A constructed language or artificial language is a language created by one or more persons in a relatively short time, unlike natural languages whose development is largely spontaneous. Yet both are ultimately the creations of the human species. It is sometimes difficult to partition languages in these two categories.

In particular:

1. Contrary to a widespread representation, all natural languages are to some extent mixed languages, since they have experienced interference in their development.
2. Some natural languages have undergone current planning process. This is the case of Indonesia , the Serbo-Croat , the modern Hebrew and Norwegian ( Nynorsk ), the German. These languages are not yet considered today as artificial languages: the term applied to them in sociolinguistics is " Ausbau language. "Conversely, constructed languages to inter-comunicability between dialects are not mutually intelligible, often because of distance, are termed " language-roof ": case of literary Arabic , the French (mainly formed from the langue d'oil ) or Romansh.

The difference is therefore more a factor of scale:

• planned languages have been created in a more or less close by a small group or one person and this is voluntary;
• their creative process is spread over a relatively short time (several years or several decades);
• natural languages have an origin much earlier and create rather they are created from a different mother tongue generally unplanned process of transformation and adaptation (as the historical phonetics );
• planned languages are living with a purpose: creating an identity (like Nynorsk , the Hebrew ), maintaining a cohesive "national" ( Arabic literature ), simplification of international communication ( Esperanto );
• planned languages may be easier to learn a natural language, if they were well designed accordingly. As being from a planned process, they are without historical irregularities. However, there are languages constructed with a complexity equal to or greater than that of natural languages such as Motivations

  There are six types of motivations for creating a language:

  An international language

  The desire to create an international language is primarily a political act:

  • The people who managed to impose its language as "international language", also imposes its culture and lifestyle. A constructed language would help safeguard the diversity of cultures. However, it also contains part of the culture of its constructor (the choice of roots, selected grammar, pronunciation and thus imposes ...), so if the choice of his initiatives have not been informed by extensive knowledge of other cultures and other languages.
  • National languages are complex to learn, and only an elite can achieve the control well enough to play a leading international. Some languages like lingua franca as the Indonesian or Swahili are also easy to learn.

  It is usually considered as "international language", the six official languages of the UN namely the English , the French , the Spanish , the Arab , the Russian and Chinese. However, the use of these languages in the world is uneven. Some are used primarily as a vernacular language (as in Chinese, which is also for this reason, the language most spoken in the world), others are used as both vernacular and lingua franca in varying proportions. It should be noted that even in the case of English, most exchanges (written and oral) in this language are made by native speakers (and not international trade) which means that English is mainly a vernacular, and only secondarily a lingua franca.

  The Esperanto occupies a special place. Despite a number of speakers scheduled below one million, is one of the most used languages as the language (admittedly far behind languages like English, French, Spanish or Arabic). However, unlike other languages called "international", Esperanto is the only language that is used exclusively as a lingua franca. Designed from the outset as an international language, Esperanto has a grammar and vocabulary that are the regular one of the fastest language to learn and master.

  Differences between "universal language" and "international language"

  The "universal language" pretends to become the mother tongue of the whole of humanity. Although this idea seems to start with good intentions, it conveys the idea of intrinsically leveling of all human cultures, although we can not reduce the cultivation of language. The "international language" has a radically opposite goal: to become an auxiliary language for international trade, complementing national languages, which should remain the preferred native languages.

  ^{The application of a theoretical principle}

  Some constructed languages like Lojban , were created to illustrate theories of language.

  Need utility requiring interface for communication

  Two scenarios are possible:

  • Specific situations, such as consideration of a disability and adapting the communication performance of the disabled. Such languages, such as sign language for deaf people, follow a different logic of ordinary language. Some cons are in the transliterations of common languages (alphabet Braille ). Some technical areas are also developed pasigraphy as the international code of maritime signals , originally intended for communication between the French and English ships and has developed worldwide. Although no longer in use as the signals relating to safety, before the deployment of radio communications was also used to transmit arbitrary messages using the technique of "word-for-word" . This is the case for example of the ASD-STE100 Simplified English created by the aviation industry for his technical documentation .

  A language fiction

  The creation of a language (like a mythology or history for example) can give depth to a civilization. Several authors have created languages for the heroes of their work (eg Elvish languages of JRR Tolkien ). Similarly, bands such as Magma (progressive music of the 1970s) did not sing that kobaen , language created for the occasion, or Sigur Rs singing in vonlenska. In the field of comics, the smurf can be considered a language.

  The pleasure of creation

  This reasoning may seem surprising when one considers the time required for the creation of a language. Yet, just search the Internet with the keyword conlang to show that the number of languages built without other purpose than the pleasure of creation is impressive.

  The resolution of a particular conflict

  When both sides are engaged in a war long, greater understanding is needed, and the creation of a common local language, based on the two cultures involved only serve to limit foreign influence. The russenorsk is an example of this scenario.

  A hoax

  In 1882 the seminary Jean Parisot (1861-1923) published a Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language Taensas to leave, he says, of notes found in the archives of his grandfather Jean-Dominique Haumont. He manages to get co-signed Lucien Adam (1833-1918), a renowned linguist, and the Congress of Americanists devoted several sessions to that language. It was not until 1885 that the anthropologist Daniel Garrison Brinton demonstrate that this so-called Indian language Taensas was invented .

  History

  The first test vaguely known for creating a universal language brings us back to ^the second century. Pioneer in the field of medical experimentation, Galen built a system of signs which nothing remains for traces some historical notes. Ten centuries then flow without significant event in this area until the abbess Hildegard of Bingen is developing a system of written language (was it spoken?) by itself, Lingua Ignota.

  Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321) Italian poet, wrote, between 1304 and 1307, Il Convivio (The Banquet), where he sees the possibility of a common language to all the Italian : "There is a language which is the property of anyone, which is audible in every city in the region but that does not belong to any city or specific region. It's a new sun that will shine where the darkness was. Et .. it is critical personal pride ... because we know.

  Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English scientist and philosopher, chancellor of England under Jacques ^I.. Opponent of scholasticism and supporter of the experimental method in Instauratio magna, it establishes a theory of induction in Novum Organum (1620) and a new classification of sciences, he drew a diagram of a universal language.

  Rene Descartes (1596-1650) French philosopher and scientist:

  November 20, 1629. Letter to his friend Father Marin Mersenne :

  "It will take that humanity creates an international language, its grammar is so simple that you can learn in a few hours there will be only one declension and conjugation, there will be no exceptions or irregularities and words derived from each other by means of affixes. "

  Comenius (1592 - 1670) Czech humanist, author of Open House on Languages (1631), it is a precursor of modern pedagogy. A common language is necessary for the world. It must be "entirely new" and "easier than any language."

  Montesquieu (1689 - 1755) French writer: The statement of people is so great that they desperately need a common language.

  Andre-Marie Ampere (1775 - 1836) French physicist and mathematician invented 18 years, "a universal language in the service of peace and reconciliation of peoples. " ^{The construction of a language}

  Basically, language is built around five pillars:

  • a system of writing ,
  • a phonological ,
  • a lexicon ,
  • a grammar (morphology and syntax),
  • a reference culture (see eg Arts and Esperanto ).

  The types of constructed languages

  There are three types of constructed languages, as their vocabulary and grammar based or non-natural languages: in the first case we speak of a posteriori constructed language, in the second case of a priori constructed language. The intermediate cases are more difficult to analyze are those of "mixed languages.

  The tendency of a language to approach natural language is called naturalism. The opposite trend is described as schematic.

  It goes without saying that this classification is a convenient tool but brief. In the same type, different languages may have built a more or less degree of naturalism or schematic.

  Thus, in the category of a posteriori languages, the interlingua is an extreme case of naturalism, Novial , the Western or ido with this trend to lesser degrees.

  A constructed language can often be subsequently recognized by her use of words from one or several natural languages (as Esperanto, Earth = tero, sky = sky, water = Akvo, fajro = fire), yet that this use is not always immediately transparent (algorithm Lojban ...).

  The bird language or language of angels is a type of secret language created from the analog sound correspondences and words.

  It is not possible to make a generality, languages are constructed retrospectively rather majority and are intended to serve as international auxiliary languages, for obvious reasons of practicality and learning vocabulary current ( Esperanto , AFRIHILI ...). All languages do not post so far this claim and simply take some of the theoretical or philosophical exercise ( brithenig , Newspeak ...).

  According to their objectives, a priori constructed languages are often more theoretical or artistic vocation and fictional - not excluding, however, international communication (for example the Kotava ). They have a vocabulary that has its own tone ( Klingon , Languages of Arda ...), and sometimes even use numbers, symbols (language, Bliss , pasigraphy ...), musical notes ( Solresol ).

  Planned languages are mixed to share a more vague category and multiple reasons may lead to classifying it a language. Be mentioned first the Volapk doing a mix of one part, a schematic grammar very often prior to the elements (pronouns, conjunctions, terminations, etc..) and other natural roots considerably distorted by ideas and imagination of the creator of the language. A seemingly very different cases is the Bolak combining a relatively naturalistic grammar rules mechanically generating arbitrary phonetic words equally arbitrary.

  These two approaches give rise to reverse almost two languages eventually having more in common than may seem at the outset.

  Other categories

  For practical purposes and transversely to the classification presented above, there are various other kinds of languages, built on various criteria. A distinction is thus inflected languages ( Interlingua ), insulating ( Glosa ), logical ( loglan ), fictional ( Klingon ), simplified ( Latin sine bending ), philosophical (draft Delormel), etc..

  Anglophones out:

  • Conlang: constructed language (the term most used)
  • Artlang: artificial language or artistic, rather personal
  • Auxlang: auxiliary language, more or less "global" style Esperanto
  • Modlang: Model of the English Language: The language, layout, language model, language-toy ...

  Examples of constructed languages

  Main article: List of constructed languages.

  The following list is intentionally limited to a few significant examples. More constructed languages are present in the list of planned languages (sorted by number of speakers, purpose, etc..) and in the category: Language built.

  Language built state

  • Bahasa Indonesia has become the official language of Indonesia ;
  • Nynorsk , became a language of Norway ;
  • Hebrew , the language currently in Israel comes in part from a synthesis of Arabic and Hebrew of the Torah ^{Language built nonstate}
    • Esperanto , the only language that has built a significant number of speakers scheduled
      • signuno , Esperanto sign language (deaf)
    • Basic English , 850 words standard, reduced and simplified grammar
    • Ido , a derivative of Esperanto, closer to the Romance languages in its vocabulary
    • Interlingua , Latin, naturalist, easily read but harder being written
    • Sudre universal language, often called solresol as requiring only that the seven notes of the musical scale, the most ancient language built yet fully documented (1822-1868)
    • Latino sine bending , Latin simplified, invented in 1903 by the famous Italian mathematician Giuseppe Peano
    • lingua sistemfrater (1957), pan-European vocabulary with a simplified grammar of the Asian type, created by a Vietnamese. One of the few languages which the author is constructed from Asia.
    • loglan , language based on predicate logic chip, created by linguist James Cooke Brown
      • Lojban , dissenting loglan, based on the same principles but with a different vocabulary
    • Western , Latin language simple enough (later Interlingue )
    • Toki Pona , 120 words, a very small grammar
    • glottic universal , language composite by European naturalist John Pirro in 1868, looks considerably younger West but contains much more Germanic elements
    • Volapk , a language which had a smash hit from 1879 and almost died 10 years later
    • Baleybelen , the only language built with the basic language of the Middle East.
    • the sign language can be considered a constructed language
    • the language of birds , or language of angels or language of alchemy is a secret language based on the homophony and analog connections.

    Examples of constructed languages in fiction

    • Languages Dwarves, Elves, Orcs, in the work of JRR Tolkien , including Quenya (the language of the High Elves) and Sindarin (language of the Grey-elves) and the Black Speech which we know that ten words
    • Newspeak (simplification of the English to render impossible the expression of subversive ideas, and to limit personal freedoms in the novel 1984 by George Orwell )
    • Klingon (Klingon language in Star Trek , created by Marc Okrand )
    • the kobold , spoken in the country's virtual Koboxora ("land of Kobolds ).
    • the great ape-language of the "great apes" in the Tarzan of Edgar R. Burroughs. A glossary has been prepared by Francis Lacassin in his Tarzan ( 10/18 ).
    • Syldavian (language of Ruritania , the adventures of Tintin )
    • Utopians of the language, inhabitants of the Utopia of Thomas More
    • the Mando'a (language of the Mandalorians in Star Wars )
    • the Goa'uld , Goa'uld language spoken by the Abydonians and many people of Stargate SG-1 during the first season mainly.
    • the smurf , smurfs language spoken by the: it is based on the principle of replacing one or more words in a sentence with the word "smurf" for example the phrase "the house is burning" can be translated as "burning the smurf" "smurfs home" or "the Smurfs Smurfs."
    • Divine Language, spoken by Leeloo in The Fifth Element (The Fifth Element) of Luc Besson (1997).
    • the na'vi , language spoken by natives of the planet Pandora, in the film Avatar , James Cameron (2009)

    Examples of languages built in music

    • Dogorien invented by Etienne Perruchon , used in the film Dogora - open the eyes of Patrice Leconte
    • Klokobetz invented by Nosfell
    • Kobaen , invented by Christian Vander in Magma
    • Mella , invented by Julien Avisse, Melabih alias for the group Olympus Mons
    • O na Julissa Jalinis invented by Ishtar (they represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008)
    • Sanomi invented by Urban Trad (they represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003)
    • Vonlenska invented by Jn r Birgisson for Sigur Rs

    See also

    • documentation center and study the international language
    • Language
    • Langmaker

    Bibliography

    • Dictionary of imaginary languages, Paolo Albani and Berlinghiero Buonarroti, ed. Les Belles Lettres, 2001, ( ISBN 2-25-144170-0 )
    • Languages imaginary Yaguello Marina, ed. du Seuil, 2006, ( ISBN 2-02-082364-0 )
    • The eccentric Phalanstery languages, Stphane Mahieu, Ginkgo editor , 2005, ( ISBN 2-84-679025-6 )
    • The search for the Perfect Language, Umberto Eco, Paris, Seuil ed 1994, ( ISBN 2-02-012596-X ), reprinted in his pocket in the Points collection tests in 1997, ( ISBN 2-02-031468-1 )
    • Flags of constructed languages. Wish Universalism in various designs and colors, Patrice de la Condamine, ed. The Enclaves free Portarrieu, 64190 Montfort-de-Bearn, 2007, ( ISBN 2-91-562519-0 ).

    External Links

    • Idopdia, collaborative encyclopedia of constructed languages
    • Conlang, an encyclopedia of constructed languages (English)
    • Published International Languages , lecture in French Sbastien Erhard on interlanguage and the theme of international languages published
    • Insights into several languages built (in English)
    • Some links on the Internet relating to constructed languages. (English) Compiled by Richard Kennaway. There are about 310 languages built into the list.
    • The Language Construction Kit (en, br it) If you want to create a language, this page is a good starting point.
    • The Klingon Language Institute (en) The reference site on the Klingon language. There is a correspondence course in English.
    • What is a conlang? (Eng) An introduction to conlangs (Constructed languages).
    • Introduction to conlangs (eng) Small explanations and a few links for more information.

    References

    1. International Code of Signals
    2. Controlled Machine Translation Language Translation Standards
    3. http://www.asd-ste100.org/
    4. Grammar and vocabulary Taensas language: with texts translated and annotated (1882)
    5. History of Language: Hegemony of comparative Sylvain Auroux 2000 p385 ISBN 2870097255
    6. http://www.dogoramania.com
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