Garlean RPers, question about Garlemald dialect...

[SamusKnight2K]

I've noticed there's several people who RP as being former Garlemald citizens. Seeing how there's several Garleans living in Eorzea (I won't name the NPCs as to avoid spoilers.) this isn't a problem at all. But what does strike me as curious is everyone acts as if Garleans have their own form of language. However quests as of late (including the recently introduced Grand Company ones.) depict Garlean soldiers speaking the common tongue found here in Eorzea. Overall it just has me curious, where was it ever mentioned that Garleans had their own language? I'm not trying to dictate ways to RP, but it simply had me curious.

 

Also, if it's true that the imperials don't have their own dialect will RPers still continue on pretending that they do?

 

EDIT: I know it could be chalked up to that since the "Echo" allows us to understand all forms of dialect from beast tongue to other unknown languages. Yet that doesn't explain how even NPCs can understand dialect from Garleans, and that no mention is ever made about it.

[Smiling River]

I am unsure of the exact instance you are referring to (spoiler tags ftw) so I am unsure of this case and its impact on lore. Personally I just think it is a lot more interesting and fun to RP minor differences like that.

 

Are you sure the Garleans in this case do not know Eorzean? Maybe they are speaking the common tongue?

 

I think in some instances SE sort of breaks the fourth wall, because it /is/ a MMO which is trying to appeal to people who might be intrigued by the story, but not the full emersion of the world around them. Small details such as language difference might be overlooked by the SE writers, in exchange for easy to understand storyline. Most players, heck a lot of RPers even, might not have even thought about any language difference, and how it might affect their character/background.

[SamusKnight2K]

Okay, here's what I mean...

 

 

Cid for example is Garlean as we learn. During one of the storylines for the Ul'dah GC quest you have to track down a Garlean spy who was working for the Garlond Ironworks. As Cid is conversing with him, they speak common Eorzean dialect here. In fact if I recall the entire Garlond Ironworks are from Garlemald. Additionally, another Grand Company quest that takes place you gain a radio-like transceiver from one of the soldiers. The Immortal Flame quest giver in the Hall of Flames states how they've been trying to get one of those to decode the cryptic messages from the Empire. No mention however has been made that they speak a foreign tongue, the Empire merely encrypts their messages to prevent their plans from being revealed.

 

And then there's the several instances you run into Garlean soldiers during the main storyline quests like Futures Perfect. I can chalk some of that up to likely being the fact your character has the Echo ability after all. As they say in the Level 18 story quest, the Echo allows you to understand all dialect from beasts, to moogles, to other languages. But there's also the fact that even NPCs seem to understand Garleans without trouble.

 

 

It could just be said that Garleans speak both the common tongue (Eorzean or in this case, likely Hydaelyn) and their own language. The point I'm trying to get at however is where is it that Garlemald citizens are said to have their own dialect? As it's understood, Eorzea is part of the "Three Great Continents" according to the Lodestone. All but Eorzea were conquered by Garlemald and thus converted into a single realm ruled by the Imperials. I'm not going as far to state that it's impossible for them to have their own language, but merely understand as to where it came from is all. So far I haven't found anything that hints they do, but more evidence pointing towards that they all share the same language.

 

As more lore is revealed to us I'm simply wondering as well how that will be handled if it is revealed that Garlemald commonly speaks the same tongue as found in Eorzea.

[Smiling River]

I would just roll my eyes at SE writers/developers, is how I'd handle it. I am not sure honestly, to me following lore in the case that they do state that there is one common language would be a step down from taking into account various languages.

 

As for the specifics you mentioned in your spoiler:

 

I can still justify Cid speaking Eorzean to NPCs because he knows the language, not because there is one language overall. Cid knowing Eorzean seems more plausible, as it makes no sense whatsoever for everyone in the world to have absolutely no difference in language.

 

Encrypted messages could be wither in Eorzean or Garlean... either way, they must be encrypted because I assume there are Eorzeans who know Garlean, or Garleans who have switched sides, so they can't just speak plainly.

 

And yeah, main storyline could either be a case of the Echo, or just the fact that they are speaking Eorzean.

 

 

Personally, I've not seen anything to compelling to switch me over to the "one language" camp, but that said I am not even sure if I recall exact cases (if there are any) where it /did/ make clear that Garleans have their own language. So, it's up in the air for now - but since I am a linguistics nerd I prefer the multiple languages.

[Merri]

That's a tough question. Honestly, until SE comes right out and says it, all sides have valid points. There could be a universal tongue, those Garleans they do speak "Eorzean" could simply just be well versed in it, or the echo could play a part. It's really impossible to know which is which.

 

 

And as far as the Ironworks goes, it's a mix of former Garleans as well as Eorzeans. A quest in Limsa-lominsa goes on about them being the finest collection of Eorzean and Garlean minds. My character is a member of the Ironworks, and he's Eorzean. Naturally though, the Garleans would have an edge over those Eorzeans who weren't versed in Magitek from a young age.