…and, yes, Pokémon is still very much relevant today.

As with every release of each new Pokémon game, hundreds of these little critters are being introduced to the world. What began as a franchise consisting of 151 Pokémon species, is now home to a total of  719  different creatures (excluding 2 new Pokémon which has yet to be officially revealed)!

What  fascinates me most about Pokémon, however, is how diverse and complex this fictional world has become, and a part of this is how Language (and basic concepts of Linguistics) are integrated in the franchise.

Believe it or not, the world of Pokémon, although largely fictional, is based on real places on earth. Furthermore, they are not limited to only specific places in Japan but extends to other regions. For example, the Kalos Region, one of 6 major regions in the Pokémon world, is based on France. Its capital, Lumiose City, is based on Paris, and the Prism Tower found in the city is, of course, inspired by the Eiffel Tower.

How does this relate to Linguistics in the Pokémon world? Well, it has to do with diversity. Because the Pokémon world consists of such diverse regions with its own unique inhabitants, Language Variation and Language Contact (Loanwords and Pidgin/Creole Languages) exist.

While it does sound childish, the names of each Pokémon are quite interesting. Looking at the etymology of each name often show a mix between different languages (A list of Pokemon name origins).

A more complex name can be seen in the newest Pokémon, Diancie (Pokémon #719), which includes the use of loanwords.

As mentioned before, “Pidgin” Languages also exist in the Pokémon world. Although not as extensive as real Pidgin Languages, the Orange Islands is a region that has its own unique versions of the language, varying with each different island.

Finally, there is an entirely separate language spoken by the Pokémon themselves. Interestingly enough, there are quite a lot of similarities between Pokemon Language  and Animal Communication in Linguistics. Morever, the humans in the Pokémon world are unable to learn and understand Pokémon language just as humans in the real world can not learn animal language.

In fact, there are many cases in the Pokémon world where children are raised by Pokémon (ex. Kangaskhan Kid). They are pretty much similar to feral children (ex. Genie) in that it is extremely difficult for them to acquire human language. Chomsky’s critical period hypothesis? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

There is, however, a very odd Pokémon named Meowth that can speak and understand both Pokémon and human language. The way this creature acquired human language is very similar to how babies acquire language (Child Language Acquisition) and the stages involved in first language acquisition (Babbling Stage -> One Word Stage -> Multi-Words).

Well, that’s it for my geeky take on Pokémon and Linguistics.