovers, Alexander, Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press. enguin Books. enguin Books. Y rew Higgins Fimi andAnrew Dimitra ork: Bowman andLittlefield Publishers. Athlone Press. Y ork: P A. (2010), Tales ofGlass Town, Angria, andGondal: Selected , Writings Y ork: RandomHouse. enguin. enguin BooksLtd. Allen &Unwin. References Y Y ork: P ork: P 28 Anniversary Edition, editedby Wayne G enguin Books. enguin Books. Y ork: HippocampusPress. Y ork: Y enguin Classics. onagu Books. Y Y Adams MediaCorp. ork: Spiegel&Grau. ork: Spiegel&Grau. Adams (ed.), FromElvishtoKlingon: Y Y ork: P . Klinger, New ork: CreateSpace. odern Classics. enguin Modern Y ork: Liveright A. . Hammond Anderson, Andrew aris: Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 17:02 23 Sep 2021; For: 9781315637525, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315637525.ch3 Y Wolf, M. J. P Vance, J. (1958), TheLanguagesofPao, New Tolkien, J. R. R. (2016), ASecret Vice: Tolkien onLanguageInvention, editedby DimitraFimiand aguello, Catherine Slater,Catherine London: Higgins, London: HarperCollins. M. (1991), Lunatic Lovers of Language: Languages and Imaginary Their Inventors, translatedby . (2012), BuildingImaginary Worlds: The ofSubcreation, andHistory Theory London: Routledge. Athlone Press. Invented Languages Y ork: A 29 valon Books. Andrew