The journey from avid reader to avid writer starts here.
Category: Fiction Writing
Fiction writers are some of the most creative authors of all. Not only do they have to develop a story worth reading but they have to create characters and worlds never before seen. Stop in here for a few tips to make writing your story a fun exercise rather than a dreaded chore.
Is developing your own fictional language for a novel really necessary? For most fiction novels that are not fantasy or sci-fi, your characters will simply speak your native tongue and that will be the end of the conversation.
However,
when it comes to fantasy or sci-fi, the answer to this question becomes more
complicated.
You can
choose to forgo the long task of creating a language to instill in your new
world, and many new writers choose this option.
Our own languages in the real world developed over thousands of years
into the complex speech that you hear every day.
If you are creating a new fictional language, you have much less time to essentially do what it usually takes thousands of years to accomplish.
If you are
reading this, we will assume that you have decided to explore the possibility
of a new language that you create.
Why Are
You Creating A Language?
First, we will explore why you are creating a language. There are a few simple questions that you need to ask yourself at this point in the exercise.
1. Am I creating a language in order to
differentiate different cultures in the same fictional world?
This is the
usual reason that people undertake creating a language. The practice gives a bit of realism to your
world just as different countries in the real world speak different languages.
It creates an “us vs them” type of existence. This helps create a definitive difference between two factions or groups in your fictional world. The groups may live in near proximity to each other on your world map but the different languages set them apart.
2. Can
differentiating different cultures be accomplished in any other way than by
developing a new language for them?
Let’s face facts. Creating a fictional language is hard if it is your first time, and it is not to be undertaken by the faint of heart.
Can your
characters speak a common language that resembles your own native tongue?
This is a
far better way of dealing with the language problem simply because it doesn’t
require hours or even weeks of hard work trying to get every part of your
language just right.
If you find
you really want to continue to create your own language, then read on.
How Will
Your Characters Speak The Language?
Is the fictional language written, spoken, or signed?
There can be
many variations of ways to convey a language.
Are your characters highly developed aliens that use telepathy, or do
they use light flashes like Morse code?
Do your
characters have the ability to speak the language, or are they mute and must
sign the language?
Knowing your characters’ abilities and limitations from the beginning will make the process smoother. An alien with no discernible mouth will probably either need to use telepathy or some way to sign to others who understand the language.
This should
be the first thing you decide when developing your language.
Will All
Of Your Characters Speak The Same Language?
Creating multiple fictional languages is not for the faint-of-heart. If you want multiple languages, then, by all means, create them, but do so knowing that in the time it takes you to create them, you could have written a couple of chapters or even the whole novel.
The more reasonable way of accomplishing multiple languages is to create regional languages that vary from the original language only slightly.
In the
United States, there are multiple variations of how to speak English. Pronunciation of words in different ways or
even accents can help create the differentiation that you are trying to
accomplish.
You could
create slang words or variations of jargon that sets each group apart.
Will you have a common fictional language that encompasses all regions and then have each individual region with their own language? This approach allows you to have one language with some smattering of a different language when people from the same region are trying to talk without being understood by others not from their region.
A common
language with occasional slang words from a newly created language might be a
better option as it would require much less work and still get the point across
that there are different cultures within your fictional world.
Be
Consistent In Your Language
You will
want to keep detailed notes of common words and phrases that you will use. As you develop a fan-base for your novel,
they could become super fans of your language and will notice if you just
randomly throw out some letters and call it a language.
If a word
like “athmorna” means apple in your language, then whenever you talk about an
apple, you will need to use the same word.
Every
language has rules that are essential for words. For example, every English-speaking native
knows that “I before E except after C”.
While it is also well known that there are exceptions to this rule, it
is still widely taught to young children learning to spell.
If your
fictional language always has the noun followed by the adverb, then this must
follow through whenever someone speaks your language.
Make the
rules but also make them consistent.
Your
language will have rules that make it easier to follow for a non-native
speaker.
Now The
Real Work Begins
If you have
gotten this far then, I will assume, you want to become a conlanger. A conlang means a constructed language.
This is a
language that has been constructed artificially rather than through culture and
age.
A conlanger is a person who develops the conlang into a fully functional fictional language.
Check this article on the development of the Dothraki language that was developed for HBO’s Game of Thrones.
This is a
lot more work than it appears at first glance.
It often
takes years to develop a fully functional language and often authors do not do
this because of the time it takes.
A little-known
fact is that J.R.R. Tolkien actually began creating his Elvish language around
1910 but continued perfecting it until his death in 1973.
He actually
wrote The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings as a way to show history and context for
his created language.
That is
correct. He wrote those series as a
showcase for his conlang.
For a fully functional fictional language, you would need to keep careful notes and develop a lexicon or dictionary so that non-native speakers can learn the pronunciation and spelling of unfamiliar words and phrases.
Hire A
Conlanger
If you are
dead set on having a constructed language, you might decide to just hire a
conlanger.
If you have
the resources to do this, it would allow you to continue working on your novel
and have someone who is proficient at conlanging do the hard work for you.
There are
ways to hire a professional conlanger.
The Language Creation Society has a listing area for hiring a conlanger. Here you can submit a project and have professionals apply for the job.
The price
for their services ranges from $100 USD to $800 USD depending on the depth you
wish to go with the language. There is
room to negotiate more extensive work with the conlanger.
It should be noted that the original conlanger has the right to promote the new language unless you negotiate and give additional compensation for all exclusive rights and control.
To
Conlang Or Not To Conlang, That Is The Question
Developing a
constructed language will ultimately boil down to how much time and/or money
you wish to invest.
If you are
writing a lone novel, the development of such a large undertaking may not
justify the end results.
If you are
writing a series of novels, it’s best to weigh all the information available
before you decide.
You can
research authors of the most popular conlangs for ideas on how to develop your
own if money is tight or this is your first attempt at conlanging.
You may find
that you enjoy both the idea and the work involved in creating your own
language.
Whichever
you decide should be based on what is best for your novel and you in the end.
Read my other posts on creating your fictional world here!