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{{Short description|Constructed languages created for a fictional setting}}
{{Distinguish|Spurious languages}}
'''Fictional languages''' are the subset of [[constructed language]]s (conlangs) that have been created as part of a fictional setting (e.g. for use in a book, movie, television show, or video game). Typically they are the creation of one individual, while [[natural language]]s evolve out of a particular culture or people group, and other conlangs may have group involvement. Fictional [[language]]s are also distinct from natural languages in that they have no [[native speakers]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|title=Virtual Languages in Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature|journal = Language Matters|volume = 37|pages = 102–117|last1=Barnes|first1=Lawrie|last2=van Heerden|first2=Chantelle|date=2008-06-02|doi=10.1080/10228190608566254| s2cid=144894796 }}</ref> By contrast, the constructed language of [[Esperanto]] now [[Native Esperanto speakers|has native speakers]].

Fictional languages are intended to be the languages of a fictional world and are often designed with the intent of giving more depth, and an appearance of plausibility, to the fictional worlds with which they are associated. The goal of the author may be to have their characters communicate in a fashion which is both alien and dislocated.{{sfn|Conley|Cain|2006|pages="Foreword", p. XIX ff}} Within their fictional world, these languages do function as natural languages, helping to identify certain races or people groups and set them apart from others.<ref name=":0" />

While some less-formed fictional languages are created as distorted versions or [[dialect]]s of a pre-existing natural language, many are independently designed [[Constructed language|conlangs]] with their own [[lexicon]] (some more robust than others) and rules of [[grammar]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/questions-answered-invented-languages/|title=Questions Answered: Invented Languages|date=2010-03-10|website=Schott’s Vocab Blog|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref> Some of the latter are fully formed enough to be learned as a speakable language, and many [[subculture]]s exist of those who are 'fluent' in one or more of these fictional languages.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ranker.com/list/made-up-languages-in-fiction/coy-jandreau|title=Fictional Languages You Can Actually Learn To Speak|website=Ranker|language=en|access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref> Often after the creator of a fictional language has accomplished their task, the [[fandom]] of that [[fictional universe]] will pick up where the creator left off and continue to flesh out the language, making it more like a natural language and therefore more usable.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Peterson|first=David J.|title=The Art of Language Invention : from Horse-Lords to Dark Elves, The Words Behind World-building|year=2015|isbn=978-0-14-312646-1|location=New York, New York|oclc=900623553}}</ref>

==Purpose==
Fictional languages are separated from [[artistic language]]s by both purpose and relative completion: a fictional language often has the least amount of grammar and vocabulary possible, and rarely extends beyond the absolutely necessary. At the same time, some others have developed languages in detail for their own sake, such as [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s [[Quenya]] and [[Sindarin]] (two Elvish languages), ''[[Star Trek]]''{{'}}s [[Klingon language]] and [[Avatar (2009 film)|''Avatar'']]'s [[Na'vi language]] which exist as functioning, usable languages.<ref name=":2" />

By analogy with the word "conlang", the term ''[[conworld]]'' is used to describe these fictional worlds, inhabited by fictional [[constructed culture]]s. The conworld influences vocabulary (what words the language will have for flora and fauna, articles of clothing, objects of technology, religious concepts, names of places and tribes, etc.), as well as influencing other factors such as pronouns, or how their cultures view the break-off points between colors or the gender and age of family members. Sound is also a directing factor, as creators seek to show their audience through [[phonology]] the type of race or people group to whom the language belongs.<ref name=":1" />

==Commercial fictional languages==
'''Commercial fictional languages''' are those languages created for use in various commercial media, such as:

* Books (''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''{{'}} [[Quenya]] and [[Sindarin]])
* Films (''[[Avatar (2009 film)|Avatar]]''{{'}}s [[Na'vi language|Na'vi]], [[Baahubali: The Beginning|Baahubali's]] [[Kiliki language|Kiliki]] and ''[[Star Wars]]''{{'}} [[Huttese]].)
* Television shows (''[[Star Trek]]''{{'}}s [[Klingon language|Klingon]], the [[Ultraman|Ultra Series]]' Ultra Language, ''[[Game of Thrones]]''' [[Valyrian languages|Valyrian]] and [[Dothraki language|Dothraki]])
* Video games (''[[Far Cry Primal]]''{{'}}s [[Wenja language|Wenja]], ''[[The Sims]]''{{'}} [[Simlish]], ''[[Splatoon]]''{{'}}s inkling typeface, The ''[[Ar Tonelico]]'' Series' [[Ar Tonelico#Hymmnos|Hymmnos]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hymmnoserver - Song Magic Servers |url=https://hymmnoserver.uguu.ca/servers.php |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=hymmnoserver.uguu.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://game.salburg.com/hymmnoserver/ |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=game.salburg.com}}</ref>)
* Comics (''[[The Adventures of Tintin]]''{{'}}s [[Bordurian]] and [[Syldavian]])
* Toys (''[[Furby]]'''s [[Furbish]])
* Musical albums (''[[Magma (band)|Magma]]''{{'}}s [[Kobaïan]])
*Children's TV shows (''[[Pingu]]''{{'}}s Penguinese)

While some languages are created purely from the desire of the creator, language creation can be a profession. In 1974, [[Victoria Fromkin]] was the first person hired to create a language ([[Land of the Lost (1974 TV series)|''Land of the Lost'']]'s Paku).<ref name=":3" /> Since then, notable professional language creators have included [[Marc Okrand]] ([[Klingon language|Klingon]]), [[David J. Peterson|David Peterson]] ([[Dothraki language|Dothraki]] and others in ''[[Game of Thrones]]''), and [[Paul Frommer]] ([[Na'vi language|Na'vi]]).

==Alien languages==
[[Image:Qapla'.svg|thumb|right|''Qapla{{'}}'' means 'success' in the [[Klingon language]].]]
{{main|Alien language}}
A notable subgenre of fictional languages are [[alien language]]s, the ones that are used or might be used by putative [[extraterrestrial life]] forms. Alien languages are subject of both [[science fiction]] and scientific research. Perhaps the most fully developed fictional alien language is the [[Klingon language]] of the ''[[Star Trek]]'' universe – a fully developed [[constructed language]].<ref name="Prisco 2018 j198">{{cite web | last=Prisco | first=Jacopo | title=How do you design a language from scratch? Ask a Klingon | website=CNN | date=July 3, 2018 | url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/star-trek-klingon-marc-okrand/index.html | access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref>

The problem of alien language has confronted generations of [[science fiction]] writers; some have created fictional languages for their characters to use, while others have circumvented the problem through translation devices or other fantastic technology. For example, the ''[[Star Trek]]'' universe makes use of a "[[universal translator]]", which explains why such different races, often meeting for the first time, are able to communicate with each other.<ref name="Nast 2011 e234">{{cite magazine | last=Reynolds | first=Eileen| title=Star Trek, Google, and the Dream of Universal Translation | magazine=The New Yorker | date=January 26, 2011 | url=https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/star-trek-google-and-the-dream-of-universal-translation | access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref> Another more humorous example would be the Babel fish from ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', an aurally-inserted fish that instantaneously translates alien speech to the speaker's native language.<ref name="Edwards 2015 m100">{{cite web | last=Edwards | first=Jim | title=Google's New Language Translation App Is Astonishing | website=Business Insider | date=January 15, 2015 | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/google-translate-babel-fish-from-hitchhikers-guide-2015-1 | access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref>

While in many cases an alien language is but an element of a fictional reality, in a number of science fiction works the core of the plot involves linguistic and psychological problems of communication between various alien species.

=== Visual alien languages ===
[[File:Complex Gallifreyan sentence.svg|thumb|Circular Gallifreyan from ''[[Doctor Who]]'', an example of a visual language. The sentence translates to "Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit."]]
A further subgenre of alien languages are those that are visual, rather than auditory. Notable examples of this type are Sherman's Circular Gallifreyan from [[BBC|BBC's]] ''[[Doctor Who]]'' series<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sherman |first1=Loren |title=How to Write Gallifreyan |url=https://shermansplanet.com/gallifreyan/guide.pdf |website=Sherman's Planet |access-date=22 October 2024}}</ref> and the heptapod's written language, which is distinct from their spoken language, from the 2016 film ''[[Arrival (film)|Arrival]]''.<ref name="Lubin 2016 b848">{{cite web | last=Lubin | first=Gus | title='Arrival' nails how humans might actually talk to aliens, a linguist says | website=Business Insider | date=November 21, 2016 | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/alien-language-in-arrival-linguist-2016-11 | access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Zeitchik 2016 f348">{{cite web | last=Zeitchik | first=Steven | title=Decoding the linguistic geekiness behind 'Arrival's' sci-fi sheen | website=Los Angeles Times | date=November 25, 2016 | url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-arrival-movie-linguist-20161125-story.html | access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref>

==Internet-based fictional languages==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2024}}
'''Internet-based fictional languages''' are hosted along with their "[[conworld]]s" on the internet, and based at these sites, becoming known to the world through the visitors to these sites. [[Verdurian]], the language of [[Mark Rosenfelder]]'s [[Verdurian language|Verduria]] on the planet of Almea, is an Internet-based fictional language.

==See also==
*[[List of constructed languages#Artistic/fictional languages|List of fictional languages]]
*[[Communication with extraterrestrial intelligence]]
*[[Constructed language]]s
*[[Languages in Star Wars]]

==References==
;Citations
{{Reflist}}

;General references
* {{Cite journal|last1=Barnes|first1=Lawrie|last2=van Heerden|first2=Chantelle|date=2006|title=Virtual Languages in Science fiction and fantasy literature|journal=Language Matters|language=en|volume=37|issue=1|pages=102–117|doi=10.1080/10228190608566254|s2cid=144894796 |issn=1022-8195|ref=none}}
*{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Fictional and Fantastic Languages |first1=Tim |last1=Conley |first2=Stephen |last2=Cain |location=Westport, Connecticut |publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]] |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-313-33188-6}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Fictional languages|fictional languages}}
* [http://jbr.me.uk/lingo.html A Primer In SF XENOLINGUISTICS], by Justin B. Rye
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070422160405/http://www.matessa.org/~mike/inter-comm.html Interstellar Communication], a collection of references
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5mZ0R3h8m0 Are Elvish, Klingon, Dothraki and Na'vi real languages?]
* [https://www.kli.org/ The Klingon Language Institute]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa6cHEJIjYI Accent Expert Breaks Down 6 Fictional Languages From Film & TV]

{{Constructed languages}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Fictional languages| ]]
[[Category:Artistic languages]]
[[Category:Science fiction themes]]