Editing Fictional language (section)

{{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>