Game of Thrones Linguist Sets Record Straight on Clarke’s Dothraki
Emilia Clarke addressed claims about her Dothraki skills, while the language’s creator clarified her character was never meant to be fluent and praised her performance.
Anyone who’s ever slogged through a language app knows it’s no picnic picking up a new tongue—let alone one invented for telly and watched by millions. So, it’s no wonder Emilia Clarke, who played Daenerys in Game of Thrones, wasn’t too chuffed to hear she’d supposedly been called out for her Dothraki by the bloke who made it up.
On a recent Late Night with Seth Meyers, Clarke shared her reaction:
“I put so much energy into learning Dothraki. I read in an article, the creator of the language said that I sucked at Dothraki. I was like, 'Bro, it's not a real language!' I can't suck at it because me saying it on a TV show – that's the language, that's how it goes.”
She added,
“I was so hurt and really pissed.”
Language Creator Responds
David J. Peterson, the linguist behind Dothraki, was quick to clear things up. In a statement, he explained,
“I think Emilia may have misunderstood what I said, because I've never criticised her Dothraki. Why would I? Her character was never supposed to speak it like a first language, so she never had to be good at it.”
Peterson has actually been pretty supportive of Clarke’s efforts. Back in 2017, he told Rolling Stone,
“It's always funny to me to hear Emilia Clarke speak Dothraki. Of course, her character is not supposed to be fluent, and it really sounds…not fluent.”
He went on,
“It's great. For her character, she understands and she can speak. She just doesn't sound quite right.”
Performance Praised
Peterson didn’t stop there. In a later chat with Vanity Fair, he even complimented Clarke’s skills, saying her Dothraki always
“sounded very nice.”
So, despite the confusion, it seems there’s no real beef between the actor and the language’s creator—just a bit of crossed wires.
What’s Next for Thrones Fans?
Meanwhile, the Thrones universe keeps rolling on. The much-anticipated spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg stories, is set to hit screens on 18 January. If you’re keen for a verdict, check out the review for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
So, what’s on your must-watch list for 2026? Is it A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Wonder Man, Lanterns, Spider-Man: Noir, or VisionQuest? There’s plenty for telly fans to look forward to.