Who owns a language that doesn't exist*?
I'm currently in the process of writing a 50,000+ word book about conlang communities and language ownership.
The book will cover the history and communities of Volapük, Loglan, Lojban, Esperanto, Toki Pona, Quenya, Sindarin, Klingon, Dovahzul, Dothraki, and High Valyrian, with both extensive research and new interviews with community members. With this book I want to see if I can pinpoint the moment at which a conlang creator loses control of their language, and that control is passed - whether intentionally or not - to the conlang's community of users.
The book will be released as a PDF, ebook, and print edition!
If you're interested in hearing more about its progress and eventual release, you can follow me on social media (Bluesky | Tumblr) or sign up to my newsletter below!
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* They do exist.