Creating language for a novel

Firim Silraven · 03-08-2003, 02:15 PM

Hello! I am writing a fantasy novel/story (it's likely to be more than one book)and I'm not sure how to go about language creation for some of the races. Like all good fantasy I have elves and dwarves, but I'd like them to have their own languages, not just 'the common tongue'. I don't want to steal a language from Tolkien or anyone, but I'm having trouble coming up with something decent. Could anyone give advice?

Reeka · 03-08-2003, 02:39 PM

Well, just a suggestion, but you could radomly assign letters of the alphabet to different letters and translate. For instance-----A could.....Y for instance and so on.

Then do that for the next language and so on. This may be a terrilbe idea or it may need tinkering.

andrewas · 03-08-2003, 03:18 PM

I have the feeling that letter shuffling will result in an unpronouncable mess. Might be worth a shot though, but I would suggest making vowels say vowels. So e=a is OK, but e=x is out. Even then, I dunno.

Try making up new words for the basics of the language - "a", "the" and so on and so forth, and then make up new words as you need them. Make sure to include homonyms, synonyms and other grammatical nightmares. You should change the grammar slightly - make the elves speak like yoda, for example.

Its going to be a fair amount of work however you do it.

Kakero · 03-08-2003, 04:35 PM

try not to change A to Y or B to K thing. squaresoft did this in FFX and it sounds horrible.

how about using another non english language? like spanish or chinese?

TheGrandSlayer · 03-08-2003, 04:55 PM

Well for speaking the language all you do is write down things that sound cool
Example:
Molanteth Nehroun,woah that does sound cool

Attalus · 03-08-2003, 05:01 PM

Or, you could read an essay by one who is a fairly dab hand at it: J.R.R. Tolkein. He wrote an essay on the creation of new languages called "A Secret Vice." It is included in The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays. (Houghton Miflin, Boston, 1984) Christopher Tolkein, ed.

Horatio · 03-08-2003, 05:02 PM

Rearrange normal words...

ie bear=reba

[ 03-08-2003, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: Horatio ]

SomeGuy · 03-08-2003, 08:16 PM

Make a new version of pig latin called.................... PENGUIN LATIN!!! Or just name it cow latin. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

SecretMaster · 03-08-2003, 08:34 PM

Get a two year old to write something, then use that as a saying.

Rikard_OHF · 03-08-2003, 08:38 PM

Make a different alphabet and write stuff in english wioth those letters
ur readeers wont understand it anyway

Change grammer
chine for example doesnt change it's verbs and doest have a plural
the place in a sentence is extreemly important in chinese

Latin is the opposite
eacht form gets it's own verbdestraction and each word has its own form
place in sentence is of no importance in latin

03-08-2003, 02:15 PM	#1
Firim Silraven Dungeon Master Join Date: July 29, 2002 Location: Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK Age: 40 Posts: 83	Hello! I am writing a fantasy novel/story (it's likely to be more than one book)and I'm not sure how to go about language creation for some of the races. Like all good fantasy I have elves and dwarves, but I'd like them to have their own languages, not just 'the common tongue'. I don't want to steal a language from Tolkien or anyone, but I'm having trouble coming up with something decent. Could anyone give advice? __________________ MONKEYS! They're great aren't they?

03-08-2003, 02:39 PM	#2
Reeka Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: March 2, 2001 Location: Birmingham, Alabama, USA Age: 70 Posts: 3,255	Well, just a suggestion, but you could radomly assign letters of the alphabet to different letters and translate. For instance-----A could.....Y for instance and so on. Then do that for the next language and so on. This may be a terrilbe idea or it may need tinkering. __________________ <b>Order of the Holy Flame</b><br /><i>Member of Clan HADB</i><br /><b>Laughing Hyena</b><br /><i>Clan Liaison, IW Peace Keeping Force</i><br /><i>[url]\"http://www.the-silver-river.com/Forum/index.php?board=29\" target=\"_blank\">The Silver River VoiceChat!</a><br />Last Saturday of every month. <br />See the forum link for scheduling!<br /><b> </b><br /></i><br /><b>Admin and Co-Owner of [url]\"http://www.the-silver-river.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Silver River</a></b><br />[url]\"http://www.the-silver-river.com\" target=\"_blank\"></a>

03-08-2003, 03:18 PM	#3
andrewas Harper Join Date: October 2, 2001 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland Age: 42 Posts: 4,774	I have the feeling that letter shuffling will result in an unpronouncable mess. Might be worth a shot though, but I would suggest making vowels say vowels. So e=a is OK, but e=x is out. Even then, I dunno. Try making up new words for the basics of the language - "a", "the" and so on and so forth, and then make up new words as you need them. Make sure to include homonyms, synonyms and other grammatical nightmares. You should change the grammar slightly - make the elves speak like yoda, for example. Its going to be a fair amount of work however you do it. __________________ [img]\"http://www.sighost.us/members/Zvijer/andrewas.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

03-08-2003, 04:55 PM	#5
TheGrandSlayer Red Wizard of Thay Join Date: October 5, 2001 Location: In front of my computer Age: 33 Posts: 860	Well for speaking the language all you do is write down things that sound cool Example: Molanteth Nehroun,woah that does sound cool __________________ [img]\"http://www.thepunishermerchandise.com/television/amazing_spider-man/animated_punisher.gif\" alt=\" - \" /><br />\"Hey Mr.Smith!\"<br />\"Dave...\"<br />\"SPACKER Dave!\"

03-08-2003, 05:01 PM	#6
Attalus Symbol of Bane Join Date: November 26, 2001 Location: Texas Age: 75 Posts: 8,167	Or, you could read an essay by one who is a fairly dab hand at it: J.R.R. Tolkein. He wrote an essay on the creation of new languages called "A Secret Vice." It is included in The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays. (Houghton Miflin, Boston, 1984) Christopher Tolkein, ed. __________________ Even Heroes sometimes fail...

03-08-2003, 04:35 PM	#4
Kakero 40th Level Warrior Join Date: March 24, 2002 Posts: 10,215	try not to change A to Y or B to K thing. squaresoft did this in FFX and it sounds horrible. how about using another non english language? like spanish or chinese?

03-08-2003, 05:02 PM	#7
Horatio Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: September 19, 2001 Location: Behind these metal bars Age: 41 Posts: 3,117	Rearrange normal words... ie bear=reba [ 03-08-2003, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: Horatio ] __________________ I <b>am</b> the party!!<br /> [img]\"http://zert0.net/iuti/img2/1381585-vi.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

03-08-2003, 08:16 PM	#8
SomeGuy Unicorn Join Date: May 14, 2002 Location: Oklahoma, USA Age: 33 Posts: 4,238	Make a new version of pig latin called.................... PENGUIN LATIN!!! Or just name it cow latin. [img]tongue.gif[/img] __________________ \"I firmly believe that any man\'s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.\"<br />-Vince Lombardi

03-08-2003, 08:34 PM	#9
SecretMaster Apophis Join Date: October 19, 2001 Location: New York Age: 37 Posts: 4,666	Get a two year old to write something, then use that as a saying.

03-08-2003, 08:38 PM	#10
Rikard_OHF Beholder Join Date: March 4, 2001 Location: Het Hertogdom Gelre!!!!! Age: 39 Posts: 4,364	Make a different alphabet and write stuff in english wioth those letters ur readeers wont understand it anyway Change grammer chine for example doesnt change it's verbs and doest have a plural the place in a sentence is extreemly important in chinese Latin is the opposite eacht form gets it's own verbdestraction and each word has its own form place in sentence is of no importance in latin __________________ [img]\"http://confed.xl-designs.com/siggeh18.gif\" alt=\" - \" /><br /> <img border=\"0\" alt=\"[bunny]\" title=\"\" src=\"graemlins/bunny.gif\" /> Return of the Bunny Army! <img border=\"0\" alt=\"[bunny]\" title=\"\" src=\"graemlins/bunny.gif\" />

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