What: Natural, or "real world" languages are communication systems that developed gradually over a long period of time, by a whole culture or society. A constructed language, on the other hand, refers to a system of communication devised purposefully by one or more people in a relatively short amount of time. They are known collectively as "conlangs" or sometimes "artlangs".
When: Creating a language takes time, and the more time you dedicate to your project, the more sophisticated and believable it will turn out. I have been working on my own language for almost 10 years now, and I am still not done. I will likely never be really "done", since language are dynamic by nature, and can change and develop indefinitely.
Why: Why not? There are lots of reasons to construct a language. They are used in literature and fiction, movies, plays, games and theoretical linguistics. J.R.R. Tolkien started with his made-up languages, then wrote his books. Other successful authors such as Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson created wonderfully believable worlds, and best-selling books, by adding unique linguistic flavors to their plots. I myself have been cited as the author of a constructed language used in a published thesis on evolutionary linguistics.
To sum up:
- It is a great creative outlet.
- It can be very calming, even meditative.
- It has the potential to be a fascinating life-long hobby
- If you are a writer, it can add richness and depth to you work.
- You probably won't grow senile until you're 113.
- It's fun!
If you're still with me, let's cut to the chase and move right into HOW in Part 2.
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