‘The One Ring’ (Yahoo Image Search)
One of the most common plot devices in fantasy is the ‘indecipherable language that has been lost to the ages’. If not lost then hidden by something such as appearing under certain moon phases or need to be chucked into a fireplace. These items and events really bring home the idea that there is a long history and a wide world in the book. Just think about what we ponder when we hear about the dead languages of our world. The wonder that is evoked when we consider that there are entire cultures that are locked away from us because nobody can clearly read their remaining tomes.
It works differently in fantasy though. A dead or lost language appearing always means something is about to happen. Even a language that the main character can’t read is a sign that a quest will occur. Imagine having to go on an adventure to get a Chinese food menu translated every time you want to order. You’d end up sticking to pizza and hamburgers due to the amount of dragons you need to slay to get your orange chicken with white rice combo. Sounds ridiculous? Well, it is rather strange that fantasy uses the mechanic that a ‘strange language’ means ‘time to leave home’.
Sure there’s always something attached to the language like a magic ring or an ancient scroll. Yet, the person who finds it never knows how to read it or have easy access to a translator. For quests that begin this way, the first stage is usually searching for the one person left who can read the language. And there is ALWAYS one person left who will help. If there’s more than one then the others are evil. Ever notice how the bad guys always know these dead or lost languages even if there’s the ‘lone sage’ that the heroes have to search out? This is making me think the use of a dead language as a quest catalyst might be a bit too overdone and under thought.
One benefit to using such a device is that you don’t always need to create an entire language. If it’s lost or dead then you only need just enough for the phrase. This can be very helpful to an author who isn’t skilled or interested in creating a new language. That can be an undertaking in itself and requires a lot of area focus that not every fantasy author possesses. So, the creation of a simple word or phrase with a strange description (unfamiliar lettering, awakened by an element, etc.) is all you would need if it’s nothing more than a catalyst.
Still, it is strange how many dead and lost languages there are in fantasy. Every author has their own reasons for it. Some do it to give an air of mystery to their world while others do it to create a sense of a lengthy history. Again there are those that doing it solely as a plot device and think nothing else about it once the translation is done. Poor language is lost, found, translated, and lost again in the span of a few chapters.
Legends of Windemere 
Hello! I love fantasy and yes, you’re right, there’s almost always a lost language that gives an element of mystery and signals a quest. I enjoy that. Great post!
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It’s definitely fun. Though, I think it gets overused a few times. At least the ‘progression’ never seems to change. Be funny if a book does that and nobody can translate it.
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Some ‘lost’ languages, such as in the LOTR, are really just secretive languages (Elves!!) but you need a wizard or strangely attractive long haired guide to help you figure it all out. I haven’t used much of that in my writing so far…mostly because I’m finding that the magic my characters possess allows for their language to translate into whatever it needs to be. Lazy…but effective.
Thanks for another great post!
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I gave the world a common language created to help with global trading. Magical translators are common too.
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Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church supposedly used a two part device called urim and thummim, (the same device Aaron used in his breast plate to win wars), when he translated the golden tablets found in Central America revealing a branch of the Israelites left Moses, traversed across the desert, and came across the Atlantic to the Americas. No one knows for certain what this device looked like, glasses, stones, gems, an iPhone…nobody really knows as there were only two such devices known to exist (the Vatican is supposed to have one of them under lock and key). Joseph Smith got it from an angel in the forest. Only nine people who were sworn to secrecy saw him use them. Aaron used it to watch the enemy and see into the past and the future. If you pick the Bible apart, and compare it to other texts, there are some interesting stories that don’t get spread around. Blasphemy.
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The origins of Mormonism is rather interesting. It’s certainly an odd tale, but most religious stories are.
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I used my digital translator when I was in Costa Rica. I could see someone translating with such a device a century ago. Where it would come from remains the mystery though. Are there ever angels in fantasy worlds. Good spirits?
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Some times. There’s always some form of good spirits, but not usually angels. Demons get used a lot because they’re easier to pull out of religion. Once you mention angels, people think Christianity and spirits of the dead. So many times you get a species of fairy or demi-gods in their place.
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I never thought about that, but you are correct! You always give us such interesting trivia about the Fantasy genre. Thank you 🙂
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Thanks. Glad to be entertaining and educational. 🙂
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Conan Doyle uses the same device in his Sherlock Holmes stories. For example The Five Orange Pips, or The Adventure of The Dancing Men. But here, the stories start at the point where the protagonists find the sage, Holmes. And yes, as you say, as soon as these things appear, the game’s afoot! Neville Shute’s An Old Captivity uses runes in a slightly different way. But then it is a very odd book.
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Runes are a favorite in fantasy. I really have to read some Sherlock Holmes one day. I have a compilation, but I never get around to reading it.
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Staggers back in amazement. You must. He is one of the best story tellers of all time. (I hate being told that about writers I haven’t read, but really, he is). I’d love to know what you think of him, when you get around to it.
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Some day. At least I own it, so I don’t have to go hunting.
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You’re so right! Since I’ve just watched The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug back to back, I’ve been struck by the aspect of languages. The wizards seem to be the repository of knowledge on languages.
I realize I’ve really been lazy in my novel on the subject of languages–dead or still in use. I need to work on this!
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I actually haven’t seen Desolation of Smaug yet. The one weekend we planned to see it was ended by someone getting sick. By the time we got another shot at going to the movies, it was gone. Films don’t stick around as often as they used to.
Wizards always know everything. At least the very old ones. Yet they’re rarely anachronistic.
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