MINI-REVIEW | In the Land of Invented Languages by Arika Okrent (Spiegel & Grau)

Have you ever wanted to learn about the origin of Tolkien's Quenya language spoken by the Elves? Or about other made up languages? Than In the Land of Invented Languages is the right book for you. Journey with the Arika, a trained linguist, to Klingon Conventions where she attempts to earn her beginner's certificate. Discover how Esperanto became one of the best known invented languages and why it is dying along with the system and history of many others.

This is the type of book that could be dry, but Arika averts that danger by interjecting jokes liberally such as wanting to find out what the word shit is in these languages first and foremost, because who doesn't want to swear in other languages? The lighthearted and informative style will keep you intrigued even when some of the translations and diagrams can get tiresome, although they do help explain the formulas for many of the languages. I give In the Land of Invented Languages 8 out of 10 Hats. Fans of Stefan Fatsis's Word Freak or Kurlansky's Salt: A World History would enjoy this one.


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