Overview
This lecture discusses constructed languages (conlangs), their purposes, structures, cultural connections, examples, and opportunities for involvement in the conlanging community and careers.
Introduction to Conlangs
- "Conlang" is short for constructed language, intentionally designed by individuals or groups.
- Conlangs differ from natural languages (natlangs), which develop organically among speakers.
- They can range from playful inventions to fully developed languages with grammar, phonology, and vocabulary.
Features and Purposes of Conlangs
- Conlangs must be internally consistent, with rule-governed grammar and syntax, unlike random gibberish.
- They are used in fictional media, like books, movies, and TV shows, to enrich world-building.
- Creating conlangs combines analytical and creative skills, blending art and science.
- Some conlangs experiment with linguistic features not commonly found in natural languages, such as highly synthetic or unique phonological rules.
Cultural and Community Aspects
- Some conlangs are tied closely to fictional cultures, mirroring real-life language-culture connections.
- Collaboration on conlangs is possible but most are created by individuals.
- Examples of famous conlangs include Tolkien’s languages, Dothraki (Game of Thrones), Klingon (Star Trek), and Na’vi (Avatar).
Codes vs. Conlangs
- Language games like Pig Latin are codes based on existing languages, not independent constructed languages.
Getting Involved and Careers
- Conlangers connect globally through communities on Discord, Reddit, Facebook, and more.
- The Language Creation Society (LCS) offers resources, job postings, networking, and educational materials.
- LCS functions as a guild and provides opportunities to work with authors, filmmakers, and game developers.
Example: The Reand Language
- "Reand" is a verb-initial conlang with an ergative-absolutive alignment created by Margaret Randel Green.
- It has about 3,500 words and a custom alphabet with three modes: standard, runic, and cursive.
- Reand distinguishes nouns by animacy in its definite articles, with borderline cases for moving objects.
Academic and Revitalization Connections
- Conlanging skills overlap with linguistic analysis and language documentation.
- Studies compare conlang communities with language revitalization movements for endangered languages.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Conlang — a constructed language with its own grammar and vocabulary, designed by one or more people.
- Natlang — a natural language that evolves among speaker communities.
- Phonology — the sound system of a language.
- Ergative-Absolutive — a type of grammatical alignment for marking subjects and objects.
- Lexicon — the vocabulary of a language.
- Orthography — the writing system or set of conventions for a language.
- Animacy — grammatical distinction based on whether a noun is alive or inanimate.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Visit the Language Creation Society at conlang.org for resources and job opportunities.
- Explore online conlang communities and consider joining discussions or collaborative projects.
- Read assigned academic work comparing conlang and language revitalization communities (as suggested by the guest speaker).