I found it very interesting that someone would try to create a language that is so pure and without all the vagueness that is in the English language. To me it seems like a challenge that could not be completed. I came to realize through reading the article about the flaws that the English language and all the confusion it can cause people. In my personal life, my parents who’s first language is not English sometimes find speaking English can be extremely difficult because so many words sound the same and have similar meanings. The language is presented as a cross between an a priori philosophical and a logical language. It also strives to minimize the ambiguities and semantic vagueness found in natural human languages. It is amazing how the Internet was able to create a small community of language enthusiasts who began to recognize what Quijada, a civil servant without an advanced degree, had accomplished. I find it interesting that people began to catch on and really appreciate his work. Ithkuil, one Web site declared, “is a monument to human ingenuity and design.” It maybe the most complete realization of a quixotic dream that has entranced philosophers for centuries: the creation of a more perfect language.” On the website there is so much detail on how the language is used and how to construct different sentences because there is so much depth in his language.

After reading the New York Times article about this invented language called Ithkuil, I have  mixed opinions.  Quijada states that his intention was to create a language that was more efficient and precise, as well as completely unambiguous, as opposed to the natural languages that are already in existence.  There are some cases where a person wants to be as direct as possible but then there are also those where a person doesn’t want to be easily understood.  A language like Ithkuil would force our hands, in a manner of speaking, in that there would be no choice in the matter, just like in Spanish and French there is very little choice in distinguishing the gender of a person you might be speaking about.  I also think our culture would be lacking when it comes to literature.  The ability to manipulate words, give double and sometimes triple meanings, or simply using sarcasm or irony are qualities we commend in our writers.  I can only imagine how dull a poem might be if the poet was forced to lay out explicitly what he or she meant.  On the other hand, I definitely can see the language’s usefulness when it comes to politics, which is always filled with ambiguous statements and misdirection. I would love it if politicians had no choice but to say what they actually meant. Overall though, I would say I agree with Lackoff  when he says Ithkuil is merely a piece of art as opposed to a functional language.  I can admire Ithkuil and the amount of work and creativity Quijada put into it, just as I can admire other made up languages like Klingon, but I could never really take it seriously enough to believe it was capable of functioning universally.