Controlled natural languages are subsets of natural languages whose grammars and dictionaries have been restricted in order to reduceambiguity and complexity. This may be accomplished by decreasing usage ofsuperlative oradverbial forms, orirregular verbs. Typical purposes for developing and implementing a controlled natural language are to aid understanding by non-native speakers or to ease computer processing. An example of a widely used controlled natural language isSimplified Technical English, which was originally developed foraerospace andavionics industry manuals.
Being constructed,International auxiliary languages such asEsperanto andInterlingua are not considered natural languages, with the possible exception of true native speakers of such languages.[3] Natural languages evolve, through fluctuations in vocabulary and syntax, to incrementally improve human communication. In contrast, Esperanto was created by Polish ophthalmologistL. L. Zamenhof in the late 19th century.
Some natural languages have become organically "standardized" through the synthesis of two or more pre-existing natural languages over a relatively short period of time through the development of apidgin, which is not considered a language, into a stablecreole language. A creole such asHaitian Creole has its own grammar, vocabulary and literature. It is spoken by over 10 million people worldwide and is one of the two official languages of theRepublic of Haiti.
^Gopsill, F. P., "A historical overview of international languages". InInternational languages: A matter for Interlingua. Sheffield, England: British Interlingua Society, 1990.
