page_title: Dothraki language
section_title: Development
hierarchical_section_title: Dothraki language / Development
caption_attribution_description: English: A photo of professional language creator David J. Peterson.
context_page_description: The Dothraki language is a constructed fictional language in George R. R. Martin's fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire and its television adaptation Game of Thrones. It is spoken by the Dothraki, a nomadic people in the series's fictional world. The language was developed for the TV series by the language creator David J. Peterson, working off the Dothraki words and phrases in Martin's novels.
  As of September 2011, the language comprised 3163 words, not all of which have been made public. In 2012, 146 newborn girls in the United States were named "Khaleesi", the Dothraki term for the wife of a khal or ruler, and the title adopted in the series by Daenerys Targaryen. Dothraki and Valyrian have been described as "the most convincing fictional tongues since Elvish".
context_section_description: The Dothraki vocabulary was created by David J. Peterson well in advance of the adaptation. HBO hired the Language Creation Society to create the language, and after an application process involving over 30 conlangers, Peterson was chosen to develop the Dothraki language. He delivered over 1700 words to HBO before the initial shooting. Peterson drew inspiration from George R. R. Martin's description of the language, as well as from such languages as Estonian, Inuktitut, Turkish, Russian, and Swahili.
  David J. Peterson and his development of the Dothraki language were featured on an April 8, 2012 episode of CNN's The Next List. He went on to create the Valyrian languages for season 3 of Game of Thrones.  Peterson and his development of Dothraki were also featured on the January 8, 2017 episode of To Tell the Truth.
caption: David J. Peterson, creator of the Dothraki spoken language for Game of Thrones
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