80-284 Invented Languages
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Language is normally something that develops and and changes organically within human communities, without much in the way of organized design or invention. Over the centuries, however, many have succumbed to what J. R. R. Tolkien called the secret vice of language creation. The purposes of these invented languages have been diverse. Some, like Tolkiens Elvish languages, Okrands Klingon, and Petersons Dothaki and Trigedasleng have been designed for artistic or entertainment purposes they have set out to be natural languages within fictional worlds. Others, like Zamenhofs Esperanto, Browns Loglan, and Elgins Ladan have tried to address perceived inadequacies of the natural languages that their creators saw in the world around them. The of study language invention is thus both the study of a distinctive art form, and an exploration of the history of how people have thought about language in different ages and societies. In this course, we will explore the linguistic considerations involved in language invention, and the linguistic lessons of the history of invented languages, with a particular emphasis on applying these insights to our own language invention projects. Over the course of the semester, students will be expected to develop invent their own languages, and to complete various shorter assignments to supplement relevant ideas and skills. This course does not assume any background in linguistics, and is intended to accommodate both newcomers and advanced students.
Prerequisites: none listed
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