How to Create a Language: Dothraki Inventor Explains | WIRED

Summary

David Peterson, language creator for *Game of Thrones*, shares his process for crafting fictional languages. He begins by defining the purpose of the language, whether spoken or signed, and proceeds to develop its sounds, syllable structure, stress, and grammar. Peterson emphasizes the importance of word order, verb conjugation, and derivation to shape the language's character. He highlights the ongoing work of creating a lexicon and writing system, advising language creators to study diverse, unrelated languages. This thorough approach, combining creativity with linguistics, results in a unique and immersive language.

Takeaways

• 😀 Figure out the purpose of the language and the audience before starting; consider whether it's for humans or other beings, which affects the design process.
• 😀 Decide whether the language will be spoken, written, or signed, taking into account the physical traits of its speakers (e.g., tentacles, eyeballs, etc.).
• 😀 When designing sounds, create a phonetic chart categorizing consonants and vowels by their manner and place of articulation, ensuring a distinct and functional set of sounds.
• 😀 Carefully choose consonant clusters and syllable structures to make the language feel authentic and avoid unpronounceable or awkward combinations.
• 😀 Stress and intonation are key for a language's character, and the decision whether to use stress (like English) or tones (like Mandarin) will shape its sound.
• 😀 Grammar, or morphology, includes how words relate to one another, including distinctions between nouns, verbs, cases, and numbers, with some languages having more complexity in this area.
• 😀 Verbs play a central role in grammar, changing according to tense, subject, object, and indirect objects; creating verbs can be one of the most challenging parts of language design.
• 😀 Sentence structure involves determining the order of key elements (subject, verb, object), with different languages following various orders like SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) or SOV (Subject-Object-Verb).
• 😀 To form questions, languages can change word order or simply adjust intonation without adding extra words, highlighting differences from English structure.
• 😀 Derivation is a method of creating new words by modifying existing ones (e.g., ‘wind’ to ‘storm’), which adds richness and consistency to the lexicon.
• 😀 Building the lexicon involves creating a wide array of words, which is a lifelong process; it's essential to keep detailed reference materials like grammar documents and dictionaries for consistency.
• 😀 When studying languages, it's valuable to explore unrelated languages (e.g., French and Japanese) to expand your understanding of how language systems can vary.

Q & A

What is the first step in creating a language according to David Peterson?

The first step is to define the purpose of the language. Specifically, you need to figure out why you're creating the language and who will be using it. This includes considering whether the language will be used by humans or non-humans, as this influences the design, especially if it's for aliens or creatures with different physical attributes.

How does the vocal apparatus of the language users affect language creation?

If the language is designed for non-humans, such as aliens with no mouths or ears, the vocal apparatus plays a crucial role in how the language is formed. For example, a visual language might be created if the users have tentacles and cannot speak, or a signed language could be developed based on their unique physical characteristics.

What is the importance of phonology (sounds) in creating a language?

Phonology defines the sounds used in the language, including consonants and vowels. The sounds are categorized based on how they are produced and where they are articulated in the mouth. By filling out a sound chart with consonants and vowels, the language creator ensures the language has a distinctive sound and is not overly complex.

What role do syllables play in the creation of a language?

Syllables shape the rhythm and flow of the language. By deciding which consonant clusters and syllable structures are allowed, the language creator can give the language its own character. This includes ensuring that certain combinations of sounds are permissible or impossible, affecting the overall sound of words.

What is the difference between stress and tone in language design?

Stress refers to which syllable in a word is emphasized, as in English, while tone refers to the pitch of the word or sentence, as seen in languages like Mandarin. In stress languages, stress placement follows specific rules, whereas tone languages rely on pitch to convey meaning. Peterson prefers using stress over tone, as it is easier for actors to execute.

How does grammar (morphology) influence a language?

Grammar, specifically morphology, determines how words are structured and how they relate to each other. It includes decisions about nouns (such as number, case, and gender), verbs (such as tense and conjugation), and other parts of speech (adjectives, adverbs, etc.). The more complex the grammar, the more nuanced the language can be.

What are some common grammatical features a language creator must decide upon?

Language creators must decide on features such as singular and plural forms for nouns, the use of cases (e.g., nominative, accusative), gender (which can be biological, conceptual, or otherwise), and verb conjugation patterns. These decisions affect the flow and meaning of sentences in the language.

What is 'derivation' in language creation, and how is it used?

Derivation is the process of creating new words by modifying existing ones. For example, in High Valyrian, the word for 'wind' (jenno) is derived to create 'storm' (jenmasma), which shows the transformation of one word into another to expand the vocabulary.

What role does the lexicon (vocabulary) play in a language?

The lexicon is the collection of words in the language. Creating a lexicon involves deciding which words to include based on the needs of the speakers. This process can take a long time, especially for constructed languages, and involves defining words for common concepts and scenarios relevant to the speakers.

How should a language creator approach designing a writing system?

When designing a writing system, the language creator must choose whether to use an alphabet, abjad, abugida, or logographic system. An alphabet uses separate symbols for vowels and consonants, while an abjad has symbols for consonants only. An abugida combines consonant symbols with vowel modifications, and a logographic system uses symbols for whole words or concepts.