io9
If you're fascinated by alien languages and futuristic human slang, you're in luck. Eastern Michigan University, with the help of linguistics-loving scifi author Suzette Haden Elgin, has put together an exhaustive list of scifi novels that feature every flavor of strange, imaginary language. A couple of weeks ago we posted a beautiful diagram showing the lineage of most Western languages, and now with this list you can move forward into the possible future of those languages.
The best part is that the U Michigan list doesn't just include the best scifi books that contain alien languages and futuristic human ones. It also includes books with linguist heroes (there are surprisingly many, including awesome novel The Sparrow, as well as Elgin's own Native Tongue), animal languages (think Rendezvous With Rama), and books that use linguistic theory.
For some reason, Iain M. Banks' Feersum Endjinn isn't included here, despite the fact that it's written in a weird space patois. However, the list is packed with intriguing stories I now want to devour, like this one: We Have Always Spoken Panglish, by Suzette Haden Elgin, which is apparently about "a linguist from 'the U.S. Corps of Linguists' [who] tries to save an endangered extraterrestrial language." Another is Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker, set in a postapocalyptic, Dark Ages-style England about 2000 years from now, and written in a future version of English. Hoban is also the author of A Mouse and His Child, a book that turned my brain inside-out as a kid (please ignore the movie version of it).
Linguistics in SciFi Book List [Eastern Michigan University] (Thanks, Sacha!)
Comments
I always thought Feersum Endjinn wasn't a 'different language' just phonetics.
I could be wrong though, been a long time since I last read it.
@Theoban: You're right - Feersum Endjinn is just phonetics, not a different language.
Annalee, what's the name of that '78 book again? Is it still in print?
@avidreader514: OK I stand corrected. I thought it was a futuristic English, but I also haven't read it in ages.
@MaxTwice: You'll have to be more specific than that!
Even more odd than the list not mentioning Feersum Enjinn, it omits Marain entirely - Bank's/the Culture's language based on a nonary system.
U Mich is the University of Michigan. it may be geographically right next door to Eastern Michigan U, but they are COMPLETELY separate schools.
Oh, and no "Firefly" in future human languages. The need a TV/film section.
The "Foreigner Universe Books" by C. J. Cherryh are all about language, how they are used and the hero is a linguist. Seems odd they they are not mentioned. There are at least 9 books in the series.
Russell Hoban wrote adult books?? I only know him as a children's author and a young one at that (Frances the Badger, mainly).
Whoa, and scratch that past tense. He had a book out as recently as last year!
Hmm.. I didn't know Hoban wrote children's books! Loved "Riddley Walker" but I feel that like "Feersum Endjinn" it was meant to be read as the narrative of someone who spoke English but only wrote phonetically.
Marain is pretty cool, yes, but Banks has only provided a partial alphabet and a few non-name words. Only a hint of grammar etc.. Maybe it's up to a few great Minds to flesh it out?
Wasn't the narrator of Feersum Endjinn just dyslexic?
'Feersum Endjinn' is written phonetically, but the narrator is speaking in a very broad Scottish accent.
Also: The Scar.
This reminded me of a story I read as a kid. It was done in the form of a report about how humans, who are able to translate animal languages, had discovered a work of literature found in an anthill, written on Acacia seeds. it was a worker Ant's manifesto and ended with the phrase, Up With the Queen! which to ant's is like sayign down with the Queen, because Up is unknown to ants and thus like saying, the Queen can go to Hell.
It always stuck with me and this reminded me of that. And so I went looking for it and it turns out to be The Author of the Acacia seeds by Urlula K. Le Guin.
Which explains why it was so memorable. Thanks, Annalee!
Ridley Walker is an amazing book. All hail the Eusa Head!
@Rusty626: Here, here.
Pakuni, anyone?
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