Paul Frommer
Linguist who created the Na'vi language for Avatar.
Paul R. Frommer (born September 17, 1944) teaches communications at the University of Southern California and works as a linguistics consultant. He is the creator of the Na'vi language for James Cameron's 2009 film *Avatar* and the Barsoomian language for Disney's *John Carter*.
Frommer grew up in New York City. Originally drawn to astronomy, he switched his college focus from astrophysics to mathematics, earning a bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester in 1965. After graduating, he taught English and math in Malaysia through the Peace Corps, using the Malay language. Though he had studied languages before, this experience shifted his attention to linguistics. He entered a doctoral program at USC, pausing to teach English in Iran for a year in the mid-1970s and to learn Persian. He completed his master's and doctorate in linguistics at USC in 1981, with a dissertation on Persian syntax.
Before returning to academia, Frommer worked in business as a Vice President, Special Projects Coordinator, Strategic Planner, and Writer-Researcher at Bentley Industries in Los Angeles. He also wrote for the 1989 film *Step Into the Third Dimension*. In 1996, he rejoined USC as a full professor of clinical management communication at the Marshall School of Business. He co-authored the linguistics workbook *Looking at Languages* in 1999 and served as Director of the Center for Management Communication from 2005 to 2008.
James Cameron, who had already created a few dozen words for the Na'vi language, selected Frommer to develop it fully. Frommer began by establishing the sound system and phonology, ensuring consistency before moving to morphology, syntax, and vocabulary. Cameron wanted the language to sound pleasant and appealing. Frommer spent about six months building the basics, describing the process as a joyful exploration of unusual sounds and structural properties.
- born
- September 17, 1944
- field
- Linguistics, communications
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Creating the Na'vi language for Avatar and the Barsoomian language for John Carter
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- df=yes · 1944 · 09 · 17
- Birth Place
- New York City, New York, United States
- Education
- Doctorate in linguistics, 1981, University of Southern California
- Occupation
- Communications professor at University of Southern California
- Known For
- Constructed languages
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Frommer was born in New York City. He changed his college major from astrophysics to math, graduating from the University of Rochester with a bachelor of arts in mathematics in 1965. He then taught English and math in Malaysia in the Malay language with the Peace Corps, which shifted his focus to linguistics. He earned his master's degree and doctorate in linguistics at USC in 1981 under Bernard Comrie, with a dissertation on Persian syntax.
Frommer worked as Vice President, Special Projects Coordinator, Strategic Planner, and Writer-Researcher at Bentley Industries in Los Angeles, and was a writer for the 1989 film Step Into the Third Dimension. In 1996, he returned to USC as a full professor of clinical management communication at the Marshall School of Business, and from 2005 to 2008 served as Director of the Center for Management Communication there.
After a search by James Cameron, Frommer was chosen to create a language for the Na'vi in the 2009 film Avatar. He began with phonetics and phonology, then morphology, syntax, and vocabulary, incorporating several dozen words Cameron had already created. The process took about six months for the basics. Frommer also created the Barsoomian language for the Disney film John Carter.
Reader's Guide
Paul Frommer's significance lies in his creation of the Na'vi language, which became a cultural phenomenon and a notable example of constructed languages in popular media. His work demonstrated the depth and consistency possible in a fictional language, influencing subsequent film and television language creation. Frommer's background in linguistics, including his doctoral work on Persian syntax, provided the technical foundation for his language construction. His career also included business roles and academic leadership at USC, where he directed the Center for Management Communication. The Na'vi language, developed over six months, required careful phonetic and grammatical planning to meet James Cameron's desire for a pleasant-sounding alien tongue. Frommer's legacy includes not only the Na'vi language but also the Barsoomian language for John Carter, and his work continues to be studied by linguists and fans.
Did You Know?
- Frommer changed his college major from astrophysics to math before earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1965.
- He taught English and math in Malaysia in the Malay language with the Peace Corps.
- His 1981 doctoral dissertation was on aspects of Persian syntax.
- Frommer also created the Barsoomian language for the Disney film John Carter.
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