Marvel films are not limited to purely fictional plots; they often draw inspiration from real life. Among such works is the 2018 film 'Black Panther,' which received high praise. This large-budget superhero film featuring Black actors was distinguished by its Afrofuturist style, unique visualization, strong themes, and the depiction of strong female characters capable of confronting enemies without male support.
Despite initial criticism, the film has gained cult status among fans. Particular attention was drawn to the use of language in the film. Although Wakanda is a fictional African country, and its vibranium-based technology is pure fantasy, the language spoken by the 'Black Panther' characters was not invented but represents a real language.
This language is called IsiXhosa and was chosen as the basis for the official sound of Wakanda. To understand this language, it is compared to artificially created languages in other cinematic works. Artificial or constructed languages are not developed through natural evolution but intentionally. They are developed for various reasons, often to lend greater plausibility to the fictional world in literature, film, or video games.
There are well-known examples of constructed languages; for instance, Tolkien created numerous languages for 'The Lord of the Rings,' including Quenya (High Elvish) and Sindarin (Low Elvish). High Elvish was compared to Finnish, and Low Elvish to Welsh. George R.R. Martin also used languages such as Dothraki and Valyrian for 'Game of Thrones'; specialists, including linguist David J. Peterson, were involved in creating these languages.
During the production of 'Black Panther,' there was an opportunity to create an entirely new language for Wakanda. However, the goal was to make the story not only fantastical but also rooted in reality. There was a risk that a completely fictional language might sound contrived and drift from realism, as well as weaken the film's African focus. Therefore, speech with deep historical roots was sought out.
Based on this search, IsiXhosa was selected. It is a real language among the eleven official languages of South Africa. It is spoken natively by about 8.2 million people and as a second language by approximately 11 million. Some reports also indicate that it is a Bantu language widely spoken in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The reason for choosing IsiXhosa was its click consonants, which resemble the letters C, Q, and X and are considered recognizable to many residents of South Africa and viewers worldwide.
According to reports, actor John Carney suggested using IsiXhosa for the language of Wakanda. He played the father of King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) in 'Black Panther.' Even before his small appearance in 'Captain America: Civil War,' Carney proposed that the Wakandan characters speak IsiXhosa, as he himself grew up in East Cape. The directors agreed with this idea after hearing the language.
Thus, instead of creating an entirely new language for the fictional country, 'Black Panther' chose a living and historical language. IsiXhosa gave the film a special sonic character, cultural depth, and authenticity. As a result, the language became not just a dialogue element but a key aspect of Wakanda's identity.