Tonight, journey into the fascinating world of constructed languages—the carefully crafted tongues that bring fictional worlds to life. From Tolkien's melodic Elvish to the warrior speech of Klingon, discover how brilliant linguists have created entire communication systems from scratch.
In this episode of Dormant Knowledge, Deb explores the art and science behind fictional languages, revealing how J.R.R. Tolkien revolutionized the field by approaching language creation like a historical linguist working backwards. Learn about the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and how different languages might actually shape the way we think, dive into the cultural embedding of Dothraki and High Valyrian, and discover why some made-up languages thrive while others fade away.
Whether you're curious about the academic discipline of "artlanging," fascinated by fan communities that expand fictional vocabularies, or simply wondering how someone creates a language that feels real, this gentle exploration will guide you through the remarkable human drive to communicate in entirely new ways.
Perfect for falling asleep to fascinating stories about linguistic creativity, cultural psychology, and the boundless possibilities of human communication.
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