Constructed languages portal

An artificial or constructed language (known colloquially as a conlang among aficionados), is a language whose phonology, grammar and vocabulary are specifically devised by an individual or small group, rather than having naturally evolved as part of a culture as with natural languages. Some are designed for use in human communication (usually to function as international auxiliary languages), but others are created for use in fiction, linguistic experimentation, secrecy (codes), or for the experience of doing so (artistic languages, language games). These languages are sometimes associated with constructed worlds.

The synonym planned language is sometimes used when referring to international auxiliary languages, and by those who may object to the more common term "artificial". Some speakers of Esperanto avoid the term "artificial language" because they feel that it portrays the language as "unnatural". However, outside the Esperanto community the term language planning refers to prescriptive measures taken regarding a natural language. In this regard, even "natural languages" may be submitted to a certain amount of artificiality, and in the case of regularized grammars, the line is difficult to draw.

Language of the month (August)

Newspeak is a fictional language in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. In the novel, it is described as being "the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year." Orwell included an essay about it in the form of an appendix in which the basic principles of the language are explained. Newspeak is closely based on English but has a greatly reduced and simplified vocabulary and grammar. This suits the totalitarian regime of the Party, whose aim is to make any alternative thinking – "thoughtcrime", or "crimethink" in the newest edition of Newspeak – or speech impossible by removing any words or possible constructs which describe the ideas of freedom, rebellion and so on. One character says admiringly of the shrinking volume of the new dictionary: "It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words."

The Newspeak term for the English language is Oldspeak. Oldspeak was intended to have been completely eclipsed by Newspeak before 2050. Find out more...

Did you know...

...that Adjuvilo, although it was a fully developed language, was merely created to help create dissent in the then-growing Ido movement?
...that Winston Churchill initially supported Basic English as an international language, but was put off when he was told that "blood, toil, tears and sweat" translates as "blood, hard work, eyewash and body water"?
...that Kēlen is a constructed language that has no verbs, but still is able to express anything?

Current events

• Seti's Are We Alone 7/7/08, 21m35s in
• 3rd Language Creation Conference

Corresponding categories

Things you can do

Web resources

Conlang Profiles at Langmaker.com
Some Internet resources relating to constructed languages, by Richard Kennaway
A Constructed Languages Library
Invaluable Conlang Links
UniLang.org
Conlang.wikicities
IAL Wiki at Wikicities
Talideon ConlangWiki
Conlanger.com
The Artlangs Community LINK TO AD PAGE

Articles

Associated Wikimedia