Language Creation: How Much Is Too Much?

“Every language is a map of human experience.” — Margaret Atwood

As a fantasy writer, I love nothing more than stumbling across a beautifully crafted fictional language — until it becomes a full-blown cryptic crossword puzzle that derails the plot.

Let’s be real: language creation is a powerful tool. It’s worldbuilding gold. It gives culture, depth, and flavour to your story. But it’s also one of the easiest places to lose your readers — fast.

So today, let’s talk about conlangs (constructed languages): why they matter, when they’re magic, and when they’re just… extra.

📖 Why Writers Invent Languages

I get it. Language is culture. Language is power. If your world has its own gods, empires, and dragon-riding customs, then yes — it makes perfect sense that they wouldn’t be speaking modern English.

Tolkien, of course, is the blueprint. Quenya and Sindarin weren’t just background flavour — they were the bedrock of Middle-Earth. The man was a linguist first, novelist second. And it worked because the languages weren’t just cosmetic — they meant something. They shaped history, music, even identity.

But unless you’re secretly a philologist with a few spare decades, you probably don’t need to go full Elvish. You need just enough to spark immersion without creating a language barrier.

🧠 Rule #1: Purpose Over Performance

Ask yourself: what is the point of this fictional language?

• Is it showing cultural difference?
• Is it revealing something about power dynamics?
• Is it used for magic or secrecy?
• Or are you just flexing because it’s fun? (That’s okay — just know when to stop.)

If the language serves a narrative purpose — fantastic. But if your characters are having full conversations in untranslated conlang and your reader is left clinging to the glossary like a life raft… it’s too much.

✏️ Use a Light Touch

You don’t need to go all-in to be convincing. A few well-placed words, titles, or phrases can evoke an entire culture.

Try this:

• Use foreign words as ritual phrases, battle cries, or insults.
• Give your language a consistent sound or structure. Harsh consonants for warlike people. Flowing vowels for an ethereal race. You get the idea.
• Add context clues around untranslated dialogue so readers don’t feel lost.

Less is more. Think seasoning, not stew.

🧙‍♂️ Magic and Language: The Delicious Combo

One of my favourite uses of language in fantasy? Magic.

Whether it’s the precise Latin-rooted spells of Harry Potter, the true-naming power in Earthsea, or the bone-deep compulsion of The Broken Earth trilogy, language can be a weapon, a tool, or a living force.

Just make sure your system is clear. If a magical language exists, what are its rules? Who can access it — and why? Consistency here makes all the difference.

🚫 Don’t Let Language Block the Reader

Here’s where things go wrong: when your reader is skimming. When your language becomes a speed bump. When they’re muttering, “What does this even mean?”

Tips to avoid this:

• Translate immediately in narration or dialogue.
• Avoid long passages in fictional languages.
• Keep pronunciation simple (or don’t expect readers to say it aloud).

Basically, don’t sacrifice story for sparkle. If the language isn’t moving plot or character, it doesn’t need to be there.

💬 A Personal Rule of Thumb

When I’m drafting, I use made-up words sparingly. A term here. A curse word there. If I feel like I need a whole grammar structure to make the scene work… I take a breath and ask: Is this worldbuilding — or am I procrastinating?

Spoiler: it’s often the latter.

Remember, the reader isn’t here for your glossary. They’re here for the story.

✅ Final Thoughts

Fictional languages are awesome. They can make your world sing. But they’re also not the main course — they’re the garnish.

Use them to enhance, not obscure. Let them add texture, not tangle. When done right, a single word can carry weight, culture, history.

But if your reader needs a degree in linguistics to follow your plot? Maybe scale it back.

Now go forth — and say something powerful. Preferably in a tongue that doesn’t require a pronunciation guide.