What is a Conlang?

A constructed language, or conlang, is a language that has been deliberately invented by an individual or group rather than having evolved naturally over centuries. While natural languages like English, Mandarin, and Swahili developed organically through human interaction and cultural change, conlangs are crafted with intentional design decisions about sounds, grammar, vocabulary, and writing systems. The art and science of creating languages is called conlanging, and the people who do it are conlangers. Conlanging has a rich history stretching back centuries, and today it is practiced by thousands of enthusiasts worldwide. Whether you want to build a language for a fictional world, create a tool for international communication, or simply explore the boundaries of human expression, this course will guide you through every step.

Conlangs generally fall into four major categories, each with its own goals and design philosophy. An artlang (artistic language) is created for aesthetic or creative purposes, often for use in fiction, film, or personal expression. These languages prioritize beauty, internal consistency, and cultural depth. An auxlang (auxiliary language) is designed to facilitate communication between people who speak different native languages. Auxlangs aim for simplicity, regularity, and ease of learning. An engelang (engineered language) is built to test linguistic theories or achieve specific structural properties, such as eliminating ambiguity or maximizing logical precision. Finally, a fictional language is created as part of a fictional universe, giving depth and authenticity to imaginary cultures and peoples. Many conlangs blur these boundaries -- Tolkien's Elvish languages are both artlangs and fictional languages, while Lojban is both an engelang and an auxlang.