DSC_0083-2

Lost & Found at the Movies

Featuring David J. Peterson, linguist and language builder
Date: Mar 29, 2016
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Mark Taper Auditorium-Central Library

Words are everywhere in cinema. From those carefully chosen by screenwriters to those that emerge from teen culture (see: Valley Speak) to spelling bees and crossword puzzles to the world’s vanishing languages. But try consulting a dictionary when you meet a Horse Lord on the plains of Westeros (see: you may be out of luck).

In creating a science fiction or fantasy world, storytellers face the unique challenge of devising its native tongue. Once consisting of gibberish, film and television’s ultra-foreign languages have become robust, complex inventions, frequently crafted by bona fide linguists to enhance the story world (see: Klingon, Na’vi, Sindarin, Dothraki). If you think writing dialogue is tough, try inventing an entire language for those lines.

We delve into the world of language creation with David J. Peterson, linguist and language builder, whose dictionaries include Dothraki and High Valyrian (Game of Thrones), Castithan (Defiance) and Shiväisith (Thor: The Dark World) and whose recent book (in English, thankfully) is The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves, the Words Behind World-Building.

Library Foundation Member reception to follow.

Presented as part of the Library Foundation’s project, Hollywood is a Verb: Los Angeles Tackles the Oxford English Dictionary.

This program is generously funded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Register Now

 
lapl-1

Our Panelists

Stacy-Lieberman_headshot_President-and-CEO_LFLA
Stacy Lieberman
john-szabo
John F. Szabo
austin-cross
Austin Cross

Hosted By

Stacy Lieberman
President

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsor Level

$100K

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Sponsor Level

$15K

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Sponsor Level

$10K

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Supporter Name with a long name that wraps to 2 lines

Frequently asked questions

Stacy-Lieberman_headshot_President-and-CEO_LFLA

Stacy Lieberman

As President and CEO of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA), Stacy Lieberman is an innovative and inclusive leader whose career dwells at the intersection of arts and culture, lifelong learning, storytelling, and equitable access. Stacy guides the Foundation’s philanthropic and public-facing priorities to serve the Los Angeles Public Library, embracing the notion that libraries are beacons of democracy where everyone is welcome. She works intentionally with community leaders, donors, and internal and external strategic partners to raise awareness and resources for the Library and its life-changing initiatives.

With more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive, Stacy has left an indelible mark on iconic L.A. arts, non-profit, and educational institutions such as The Broad, the Autry Museum of the American West, and the Skirball Cultural Center. Building on an early career in book publishing, she has dedicated her professional life to sharing stories and broadening the reach of public institutions to welcome visitors and students of all ages and backgrounds to experience educational, arts, and cultural opportunities.