Is using someone else's made-up language in a story okay?

Question

For example, using the Ancient Language, Elvish, Hardic, etc. Would it be called plagiarism?( A friend of mine is making me ask this because she's too shy to ask it herself---the scaredy cat.) ^_^

Answer 1

Using someone else's creative work as part of yours is plagiarism, generally speaking. It's no different than using someone else's characters.

JMB

Answer 2

Hello, CG and scaredy cat!
Using an ancient language in a book, movie or screenplay is unlikely to create plagiarism problems unless they are direct quotes from another popular novel or movie that anyone(including the original author and publisher or producer)would recognize. That kind of language can, however, make a novel hard to read. The novel, _A Clockwork Orange_, used an invented language throughout and even with a glossary in back was almost more difficult to read than it was worth. It's a pain to have to keep stopping to turn to the back of the book or another book to tell what characters are saying and interferes with the reader's so I would advise against doing it, especially if you are a new or struggling writer or movie maker.
What a cool question!
Thank you,
tutorJB :)
Plagiarism issues are discussed in great detail in the Messages in my Yahoo! group. Please feel free to join and bring your friends with you.
You seem like a creative person and Humdinger Zine at the site below is looking for creative people. Please tell Chris, the Editor-in-chief that JB sent you.
Thank you very much,
tutorJB :)

Answer 3

If your friend doesn't intend to copyright or make any money off of the story then its unlikely to cause a lawsuit, although the person who made up the language may eventually ask that your friend change the story or take it offline. If your friend credits the creator of the language then it wouldn't be plagiarism although it could be called copyright infringement.

The ideal course would be to get persmission from the creator of the language. Some made up languages such as Klingon wouldn't have a problem with your friend using them in a story.

This advice is based upon my experience with fanfiction. Most authors don't complain about fans using their characters in stories as long as the fans don't try to make money off of the stories. Some authors such as Anne Rice don't like it though.

Answer 4

If it is just a fan story..not meant to be graded for school, published and/or seen by the general public..sure its fine.


if it is to be graded, published or passed out to more than your friends/family...it is plagiarism unless ok'ed by the Author or person who developed the language and then must be somehow acknowledged in said work...footnote...etc..

Answer 5

well, it would be better to footnote it, that is- at the end of the made-up languages' usage, make a tiny 1 beside it and then, on the obttom of that page, repeat the tiny 1 and write- [language so and so}, not the author's own invention

Answer 6

if its a story between u and your friend then it should be ok but if the story by chance is getting published then u would need to check if its been copywriten which i doubt but just to be safe u need to just with the originator for permission

Answer 7

its a cop out make your own language

Answer 8

Hmmmm.....I would always foot note it just incase. can never hurt....remember this girls CYA cover your asss

Answer 9

not if you give credit to the source

Answer 10

you should cite it so you don't get in trouble.