language or not

MayCaesar

You absolutely have a language that doubles as a code. A language is any system of verbal communication between humans - or any system of communication in general if we use the expanded definition including also scientific languages (such as mathematics), computer languages (such as Python) and so on. It does not really matter how the system originates; what matters is that there is a group of humans who use it to communicate with each other.

Furthermore, languages are fluid and decentralized, and large established languages still have regional variations, going all the way down to specifics of language use between any two selected individuals. For instance, a tight family living together is likely to have developed a lot of inside jokes and shortcuts that cannot be understood by anyone from outside the family without some additional context. They still speak the same general language as other people around them, but they add a little twist to it, resulting in a new variation of the language.

I suppose language becomes a code when it is explicitly used to communicate confidential information and not let others understand it. Let's say you live in a crime-ridden area and need a way to signal to your close friends or loved ones that the situation is extremely dangerous and they should start looking for a way to escape it, without arousing any suspicion in the dangerous individuals. It may be helpful to have an innocently-sounding phrase for that case, such as, "Hey, how is the weather outside? I hope it's not pouring rabbits!"

maxx

ok. i agree in a way however all my sounds simply represent words that are already part of an established language. all i am doing is changing one sound to call it another. It would seem that i developed nothing more than a code, than an actual language. For instance, i would think in my creation, it would be no different than morse code. @MayCaesar

Dee

I'd say you have a languge ,a langauge is a means of communication if your utterances make sense to others you have a language.

It could be deemed a code if its used for the purpose of secrecy unless you're using the term " code" in a different way.

maxx

maybe.  however a language does not rely on another language to be one. If one has to translate into english to understand it, then it is just a representation; correct? For instance, a language is imbedded into the brain and is understood without basing it upon the equivalent of other words to understand it. Take spanish; a native born speaker does not translate his words from another language; he simply understands the meaning in spanish. My code may eventually become a language but not until the traces of the translation to english ceases to play a part. @Dee

Dee

@maxx


.  however a language does not rely on another language to be one


Yes I know.


What do you mean " maybe"?

maxx

i am saying it "could" eventually be a language, but not until it loses the crutch of translating it from an established language. Until then it is just a representation of english words; not a language. @maxx @Dee

Dee

@maxx


Well then please post up your definition of language ......language, a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves.......

So tell me do you reject this as a definition of language?

maxx

nope, i do not reject that, however that definition leaves a lot to be desired. communication alone is not a language. my code does not have its own system of definitions, or grammar, or idealism. It is a simple borrowing of an established language. Its entire usage is based upon simple word exchange. Remember those puzzle books where each letter stands for another and youi have to crack the code to see the actual sentence? same thing. @Dee

Dee

@maxx


nope, i do not reject that, however that definition leaves a lot to be desired.

Its worked for centuries and understood as perfect definitionally for most , you still haven't given your definition.


communication alone is not a language

Communication is a process ,language focuses on words symbols or signs ,Communication is centerd on the message.


. my code does not have its own system of definitions, or grammar, or idealism. It is a simple borrowing of an established language. Its entire usage is based upon simple word exchange. Remember those puzzle books where each letter stands for another and youi have to crack the code to see the actual sentence?

II haven't a clue what you're on about.


 same thing

Same thing as what?

maxx

surely you are not going to argue this.  At best iit is a game, similar to pig latin. You do not take words from one language, change those words and call it a language. a true language evolves on its own and develops over time.; it is not a change of words into other words. @Dee

Dee

@maxx

My first comment was ...... A  langauge is a means of communication if your utterances make sense to others you have a language.

Your response was " maybe" which is actually denying what defines a language.

Language :

Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves.......

If you disagree with the accepted definition of such your case is not  with me but with inguists and who accept the definition .

You still haven't posted up your definition so what is it?


In your mind then English is not a language? As you now introduce the term " true language ".which you only mention now.

maxx

one does not create a language out of whole cloth by simply changing words of an established language. I done told you; a language evolves over time and develops on its on. A language needs its own system of grammar, not a borrowed one; its own dialect, its own idealism. One does not take an existing box so to speak, rearrange it and call it a different box. a language does not rely on translation from another one. I do not have a new number system by changing existing numbers into other sounds. All i have is a written and oral code that represents an established language; that only works if one knows the code and can translate it from english.  @Dee

Dee

@maxx

You're actually arguing with yourself there is not one thing in your statement I claimed.

Also you're not happy entirely with the accepted definition of language I'm still waiting on yours can you post it up?

maxx

representation of another language is the same language. My code is simply English, for it translate as such. my code is not a separate language. it can not stand on its own. It relies on english and is english coded into different words. @Dee

Dee

@maxx


I'm afraid I haven't a clue what you're trying to say. Why are you refusing to post up your definition of language?

maxx

you can look it up even though i told you already. a language has its own vowels, nouns, its own system of ideology, its own dialect, etc. mine does not. it is nothing more than english encoded into other words. is spanish or russian just english encoded into sounds? nope. they are a separate system. mine is just english with words representing english words.   @Dee

piloteer

@maxx

This isn't so easily deciphered either way. Single words are pretty meaningless until they are used in conjunction with other words. A single word really only represents a vague concept, rather than a specific meaning. It isn't until those vague words are placed with other vague words that a specific meaning comes from them. It is the juxtapositions of the words in conjunction with each other that makes specified messages that are readily understood by others. It was suggested on an earlier post on this thread that it does not matter how the words originate, all that matters is how they are used, but any linguist can look into the origins of specific words and from there can find the reasoning behind specific pronunciations of the words from region to region and possibly find out why the words are pronounced in the manner they are. 

One question that fascinates linguists so much is whether society shapes language, or whether language shapes society, and we are no closer to an answer to that question, only a clearer picture of the the possibility that language and society are equally influenced and shaped by each other. It makes it difficult to come to an understanding of the 'science' of a language (and society for that matter) if we cannot decipher which is the true fulcrum of influence. Is it society shaping language, or is it the language itself that is shaping us?    

I would hesitate to call nonsense words superimposed over traditional words anything more than code. Even if the words are consistent and share all the same meanings and nuance associated with them, it entirely ignores the why's where's and when's of how the traditional words came to be, and there's no argument thus far that those things are actually meaningless. That's not to say that if your new language is ever actually used instead of a traditional language that it itself cannot take on cultural and social significance, but it's hard to say that simple jargon itself (which is all that system of word replacement is, just jargon) can be a language of its own. Social and cultural influences on our language may be the exact thing that makes languages language.    

piloteer

@maxx

Nice topic by the way. Very interesting discussion!!!

Dee

@maxx


you can look it up even though i told you already. a language has its own vowels, nouns, its own system of ideology, its own dialect, etc.

I know what a language is Maxx I defined it for you , you accepted the definition but say it " It leaves a lot to be desired" so what is your definition?

Why are you refusing to define it?

mine does not. it is nothing more than english encoded into other words. is spanish or russian just english encoded into sounds? nope. they are a separate system. mine is just english with words representing english word

I sill dont know what you're trying to say can you clarify please?

maxx

Correct. It is as you say, but a code. A language game. It is nothing but english that is coded into other words.  As long as it is to be translated to its actual origin,  it can not be a language. An actual  language must be able to stand on its own, and not be a bunch of simple word substitutions. @piloteer

maxx

Tyi olk nyn ka hojklan. Now if you had the code sheet you can subsitute those words to the English ones. My friendmike understands those words because he memorized the code. Substituting English words to sounds, and then speaking it, does not make a language.  @Dee

Dee

@maxx

. A  langauge is a means of communication if your utterances , writings or symbols   make sense to others you have a language.

Why are you refusing to define language? Pretending you weren't asked is not very honourable.

maxx

Because you wouldsimply ignore the definition.  I als clarifyed it very well. Even if a thousand peopleknewand spoke tge code, it is nothing more than english, encoded into sounds. You cant base a language,  upon an existing language.  After work ill explain better.  But have you ever heard of a cryptogram? That is all i have, an oral cryptogram. Except that i use whole word substitution instead of just letters.  It is but a code. @Dee

Dee

@maxx

No , I wouldn't ignore the definition so let's have it?

Try and clarify what you're saying as it doesn't make sense.

maxx

odd>  excon seems to need no clarification.  as for the definition; here is what you will do with it. You will simply take one word out of it and ignore all the other parts and points. that word is communication. You will simply stick with that word and ignore all of my examples and refuse to answer any of my questions. you know it and i know it, so why should i bother when i know exactly how you will react?  here is the link. What Is Language? The 5 Basic Elements of Language Defined - Owlcation  Yes my code can be used as communication. Yet my code is static. None of my words has any other meaning than the substitution i give it.  my code is not arbitrary in nature. also look at number 3. my code is not structured.  it is also not generative. it does not change; each sound simply represents an english word. It is also not cultural. I think it is you who should study up on what a language actually is. It is not just communication. @Dee

Dee

@maxx


excon seems to need no clarification. 

I'm not Excon also are you on drugs Excon hasnt posted on this debate.. You don't accept the accepted  definition as you said "it leaves a lot to be desired" so do explain what linguists and I  don't know?


as for the definition; here is what you will do with it. You will simply take one word out of it and ignore all the other parts and points. that word is communication.

Nonsense, you either can define or you cannot , which is it?


 You will simply stick with that word and ignore all of my examples and refuse to answer any of my questions

Stop making excuses , you haven't asked me any questions 

. you know it and i know it, so why should i bother when i know exactly how you will react?  here is the link. What Is Language? The 5 Basic Elements of Language Defined - Owlcation  ......

Here is the definition of language from your source......

Definition of Language

Language is a form of communication that allows intercourse between multiple people that is arbitrary (in words individually), generative (in word placement), and constantly evolving.

So what's the big difference between your source and mine( below) ? You did say the definition I supplied as  used by linguists " left a lot to be desired", right?




language, a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves......

maxx

and just like i said you would do ignore the rest of the definition. hey  is morse code a language? nope. There are many many code used in the world and they are not a language.  like i said, you will refuse to answer my questions. is cryptology a language? and like i said you would do, ignore my points. you also failed to reply to what my code is not, as to how it is not a language. why did you not reply to those points Dee? read the basic 5 points again in that link and show me how ; other than communication, that my code follows. You can not do so.  That link gave you the definition of what qualifies a language to be one and my code fails it.  (now everyone; at  this point in the debate, dee simply resorts to ridicule and insults)  @Dee

Dee

@maxx

and just like i said you would do ignore the rest of the definition.

There was no " rest of the definition " , the definition you supplied was ....

Definition of Language

Language is a form of communication that allows intercourse between multiple people that is arbitrary (in words individually), generative (in word placement), and constantly evolving.

 hey  is morse code a language? nope

I never claimed morse code was a language 

. There are many many code used in the world and they are not a language. 

I never said codes were a language.

 like i said, you will refuse to answer my questions. is cryptology a language?

Yet I'm answering each one , I never made any comments on cryptology. 

 and like i said you would do, ignore my points.

What " points" have I ignored?

you also failed to reply to what my code is not, as to how it is not a language

I never said your code was a language..

why did you not reply to those points Dee?

I've answered everything you asked


read the basic 5 points again in that link and show me how ; other than communication, that my code follows

I haven't a clue what you're on about , I've never mentioned or given an opinion on codes

. You can not do so.

What are you going on about are you drunk or on medication,  you're making no sense.

  That link gave you the definition of what qualifies a language to be one and my code fails it.

Your code fails it and your point is?

  (now everyone; at  this point in the debate, dee simply resorts to ridicule and insults)

I've done neither,  you have claimed I said 7 things I never said all because your definition of language totally agrees with mine yet you claimed my definition left a lot to be desired, right?

MayCaesar

maxx said:

ok. i agree in a way however all my sounds simply represent words that are already part of an established language. all i am doing is changing one sound to call it another. It would seem that i developed nothing more than a code, than an actual language. For instance, i would think in my creation, it would be no different than morse code. @MayCaesar

I do not think that the particular structure in this context matters that much: Chinese is much more different from English than your language, yet someone who does not speak either will not be able to understand either. The Morse code, too, is a language, one someone who does not "speak" it will not be able to understand.

I would, in fact, call two languages different exactly when speaking one language does not guarantee understanding the other. I would not call the New York City dialect a different language than the Houston dialect: while there are differences, any New-Yorker will easily understand any Houston resident. On the other hand, Russian and Ukrainian are absolutely different languages, and while a Russian who does not speak Ukrainian may understand some parts of a Ukrainian speech, the understanding will be extremely incomplete.

If I swap "cat" for "abrakadabra", I will not have created a new language: while people will be confused by my use of this word, they will be able to understand from the context what I mean. But if I swap a thousand commonly used words, then most of my speech will not make much sense to them. That is what makes it a different language in my eyes.

maxx

the biggest reason my code is not a language, is that it can not stand alone. It requires translation by the speakers. a true language does not do so. for instance if i say "look over there" i do not take those sounds and look up my meaning. They are already embedded into my brain as the meaning. My code is nothing more than english encoded into sounds. Also each sound is random and does not follow any rules of grammar at all. Each sound simply represents an english equivalent. There is no slang, no actual dialect, no language idealism, and no proper structure.  A code, no matter how many speak it, remains a code. It also fails on every point on what qualifies as a language except for one: communication; and that is only viable through the substitution of its english equivalent.   my code of sounds has no real intonation, no emphasis on words that denote stronger or lesser meaning. above all, there is no mental association with it until it is translated back to its english equivalent. Communication alone does not symbolize a language. .  @MayCaesar

maxx

Your very first comment was "id say you have a language" so yes you did say it. If you now changeyourmind, that is fine my me.  As well, the link i poster gave five things a language must have to qualify as one. Those are the points ive been asking you to either agree or if not, show how my code follows them, if you say my code is a language.   However,  you seem to be on the fence now. Firstyou sai i have a language,  and now you claim you didnt say that.  So i also now ask, which is it? Do i have a language or a code? If you say both, then again,  address the 5 points in the link as to how my code follows those points, in order for it to qualify as a language.  @Dee

MayCaesar

maxx said:

the biggest reason my code is not a language, is that it can not stand alone. It requires translation by the speakers. a true language does not do so. for instance if i say "look over there" i do not take those sounds and look up my meaning. They are already embedded into my brain as the meaning. My code is nothing more than english encoded into sounds. Also each sound is random and does not follow any rules of grammar at all. Each sound simply represents an english equivalent. There is no slang, no actual dialect, no language idealism, and no proper structure.  A code, no matter how many speak it, remains a code. It also fails on every point on what qualifies as a language except for one: communication; and that is only viable through the substitution of its english equivalent.   my code of sounds has no real intonation, no emphasis on words that denote stronger or lesser meaning. above all, there is no mental association with it until it is translated back to its english equivalent. Communication alone does not symbolize a language. .  @MayCaesar

Let us assume for the sake of the argument that you do not speak French. If you start learning French tomorrow, it will be some time until you have gained enough knowledge of and experience in the language that you can start thinking in the language - up until then (and that may take you anywhere from 1 to 10 years, depending on your pace) French will require translation from English by you, a speaker. Does this make French not a language?

Your code is the same. If you practice speaking it enough, it will become as natural to you as speaking English, even if from the outside your speech may sound like gibberish. It is as if you had never heard of Dungeons and Dragons, then showed up at an active tabletop event and heard sentences like, "I roll the natural 20, bypassing your Charisma and Wisdom saving throws, dealing 1d12 physical damage, plus I have this bonus from the Eye of Kelemvor auto-critting flat ability damage" - you will not be able to make any sense out of it, even though the players themselves understand everything easily and do not actively try to obfuscate their language.

Dee

@maxx

You clearly stated.,...let us say i create fake words to specify english words; such as klik to mean cat, uster to mean you; and so on. perhaps i create 1000 of these words to match an english equivalent. I now have a thousand sounds to represent a thousand english words. I give the list to a thousand people and we all go around speaking these  representational sounds. do i have a language or just a code?.........

That is a language once you can effectively communicatewith the other 999 peole , it's  not a code  wunless your goal is secrecy.

Your very first comment was "id say you have a language" so yes you did say it. If you now changeyourmind, that is fine my me

I haven't changed my mind I clearly stated....

Your very first comment was "id say you have a language" so yes you did say it. If you now changeyourmind, that is fine my me

No I haven't changed my mind why do you think so?

.  As well, the link i poster gave five things a language must have to qualify as one.

You never asked for an essay on language you asked for a definition.

But I gave you the defintion of a language you agreed with it as you posted your definition which was nearly the same, right?


Those are the points ive been asking you to either agree or if not, show how my code follows them, if you say my code is a language. 

No  actually as my first statement addressed you debate heading and is correct.


  However,  you seem to be on the fence now. Firstyou sai i have a language,  and now you claim you didnt say that.

No I didn't say that at all read above 

  So i also now ask, which is it? Do i have a language or a code? If you say both, then again,  address the 5 points in the link as to how my code follows those points, in order for it to qualify as a language.

You still have a language regarding your debate topic / heading/ opening statement


.  

maxx

Forget it dee. You are daft. Im not goingto play run in circles with you. Either debate or forget it. @Dee

Dee

@maxx

Forget it dee

I already have,  my points are all perfectly valid and you're furious as you wanted a fight.

. You are daft. 

I'm not the one who's confused over a code and a languge so I'd think someone that couldn't define either could be deemed daft right?


m not goingto play run in circles with you.

But that's exactly what you're at.

 Either debate or forget it.

I've tried and for some reason you're in a fury as usual,  bad day at work?

maxx

you are correct in saying if i was learning french, i would naturally have to translate to english and back, Yet the difference is french is a natural language, with sounds that can be translated to other languages in a pretty straight way.  mine can not do that. A french person can not translate my code into french UNLESS he first translates it into english. Even morse code can do better then that. A french person can read or hear it and translate it straight to french. No need to translate it to english first like my code. I have a simple word substitution. At best it is a language game; a cant.  If you would take time to browse the link i provided dee, and if the link is correct in its statements; then you will see there are at least five things that a language must have to qualify to be one. I concede the communication. The other points however; my code does not have or meet the standards at all.  Now i understand that there can be languages without its writing counterpart; however, i do not even have an alphabet. A few of my points that i have said to you earlier; such as what a language must have are with-in that link. Perhaps you would be so kind as to read the points in that link and aside from communication; tell me how my code meets the rest. @MayCaesar ;

MayCaesar

maxx said:

you are correct in saying if i was learning french, i would naturally have to translate to english and back, Yet the difference is french is a natural language, with sounds that can be translated to other languages in a pretty straight way.  mine can not do that. A french person can not translate my code into french UNLESS he first translates it into english. Even morse code can do better then that. A french person can read or hear it and translate it straight to french. No need to translate it to english first like my code. I have a simple word substitution. At best it is a language game; a cant.  If you would take time to browse the link i provided dee, and if the link is correct in its statements; then you will see there are at least five things that a language must have to qualify to be one. I concede the communication. The other points however; my code does not have or meet the standards at all.  Now i understand that there can be languages without its writing counterpart; however, i do not even have an alphabet. A few of my points that i have said to you earlier; such as what a language must have are with-in that link. Perhaps you would be so kind as to read the points in that link and aside from communication; tell me how my code meets the rest. @MayCaesar ;

That is a limitation caused by the unpopularity of your language. Nothing prevents someone from learning your language directly, bypassing learning English, short of lack of learning material. But then, there is also not a lot of learning material for some of the more uncommon African languages, yet they are still languages.

You also mentioned that French sounds can be translated to other languages "in a pretty straight way"... That is not an opinion many translators would agree with: especially live translation is an extremely difficult and intense process, precisely because languages have elements that are not perfectly translatable into each other and have to be fuzzily translated based on the context. Word "Elenchus" from Ancient Greek used by Plato in his writings, for instance, has been so infamously difficult to translate that in most translators it is left completely untouched, so the readers can understand its approximate meaning from its usage.
If anything, phrases from your language are much easier to translate to English than French phrases, as there is a precise methodology one can use to achieve a 100% accurate translation, while from French to English you can hardly translate anything more complicated than "My name is X" 100% accurately.

The properties of language in the link you shared seem to only be agreed upon by the author, and many linguists would disagree with them. The second property - "Language is Arbitrary in Nature" - sounds just outright wrong to me, and none of the existing languages satisfies this property. There is an entire field of study in linguistics that tries to understand why people use the exact words they do to mean something. Why do we call an apple an "apple"? It is not arbitrary, and there is a set of historical etymological innovations that has led to this. How does one reconcile the "arbitrariness" of languages with the fact that languages have so much intersection and similarity - that "casa" in Spanish and "castle" in English refer to objects having a lot of similar properties? If a language is completely arbitrary, then how come a person from Spain can visit Portugal and recognize a lot of words without ever hearing a single word in Portuguese before?
The idea that "anything can be called anything" is extremely misleading; it is like saying that any event can be interpreted in any way. Sure, on some technical level it is true - but in practice, if a lion jumps at you from the bushes, you are not going to interpret it as "A yellow cat is showing affection to me; I should go and give it a hug!" The fact that there is a lot of freedom in one's response to certain needs does not imply that the response is arbitrary.

Furthermore, practical needs of the language naturally restrict some of these choices. Why do you think is the equivalent of "I" in every single language very short? Why is there no language that uses a 50-letter word for "I"? Because "I" is one of the most commonly used words, and therefore it must be as easy to say as possible. On the other hand, it is okay for a particular kind of a butterfly to be called "Oxybadistes hypomeloma" as it ever needs to be used by a very tiny fraction of the population in a very tiny fraction of contexts, and more often than not it is written and not spoken out loud.
It does not mean that you cannot invent a language that will have "Oxybadistes hypomeloma" for "I"; you can. But good luck getting a lot of people to learn your language and use it in their everyday lives.

maxx

What i will concede, is i have the possibility of a language.  As of yet, it is only a code, regardless of how many speak it. There are too many conditions and additions that myst be met. Every single sound is pronounced as the individual sees it. There is no structure.  One cannot learn a language with out structure and with out rules. My words have no set vowel structure,  no long or short. There is no hard or soft constanents. No emphasis on any part of a word. I could give tgat code with the translations to a group,  and each one would speak it differently,  in the way the see the words. There are many ways to say and put meaning  into a sentence and the pronunciation alone would keep even those who have the code sheet, unable to converse and understand each other. Right now. I have nothing more than a written and oral cryptogram.  @MayCaesar

Barnardot

@maxx ;do i have a language or just a code?

I wood say that all you have is just a code because when you analize it thats all it is just words to represent all ready existing words just like morse code.

The difference with a language is is that it is formulated by people living in the same environment sharing the same things like food and tasks and the whether and climate. So they evolve a language of sounds that they all have a commonality with. So in the end a code is some thing created for a purpose. In your case ist created for the heck of it for no reason. While a language is developed  for communicating through a long time through the culture from where it comes from.

maxx

Yes, that is one way to look at it. I have said one does not simply make a language from thin air. communication alone does not denote a language.  Language is a cultural part opf life, not simply an aspect of it. Its evolution involves many things, such as social, attitudes, the environment, and many other factors.   @Barnardot

Barnardot

@maxx ;communication alone does not denote a language.

Thats right because your got to realize that there are other elements such as feelings and biult around there day to day lifes. For example the French have one word for cold. The eskimos have a hundred word for cold deepending on where the cold is and what it relates to because they constantly live with cold.

maxx

one of the basic things  that people are not accepting is that language is an evolutionary process. It develops over time within a group, in a culture. You simply can not create an instant language with substitution of words, no matter how many speak it.  what i will concede is IF my thousand people who has the code, isolated themselves, and had children who were taught the code from birth, then and only then i may have the beginnings of a language; then it may evolve with those children as their environmental and social conditions play a part. Then and only then can my code be spoken by those children without the need to translate it back to the english  substitutions. @Barnardot

Dee

@maxx


one of the basic things  that people are not accepting is that language is an evolutionary process.


Really ? What people don't accept this? All languages evolve everyone knows this new languages as well as old.

 It develops over time within a group, in a culture. You simply can not create an instant language with substitution of words, no matter how many speak it. 

You can create a language and people have created a language,  what do you mean " instant language "?

 what i will concede is IF my thousand people who has the code, isolated themselves, and had children who were taught the code from birth, then and only then i may have the beginnings of a language; then it may evolve with those children as their environmental and social conditions play a part. Then and only then can my code be spoken by those children without the need to translate it back to the english  substitutions

You're making no sense at all.

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Natural Languages vs. Constructed Languages

There are three kinds of languages in the world: natural languages, formal languages, and constructed languages. Natural languages are ones that developed naturally over the course of human history, like English, Spanish, and Japanese.

Formal languages are ones that have been consciously created by someone for use in logic, mathematics, computer science, or linguistics – like the programming languages used in computer code.

Constructed languages, or conlangs for short, fall somewhere between natural and formal languages. They were not developed naturally over time, but they also don’t follow any strict rules like programming languages do.

Instead, they're typically designed by one or more people to fit specific needs or goals. They are often used for worldbuilding purposes in works of fiction.

While creating a constructed language can be a fun project on its own, many conlang creators also use their new language for some practical purpose. This could include using it as an international auxiliary language – a language meant to be used as a universal second language that everyone can learn, like interlingua or esperanto.

Examples of Artificial Languages

Artificial languages come in all shapes and sizes, and serve all sorts of different purposes. Here are a few examples:

Klingon language

This artificial language was created for use in the "Star Trek" TV series. It's spoken by an alien race called the Klingons and is designed to sound unnatural to the human ear.

Many Star Trek fans learn to speak Klingon, but since its vocabulary is heavily centered around the sci-fi setting, it’s not very convenient in everyday use.

Na’vi language

This fictional language was created for use in the 2009 film "Avatar." Like Klingon, it was designed with a specific purpose in mind – to sound strange and alien.

In reality, Na’vi is actually based on the sounds of Navajo and other Native American languages. It was created by linguist Paul Frommer as part of his job at the University of Southern California.

Game of Thrones Languages

As a fantasy epic, the "Game of Thrones" book series and TV show include a range of fictional languages. Two of the most famous of these are Dothraki and High Valyrian, created by linguist David J. Peterson for the TV series.

Peterson drew inspiration for both of his conlangs from existing languages, such as Latin, Estonian, Inuktitut, and Turkish.

Middle Earth Languages

The "Lord of the Rings" book series is another famous example of a world where fictional languages are used to create a sense of otherness and immersion. And, their creator, J.R.R.Tolkien, has put great effort into the process.

Tolkien began creating languages when he was a teenager, and he continued until late in life. Some of these languages were later adapted into the fictional ones used in Middle Earth, such as different Elvish languages.

Get Started

You can make your language more complex or simple, but it is always a rewarding experience. Fortunately, you don't have to start from scratch – you can adopt words and grammar structures from other languages (for example, French). But, for the best results, it’s important to understand how the existing language that you’re using functions.

Determine the reason you want to create the language and what it will be used for. For example, naming languages are used primarily for short phrases like character names or places in a book.

A naming language doesn’t have complex grammar or syntax, but should fit well if you are developing a simple fictional language for your book or series. However, you'll need to dive deeper into the structure of that language if you want to use it in conversation with someone or if you really want to elaborate the worldbuilding process.

Once you’ve decided what kind of language you want to create, it's time to start working on it. Here are six steps that should help you with that.

Step 1: Work On the Sounds

One of the most important parts of a language is pronunciation. When it comes to creating your language, you'll need to think about how its words are supposed to sound.

Start by choosing sounds that sound natural and have an appropriate rhythm for the type of language you’re creating. This could be drawn from existing languages, like Latin or German, or completely unique choices.

To make the process easier, you can use the International Phonetic Alphabet (check their website) to come up with new sounds. Finally, remember to write down all the sounds, so you can remember them when building your language.

Step 2: Create a Writing System

Now that you have a start to the spoken language, it’s time to create the writing system of your language – draw your own letters to represent the sounds you’ve made up. To create your own alphabet and come up with the letters, use your native language as well as other existing languages.

Consider how you want your language to look on paper. For example, it can be a pictographic system like Chinese or Japanese. In that case, you also need to decide whether you want characters that are written horizontally or vertically, apart from creating the hieroglyphics.

If it's an alphabetic system like English or Spanish, you can base it on several existing alphabets, such as Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, or Georgian. In that case, you can also use the already existing letters or letter combinations and assign new sounds to them.

Step 3: Come Up with Basic Words

Now, you can think about some basic words that will later help you with the process of expanding your language. Start with a list of a few words, such as nouns, verbs, and conjunctions – the basics. Further on, you can create compound words based on these root words (see how such words are used in German).

Make sure that your language choices make sense for the type of culture and world you’ve created.

For example, if you're creating a low-tech society based in a tropical climate, think about what kind of animals and plants they would have around them on a daily basis, and try to figure out what characteristics their language would have as a result of this environment. Maybe it will resemble a birdsong?

Remember to keep notes of all the words you’ve created. You can create your own dictionary, and fill it in as you go.

Step 4: Build Consistent Grammar Rules and Discover How Sentences Are Built

Now that you have a list of words, it’s time to start building the grammar rules of your language. This is often one of the most difficult parts, because it involves describing the patterns that govern how your language works.

Start by figuring out what kind of sentence structures are possible in this language and what they look like. Some languages, such as English or French, generally use a Subject-Object-Verb order for their sentences. However, other languages like Polish or Russian don't follow these kinds of rules – here, verbs can be put in many different places within a sentence.

Next, think how tenses work in your language: do you need markers for past, present, and future? What about the point in time within a sentence? You can also choose whether you want your language to imply or not imply its action going on at the moment of speaking (as in English: "I am running" but "I run").

Think about how nouns and articles work: do they have genders? Do they need to be pluralized?

Above all, keep these rules consistent. Write them down to remember them later on. But, feel free to add exceptions and rule-breakers – this will help your language look more natural.

Step 5: Give Your Language a Name

Now, think of a name for your new language – this will be the official term you'll use to refer to it. It can be based on its country of origin, like French or Swahili; your own name for it, like Esperanto; or something completely random, like Klingon from Star Trek.

Remember that naming languages can be fun: take your time and enjoy the process! And, don’t limit yourself: if you want to create two parallel versions of the same language with different names – go ahead.

Step 6: Practice Your New Language

The final step to creating your own language is to actually use it! You can start by writing simple sentences or dialogues, and then read them out loud and listen to how they sound. This will help you identify any possible problems with pronunciation and rhythms of the new language.

An easy way to practice speaking without an actual conversation partner is to create a diary in your new language and write articles about topics that interest you. This way, you'll be able to not only practice the grammar rules, but also create more vocabulary words.

And, don't forget that creating a new language, just like learning one, requires time and effort. Stay patient and keep practicing for as long as it takes until you feel comfortable using your new tongue.

Bottom Line

Creating your own language can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, and it's not as difficult as you might think! All you need is some creativity, patience, and a willingness to learn.

In this article, we've outlined the basics of how to create a language – from coming up with vocabulary words to building grammar rules. So, why not give it a try now? The sky's the limit when it comes to what you can create – go and have fun with it!

maxx

what you do not understand is my code ghas none of those steps aside from words; hence it is only a code. I have no alphabet. I hve no specialized nouns, verbs, conjunctions other than what they represent in its english substitution. I have no structure that shows long or short vowels or hard and soft constantans. I have no spelling structure; it is all random. There is no emphasis on any parts of the words, nor any emotional content. Every word is dependent upon the speaker and how they wish to speak it, and each person may speak it differently making it difficult to understand.   My code is not derived from culture or from any specialized group or tribe. It has no history.   The Relationship Between Language and Culture Explained | FluentU Language Learning  @Dee

Dee

@maxx ;

Ah right I get what you're saying now. So its not a language and if it was it would be utterly useless as a code it seems pretty useless as well.

maxx

My code is not based upona book,  a tv show, or an idea.. it has no roots. No history.  As a code, it works as long as the people who use it understands each other. As ive sta, it is nothing more than word substitution.  A written and oral cryptogram.  @Dee

Dee

@maxx

.  

Yes that's the way codes work.for the purpose of secrecy.

maxx

the worse part of my code, is that it drives the auto spell checker nuts. @Dee

Barnardot

@maxx ;the worse part of my code, is that it drives the auto spell checker nuts.  @Dee

Well your got to realize that you can’t realy on spell checkers any way. I find that they don’t work well so I just turn them off. They don’t analize the hole of the text so they can’t really put it in the right contesk.

maxx

they do ok up to a point. You have lots of words mis-spelled all of the time. curious, are you an immigrant from south of the border? Just asking, for either english is not your native tongue, or something is the matter elsewhere.  @Barnardot