--- product_id: 18564723 title: "The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building" price: "€ 41.89" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/18564723-the-art-of-language-invention-from-horse-lords-to-dark store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building **Price:** € 41.89 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building - **How much does it cost?** € 41.89 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/18564723-the-art-of-language-invention-from-horse-lords-to-dark) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description An insider’s tour through the construction of invented languages from the bestselling author and creator of languages for Legendary's Dune , the HBO series Game of Thrones and the Syfy series Defiance From master language creator David J. Peterson comes a creative guide to language construction for sci-fi and fantasy fans, writers, game creators, and language lovers. Peterson offers a captivating overview of language creation, covering its history from Tolkien’s creations and Klingon to today’s thriving global community of conlangers. He provides the essential tools necessary for inventing and evolving new languages, using examples from a variety of languages including his own creations, punctuated with references to everything from Star Wars to Janelle Monáe. Along the way, behind-the-scenes stories lift the curtain on how he built languages like Dothraki for HBO’s Game of Thrones and Shiväisith for Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World , and an included phrasebook will start fans speaking Peterson’s constructed languages. The Art of Language Invention is an inside look at a fascinating culture and an engaging entry into a flourishing art form—and it might be the most fun you’ll ever have with linguistics. The Art of Language Invention includes a new chapter on phrases, specifically, word order, negation, question formation, pragmatic concerns, relativization, and subordination, providing a complete introduction to language creation and linguistics. Invented languages featured in the book now include Chakobsa from Legendary’s Dune , Trigedasleng (or Grounder) from The 100 , Méníshè language from Motherland: Fort Salem and Ravkan from the Netflix series Shadow and Bone . Review: The Art of Language Invention educates and inspires as much as it entertains. - I spent a lot of time waiting in doctors’ offices last week, and I needed something to save me from boredom- and anxiety-induced insanity. What better choice could I have made than The Art of Language Invention by David J. Peterson? Back when I was a kid, one of my favorite books was Dougal Dixon’s After Man: a Zoology of the Future. As an exercise in speculative biology, the book is responsible for maybe 90% of my enthusiasm about evolution, anatomy, and animal behavior. The fact that I know anything about those subjects at all is because I was enthusiastic for them, which puts Dixon to blame for most of what I know about the natural world. When I read The Art of Language Invention, the same thing happened with linguistics. You can’t create a good made-up language without knowing about real languages. Through the lens of his invented languages and his experience using them, Peterson educates the reader about the forces that shape the way we speak—a practical gift wrapped in shiny packaging. Like all good speculation, The Art of Language Invention educates and inspires as much as it entertains. And it IS entertaining, if for no other reason than the cat and onion jokes. Go read it. I expect to see your new language on my desk by Monday. Review: I like this book - For various reasons, over my life I have been exposed to six or seven languages, including tonal ones, and even learned a few of those, including ASL. Languages are fascinating, at least to me. But the idea of just making up a reasonably plausible language was not in my experience. I guess the Army did use their own made up language to select folks who could do well in language school. That was fun too - taking a test based on a language you had just met - so to speak. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #110,525 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #16 in Science Fiction & Fantasy Writing #49 in Alphabet Reference #154 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 628 Reviews | ## Images ![The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71-DSPyyd7L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Art of Language Invention educates and inspires as much as it entertains. *by D***N on October 26, 2016* I spent a lot of time waiting in doctors’ offices last week, and I needed something to save me from boredom- and anxiety-induced insanity. What better choice could I have made than The Art of Language Invention by David J. Peterson? Back when I was a kid, one of my favorite books was Dougal Dixon’s After Man: a Zoology of the Future. As an exercise in speculative biology, the book is responsible for maybe 90% of my enthusiasm about evolution, anatomy, and animal behavior. The fact that I know anything about those subjects at all is because I was enthusiastic for them, which puts Dixon to blame for most of what I know about the natural world. When I read The Art of Language Invention, the same thing happened with linguistics. You can’t create a good made-up language without knowing about real languages. Through the lens of his invented languages and his experience using them, Peterson educates the reader about the forces that shape the way we speak—a practical gift wrapped in shiny packaging. Like all good speculation, The Art of Language Invention educates and inspires as much as it entertains. And it IS entertaining, if for no other reason than the cat and onion jokes. Go read it. I expect to see your new language on my desk by Monday. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I like this book *by M***D on March 22, 2024* For various reasons, over my life I have been exposed to six or seven languages, including tonal ones, and even learned a few of those, including ASL. Languages are fascinating, at least to me. But the idea of just making up a reasonably plausible language was not in my experience. I guess the Army did use their own made up language to select folks who could do well in language school. That was fun too - taking a test based on a language you had just met - so to speak. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lands immediately in my short list of Favorite Books Ever *by J***L on February 24, 2024* Psst, don't tell anyone -- but you're reading a linguistics textbook! Everything from allophones to exponence to ergativity to pragmatics -- but it's super-fun and carries you along. Yes, there are Dothraki and High Valyrian examples -- and plenty of context about natural languages as well. Peterson carries off helping you understand linguistics in detail without making it feel like work. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building - The Language Construction Kit - In the Land of Invented Languages: Adventures in Linguistic Creativity, Madness, and Genius --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/18564723-the-art-of-language-invention-from-horse-lords-to-dark](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/18564723-the-art-of-language-invention-from-horse-lords-to-dark) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-07-22*