A guide to creating a new own language, and some of the best examples in history and popular culture.
Throughout history, humans have used language to connect, communicate, and convey culture.
While there are thousands of natural languages, hundreds of artificial languages have been crafted for communal, artistic, and even experimental purposes.
These constructed languages, or “conlangs,” offer an incredible way to blend creativity and communication. And you can create one, too!
Why Create a New Language?
Languages are more than tools for conversation; they embody history, culture, and identity.
Crafting a new language allows you to explore linguistic principles, culture, and even imagination.
Whether you’re looking to invent a language for a fictional world, a cultural experiment, or an artistic project, the process is exciting, complex, and rewarding.
A Look at the History and Popularity of Constructed Languages
Many believe St. Hildegard of Bingen was the first to go about creating a brand-new language with ‘Lingua Ignota’—developed in the 12th century mainly for mystical purposes.
Let’s explore some famous examples from history and pop culture to see how artificial languages have influenced global communication and creativity.
Esperanto: The Universal Language
Developed by Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof in 1887, Esperanto was designed as a global second language to promote peace and understanding.
Today, around 2 million people speak Esperanto, making it the most widely spoken constructed language in the world. Its simplicity and regular structure make it accessible for all.
Fun fact: Esperanto made its way to the silver screen in Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator,” where shop signs in the Jewish ghetto were written in this universal tongue.
Grammelot: The Language of Performance
Grammelot originated in medieval Europe as a language of jesters. This blend of sounds, gestures, and rhythms allowed performers to communicate across language barriers.
Italian playwright Dario Fo revived it in the 1960s with his play Mistero Buffo, and it still finds modern uses in the performances of Cirque du Soleil.
Fun fact: Grammelot enables performers to tell stories with a mix of sounds from different languages, making it universally understandable through its rhythm and tone.
Klingon: From Gibberish to Grammar
Created by linguist Marc Okrand for Star Trek, Klingon started as a few sounds and phrases but evolved into a full-fledged language, complete with its own grammar, vocabulary, and writing system.
The Klingon Language Institute even promotes its use, and you can find a variety of texts translated into Klingon, including Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Fun fact: Dr. d’Armond Speers raised his son to speak Klingon as his first language—at least until age five!
Toki Pona: The Minimalist Language
Created by Sonja Elen Kisa in 2001, Toki Pona is a minimalist language with just over 100 words and 14 letters.
Its simplicity encourages speakers to focus on basic, clear communication. Compound words are created subjectively based on individual perception.
For example, the word for “car” could be tomo tawa (moving house), depending on how you view it.
Fun fact: Toki Pona draws from various languages, including English, Finnish, and Chinese, while reflecting a philosophy of simplicity and minimalism.
Dothraki: Language of a Nomadic People
David J. Peterson crafted Dothraki for HBO’s Game of Thrones.
Drawing from the fictional universe of George R. R. Martin’s novels, Dothraki reflects the nomadic culture it belongs to, borrowing from languages like Turkish, Russian, and Swahili.
Dothraki’s rich structure includes unique words that resonate with its culture—there’s no word for “please” or “thank you,” but plenty of vocabulary for different ways to use a sword.
Fun fact: In 2014, 368 baby girls were named “Khaleesi,” meaning “wife of a khal” in Dothraki.
Tolkien’s Middle-Earth Languages: The Pinnacle of Conlangs
J.R.R. Tolkien set the gold standard for conlangs with Sindarin and Quenya, the languages of Middle-earth.
A philologist by trade, Tolkien worked for decades on these languages, making them feel as organic as real-world tongues.
His meticulous work on grammar, history, and cultural influences gave the Elvish languages depth and realism, greatly enhancing the immersive world of The Lord of the Rings.
Fun fact: Besides his own creations, Tolkien was fluent in over 15 real-world languages, including Old Norse, Gothic, and Welsh.
How to Create Your Own Language: A Step-by-Step Guide
Feeling inspired? Let’s break down how you can start creating your own language.
- Name Your Language Choose a name that reflects the culture, people, or setting where the language will be spoken. The name sets the tone for the entire linguistic world you’re creating.
- Define Grammar Rules Establish consistent grammar rules. Will your language have specific plural forms, tense markers, or word order rules? Keep these patterns consistent across the language to make it coherent.
- Base It on an Existing Language Consider starting with elements of an existing language to ground your conlang. For example, Na’vi from Avatar borrows words from English and other languages, simplifying the learning process and making the language feel familiar.
- Combine Words to Form New Meanings Conlangs often feature compound words. For instance, in Toki Pona, the word for “car” is a combination of “tomo” (house) and “tawa” (move), making it “moving house.”
- Create a Unique Writing System If you’re feeling ambitious, design a writing system! You can base it on Latin alphabets or draw inspiration from non-Latin scripts like Arabic or Chinese.
- Document Your Language Keep track of your language’s vocabulary and grammar rules. Consistency is key, and documentation will help you stay organized as your language grows.
- Practice Your Language Once you’ve created your language, use it! Teach it to friends, write stories in it, or translate works into your new language. Experimenting with it will help you refine it over time.
The Role of Language in Communication
Languages—whether natural or of tour own creatio—are essential to communication, culture, and identity.
Even newly created languages can foster new ways of thinking and express concepts that may not exist in other tongues.
For businesses looking to expand globally, cultural and linguistic knowledge is crucial.
Effective communication goes beyond just translating words; it requires a deep understanding of local customs, traditions, and languages.
