Linguistic Creativity in Cinema: A Case Study of the Na'vi Language

The present work explores the integration of linguistic creativity and linguistic scrutiny within the Na'vi language from the film Avatar (2009). It begins with an introduction to constructed languages and provides a historical overview of their emergence and evolution, with a specific focus on artistic languages created for fictional contexts. Subsequently, it conducts a comprehensive analysis of the genesis of the Na’vi language, conceived by James Cameron and developed by linguist Paul Frommer. The language is analyzed from both a socio-cultural and linguistic perspective, seeking elements that evoke aspects resembling natural languages. The underlying idea is that there is a balance between imaginative and realistic elements in constructed languages for sci-fi or fantasy. The findings reveal detailed components contributing to the realism of the Na'vi language, despite its constructed nature.