Authors tend to create fictional languages in an effort to make their fictional worlds more authentic and the concept of the otherness prominent. The use of fictional languages has started to occupy a central position with the increased number of adaptations of the literary works in the 21st century. Regarding the learning skills (i.e. creativity and critical thinking) needed by the 21st -century learners, the aim of this paper is to provide an alternative teaching style in literary translation courses through the use of fictional languages. The study uses Ursula Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, a work of science fiction depicting the groundbreaking gender relations in Gethen culture. Le Guin has scattered Karhidish neologisms into the English text which serves as a culture shock to the target readers. To this end, this study presents a model lesson plan regarding the text typology, equivalent effect, translators’ creativity and peer translation criticism for literary translation courses in order to raise lexical, cultural and critical awareness for students at the Department of Translation and Interpretation through the use of fictional languages.

Key words: fictional languages, Karhidish, neologisms, translation education, awareness