Constructed language

An artificial or constructed language (sometimes called a conlang) is a language that has been created by a person or small group, instead of being formed naturally as part of a culture. Some constructed languages are designed for use in human communication (like the well-known Esperanto). Others are created for use in fiction, linguistic experiments, secret codes, or simply because the maker likes to play language games.

Constructed languages can be split into a priori languages, which are made from scratch, and a posteriori languages, which borrow words and grammar from existing languages.

Constructed languages can also be split into groups. These groups are:

• Engineered languages (engelangs), which are split into philosophical languages and logical languages (loglangs) - designed for experiments in logic or philosophy
• Auxiliary languages (auxlangs) - designed for international communication (also called International Auxiliary Language, (IAL))
• Artistic languages (artlangs) - designed to look or sound pretty, or just for fun.

Some constructed languages also have constructed scripts to write them.

Some examples of constructed languages

• American Sign Language, as well was other signed languages for the deaf
• Basic English
• Na'vi language
• Brithenig
• Dutton's Speedwords
• Esperanto
• Glosa
• Ido
• Interlingua
• Klingon
• Láadan
• Latino Sine Flexione
• Lingua Franca Nova
• Lojban
• Middle-earth languages (Quenya, Sindarin)
• Newspeak
• Novial
• Occidental (Interlingue)
• Pig Latin
• Quenya
• Simlish
• Sindarin
• Solresol
• Toki Pona
• Volapük
• Wenedyk

Other websites

• ENIONI Site dedicated to some constructed languages, mainly: Esperanto, Idiom Neutral, Ido, Occidental/Interlingue, Novial, e Interlingua. It contains the ret magazines: Posta Mundi, Vok Neutral, e IE Munde.
• (English) The Language Construction Kit