How do languages form?  Usually, they evolve over millennia.  However, occasionally a language is created from scratch to meet the creator’s need or desire.  These languages are called constructed languages.

     The most famous and widely spoken constructed language is Esperanto.  It was created by Dr. Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof in 1880 A.D.  He felt that if people had a common language it would help them to understand each other and reduce hostility towards each other.  Esperanto’s vocabulary comes from the Romance languages, but its grammar is unique.  It has about 900 basic words that can be combined into compounds to form many shades of meaning.  According to Ethnologue, there are about two million second-language speakers of Esperanto, more than any other constructed language.

     A language may also be created for use in a work of fiction, such as Tolkien’s elvish languages or the Klingon language invented for Star Trek.  Languages such as these can actually be spoken as everyday conversation although the vocabulary would be somewhat restricted. 

     Some constructed languages are based not on words, but on colors, notes, or hand gestures.  The primary examples of this are the Sign Languages.  These languages were created to allow hearing-impaired people to communicate quickly and easily. There are many types with some having over 500,000 signers.

     All constructed languages are different. Some are created to foster global understanding or ease communication, while others are made for personal enjoyment, artistic reasons, or as a secret code.  It is said that American Sign Language is the fifth most widely used language in the United States. Esperanto boasts newspapers, magazines, and websites on a variety of topics.  Constructed languages play an important part of our lives and fill many needs.

Sources:

"American Sign Language." National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Feb 2000. NIDCD.  Accessed 12 Mar 2009. <http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/asl.htm>

Lindstedt, Jouko. "Native Esperanto as a Test Case for Natural Language." University of Helsinki. Accessed 11 Mar 2009. <http://www.ling.helsinki.fi/sky/julkaisut/ SKY2006_1/1FK60.1.5.LINDSTEDT.pdf>.

Raymond G., Jr., Gordon. "Esperanto." Ethnologue. 2005. Accessed 11 March 2009.  <http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=epo>.

"What is Esperanto?." Tutmonda Esperantista Junulara Organizo. TEJO. Accessed 11 Mar 2009. <http://www.tejo.org/info/pri_esperanto.php?lingvo=en>.