Idioglossia

For the play by Mark Handley, seeIdioglossia(play).

Anidioglossia(from theAncient Greekἴδιοςídios,'own, personal, distinct' andγλῶσσαglôssa,'tongue') is anidiosyncraticlanguageinvented and spoken by only one or two people. Most often,idioglossiarefers to the "private languages" of young children, especiallytwins,the latter being more specifically known ascryptophasia,and commonly referred to astwin talkortwin speech.

Children who are exposed to multiple languages from birth are also inclined to create idioglossias, but these languages usually disappear at a relatively early age, giving way to use of one or more of the languages introduced.

Examples

Case studies

• Sam and Ren McEntee, 18-month-old twins.
• June and Jennifer Gibbons
• Kennedy twinsofSan Diego,California. (They named themselves "Poto and Cabengo" )

Media

• Poto and Cabengoin a film of the same name byJean-Pierre Gorin(1980)
• TwinsZaranaandZandarof theG.I. Joefranchise speak their own idioglossia.
• The 1994 filmNell,starringJodie Foster,depicts a woman who speaks an idioglossia. The stage play on which it is based is also calledIdioglossia.
• Theconcept albumThe Perfect Element, Part I,byPain of Salvation,is centered on a song titled "Idioglossia".
• James Joyce's novel,Finnegans Wake,was written using an idioglossia.
• SkinsSeries 3, Episode 9 featuresKatieandEmily Fitchusing an idioglossia.
• Sherri and TerrionThe Simpsonssometimes use an idioglossia.
• The two teenage protagonists of the filmDisco Pigs,Darren and Sinéad, use an idioglossia.
• Singer, musician, and composerLisa Gerrard(ofDead Can Danceand in her solo career) sings many of her songs (e.g. "Glorafin") in an idioglossia that she has developed since the age of twelve.
• Some parts ofCoiltrack "Batwings (A Limnal Hymn)"is in an idioglossia invented byJohn Balance.Peter Christophersondescribed it as "a language that only he knows".
• The twin brothers Jim and Tim Possible from theDisney ChannelseriesKim Possibleoften use twinspeak.
• Twins Marilyn and Carolyn Arnold fromThe Baby-Sitters Clubbook series used this early on.
• In the 2005Law & Order: Special Victims Unitepisode "Identity", teenage twins Logan and Lindsay Stanton (Reiley McClendon) speak to each other in twin language while both are being interrogated in a murder investigation by DetectivesStablerandBenson(Christopher MeloniandMariska Hargitay,respectively). Detective Stabler recognizes their language as "twin speak" because he himself is thefather of twinsand remarks that his twins had their own language when they were young as well.
• In the 2010American Dad!episode "Son of Stan", Steve and his temporarily created clone, Steve-arino (voice ofScott Grimes), were briefly seen using an idioglossia in speaking to each other.
• In episode 212 of the television showRules of Engagement,twins attending a party speak in twin language and state that twins often have their own language that only they can understand.
• The television seriesSecond Chancehave twin sister and brother Mary and Otto Goodwin, who sometimes use twin speak to communicate with each other.
• In the series finale ofThe Office,Angela Martinand her sister Rachael Martin use twin speak at Angela'sbachelorette party.

See also

• Conlang
• Argots,secret languages used to prevent others from understanding conversations
• Glossolalia
• Home sign,a similar phenomenon among sign languages
• Non-lexical vocables in music

Further reading

• Bakker, P. (April 1987)."Autonomous languages of twins".Acta Geneticae Medicae et Gemellologiae.36(2). Roma: 233–238.doi:10.1017/s0001566000004463.PMID3434134.