When was David J. Peterson born and where was he born?

David J. Peterson was born on the 20th of January 1981 in Long Beach, California. He is an American language creator who earned bachelor's degrees in English and linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley between 1999 and 2003.

What languages did David J. Peterson create for Game of Thrones?

David J. Peterson created Dothraki and High Valyrian for the television series Game of Thrones. He also designed unused languages including Skroth for the White Walkers, Mag Nuk for the giants, and Trigedasleng for the Grounders in The 100.

Which languages did David J. Peterson develop for the Dune films?

David J. Peterson created Chakobsa for the Fremen in the 2021 film Dune and its 2024 sequel Dune: Part Two. He also developed Sardaukar for the Sardaukar force and House Atreides' sign language to enrich the cultural texture of the films.

What book did David J. Peterson publish about language creation?

David J. Peterson published The Art of Language Invention in 2015 to share his knowledge with the world. He also created a free High Valyrian course on the Duolingo website in 2019 and expanded it in 2022.

Who is David J. Peterson married to and what languages did they create together?

David J. Peterson is married to linguist Jessie Peterson, née Sams, whom he wed in 2023. Together they created languages for Motherland: Fort Salem including Méníshè and for Shadow and Bone including Zemeni.

David J. Peterson: the story on HearLore

David Joshua Peterson was born on the 20th of January 1981 in Long Beach, California, to a father of German descent and a mother of Mexican descent, yet his true legacy would not be found in his heritage but in the thousands of words he invented for creatures that do not exist. Before he ever spoke a line of Dothraki, Peterson was a student at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned bachelor's degrees in English and linguistics between 1999 and 2003, followed by a master's degree from the University of California, San Diego from 2003 to 2006. His first encounter with the world of constructed languages occurred in 2000 when he attended an Esperanto class, a moment that would eventually lead him to co-found the Language Creation Society in 2007. By 2011, he had taken the helm as president of this society, a group dedicated to the art of crafting fictional tongues, but the world was not yet ready for the scale of his ambition. The turning point arrived in 2009 when HBO approached the Language Creation Society for a language to accompany the upcoming television series Game of Thrones. Peterson won a contest to create Dothraki, the language of the eponymous people, and High Valyrian, a literary language once spoken in Valyria, launching a career that would redefine how audiences perceive the power of language in storytelling.

The creation of Dothraki and High Valyrian was not merely an academic exercise but a rigorous process of building entire cultures from scratch, complete with grammar, syntax, and phonology that had never existed before. Peterson developed Dothraki, also known as Lekh Dothraki, to reflect the nomadic and warrior nature of the Dothraki people, ensuring that every word carried the weight of their harsh environment. He also crafted High Valyrian, or Valyrio Udrir, as a literary language with a complex history, including its descendants like Astapori Valyrian and Meereenese Valyrian, which were spoken in the cities of Astapor and Meereen respectively. Beyond the main languages, Peterson designed several unused languages for the series, including Skroth, an ice language meant for the White Walkers, and Asshai, intended for the Asshai'i. He also created Mag Nuk, the great tongue of the giants, which was used for only a single line, and Lhazareen, a sister language of Dothraki for the Lhazareen people. The depth of his work extended to Gerna Mohr, or Gerna Moussha, a language for the Children of the Forest, and even a cryptolect based on American English that evolved into Trigedasleng, or Trig, for the Grounders in The 100. Each language was a testament to his ability to weave history, culture, and linguistics into a cohesive narrative fabric.

Peterson's influence extended far beyond the world of Westeros, as he applied his linguistic genius to the epic scale of Frank Herbert's Dune universe. For the 2021 film Dune and its 2024 sequel, Dune: Part Two, he created Chakobsa, the language of the Fremen, complete with a corresponding sign language and an abugida called Dinlih. He also developed Sardaukar, the language of the Sardaukar force, which was used for meaningless chants, and House Atreides' sign language, further enriching the cultural texture of the film. His work on Dune was not an isolated event but part of a broader trajectory that included creating languages for films like Thor: The Dark World, where he invented Shiväisith, the soft speech of the Dark Elves, and Warcraft: The Beginning, where he crafted Orcish and Draenei. He also contributed to Doctor Strange with Nelvayu, a demonic language used by the Zealots, and Bright with Övüsi, the Elvish tongue, and Bodzvokhan, the farmer's language of the orcs. Each project required a unique approach, from the complex abugidas of the elves to the coded English texts hidden within the Kerch abugida of House of the Dragon.

Peterson's expertise was not confined to the screen; he became a teacher and author, sharing his knowledge with the world through his book The Art of Language Invention, published in 2015, and a series of YouTube videos with the same title. He also served as an executive producer on the 2017 documentary film Conlanging: The Art of Crafting Tongues, which explored the lives and works of other language creators. In 2019, he created a free High Valyrian course on the Duolingo website and app, which he expanded in 2022 in conjunction with the premiere of House of the Dragon. His work has been recognized and celebrated, with his languages appearing in numerous television series, films, and video games. He has created languages for The Witcher, including Hen Linge, the elder speech of the elves and mages, and its sister language Roozh Linge, spoken by merfolk in The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. He also developed languages for The Shannara Chronicles, Emerald City, and The Defenders, among many others, each with its own unique script and cultural context.

Behind the scenes of his prolific career, Peterson's personal life has been marked by both professional and personal partnerships. He was previously married to Erin Peterson, with whom he had one daughter, but the marriage ended in divorce. In 2023, he became engaged to and subsequently married linguist and fellow conlanger Jessie Peterson, née Sams. Together, they have collaborated on numerous projects, including the languages for Motherland: Fort Salem, Shadow and Bone, and The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. Their partnership has been instrumental in the creation of languages like Méníshè, the mother tongue of the witches in Motherland: Fort Salem, and Zemeni, the language of Novyi Zem in Shadow and Bone. Peterson's work has also extended to video games, where he created languages like Veda and its descendants for Arena of Valor, and to operas and musicals, where he has crafted languages for productions like Vōv and WeCameToDance. His ability to blend personal relationships with professional collaboration has been a defining feature of his career, allowing him to create languages that are not only linguistically sound but also emotionally resonant.

David J. Peterson

The Dothraki And Valyrian Wars

From Game Of Thrones To Dune

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The Art Of Language Invention

A Life Of Conlanging And Family

The Dothraki And Valyrian Wars

From Game Of Thrones To Dune

The Art Of Language Invention

A Life Of Conlanging And Family