English 209 - Writing, Reading, and Constructed Languages

Languages are created by communities, shaped by each generation and passed on to the next. Constructed Languages (conlangs), in contrast, are created intentionally to serve philosophical or artistic goals. Conlangs are often seen in science fiction and fantasy genres, contributing texture to the fictional world. Constructing a language is an act of creativity, but conlangs can never be as complex as natural languages. Which aspects of language do conlangs illuminate, and which do they flatten? How do they critique or reinforce ideologies of oppression? We will approach these questions from linguistic, literary, cognitive, and sociological perspectives.