Láadan (Láadan pronunciation: [ˈlɑ˦ɑˈdɑn]) is a gynocentric constructed language created by Suzette Haden Elgin in 1982 to test the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis,[1] specifically to determine if development of a language aimed at expressing the views of women would shape a culture; a subsidiary hypothesis was that Western natural languages may be better suited for expressing the views of men than women.
The language was included in her science fiction Native Tongue series.
Láadan contains a number of words that are used to make unambiguous statements that include how one feels about what one is saying.
According to Elgin, this is designed to counter male-centered language's limitations on women, who are forced to respond "I know I said that, but I meant this".
bíistatementrilPRSáyabe_beautifulmahinaflowerwaobserved-truthbíi ril áya mahina wastatement PRS be_beautiful flower observed-truthThe flower is beautifulbáaQerilPASTmesháadPL-go/comewithwomanbáa eril mesháad withQ PAST PL-go/come womanDid the women go/come?bíistatementrilPRSlámálastroke/caresswithwomanrulethcat-OBJwaobserved-truthbíi ril lámála with ruleth wastatement PRS stroke/caress woman cat-OBJ observed-truthThe woman strokes the catbóoREQwilHYPdispeak/sayleInethyou-OBJbóo wil di le nethREQ HYP speak/say I you-OBJI would like to speak with you, please.bíistatementarilFUTmeleyanPL-be_brownraNEGlanemiddogwáareceived-truthbíi aril meleyan ra lanemid wáastatement FUT PL-be_brown NEG dog received-truthI hear the dogs will not be brownbíistatementrilPRSanknowleIhéembedded-clause-markererilPASTbethudehacave-atneyouwaobserved-truthbíi ril an le hé eril bethudeha ne wastatement PRS know I embedded-clause-marker PAST cave-at you observed-truthI know that you were at the caveLáadan has an agglutinative morphology, and uses a number of affixes to indicate various feelings and moods that many natural languages can only indicate by tone of voice, body language or circumlocution.
Pronouns in Láadan are built up from a number of constituent parts.