Re: Conlanging in Gullivers Travels- Jonathan Swift

Hey, I'm just now reading that book!  I too noted the
conlangs, althought my commentary said that Swift just
invented the words in the book and no other elements
of a conlang, unlike Tolkien, i.e. no syntax,
phonology, etymology, etc.

> For starters, the language of Laputa (the flying
> island) was said by Gulliver to sound a lot like
> Italian. The island hovers over a continent near to
> Japan, and its language focuses primarily on the
> concrete.
I am right in the middle of this section.  If I recall
correctly, didn't Gulliver say he was glad he had the
mathematical ability that he did because it made his
language aquisition easier?  I don't remember
correctly and I don't have the book here with me.
Regardless, the Laputians were obsessed with astronomy
and music, so I doubt that they would tolerate many
irregularities or broken rules in their language.

Swift was no conlanger (in my opinion), nor was he a
conculterer.  The cultures he invented were satires on
English politics at the time.  Would this affect the
language?  Could you perhaps follow Swift's train of
thought and make the Laputian conlang a satire on
English?  Just ideas.

Heather

Iofrus d'Gulivr =  Gulliver's Travels

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