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David J. Peterson

David Joshua Peterson (born January 20, 1981) is an American conlanger who has constructed languages for television series such as Game of Thrones[7] and The 100 and films such as Thor: The Dark World, Dune and Dune: Part Two.[8]

David J. Peterson
Peterson in June 2019
Born (1981-01-20) January 20, 1981 (age 43)[1]
Long Beach, California[2]
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Writer, language creator
Known forLanguage creation for Game of Thrones, Defiance, Dune, and The 100
SpouseErin Peterson (divorced)[3][4]Jessie Peterson[5]
Children1[6]

Life

Peterson was born to a father of German descent and a mother of Mexican descent.[9] Studying at University of California, Berkeley (1999–2003), Peterson received BA degrees in English and in linguistics.[2] He received an MA in linguistics from University of California, San Diego (2003–2006).[2] He had his first contact with constructed languages while still at Berkeley, after attending an Esperanto class in 2000.[10] In 2007, he co-founded the Language Creation Society with nine other language creators[2] and served as its president (2011–2014).[11]

In 2009, the television network HBO needed a fictional language for the Game of Thrones television series and turned to the Language Creation Society for help. This resulted in a contest, which Peterson won.[12]

He produced a number of videos on YouTube, in a series called The Art of Language Invention,[13] and published a book of the same title in 2015. Peterson also worked as an executive producer on the 2017 documentary film, Conlanging: The Art of Crafting Tongues.[14]

In 2019, Peterson created a free High Valyrian course on the Duolingo website/app[15][16] and expanded the course in conjunction with the House of the Dragon series premiere in August 2022.[17]

In 2023, Peterson became engaged to and subsequently married fellow linguist and conlanger Jessie Peterson (née Sams).[18][19][5]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleLanguage(s)
2011–2019Game of Thrones
  • Dothraki (Lekh Dothraki), the language of the eponymous people.[20]
  • High Valyrian (Valyrio Udrir), a literary language once spoken in Valyria.[20]
  • Mag Nuk ("great tongue"), the language of giants. It was only used for one line.[23]
  • Skroth ("ice"), an unused language that was meant to be spoken by the White Walkers.[24]
  • Asshai, an unused language that was meant to be spoken by the Asshai'i.[25]
  • Lhazareen, an unused sister language of Dothraki that was meant to be spoken by the eponymous people.[26]
  • Gerna Mohr (or Gerna Moussha), an unused language that was meant to be spoken by the Children of the Forest.[26]
2013–2015Defiance
  • Castithan (Kastíthanu), the language of the eponymous species. It has its own abugida called Fajizwalino.
  • Irathient (Thwelu l'Irathi), the language of the eponymous species. It has its own abugida called Izra.
  • Indojisnen, the language of Indogenes. It has its own syllabary called Hazugimari.
  • Kinuk'aaz ("our language"), the language of the Omec. It has its own alphabet called Zaduusel.
  • Yanga Kayang, an unused language that was meant to be the Liberata's.
2014Star-CrossedSondiv, the language of the Atrians. It has its own abjad called Kwandon.
2014–2015DominionLishepus, a language invented by the angels to prevent humans from understanding them. It is based on Proto-Indo-European and Proto-Afroasiatic roots. Peterson also translated a few lines into Akkadian for one episode.
2015–2020The 100Trigedasleng ("forest language") or Trig, the language of the Grounders. It is a descendant of a cryptolect based on American English.
2015Penny DreadfulVerbis Diablo (or Verbis Diabolo), the language of witches and demons. Its vocabulary is based on Classical Arabic, Akkadian, Middle Egyptian, Attic Greek, Latin, Persian and Turkish.
2016–2017The Shannara ChroniclesNoalath ("great tongue"), the language of druids.
2017Emerald City
  • Inha ("we"), the language of witches. It has four varieties (referencing the four countries of the Land of Oz), called Water Inha, Fire Inha, Wind Inha and Stone Inha.
  • Munja'kin, the language of the eponymous people.
2017The DefendersWritten Tibetan translation.
2018Into the BadlandsAzrán, a descendant of Mexican Spanish spoken in Azra.
2018Iron FistWritten Tibetan translation.
2019, 2021Another LifeAchaian, Tala and Decuma, three asemic syllabaries. Peterson worked on this show with Claire Ng.
2019The WitcherHen Linge ("elder speech"), the language of elves and mages. It has its own alphabet called Hen Wökina.
2019EuphoriaDothraki lines.
2020–2022Motherland: Fort SalemMéníshè ("mother tongue"), the language of witches. A language derived from Méníshè and spoken by Camarilla members was also used for one line, and an ancient form of Méníshè appears in season 3. Peterson created all three languages with Jessie Peterson.
2020Lovecraft CountryLanguage of Adam. Peterson created a writing system for this show in collaboration with Claire Ng, but it was not used.
2021Mr. MayorDothraki lines. Uncredited.
2021, 2023Shadow and Bone
  • Old Ravkan, the ancestor of the current language of Ravka (which is rendered as English). It has its own alphabet.
  • Fjerdan, the language of Fjerda. Peterson created this language with Christian Thalmann.
  • Kerch, the abugida of Kerch. It doesn't have an associated conlang, instances of written Kerch are actually coded English texts.
  • Kerch sign language.
  • Zemeni, the language of Novyi Zem. Peterson created this language with Jessie Peterson.
  • Shu, the language of Shu Han. Peterson created this language with Jessie Peterson, and its writing system was created by Christian Thalmann.
2022FromBackground dialogue lines for the creatures. Peterson worked on this show with Jessie Peterson, both are uncredited.
2022HaloSangheili, the language of the Covenant. Peterson created this language with Carl Buck.
2022House of the DragonHigh Valyrian (Valyrio Udrir) lines, as well as a new logoconsonantal script called Nekesse Valyrio for this language.
2022Paper GirlsKezhwa, a creole language spoken by time travelers. It was only used for one line. Peterson created this language with Jessie Peterson, both are uncredited.
2022Vampire AcademyAazh Naamori ("Language of the Moroi"), the language of vampires. It has its own abugida. Peterson created this language with Jessie Peterson.
2022The Witcher: Blood OriginHen Linge lines and texts.

Films

YearTitleLanguage(s) / Role
2013Thor: The Dark WorldShiväisith ("soft speech"), the language of the Dark Elves. It has its own alphabet called Todjydheenil, which was not used in the film, Peterson invented it after the film was released.
2016Warcraft: The Beginning
  • Orcish, the language of orcs.
  • Draenei, the language of the eponymous species. It was only used for one line.
  • Common, an unused language that was meant to be the humans'.
2016The Bad BatchDialect coach.
2016Doctor StrangeNelvayu, a demonic language the Zealots use for incantations.
2017Conlanging: The Art of Crafting TonguesExecutive Producer.[14]
2017Bright
  • Övüsi (Övüsi Kieru, "Elvish tongue"), the language of elves. It has its own abugida. An older version of Övüsi was also used for one line.
  • Bodzvokhan (Bodzvokhan Dǝzhn, "farmer's language"), the language of orcs. It has its own abjad called Vukht as well as a Cyrillic alphabet.
2018, 2020Yulish, the language of Santa Claus and the Christmas elves.
2021Raya and the Last DragonKumandran,[27] the language of Kumandra. It was only used for one line and a few untranslated words in English lines.
2021The Witcher: Nightmare of the WolfHen Linge lines and texts.
2021, 2024
2023ElementalFirish (Tsʼítsʼàsh), the language of the fire elements. It has its own syllabary,[28] which was not used in the film. Peterson created this language with Jessie Peterson.[29][23]

Video games

YearTitleLanguage(s)
2018Arena of Valor
  • Veda, the language of the inhabitants of Veda. It has its own abjad called Welqor ("stack-mark").
  • Afata, a descendant of Veda spoken by the eponymous people. It has its own abugida called Thala ("vine").
  • Gandal ("impure language"), a descendant of Veda spoken by humans. It has its own alphabet called Shul ("pure").
  • G'vunna (Zudǝllǝ g’Vunnǝ, "language from the abyss"), a descendant of Veda spoken by Lokheim. It has its own alphabet called Oz ("blade").

The scripts were only made for promotional purposes, none of them were used in the game.

Operas

YearTitleLanguage(s)
2019Lampedusa (Eduardo Reck Miranda)Vōv ("love"), a language spoken on Ariel's island.

Musicals

YearTitleLanguage(s)
2021WeCameToDance (Food Tank)Hanyana, a language spoken by aliens from the eponymous planet.[30]

Books

YearTitleLanguage(s)
2014, 2017
  • The Zaanics Deceit
  • The Zaanics Pursuit
Væyne Zaanics ("God's gift" or "God's curse"), a secret language invented by the Lyrs and the Severns. It has its own cipher alphabet called Yesuþoh. Peterson created this language with Nina Post.

Bibliography

  • Johnston, Susan; Battis, Jes (2015). Mastering the Game of Thrones: Essays on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-9631-0.
  • Peterson, David J. (2014). Dothraki. Living Language. ISBN 978-0-8041-6086-5.
  • —— (2015). The Art of Language Invention. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-312646-1.
  • —— (2020). Create Your Own Secret Language: Invent Codes, Ciphers, Hidden Messages, and More. Odd Dot. ISBN 978-1250222329.
  • Post, Nina; Peterson, David J. (2014). The Zaanics Deceit (Cate Lyr) (Volume 1). Nina Post, LLC. ISBN 978-1-4954-6134-7.
  • Post, Nina; Peterson, David J. (2017). The Zaanics Pursuit (Cate Lyr) (Volume 2). Nina Post, LLC. ISBN 978-1-5376-4745-6.

References

External links

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