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The above two links will take you to the comprehensive grammars of two artificially constructed human languages: the first is Ithkuil, originally introduced in January 2004. The second is Ilaksh, which is new as of June 2007. Ilaksh represents a complete revision of the sound system (phonology and morpho-phonology) of Ithkuil, designed for the many persons who have expressed an interest in wanting to learn and speak Ithkuil, but have been daunted by its complex sound system.
Both Ithkuil and Ilaksh represent a cross between an a priori philosophical language and a logical language. They are by no means intended to function as “natural” human languages. Ithkuil and Ilaksh exist as exercises in how human languages could function, not as human languages do function.
While I enjoy the idea of inventing fictional languages which mimic natural languages, it is not enough for me to add simply another language to the thousands that already exist or have existed. For me, the greater goal is to attempt the creation of what human beings, left to their own devices, would never create naturally, but rather only by conscious intellectual effort — an idealized language whose aim is the highest possible degree of logic, efficiency, detail, and accuracy in cognitive expression via spoken human language, while minimizing the ambiguity, vagueness, illogic, redundancy, polysemy (multiple meanings) and overall arbitrariness that is seemingly ubiquitous in natural human language. Ithkuil and Ilaksh represent the culmination of over a quarter-century of personal effort toward creating such a language.
I wish to thank all of those who have taken an interest in Ithkuil and Ilaksh. I especially wish to thank Stanislav Kozlovskiy, whose 2004 article “The Speed of Thought” brought Ithkuil to the attention of so many people. Спасибо, Стас! Thanks also to Lexa Samons for his hard work in translating the original Ithkuil site into Russian. And finally, my appreciation to fellow linguist and conlanger David J. Peterson for bestowing upon Ithkuil the 2008 Smiley Award.
— John Quijada
©2004-2009 by John Quijada. You may copy or excerpt any portion of the contents of either the Ithkuil or Ilaksh web pages provided you give full attribution to the author and this website.