Szeretnénkopti

Szeretnénkopti is a fictional language created by Hungarian linguist and lexicographer László Szilárd as part of a humorous and satirical project. The term itself is a blend of the Hungarian words *szeretné* ("would like") and *kopti* ("Coptic," referring to the ancient Egyptian language), forming a playful neologism that translates roughly to "would like Coptic." The language was designed to parody the complexity and artificiality of constructed languages, particularly those inspired by historical or fictional linguistic traditions.

Szilárd introduced szeretnénkopti in 2013 as a tongue-in-cheek response to the growing popularity of conlangs (constructed languages) like Volapük, Esperanto, and Tolkien’s Elvish. The project aimed to highlight the absurdity of creating languages for no practical purpose, using exaggerated linguistic rules and a nonsensical grammar structure. Szeretnénkopti features a highly irregular phonology, a vocabulary derived from Hungarian and other languages, and a syntax that deliberately mimics the complexity of ancient or "dead" languages.

The language’s grammar includes absurd rules, such as the requirement to conjugate verbs based on the speaker’s emotional state or the time of day. Its vocabulary often consists of Hungarian words with artificial inflections, making it unintelligible to native speakers. Szilárd presented szeretnénkopti as a satirical commentary on the hobbyist conlang community, emphasizing the whimsical and unnecessary nature of such linguistic experiments.

While szeretnénkopti remains a lighthearted joke, it has been referenced in discussions about constructed languages and linguistic creativity. Its existence serves as a reminder of the playful side of language invention, encouraging both amusement and reflection on the motivations behind conlang creation. The project has no serious linguistic or cultural significance but remains a memorable example of linguistic humor.