Have you ever tried to learn a Conlang? (Ancient Post)

[1inamillion]

So there are a couple of well developed fictional languages out there, I think the two most famous ones would be Klingon from Star Trek and the Elvish langue from Lord of the Rings. I'm personally quite a big Star Trek fan and a keen linguist so I tried my hand at Klingon but I found it rather difficult to learn. Marc Orkrand the man that created the language specifically said that he wanted to create a unique language so he took the most difficult rules from all kinds of languages and mashed them together. The language is definitely speakable, I know a lady that likes to translate poems into Klingon, but for me it's more of a hobby or novelty rather than anything serious.

Did anyone else here every try their hand at fictional languages? If so, how did it go?

Many of the languages that are made up for television and books are gibberish. However, a few have been developed into fully functioning living languages. Some by linguistic professionals and professors. From Klingon from the Star Trek Universe to Na'vi from Jame Cameron's Avatar Fiction languages are ever where. Trying at fictional languages you can use pictograph or symbols to represent the language, make up alphabet and or syllabary. You start off by using foundation words first the words that will be using very often.

[Androu1]

I've never tried to learn a fictional language, it seems very pointless to me. There are enough real languages to learn that I don't need to bother with fictional languages.

[jubvman]

Personally I don't see the point unless you're really involved in the community (Star Trek e.g.). For me, I learn languages mostly for business, I don't see any potential in that respect.

[qaximor]

I tried to learn a language my friends made up which is pegion language. You use english words but you put vg in between the words. So How is Hvgow. It's pretty confusing!

[linguaholic]

I tried to learn a language my friends made up which is pegion language. You use english words but you put vg etween the words. So How is Hvgow. It's pretty confusing!

Hehe, that sounds really funny  :grin: So, basically, all you would do in 'Pegion' is inserting vg in any kind of word? 

[Esperahol]

I tried Klingon once and a couple of the video game languages I've come across. Heck I actually tried to invent a couple of languages - I just never really stick with it because there simply isn't any real gravis to it... So I don't tend to stick with it. That said I do enjoy learning languages for language sake.

[extrafancyganza]

I tried to teach myself Quenya. It's one of the Elvish languages Tolkien invented and sounds a bit like Finnish, actually. I gave up on it though when I got busy with school.

[Cookiesandcream]

I tried Klingon when I was a bit younger but my older siblings kept laughing at me so I eventually stopped. After that I never really tried it again. They still make fun of me even today I guess sometimes its good to have older siblings and sometimes it's just a pain.

[Dora M]

I don't know about those publicised fictional languages. My partner and I invented our very own language over the years. A mixture of Spanish, English and German words, strung together and formed into new words with unique meanings to describe things in a different way. Mostly feelings that can't be readily expressed with available words.

[JohnSword]

I can't imagine learning a language like Elvish or Klingon or Na'vi. I'm just not interested enough in any of those franchises to do that. You'd have to be a real die-hard fan, though I suppose you could learn the basics just for kicks. Are these languages developed enough to actually be used?

[Lithium]

I have never tried learning another author's language. However, I have tried to make my own language and alphabet with the help of my friends (of course).

This has happened 4 years ago. We would talk every day in our new language and nobody understood us. It sounded a bit like Russian and people would ask us if we swore at them in Russian.

Unfortunately, we have never built a grammar basis and that language slowly died.

[Humbleman]

So there are a couple of well developed fictional languages out there, I think the two most famous ones would be Klingon from Star Trek and the Elvish langue from Lord of the Rings. I'm personally quite a big Star Trek fan and a keen linguist so I tried my hand at Klingon but I found it rather difficult to learn. Marc Orkrand the man that created the language specifically said that he wanted to create a unique language so he took the most difficult rules from all kinds of languages and mashed them together. The language is definitely speakable, I know a lady that likes to translate poems into Klingon, but for me it's more of a hobby or novelty rather than anything serious.

Did anyone else here every try their hand at fictional languages? If so, how did it go?

I know there are quite a few folks who take fictional languages serious. Like the lady who you said translates poems into a fictional language. I however, am not a fan of them languages...I don't really see how learning it will enhance my worth on a wider scale.

[Mafdet]

There is a language called Esperanto. I'm not sure if to consider it real or fictional but from what I know there are groups of people who use it. I would say it's artificial rather than fictional. So is any other language that was developed from scratch with a specific purpose. There was the idea some time ago to develop a global language called Globbish. But I guess English will become that global language without any help.

[fluffyducky]

I tried to learn the alien language from futurama, so I could read all the grafitti and other stuff written in the alien language, and while I can remember which symbol corresponds to which letter or punctuation mark, I can't process them fast enough before the scene changes and the words are off screen. There's the more complicated version too, which translates into numbers which become alphabets, which is more like a code and pretty impossible for me.

[kate23]

I've learned some of the languages in the Eragon series. I don't think it's very much different from learning real languages - I got interested in it after reading the books and falling in love with the words. My favorite Eragon word is brisingir, which means fire. I just love the way it sounds.

[MyDigitalpoint]

When I was younger I used to think that learning a fictional language was kinda cool, and even I remember that TV used to promote the "F" language through TV show and even in commercials.

Later I found that Google used to have versions in fictional languages, and still thought it was cool, but today I don't see the funny part of it and, on the contrary,  I believe all those languages, texting and more are distorting terribly our former languages, which is truly sad.

[shamzblueworld]

I have not come accross a fictional language yet, so no. But it would be interested if I can find a community who does have a fictional language, then I might be interested in it.

[g2narat]

Ooh this is such a nerdy thread! Don't get me wrong I am actually loving it! Hahaha. But seriously, I have toyed with the idea of learning fictional languages. Never had the time nor patience to push through with it though. Plus with all the real languages I want to learn I think I don't need to add another to my list  :wacky:

[greggreggerson]

I have thought about it but I can't really see how it would be useful to know Klingon or Dothraki. I like to learn languages so that I can communicate with other people. I just don't see that happening with those fictional languages.

[skywatcher]

Pig Latin and Klingon for me, but I haven't fared much as to how exactly I'd gather enough materials to properly learn the language - to my dismay.

[pipps]

I've never tried learning a fictional language but when I was younger my best friend and I made up our own language. It didn't last very long because we could barely remember any words haha. We even made a little dictionary and everything.

[Anju]

I've tried to learn Simlish ( From the sims )

and also a wizard language that was in a book called Wizardology (I think). This was when I was a kid... It'd be nice to pick it up as a joke though haha.

[003]

Wow! I am actually surprised that there are people who are interested learning fictional language. And only now that I knew that they could really be learned. Before I just thought that they don't make sense. I was wrong because they do. And now, I feel like I wanna also give it a try.

[trenchant]

My friend is a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings, and both she and her sister have memorized the Elvish language.

I think it's super neat - they write notes back and forth to each other in Elvish all the time.

I don't have enough dedication for that, but conlangs always fascinate me.

[babyleans]

for me it's a little different, the fictional language i speak is not spoken by anyone else other than my two sisters and i. when we were kids, me and my sisters sort od formed our own language.

we no longer use it that much anymore but if we want to we can.