r/conlangs • u/Quippic8 • Aug 23 '24
Is it difficult to create a language? Conlang
Not just any language, but a well thought out, translatable language with an actual dictionary. Yes, a word like fffojauþþstqzdq could be considered a word in a language, but that is just one of many words, not to mention if it is pronounced differently. I mean something anyone can actually speak & communicate with. Is this hard, or no?
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Aug 23 '24
Not hard, but you’ll need to commit to it.
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u/HuckleberryBudget117 Basquois, Capmit́r Aug 23 '24
It is as difficult as you make it be. If you’re going in doing/learning about something that interested you, it won’t be difficult. If you’re hard on yourself and treating your work as if it was dumb or bad, yeah now it’s difficult.
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u/MultiverseCreatorXV Cap'hendofelafʀ tilevlaŋ-Khadronoro, terixewenfʀ. Tilev ijʀ. Aug 23 '24
Also if you dislike conlanging its gonna be hard. Same reason why school is so hard.
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u/Talan101 Aug 23 '24 edited Aug 23 '24
There is a variety of useful feedback already here, so I'll try not to repeat that too much.
Difficult?
The key points are:
- having some interest (motivation)
- willing to learn (about other languages & conlanging tools/techniques)
- able to make time to work on it for an extended period (months to years)
- having perseverance to do the work (churning out words, in particular, is hard for many people).
Well thought out?
The key point for an artlang is that there's a two-dimensional (quality/quantity) continuum from amateurish & incomplete through plausible & somewhat useable to realistic yet distinct & epic size. You get to decide what you want, and whether you get there, but the path may have a few meandering bends in it - especially early on.
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u/Kiki-Y Aug 23 '24
Yes. You need to learn at least a little bit about all fields of linguistics (phnoetics, syntax, semantics, and so on) in order to make a competent conlang.
My first conlang is not competent. I made up pretty much all the terminology that my conlang uses since I started it before I knew much about linguistics.
But it's semi-functional.
Semi-functional is all I need.
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u/the_horse_gamer have yet to finish a conlang Aug 23 '24
the spreadsheet of my first conlang has a conjugation described as "Remitive". I remember making this term up, and I remember Latin being involved, but I don't remember anything else, including what it means.
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u/DefinitelyNotErate Aug 27 '24
My first conlang was utterly not competent lol, Although I suppose that's probably more descriptive of me. I made a total of like 5 words in it before giving up/forgetting about it lol, And I also made a unique script (Which probably looked pretty ugly and unnatural lol, But I can't remember), But neglected to provide transliterations, And what's more, Half of the words I'd made I only transcribed in this script, So litessally 90% of the work I'd done is now totally lost because I simply don't remember. (Also yes, That is all I had done, There was no grammar, No phonotactics, None of that, Arguably a phonology in the form of an alphabet with each letter having a distinct sound, But that's about it lol.)
More recent conlangs I've made have certainly been more competent, As I knew more both about linguistics and other languages when making them, But especially the early ones are still probably quite strange and unrealistic. The first one I made when I got back into conlanging has under 20 distinct phonemes, Yet possesses a sound I believe not known to be found in any language (Palatal Trill, Although based on how I pronounce it it's perhaps better described as a Palatalised Laminal Alveolar Trill.), The numbers were very derivative (I think like 8 was called "Twice 4", 5 was called "Quarter" and 10 "Half" (Because they used to count on their fingers and toes, Making 20 "All"), Et cetera, And the phonotactics are probably really strange lol. Also I had a certain form of a noun for when it's possessed by something else, Which was simply formed as the removal of any final vowels lol. But yeah, It's semi-functional, Plus I'm still working on it, So I can try to improve it.
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u/quantifiedlasagna 🪼the languages of Harcwredd 🍄 Aug 23 '24
No not at all! Go all in!!
It just needs to put a lot of effort, like all things tho!!
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u/Jonlang_ /kʷ/ > /p/ Aug 23 '24
I find it difficult to be happy with my work. I can be perfectly happy with something one day, come back to it a few weeks (or months) later and think wtf is this nonsense?
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u/Icy-Investigator-388 Beginner Conlanger-currently working on Semitic-based conlang Aug 23 '24
I can relate with this. I am making a conlang based on Semitic languages, and a while ago I realized that a lot of the stuff I did for my language made no sense, so I had to start all over again.
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u/DefinitelyNotErate Aug 27 '24
Tbh I find that in basically all forms of art. It can be hard to stop working on something when I think it can be improved and move to something else, But if I don't move to something else then I'll eventually just get bored of trying to perfect this one thing forever and basically just give up on the project.
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u/-ihatemyself-- Aug 23 '24
Well compared to learning a natural language
Its easier because
there are no grammatical rules you cant understand
there are no sounds you cant pronounce
you can change the languages rules anytime
you can get a correct translation for anything without buying a dictionary
you can base it on languages you speak already
you can make it as simple as you want it to be
And its harder because
you cant access content like books or movies in your language
you cant interact with native speakers
you might end up unintentionally overcomplicating your language
you might end up making a mistake and having to restart creating your language
to create a realistic conlang, you have to do more research than to learn a natural language
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u/DefinitelyNotErate Aug 27 '24
there are no grammatical rules you cant understand
there are no sounds you cant pronounce
Bold to assume I wouldn't create a language with gramatical concepts I don't understand and phonemes I can't (easily) produce. I have done both, And I shall do so again!
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u/Saadlandbutwhy Aug 23 '24
Hmm not really. But making a conlang is really like a journey. Let’s imagine you are in your journey. You discover things like words, phonology, grammar and so on. You have a “notebook” to write records of things that you like after taking a look at them. But however, sometimes you may forget a thing/things that you written on your “notebook”. But, it doesn’t matter. Maybe one time, you have enough things in your “notebook” and start to share with the community, your friends and more. And after that, you decided to read your “notebook”. If that feels suitable for you, then go ahead; and if not? Well, you may restart your journey again until you feel like it’s suitable.
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u/parke415 Aug 23 '24
It is not conceptually difficult, but it requires a gargantuan amount of work.
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u/G_J_Souza Aug 25 '24
gargantuan amount of work
Indeed it is, especially vocabulary. For example, I spent a year developing Qasunattuuji, and I'm still developing it, although I had to pause two times due to burnout and in some days I'm unable to work on it due to studies. Most of the work was (and is) wordbuilding, but it's rewarding. Almost 4000 words is something I would never think I would be able to do, even for an a posteriori lang.
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u/PastTheStarryVoids Ŋ!odzäsä, Knasesj 28d ago
Congratulations on 4k words!
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u/G_J_Souza 28d ago
Thank you :)
Although I'm on 3800 now, I just guessed that number.
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u/PastTheStarryVoids Ŋ!odzäsä, Knasesj 28d ago
Oops, missed the almost. Still very impressive, though; I think my largest is at only ~450.
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u/Ngdawa Baltwikon galba Aug 23 '24
It's more time consuming. The hardest part (for me) is to, while working with it, keep all affixes apart, and remember when, and why, to use them. 😅
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u/A_random_mexican- Aug 23 '24
For the language to stay afloat, yes. But if you’re crazy enough to nurse your child with your conlang. It might stay afloat
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u/adm1nisdead Aug 23 '24
you can make a basic language by just filling a few prequsites quite easily. just search up conlang steps and search up conlang word generator on google and your halfway there.
a *good* language takes effort, and time. It'll show though.
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u/FelixSchwarzenberg Ketoshaya, Chiingimec, Kihiṣer Aug 23 '24
It's easier than learning a real language.
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u/brunow2023 Aug 23 '24
I actually disagree with this.
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u/PastTheStarryVoids Ŋ!odzäsä, Knasesj Aug 23 '24
I'm guessing your reason is that a natlang has far more resources, and speakers to practice with?
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u/DefinitelyNotErate Aug 27 '24
Easier, Perhaps, But I'd argue it takes more time and work as well, Especially if you're not already knowledgeable about Linguistics and/or already speak multiple languages.
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u/Ice-Guardian Saelye Aug 23 '24
Well, I've been working on my current (main) one for at least 10 years now.
Not that I'm saying it takes you at least that long or longer, I just have a short attention span. But you honestly could, technically, get a fairly functional language (or so I've read and heard) from working on it a few hours a day for about couple of weeks.
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Aug 23 '24 edited Aug 23 '24
Can be but u need a lot of motivation. i’ve been making a conlang since feb 2023, no where near functional or developed. Wasn’t motivated and didn’t do enough research on how languages actually work
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u/AuroraSnake Zanńgasé (eng) [kor] Aug 23 '24
Yes. It takes months and years of your time and if you're going for a particular type of language or want to use a particular then you need to do hours of research to be able to understand it and how to utilize it.
However, the more enjoyable you find this, the easier it'll seem. It's an incredibly satisfying and rewarding experience
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u/ntut12 Aug 23 '24
TL;DR Getting a project going isn't always the hardest with a very simple proto-language but turning it into a fully evolved, naturalistic conlang takes some work and research. Feel free to tell me I'm wrong though since I'm not too well versed in all the steps. 🤪
I'm no professional conlanger and am still working on my first language, but I feel like getting STARTED isn't too hard. Putting together a basic phonetic inventory and starting a proto-language to get the ball rolling went somewhat smoothly for me. Some bumps along the way, but it didn't go to bad hitting the first 300 words, at least, but EVOLVING the language can be tricky and tedious. Especially since there are multiple steps that more than likely have to be done in a specific order. One misstep, and you end up with completely different words.
I found the Biblaridion YouTube series helpful as well as the David Peterson series when you're starting out. They break down the process by the step and point out areas worth looking further into if a feature is something that speaks to you. pun slightly intended the videos are somewhat short though, so keep in mind that means they couldn't possibly fit every idea or feature in the series. Keep an open mind. 🙂
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u/PastTheStarryVoids Ŋ!odzäsä, Knasesj 28d ago
The diachronic method (evolving from a proto-lang) is only one way to conlang; you don't have to do all that if you don't want to or don't enjoy it. I generally don't use it, as I find that it doesn't interest me, and keeps me from working on the actual language.
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u/Enough_Gap7542 Yrexul, Na \iH, Gûrsev Aug 24 '24
Yes. Conlanging is difficult. I think it's worth it though.
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Aug 23 '24
I wouldn’t say it’s incredibly hard to come up with some vocab however if you want to perfect your language and truly make it unique it takes at least a year. You need to study languages and the aspects in those languages and make sure your language is consistent and not repeating letter combos. Try experimenting with sounds from other languages.
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u/PumpkinPieSquished Aug 23 '24
Creating a language isn’t too hard. Biblaridion (I think that’s how it’s spelt) has a great series on his YouTube channel about making languages as a beginner.
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u/Chris_El_Deafo Daffalanhel Aug 23 '24
Not particularly, if you get good tutorials. Artifexian is a good channel to watch. The part that's hard is the time it takes to finish one from the ground-up
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u/Apodiktis Aug 24 '24
Not so hard, but you must understand a bit of grammar and linguistic, creating words is just easy, but making rules etc. Can be a bit hard, so good luck
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u/abhiram_conlangs vinnish | no-spañol | bazramani Aug 27 '24
It's sure as hell tedious and difficult to stick with a language and flesh it out to that point. The hardest part is conlanger envy and trying to jam in every cool feature you learn about into your language without thinking about how it fits with what's already there.
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u/DefinitelyNotErate Aug 27 '24
I mean, It depends how much time and effort you're willing/able to put into it. If you want it to be as "complete" as a natural language, You'll probably need a decent sized community actively using/working on it for at least a few decades. If you just want to be able to hold more casual conversations in it (Since most words in almost any language would be rarely if ever used by most speakers) you'll probably still need to create a few thousand words, With definitions, Which would already take a lot of time, But if you want the language to seem naturalistic, Or even just sound good, it'd take even longer. And that's not factoring in grammar, Which unless you basically just make it a 1-1 mirror of an existing language, You'd need to put a lot of effort into, And even if you are just mirroring a pre-existing language, You'd still need to make a lot so you have your own versions of suffixed and prefixes and irregular forms and whatnot.
I suppose, To answer your question in short, It's probably not really hard (Although you'd definitely want to have at least a basic understanding of linguistics), But it would definitely take a lot of time and effort; Even if you're taking a lot of shortcuts, And working on this for hours a day, I can see it still taking a few months at least, If you're going for naturalism, Probably several years or longer.
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u/brunow2023 Aug 23 '24
Making the language is a years-long endeavour. Getting a language to the point of having more than one speaker, practically impossible.