Glossopoiesis

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A short introduction to glossopoiesis

2. Linguistic creation

We all practice linguistic creation, in a sense. Everyone, without even realizing it, as an everyday deed, takes part in forging the tongue they speak. Reporters do it whenever they invent a new metaphor, as well as scientists do it whenever they name their latest discovery.

But there is no need for these creations to be hallowed in a vocabulary. If you have ever coined a word to write it on a postcard, or a verb to describe the grimaces of your little cousin, or a phrase meaningful only to your best friend, or a jargon for your group of friends, then you have played this game.

Naturally, true language makers are not contented with this. If it is possible, useful and amusing to manipulate their own mother tongue, why - they asked themselves - should not it be possible, perhaps useful and surely more amusing to create themselves a new language?

And, as they tried it, they found it was true.

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