Conlangmey!
The title of this post is pidgin Klingon for “conlangs all over the place”! I didn’t expect to have another post on Arika Okrent’s new book, In the Land of Invented Languages, so soon (especially since I haven’t gotten my copy from Amazon yet). However, I am ecstatic to announce that she (along with various conlangs) is getting a great deal of press coverage.
Due to this, several new additions to the Library need to be touted. You’ll find an article from Languagehat.com in the Magazine Articles area, a podcast from NPR’s Studio 360 in the Online Audio area, and (as if that was not enough) I have included a link to Arika’s timeline of conlangs in the About section.
“Swinglish”
The “New language created” section caught my eye in this article on Red Wings Swedish hockey players. The section talks about the “hybrid language” of Swinglish, a combination of Swedish and English. It appears that the word (or idea) of Swinglish actually dates back to at least 2006 and 2007.
Although not a conlang per se, code-switching hybrid languages like Swinglish and Spanglish display a playful use of language and the ability to see language as a living thing. This concept is inherent in the art of conlanging. Language is not a fixed entity, but an ever-changing, ever-evolving natural thing.
Okay, I might be pushing it, but I still like the sound of the word Swinglish.
For some linguistic resources on the web, check out the Linguistics Online page of The Conlanger’s Library.
Conlanging Comes to the iPhone
I had to include this iPhone app on the blog: The Klingon Language Suite for the iPhone is scheduled to be released by Ultralingua and Simon & Schuster. I tried to find it on the Apple Store, but it doesn’t appear available yet. Now, all we need are iPhone apps for Teonaht, Kamakawi, and Ithkuil.
For some online videos of Klingon, including a great piece by Steve Carrell, check out the Online Video page of The Conlanger’s Library.
Forthcoming Conlanging Book from Arika Okrent
Arika Okrent (pictured here in the back row of the Language Creation Conference II group photo and here in the second row at the Klingon qep'a') has now provided an important (and unique) contribution to the body of conlang literature scheduled for release on May 19, 2009: In the Land of Invented Languages: Esperanto Rock Stars, Klingon Poets, Loglan Lovers, and the Mad Dreamers Who Tried to Build A Perfect Language. Receiving a starred review from Publishers Weekly (5th from the bottom), Arika’s book is poised to become a favorite among conlangers and the general reader interested in language alike. Pre-order your copy today. For more books, visit the Books section of The Conlanger’s Library.
Welcome to The Conlanging Librarian blog!
This is the official blog of The Conlanger’s Library (TCL) web site. Updates to the web site will be featured here; however, this blog will have an even more important function: to serve as the Library’s Exhibit Hall. Different conlang-related websites will be featured, conlanger profiles may be posted (some of these will be reprinted from the Esperanto, Elvish, and Beyond exhibit), and more. The TCL Blog will be another entry point for people to find and interact with the Library itself.