A Linguist's Dream

A Linguist’s Dream

Based out of New York, two friends, Daniel Bogre Udell and Freddie Andrade, are compiling the first comprehensive compendium of the 7,000+ spoken languages in the world. They’re calling their project Wikitongues. Experts and linguists are calling their project brilliant.

Currently, they’re working on collecting languages spoken in Scotland, including more minor variants from different regions, and of course, Scots and Gaelic. For those who know anything about the Gaelic language, this will surely come as great news, as it is often believed that the language is dying out. While there are artists working to bring it back to the written word, a large scale project like Wikitongues promises to be will ensure that it gets broader recognition, as well as illustrating how the language is actually spoken. In short, this project will help preserve and possibly revive languages that are otherwise dying.

Udell and Andrade, who are trying to gain non-profit status for their project, are enthusiastic, passionate, and most importantly, giving each spoken language they collect equal footing.

It does beg the question, of course – do Klingon and Elvish count as spoken languages?

Robyn Stone-Kraft

Robyn was a fan of fantasy before she was aware there were even other entertainment options. She’s been a writer just as long as she’s been a fantasy fan. In D&D she plays Wizard, she was sorted into Slytherin, she supports House Lannister, flirts with Garrus Vakarian, supports the Imperial Empire, and she has a favorite Doctor. She also has more degrees in Literature than most people tend to consider a good life choice, has somehow managed to get some of her poetry published, and gets to fail college students who decide they don’t have to turn in their assignments. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, four cats, and huge personal library.