Loxian

language
name=Loxian
speakers=Two (Enya and Roma Ryan)
creator=Roma Ryan
date=2005
setting='Beings on another planet'
fam1=constructed languages
fam2=artistic languages
fam3=fictional languages
posteriori=based on snippets of English, Irish, Old English, Hindi, Welsh and Siberian Yupik

Loxian is an artistic language and alphabet created by writer and lyricist Roma Ryan for Enya's 2005 album "Amarantine". The language is featured in three songs on the album. The term apparently derives from the Greek "Loxos", meaning oblique.

Ryan created the language when she found herself unable to create satisfactory lyrics in English, Gaelic or Latin for some of Enya's songs. She came up with the idea after having worked with Tolkien's fictional Elvish languages while writing lyrics in these languages for one of Enya's tracks recorded for in 2001.

Loxian is described by its creators as "a futuristic language from a distant planet"; its script (seen both in the "Amarantine" CD and the book "Water Shows the Hidden Heart") is said to draw on Tolkien, Runic language and elements of Pitman shorthand.

After examining Loxian, Terence Dolan, a professor of English at University College Dublin, has offered his professional opinion regarding the language. cquote|It's a very eclectic language. It seems to choose elements at random. It brings in a whole wealth of different language forms such as Anglo-Saxon, Hindi, Welsh and, I think, Siberian Yupik as well. It is very mixum-gatherum linguistically — it seems to have no form of grammar or word order which has very limited comprehensibility. The script resembles several existing languages. They've drawn on Tolkien, on Runic language

Enya describes the Loxians as beings who "live on another planet and are looking out, wondering, 'Are we the only ones who exist?' "

Roma Ryan has written a book that was published in December 2005, called "Water Shows The Hidden Heart", which gives background information on the three Loxian songs and explore her developing of the language.

Enya and Ryan consider Loxian to be under copyright; reproducing the language without the permission of Ryan or Enya's record label, Aigle Records, is considered a copyright violation. As with Klingon, it is disputed whether a language itself can be copyrighted.

The Loxian Games are a series of treasure hunts starting on the 1st September 2008. Many riddles, quests and prizes to be won.

External links

* [http://loxianoracle.com/guidebook/ The Loxian Games]
* "Water Shows The Hidden Heart" ISBN 0-9552011-0-1
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4445716.stm Loxian on the BBC]
* [http://enya.sk/amarantine.htm#4 More about Loxian]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1892820,00.html The Sunday Times - Ireland]
* [http://xml.sys-con.com/read/150110.htm "Amarantine" press release]