Definition

Noun: A language that is deliberately created by humans for a specific purpose, rather than having evolved naturally over time within a community of speakers. Artificial languages are designed with specific rules, vocabulary, and grammar.

Usage

The term "artificial language" is used to describe a consciously invented linguistic system. It contrasts with "natural language," which develops organically. Artificial languages are created for purposes such as international communication, linguistic experimentation, or use in fiction.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world.
  • Computer programming languages are a type of artificial language designed for giving instructions to machines.
  • The author created a detailed artificial language for the alien species in her novel.

Advanced Usage

• "Constructed language": This is a more modern and precise synonym for "artificial language," often abbreviated as "conlang." It emphasizes the act of construction.
  • Tolkien was a master of creating constructed languages like Quenya and Sindarin.

Variants and Related Words

• Constructed language (conlang) (n): A synonym for artificial language, highlighting its designed nature.
• Auxiliary language (n): A type of artificial language created specifically to facilitate communication between people who do not share a common native language (e.g., Esperanto, Interlingua).
• Formal language (n): A language with precisely defined syntax and semantics, often used in logic, mathematics, and computer science.
• Programming language (n): A formal artificial language used to write instructions that can be executed by a computer.

Synonyms

• Constructed language
• Invented language
• Planned language

Antonyms

• Natural language: A language that has developed naturally through use and evolution within a human community (e.g., English, Mandarin, Spanish).

Noun

1. a language that is deliberately created for a specific purpose