As dense as Mirkwood in some places, but shafts of sunlight do break through.
The creator of languages for Game of Thrones and alien languages for sci-fi shows reveals the deeply intricate secrets behind his “conlanging” (constructed language-making).
Peterson, who holds a master’s degree in linguistics and has published Living Language Dothraki, a book about a Game of Thrones language, tries to appeal to several audiences—from general readers (who will need a machete for some of the thick textual foliage) to Throne devotees (who will love learning more about the show but may suffer from glazed-eye syndrome at some of the linguistic theory he explains) to other conlangers (who will leap upon his charts and terms, rapidly consuming them). This is no Dick-and-Jane text. The more readers know about grammar, usage, orthography, linguistics, foreign languages, fonts, and phonology (and so much more), the better for them. Peterson deals with several large subjects—sounds, words, evolution of language, writing—explaining the complexities of each and providing examples from his own work. The author inserts humor where he can, suggesting in one place a list of possible conlang words for very specific uses—e.g., the word nipak to mean “the piece you need to finish a puzzle that you are actively putting together.” For the most part, this is a nuts-and-bolts text about how a language works, about the differences among languages, and about the vast array of things conlangers must know before they embark upon a voyage of creation. It’s not—as the author makes abundantly clear—a simple matter of making a list of weird words and calling it a language. Peterson ends with some mildly hopeful words for aspiring conlangers, recognizing that the gigs he’s managed to obtain are not all that prevalent. He suggests that writers of fantasy and sci-fi novels employ conlangers to help them with their work.
As dense as Mirkwood in some places, but shafts of sunlight do break through.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-14-312646-1
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Penguin
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2015
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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