Introduction to Constructed Languages (Conlangs)

• Fictional universes increasingly feature constructed languages.

  • Examples include:
  • Elvish (Lord of the Rings)
  • Klingon (Star Trek)
  • Na'vi (Avatar)
  • Dothraki and High Valyrian (Game of Thrones)

• These are not random sound collections, ciphers, or codes; they are full-fledged languages:

  • Characteristics of Conlangs:
  • Complete sound systems
  • Comprehensive grammars
  • Dictionaries with thousands of words

• Difference from Natural Languages:

  • Natural languages evolve over millennia through millions of speakers
  • Conlangs are often created in a few months by individual creators (conlangers).

Emergence of Conlanging as an Art Form

• Conlanging has been around for a long time but has recently gained recognition as an art form.
  • Employed in various media: films, TV shows, games, world-building projects.
  • Adds depth and complexity to fictional worlds.

Goals of Language Creation

• Understanding the purpose behind creating a language is essential:
  • Focus here is on languages for fictional populations in world-building projects.
  • Conlangs should simulate natural linguistic evolution for plausibility.

Factors to Consider in Language Design

• Cultural Considerations:

  • Questions to explore:
  • Who speaks the language?
  • Where do they live?
  • What technology do they possess?
  • Are there nearby cultures influencing them?

• For illustrative purposes, a hypothetical culture is established:

  • An isolated group of humans on a tropical island without external influence.

Steps in Creating a Language

1. Create a Sound System:

   • Focus on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for sounds.
   • Each language has a sound inventory detailing all present sounds.

2. Establish a Basic Vocabulary:

   • Create a small cache of words for a proto-language.

3. Develop Grammar and Lexicon:

   • Use initial words to build grammatical structures.

4. Evolve the Language:

   • Transform the proto-language into a modern form.

Sound Systems

• Articulation begins with establishing the sound inventory:

  • IPA Overview:
  • It includes every sound produced by human vocal tract.
  • No language uses all possible IPA sounds.

• Creating a Sound Chart:

  • Examine desired sounds using the IPA.
  • Useful resource: Wikipedia includes audio files of most sounds.

• Choosing Sounds:

  • Language creation involves picking sounds that fit a naturalistic model.
  • Strong reliance on sound symmetry:
    • Rows: place of articulation (e.g., bilabial, alveolar).
    • Columns: manner of articulation (e.g., stops, fricatives).

• Examples of Sounds:

  • Common consonants: pa, ta, ka, ma, na.
  • Avoid random selections—focus on combinations consistent with natural languages.

Key Characteristics of Natural Languages

• Symmetry in Phonology:

  • Multiple sounds usually represented across rows and columns in the IPA chart.
  • A language likely has voiceless obstruents if voiced ones are present.
  • Obstruents: Sounds created by obstructed airflow.
  • Sonorants (Resonants): Include nasals (e.g., ma) and liquids (e.g., ra).

• Vowel Systems:

  • Every language includes at least two vowels.
  • Common vowel systems include:
  • Three Vowels: Seen in languages like Arabic.
  • Five Vowels: The most common structure found globally.

Summary of Sound Inventory for Sample Language

• Consonants Chart:
  • Initial choices include: pa, ta, ka, ma, na, sa.
  • Rare sounds like lateral fricatives included for diversity:
  • Common affricate example: 'a'.
• Vowel System:
  • Basic five-vowel system with long/short distinctions.
  • Example: Long vowels indicated by macrons.

Romanization and Phonology Rules

• Romanization:

  • Use easy-to-interpret symbols for sounds; for instance, represent unique sounds simply.
  • Use digraphs for difficult symbols (e.g., lateral sounds represented as 'hl' and 'tl').

• Syllable Structure:

  • Syllables consist of:
  • Onset: Consonant at the beginning
  • Nucleus: Typically a vowel
  • Coda: Final consonant, optional.

• Open and Closed Syllables:

  • Most languages can be categorized by syllable structure:
  • Open (no coda)
  • Closed (has coda)

• Example Languages: Hawaiian (open), English (complex).

Stress Patterns in Language

• Stress rules vary:

  • Some languages have fixed stress; others change based on syllable structure.
  • Example: In Latin, the third-to-last syllable is typically stressed unless certain conditions apply.

• For the sample proto language, the established rule:

  • Stress always falls on the third-to-last syllable unless the second-to-last syllable contains a long vowel.

Conclusion on Proto Phonology

• Summary of phonological rules established for the proto language.

• Future discussions will focus on forming words using the established phonology.

• Next Steps: Begin constructing words for the language as preparation for its evolution into modern use.