Game of Thrones

Learning about language by creating a language – a fun and creative approach to teaching linguistics

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9780198829881

If you are reading this blogpost, you probably know what linguistics is. However, most people don’t know what to make of the term or have only a vague idea – it’s something about grammar, maybe? Those unknowing people would probably never choose a course titled ‘Introduction to Linguistics’ as an elective, as it sounds either too dry or too daunting. But what if introductory linguistics courses were taught under another cover – that of creating your own language?

Using language invention in the classroom has been increasing in popularity, and courses on language invention have been successful around the world. The book Language Invention in Linguistics Pedagogy explores this new field. It is edited by Jeffrey Punske, Nathan Sanders and … ↪

Book Review: ‘In the Land of Invented Languages’ by Arika Okrent

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Not so long ago, I was a stranger in a particularly strange land. The land was that of invented languages, and my guide was Arika Okrent, linguist and professional writer. My ticket was a bright red paperback with zany white lettering on the front. The journey lasted just over 800 years – the length of the recorded history of invented languages. Or perhaps that was the destination rather than the journey? I seem to have reached the outer border of this metaphor, so let’s cross over to a more tangible overview of Okrent’s book.

In the Land of Invented Languages was released in 2009 and is 293 pages long. The book is the result of five years of research into … ↪

Creator of Dothraki language from Game of Thrones visits Aarhus University

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Game of Thrones title card

The creator of the fictional language Dothraki, from the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’, will fly all the way

from Hollywood to Aarhus University on 14/9 – 19/9 2022, where he will give a presentation on his experience as a professional ‘conlanger’.

He will also be holding an informal meet-and-greet where there will be the opportunity for an autograph or a selfie!

A conlanger is a person who creates fictional languages, or a language that did not emerge naturally. David J. Peterson is probably the most successful conlanger in the world. He is Hollywood’s “go-to conlanger” and has therefore created a considerable number of fictional languages ​​for movies and series such as: Thor 2, Defiance, The Witcher, Game of Thrones, … ↪

LingoLit: A Linguist’s Quarantine Reading Guide

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The Wug Test 1

Blogger’s note:
I originally wrote this blog entry with the intention of asking the editors of Lingoblog to release it shortly before the summer holidays. However, since then another situation has arisen, which to an even higher degree seems to leave people needing something good to read, so I’ve decided instead to submit this entry now, as a guide to quarantine rather than summer reading. I urge you to consider it a bit of tragic irony when I refer to the holidays below, rather than to the current situation.
The libraries here in Denmark may be closed, but there’s still audio- and e-books as well as online bookstores that are accessible without venturing into the public and risking contamination. I … ↪