Use the Language template to write about an actual language, but also about dialects, slang, secret codes, and any other system of communication.
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What should I use this template for?
If you want to write about how some people (or animals) communicate, use the Language template! Here are some examples:
Languages and dialects
Worldbuilding a language doesn't have to involve conlanging; in fact, it usually doesn't! When writing about a language, you can skip the grammar altogether and simply write about who uses it, what kinds of variants it has (such as dialects), and its cultural significance. This is often more interesting to your readers than the nitty-gritty of a language (unless your readers are conlanges, of course!). That said, it can be useful to come up with some basic rules of how the language sounds and feels to create consistent names for places and people in that language.
Slang and jargon
You can also use a Language article to write a list of slang or terminology that's relevant to your world! Some fictional works simply opt for replacing real-world swearwords for made-up ones. Others come up with a slang that has a completely different structure and usage. Whatever you choose, a slang or a jargon will make your world feel more real because you'll be able to show realistic differences in how people speak.
Writing systems and secret codes
A writing system and a secret code are pretty much the same; the main difference is that a writing system is known by the speakers of a language, while a secret code isn't. Writing systems are also a great way to give identity to a language without having to create the language itself! For example, in the Lord of the Rings, the Elvish writing system is very elegant, which is very much in line with how elves are portrayed in that story.
Special features for Languages
The Language template has a couple of useful features to take your languages to the next level!
- Interactive dictionary: If you click the Expand Prompts & Connections button at the bottom of the article editor, you'll find a Dictionary tab. Use it to add words to your language. When viewing the article, you'll be able to search words in the dictionary, as well as to embed it in other articles.
- Vulgarlang import: VulgarLang is a conlang generator! When exporting your language there, you can export World Anvil-compatible BBCode (which you can copy-paste into the article), as well as a CSV version of the dictionary, which you can copy-paste into the Dictionary import field.
Template walkthrough
As always, there's a free-writing section at the top (which we call vignette) and the prompts are under the Expand prompts & connections button. In the Language template, the prompts are organized into three tabs:
- Structure: Use this to write about the internal structure of the language. This will be relevant if you're creating a conlang, but you'll probably want to skip it if you aren't.
- Common usage: This is all about how the language is used in the real world, such as its geographic distribution and examples of names in that language.
- Dictionary: See above!
Feature recommendations for languages
Here's how you can use some of World Anvil's features in combination with a Language article:
- Maps: you can use a map layer to show where the language is spoken in the country or content (or world!)
- Chronicles: with Chronicles, you could show how the language has changed over time, both geographically and in its form (think, Old, Middle, and Modern English). Learn more about Chronicles.
- Content trees: you could create a content tree showing the tree of languages in your world. Learn more about Content Trees.
Step-by-step guide to writing a language
Here's how to get started creating a language!
- Choose the scope of the language
Or in other words, how deep into the rabbit hole do you want to go? For example, when writing about your culture's fashion standards, most people won't create the patterns to actually craft the clothes. Similarly, you shouldn't create a fully detailed language unless you really want to. Many people opt for a naming language: a set of simple rules that you can use to create names that sound and feel consistent. - Consider the language's culture
Languages are a representation of a culture's values. For example, respect and formality is very important in Japan, so the Japanese language reflects that by having an extremely convoluted formality system integrated into the language's grammar. Again, you don't need to go this deep, but you can use idioms and names for that! These are parts of a language that don't change in a long time, so they can often be great way to understand a people's culture and history. - Add some weird stuff
The real world is messy, and this means that any rule will have exceptions! Add words that break the rules and phrases that are clearly taken from a different language you created. If you're creating names, add some duplicates, and some that will make your readers laugh (ever heard of the English town Shitterton?).
Here are some more tips from our blog:
- 5 tips to create a fantasy language for non-conlangers
- 5 tips to create unique fantasy names
- How to organize your conlang on World Anvil
Community examples for inspiration
Need some inspiration? Here are some language articles written by our amazing community!
