Linguist David J. Peterson discusses his creation of the Dothraki and Valyrian languages for ‘Game of Thrones’ at Brookdale Community College this Thursday. (Click to enlarge)
In an age when many of the planet’s lesser-spoken dialects are feared to be on the verge of dying out, it might surprise you to note that the art of language invention is on the rise — and that a thirty-something guy from California named David J. Peterson is surfing the crest of this man-made wave.
A cult celebrity, thanks largely to his work on TV’s Game of Thrones, for which he crafted the Dothraki and Valyrian languages, and the Marvel Universe franchise — where his Dark Elf dialogue made beautiful music in Thor: The Dark World — Peterson has been sparking renewed interest in constructed linguistics through YouTube videos and personal appearances. And this Thursday, the man who can truly claim to have “the best words” will have the podium when he comes to Brookdale Community College. in Lincroft
Scheduled for 7 p.m., at the Warner Student Life Building, the free presentation will find Peterson discussing his breakthrough work on GoT — a project that plucked the young president of the Language Creation Society from obscurity, when he won a contest for the opportunity to help linguistically realize its realm of fantasy — and his subsequent contributions to series like SyFy’s Defiance (for which he crafted the Castithan, Irathient and Omec tongues) and NBC’s Emerald City.
He’ll also be giving an overview of modern “conlang” as practiced by the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien and other summoners of universes, while providing the sort of helpful pointers for aspiring language creators that he shared in his virally viewed videos and his 2015 book, The Art of Language Invention.
Best of all, he’s expected to deliver his lecture primarily in English, a language whose most celebrated wordsmith — one William Shakespeare — was never shy about creating a cool new word whenever the situation cried out for it.
There’s no registration required for the event, but seating is limited and available on a first-come/ first-seated basis. Park in lots 6 and 7, and call (732) 224-2788 or go here for more info.
