Lexicon Valley: Dothraki and Valyrian inventor David J. Peterson on creating languages for Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones Has Several Made-Up Languages. Meet the Guy Who Created Them.

Game of Thrones Has Several Made-Up Languages. Meet the Guy Who Created Them.

A show about the mysteries of English.
May 18 2015 11:14 AM

“I Always Believed That Created Languages Were Art Pieces”

Bob Garfield and Mike Vuolo talk to conlanger David J. Peterson about the art and craft of inventing languages for Game of Thrones.

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Emilia Clarke as Daenerys in Game of Thrones.

Photo courtesy Macall B. Polay/HBO

Listen to Lexicon Valley Episode No. 60: M’athchomaroon, Zhey Lajak Vezhven!

David J. Peterson: “I always believed that created languages were art pieces, and in that regard the creation is its own reward. I think the satisfaction I get from it is not so much people speaking it or wanting to speak it or use it, but people going back over and looking at the choices I made, looking at the grammar, and understanding not just the effort that went into it but the artistic thought behind it.”

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If you’re a fan of Lexicon Valley, check out this week’s episode of The Moment podcast. Host Brian Koppelman talks with lexicographer Bryan Garner, author of Modern American Usage and the subject of David Foster Wallace’s essay, "Authority and American Usage."

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