One of the major tropes in sci-fi franchises and other media is using some sort of highly advanced or alien language. Most of the time, these sounds and symbols that represent different words are mostly nothing else but doodles and gibberish. However, some sci-fi franchises (or fantasy, for that matter) have gone a step further and invested the time and knowledge to create their own language.
In most cases, these languages are developed up to the point of being useful for movie or cinematic dialogue, but some have evolved further into fully developed languages that can be used during coherent conversations. Klingon and Elvish are the first that usually come to mind, and though the latter doesn’t actually belong to the sci-fi category, it’s one of the most, if not the most, developed fictional language spoken by the fans.
From Doctor Who’s Gallifreyan, which was recently brought to life by the BBC’s Gallifreyan Translator, Star Trek’s Klingon, and Futurama’s Alienish, to Avatar’s Na’vi, we’ve comprised the list of five sci-fi languages fans of the genre should try and learn.
Elvish
While J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings universe doesn’t belong to the sci-fi genre, the creator of Elvish is most often credited as the first person to invent entire complex languages, purely for the fun of it — there are other made-up languages, such as Esperanto, that predate Tolkien’s work, but these were exclusively conceptualized with real-world applications in mind.
Elvish has a total of 7,000 recognized words, and it’s often categorized into two versions: Quenya, spoken by High Elves, and Sindarin, spoken by Grey Elves. Both versions of this language draw their roots from real-world languages, such as Finnish, Welsh, Greek, and Latin. Learning either version of Elvish, however, doesn’t really require any prior knowledge of any of the aforementioned real-world languages, and there are plenty of online resources you can learn from.
Klingon
The Star Trek universe encompasses several television/streaming series and other releases, offering a unique perspective on the wonders and dangers of space travel and exploration while also offering plenty of social commentary. Star Trek’s Klingon might not be the most melodic language from this list or the easiest to learn, but it’s one of the most developed fictional languages, thanks to the franchise’s dedicated fans.
In fact, the language has evolved to the point that several books have been written and published on it. Those behind the franchise often seek voice actors who know at least the basics of Klingon, and the Klingon Language Institute — yes, that’s a real thing — publishes quarterly journals dedicated to helping fans learn the language of this humanoid warrior race from Star Trek. Â
Na’vi
The language spoken by the nature-loving tall blue aliens from James Cameron’s Avatar was specifically created for the movie by Paul Frommer. The language was developed with human learners in mind, which is why it actually isn’t too distant from Earth’s languages. It took Frommer six months to develop enough words and vocabulary that would allow James Cameron to develop a script for the movie.
Na’vi originally had only 1,000 words developed for the purpose of the movie, but subsequent video games and other media drove the development further. According to learners, Na’vi is one of the simplest sci-fi languages to learn, as it features many aspects of existing real-life languages but combines certain linguistic elements in a unique way. There are plenty of online resources you can learn from.
Kryptonian
Kryptonian, a language spoken on Superman’s home planet, Krypton, is arguably the hardest of all sci-fi languages, as there are four different written versions of it spread throughout the comics and different media. The comic book version of the language was created by Nelson Bridwell; it features a 118-letter alphabet, and it was used in 1986’s Men of Steel, as well as in subsequent releases.
Another version of this language was created by Christine Schreyer for 2013’s Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill. This version features Kryptonian symbols, which represent syllables instead of individual letters, or glyphs, which represent entire words or concepts. Both versions have many written guides, alphabets, and translations available online.
Huttese
Huttese is a fictional language spoken by the slug-like species known as the Hutt in Star Wars — the most notable of whom is Jabba the Hutt. There are other artificial languages written for Star Wars, including Ewokese and Shyriiwook, which are spoken by Ewoks and Chewbacca, respectively. However, none of these other languages from Star Wars are as prominent as Huttese, which isn’t fully developed but has its own alphabet and a vocabulary containing some 600 words.
Honorable Mention: Gallifreyan
Given the renewed popularity of Doctor Who, we would be remiss not to mention Gallifreyan. There are several different versions of this language, including Old High Gallifreyan, Modern Gallifreyan, and Circular Gallifreyan. The first two are written using mathematical formulae and different symbols, while the latter consists of interlocking circles, hexagons, and lines. For those interested in taking a look at circular Gallifreyan, BBC just released a Gallifreyan translator.
Final Thoughts
Though it might seem whimsical at first, learning a fictional language is a fantastic gateway to exploring the creativity, culture, and community within a fandom. Whether it’s the elegance of Elvish or the grit of Klingon, each of these languages offers a unique perspective on its fictional universe, and learning them could help you find a deeper connection to the narratives and stories you love.