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An AI Book Written In 1984 And 9 Other Novels With Their Own Language

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Literature is powerful enough to create and immerse readers in new worlds, fantastic adventures, and magical experiences. Some worlds are more complex than others, and some authors go as far as inventing a new language specifically for the novel. Take A Clockwork Orange, for example.

Whether it is because they couldn’t hold their creativity in or because the language is not enough to express what the author intended, these novels were innovative and successful, and we’ve gathered ten examples of books with their own language.

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Anthony Burgess wrote a masterpiece of linguistic innovation. Through the use of Nadsat, a functional slang that blends Russian, English, and Cockney rhyming, it created a fully immersive world.

The novel portrays a dystopian society. The innovative lexicon serves the purpose of entering the reader into that world at the same time it alienates them. As the reader decodes the slang, it enters Alex’s violent escapades in complicity. In the case of this novel, the choice was not just stylistic; it was a device to explore the topics in depth.

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This novel, written by the Irish author James Joyce, is, like most of his works, a bit challenging. Considering it is from 1939, it is full of neologisms, lexical blends, and Irish mannerisms, which ultimately create a hybrid language that is border nonsense. It has an experimental style, and it is considered one of the most difficult pieces of literature.

If you are up for a reading challenge, you might find that this novel -which follows the lives of the Earwicker family in a cyclical and nonlinear way- is a good fit.

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This novel by Paul Kingsnorth has an interesting detail behind the reasons for creating a "new" language. Written in 2015 but set in the year 1066, the author states that his intention in creating a new language is to fully represent the time.

In this case, the innovation comes through an invented version of Old English, which combines archaic vocabulary and syntax to create more vivid images and a more historical atmosphere for post-Conquest England. This is no light reading, as the language forces the reader to slow down and engage. Would you be interested in that?

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Post-apocalyptic novels are a common thing today, but in 1980, when Russel Hoban published Riddley Walker, this was quite a surprise.

The novel is set two thousand years after a nuclear explosion that destroyed the world, and the life described is similar to what we can imagine it was hundreds of years ago.

The creation of a language was necessary to fully understand how shattered this new world is, and the means to do so is through a more phonetically spelled and fragmented English: "Nothing like it never happent befor but it wer like it all ways ben there happening." Isn’t literature marvelous?

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J.K. Rowling is responsible for creating one of the most popular book series in the world. The details in the creation of the magical world are astonishing and the reason why the Harry Potter world became so immensely famous, even decades after the first book was released.

If a whole new world is created, she couldn’t miss the opportunity to create a new language: Parseltongue. In this series, the language belongs to the snakes and only a few can speak it.

In this case, the language is spelled like hissing sounds, and there seems to be no logic behind it.

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Following Hoban’s steps, Sandra Newman published a post-apocalyptic novel with its own language in 2014.

What is curious about it is the world it presents: It is inhabited only by children and teenagers because a plague killed all the adults. And this is enough to understand why an invented way of communication was necessary. Haven’t we all got lost in the words of a teenager? They speak their own language in real life, too!

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Published in 1993 by the Scottish author Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting was a successful book later adapted into an equally successful movie.

In any case, this book combines the Scots dialect of his childhood with the darkest English vocabulary to imbue the plot and the characters with a humanity that makes them both sad, likable, and relatable at the same time.

With a tough plot with challenging language but an oh-so-ever engaging topic, this novel is a must-read!

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On a more cheerful note, this novel by Harry Mathews, published in 1972, compiles a series of letters between a husband and a wife who are after a treasure which has lost off the coast of Florida five centuries ago.

The wife, coming from the fictional country of Pan-Nam, speaks the language called Pan: "Pan persns knwo base bal. The giappan-like trade-for mishn play with it in our capatal any times."

Critics consider this comedy brilliant, witty, and engaging as it deals with the universally classic topic of marriage and its intricate corners.

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If you think Artificial intelligence is something of today, you’ll have to think again. Back in 1984, William Chamberlain and Thomas Etter instructed a computer program, Racter, to create some texts. These became a book, a collection of poetry and prose, and it is considered the first book written by AI.

The uniqueness of the language comes from that aspect; it is an artificially constructed conversation that follows its own semantic principles but which, in turn, can be read as any other book. Isn’t that interesting?

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Let’s finish this article with what is probably one of the weirdest books in the world. The title already is quite empty of meaning if you don’t know about the book, isn’t it?

Codex is a book by the Italian artist Luigi Serafini in 1981. More than a book, it is a creative masterpiece. It is an encyclopedia with illustrations of fictional fauna, flora, and a whole world described in an imaginary language.

The language created by the artist is so innovative (and imaginative) that it doesn’t really make any sense. The book is not for readers to make sense of it but to enjoy the visuals and the creativity behind it.

BEHIND THE FACADES

10 Stories Behind Some Of The World's Most Iconic Buildings

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Buildings are more than just their structures; they hold stories, secrets, and even marks of their original builders. Some iconic buildings are known for the unique construction methods used to erect them, while others became famous for the historical events that took place inside.

Let’s explore the tales and stories behind some of the 10 most interesting architectural marvels in the world!

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The Eiffel Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks in the entire world, though it still has a few secrets that most people ignore. For example, did you know that hidden within the wrought iron lattice of the Eiffel Tower lies a cozy apartment?

The dream unit was designed by Gustave Eiffel himself to be used as his private retreat and studio. Today, visitors can see a recreation of his office that includes wax sculptures of Eiffel, his daughter, and Thomas Edison.

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The Taj Mahal is laden with secrets and all sorts of design tricks that baffle even modern architects. One of the most remarkable is the optical illusion that visitors experience when they view the massive monument for the first time. When framed by the main gate the Taj Mahal seems enormous, but as one moves closer, it shrinks.

The angles and proportions of the entrance were carefully calculated in order to create this effect, and this goes to show the amount of attention to detail Mughal architects had.

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa's iconic tilt wasn't intentional but rather the result of an engineering miscalculation. As construction progressed, the soft ground beneath one side of the tower began to sink, causing the famous lean.

Interestingly, many attempts have been made to prevent the tower from toppling, but some tilt was intentionally preserved as making the tower straight would rip it of its historical identity. In fact, were it not for its soft foundations, the tower might have not survived until now, because the dynamic soil-structure relationship helped it withstand at least four strong earthquakes since the year 1280.

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When the Empire State Building was under construction during the Great Depression, it was a race against time and finances. Competing with the Chrysler Building for the title of the world's tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building rose at an astonishing pace, taking only 20 months of construction from start to finish!

It was built at such record speed that not only was it completed ahead of schedule, but it also remained under its original proposed budget. Quite impressive, huh?

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The Sydney Opera House is synonymous with architectural brilliance, but its construction was marred by a bitter feud between architect Jørn Utzon and the project's overseers. The visionary design - and particularly the iconic sail-like roof - faced numerous engineering challenges that pushed the project over its initial budget. In fact, things got so heated that Utzon himself resigned in 1966, way before the building was completed.

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Rome was - presumably - not built in a day, and the Great Wall of China wasn’t either, and by a long shot. It actually took over 2,000 years to build it in its entirety, with each successive dynasty in power continuing the project during their reign.

Also, this was not done without human suffering: thousands of laborers, including soldiers and prisoners, toiled under harsh conditions to keep enlarging the monumental structure. Some even claim that deceased workers were often buried within the wall, as a haunting tribute to their sacrifice.

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Akin to a vertical small city, the Burj Khalifa’s massiveness cannot be understated. Its construction pushed the boundaries of engineering, with a team of international experts overcoming numerous challenges, including extreme temperatures and high winds.

Did you know that it takes three full months only to clean the windows from top to bottom? The building also hosts the world’s longest single-running elevator, which services 140 floors!

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For over five centuries, China's Forbidden City served as the imperial palace and political center of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Behind its majestic walls, once accessible only to the emperor, his family, and trusted officials, lie countless secrets and legends. One intriguing curiosity is that the ancient palace is still inhabited by some of its original dwellers: stray cats!

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, cats were welcome within the palace’s walls as the fluffy companions of the royal family, and long after the dynasties disappeared the cats remained in the Forbidden City, effectively making them the last living descendants of Chinese royalty.

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Almost everything about the Colosseum is jaw-droppingly insane. But one of the most overlooked facts is its use as a venue for naval battles. Yes, you read that right! In addition to the gladiatorial contests and wild animal hunts, the Colosseum's massive arena was occasionally flooded to recreate epic sea battles known as "Naumachia." These spectacles, complete with replica ships and trained sailors, as one could imagine, provided unsurpassed entertainment for ancient Romans.

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Originally built as a medieval fortress in the 12th century, the Louvre has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries. From a royal residence to a public museum, its layered architecture reflects the changing tastes and priorities of French monarchs and leaders. Nowadays, it is home to an astounding amount of art. Actually, it is literally impossible to see the entirety of it in just one visit. Were you to spend just 30 seconds per artwork, it would take you a hundred days to see it all.