The Art of Language Invention by David J Peterson

The Art of Language Invention by David J Peterson

An insider's tour through the construction of invented languages from the bestselling author and creator of languages for Legendary's Dune, the HBO series Game of Thrones and the Syfy series Defiance

From master language creator David J. Petersoncomes a creative guide to language construction for sci-fi and fantasy fans, writers, game creators, and language lovers. Peterson offers a captivating overview of language creation, covering its history from Tolkien's creations and Klingon to today'sthriving global community of conlangers. He provides the essential tools necessary for inventing and evolving new languages, using examples from a variety of languages including his own creations, punctuated with references to everything from Star Wars to Janelle Monae. Along the way, behind-the-scenes stories lift the curtain on how he built languages like Dothraki for HBO's Game of Thrones and Shiv isith for Marvel's Thor- The Dark World, and an included phrasebook will start fans speaking Peterson's constructed languages. The Art of Language Invention is an inside look at a fascinating culture and an engaging entry into a flourishing art form-and it might be the most fun you'll ever have with linguistics.

The Art of Language Invention includes a new chapter on phrases, specifically, word order, negation, question formation, pragmatic concerns, relativization, and subordination, providing a complete introduction to language creation and linguistics. Invented languages featured in the book now include Chakobsa from Legendary's Dune, Trigedasleng (or Grounder) from The 100, Menish language from Motherland- Fort Salem and Ravkan from the Netflix series Shadow and Bone.

David J. Peterson began developing languages in 2000, earned a master's degree in linguistics from the University of California, San Diego in 2005, and cofounded the Language Creation Society in 2007. He's worked on HBO's Game of Thrones, Syfy's Defiance and Dominion, the CW's Star-Crossed, and Thor: The Dark World, among others. He's also invented languages for shows like The 100 on the CW, The Witcher on Netflix, and Penny Dreadful on Showtime, as well as films like Marvel's Doctor Strange, Netflix's Birth, and Legendary's Dune.