So, we all know how much fun it can be crafting a fictional language. Crafting the phonetics, the vocabulary, the syntax. Oh what fun! But for those who plan on using their languages in fantasy stories there's another consideration that I think many of us do instinctively but is worth drawing out for further contemplation. And that is, how your language looks. I'm not talking about creating your own alphabets, that can be fun and creative, but very few people go so far as to print them in their books. Think about what your language looks like to your readers.

This is closely related to the phonetics of your language, because both impact how you spell your words. The thing is your readers can't hear how the word is pronounced. All they have to go on is the spelling and certain letters can trigger unconscious associations in your readers' minds regardless of how it's pronounced. For example words like thlorpinel and aglarien will remind readers of typically Elvish/good guy names. While words with lots of k's, u's, and g's will remind readers of orc/goblins, like guglik and akriguk. Even without hearing your language, just seeing certain letters and spelling patterns can tell your reader, "this is not a good guy's language". So when you sit down to decide the sounds/letters for your language keep this consideration in mind. Having your elf-like race's language depend heavily on u's, k's and g's might not be the best idea if you're not intending to write ironic/humorous stories. And giving your dwarvish language lots of e's, a's, l's, and n's would lead to a language that doesn't look very dwarvish to your readers.

Of course you can turn this principle on it's head and have Elves named "Aglaruk," dwarves named "Otharien," and goblins named "Eldenir" which will definitely be an original direction to go I really feel guilty for not going more in-depth on this, but it's a fairly simple concept and my brain is just a teensy bit fried from working on the DCulFS posts. I might need to come back and elaborate on these thoughts later.

But for now, what do yall think? Does the way words are spelled and how they look on paper really have that much impact on your reader or is it all about sounds regardless of how they're represented? Have any of yall ever found that the look of certain words impacted you a certain way? Feel free to comment and maybe help me explore this idea further!

I don't truly make languages, but I do try to employ this sort of thing when I name individuals of a certain race. The appearance of the word has a lot to do with how I think of the thing/person it represents. I think that's why I do my best to name things and people by their essence.

I think you are totally right. The way it looks (or sounds in any given reader's head) is very important.

I have always sort of thought that any language that used sounds pertaining to the back of the throat were more menacing then the 'lighter' sounds made at the front of the mouth. I used to think this was because of the German language and the sort of fear that is still present whenever English speakers hear Hitler's speeches in German. In other words, if a name or language sounded somewhat German then it would trigger a little red flag in the back of an English speaker's mind. On the other hand languages that are closer to ours (the Latin derivatives and the like) would sound more familiar and therefore more friendly in our minds.

Another thought is that the sounds made at the back of the throat sound more menacing because they are the sounds we use when imitating carnivorous animals. That would be why those sounds sound more evil. So, anything sounding like an animal noise would sound more evil.

I make languages…or rather I just started. I have 6 languages, five I am making the other is the common language which is English.

This is an important consideration for language constructors. What does my language look like? What will it remind people of?

I try to avoid the traditional fantasy style names (Elvish for good guys, Orkish for bad guys) in favor of reminding my readers of real world languages and cultures. My nomadic human tribes have languages which are vaguely Middle Eastern in sound. The dwarf languages are vaguely Germanic, the elves are vaguely Eastern European. I find that this adds a different flavor, and helps me, at least, get into the spirit of my invented cultures.

Yes, I think your language will do. Making Dwarvish, Germanic, and Elvish, Eastern Europe.

It seemed appropriate somehow...I'm still not sure why. I just do these things as the strike me.