Regarding Au Ra speech

[Senryo]

I've seen a lot of Au Ra using things like <> to denote speaking either Doman or broken Doman, I was wondering if there was any lore to back this up? I know they've mentioned Eorzean being "foreign" and that Raen straight up use the Japanese naming structure but I have yet to actually see any definitive proof that this is what Au Ra should be doing.

[LiveVoltage]

Hi.

 

While there is no scenario that shows them speaking in a foreign language, this is because the MPC (the WoL) has the Echo, which allows him/her to understand languages across all races naturally without any prior knowledge beforehand.

 

And as you can see in most cutscenes during 2.2-2.4 most of the Doman's never had any dialog with anybody except the WoL and other people who had the echo. Most believe that this is because they were either learning to speak the native tongue of Eorzeans or simply didnt know it. In 3.0+, we see some doman's talking to native Eorzeans so this can be believed that at this point and time, most doman's are capable of speaking some level of Eorzean or whatever they want to call it.

 

Hope this awnsers your question at any rate, because people speaking Doman is a thing ICly, there is just no phyisical example shown to us because of the Echo.

[allgivenover]

The naming conventions post features actual Japanese characters and translations of their meanings.

 

The way I see it you couldn't have a very detailed and robust naming system that has a base in a solidly well defined and understood foreign language and ALSO have that language be completely dead in daily use.

 

But no, we don't have anything to go on that suggests Domans speak anything but whatever Eozean's speak other that what we've extrapolated about the WoL. There's nothing that directly states they speak Doman.

[Mogoi Qestir]

There's no proof that they can't do so.. personally wouldn't be terribly surprised if Doma/Othard did have their own language, especially on the Xaela side of the Au Ra since only maybe one or two tribes interacted with either Raen/Doman or Eorzean people.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I think it's just a matter of RP/personal preference.

 

Because the Echo gives us (as the single-player) the ability to understand all languages, we never really see if it's a result of everyone speaking a common tongue of if our characters just happen to be fluent in everything.

 

 

There's a gradient of people who RP between [everyone speaks the same thing all the time and everywhere] [Each race/nation has its own language, or had its own language once]

 

Personally, I like to think that some nations have certain other languages. Like Ishgard, Garlemald and Doma. And I'd imagine some Sea Wolves might possibly practice their old language. Miqo'te as well.

[allgivenover]

I lean towards believing that they do have their own language but it's also true that we have no proof for it.

 

Honestly though it wouldn't make much sense if they didn't, but then again the fact that a nomadic culture that's existed for thousands of years never made it over to Eorzea in a meaningful way before 3.0 doesn't make sense either, but here we are.

[Aysun]

I think people are operating on the assumption that many Auri are Far Eastern (which includes Doma), or are straight up playing Doman Auri. Domans are shown in game to have Japanese as their native tongue (see NIN quests if nothing else).

[Dravus]

I think it adds a lot of flavour to the game world for each race/nation to have its own language so if it can be pulled off in a plausible manner than I'm all for it!

 

I would, however, urge that people do it tastefully. I've seen a fair few role-players have their character use terms that don't really fit the setting (such as 'senpai') or they're borderline offensive in their implications by using stuff like 'herro'.

 

One good way to show a character as not being able to speak a language very well is to simply have them struggle to describe something or use the correct word if it's something fairly uncommon that they're addressing.

[Flynn Bladebreaker]

I don't really see where in the MSQ people are saying the WoL can understand Doman through the Echo. There's not a scene where a Doman NPC says "You can understand me?", I assume they speak the same language as Eorzeans. Just because they are Japanese inspired doesn't mean they speak Japanese. I'd like to see a full sentence spoken in Doman language, if they have any, to be proven otherwise.

[Faye]

I don't really see where in the MSQ people are saying the WoL can understand Doman through the Echo. There's not a scene where a Doman NPC says "You can understand me?", I assume they speak the same language as Eorzeans. Just because they are Japanese inspired doesn't mean they speak Japanese. I'd like to see a full sentence spoken in Doman language, if they have any, to be proven otherwise.

 

This is pretty much how I feel. If we're basing everything on naming conventions, then we'll also have to assume Elezen speak French when there's just no evidence of that. I don't mind if people want to assume Doma has its own language--I just don't see any reference to it in the MSQ. Yugiri doesn't even have an accent and speaks flawless English (or whatever we'd like to refer to as the common tongue).

[Seriphyn]

Hey, if Au Ra are roleplayed to speak Japanese, I insist y'all roleplay in British English, as per the MSQ dialogue!

 

Gehe.

[Aysun]

I don't really see where in the MSQ people are saying the WoL can understand Doman through the Echo. There's not a scene where a Doman NPC says "You can understand me?", I assume they speak the same language as Eorzeans. Just because they are Japanese inspired doesn't mean they speak Japanese. I'd like to see a full sentence spoken in Doman language, if they have any, to be proven otherwise.

 

The NIN storyline - your Doman trainer often makes comments about having to learn Eorzean, and you are helping him to learn it properly. He also says things like 'in my language the word is..' and says a Japanese word. Evidence is there that Domans speak Japanese.

 

 

Hey, if Au Ra are roleplayed to speak Japanese, I insist y'all roleplay in British English, as per the MSQ dialogue!

 

Gehe.

 

I do. (Or, mostly. I go close to Limsan!)

[LiveVoltage]

Going into spoiler territory here.

 

Then explain how the WoL is able to understand Dragon speak during the 3.0 MSQ if the echo doesn't allow it.

 

Its mentioned at one point during the 2.0 MSQ that the echo does allow people who have it to understand everyone regardless of race or language. Though im not sure when, it is mentioned.

 

As for the doman thing, its probably a writing oversight. Either way, my counter point to the argument that they dont say that is that they never spoke to anyone except other fellow doman's or people with the Echo.

 

Just because someone seem's to speak flawless english to you while you have the echo doesnt mean that they are actually speaking flawless english. The echo is kind of like an auto-translator and filter's what they are saying into a language that you already know or understand.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I don't really see where in the MSQ people are saying the WoL can understand Doman through the Echo. There's not a scene where a Doman NPC says "You can understand me?", I assume they speak the same language as Eorzeans. Just because they are Japanese inspired doesn't mean they speak Japanese. I'd like to see a full sentence spoken in Doman language, if they have any, to be proven otherwise.

 

The NIN storyline - your Doman trainer often makes comments about having to learn Eorzean, and you are helping him to learn it properly. He also says things like 'in my language the word is..' and says a Japanese word. Evidence is there that Domans speak Japanese.

 

You mean Doman! But the point is that they do likely speak some other language hen super-duper MSQ hero isn't around, not that it would matter much because the game -does- tell us that our Echo powers include being able to understand all languages. Otherwise, we wouldn't know what many of the beast tribes, moogles and dragon are saying.

 

Hey, if Au Ra are roleplayed to speak Japanese, I insist y'all roleplay in British English, as per the MSQ dialogue!

 

Gehe.

 

I do. (Or, mostly. I go close to Limsan!)

 

...but it's not really British English that they speak in game. Some NPCs use some more...archaic terms, but I can't imagine all of them are actively in use across the sea, so to speak.

[Virella]

Hey, if Au Ra are roleplayed to speak Japanese, I insist y'all roleplay in British English, as per the MSQ dialogue!

 

Gehe.

What about us roleplayers who already do this : <?

 

Bit OT perhaps, but often I can figure out within few sentences if people are US or EU roleplayers due to this little difference!

 

However I guess this would be a nice question for the devs someday! I personally would not go "Hey my elezen speaks French, or hey my Doman speaks Japanese." until we get some confirmation on it at least.

[Aysun]

I don't really see where in the MSQ people are saying the WoL can understand Doman through the Echo. There's not a scene where a Doman NPC says "You can understand me?", I assume they speak the same language as Eorzeans. Just because they are Japanese inspired doesn't mean they speak Japanese. I'd like to see a full sentence spoken in Doman language, if they have any, to be proven otherwise.

 

The NIN storyline - your Doman trainer often makes comments about having to learn Eorzean, and you are helping him to learn it properly. He also says things like 'in my language the word is..' and says a Japanese word. Evidence is there that Domans speak Japanese.

 

You mean Doman! But the point is that they do likely speak some other language hen super-duper MSQ hero isn't around, not that it would matter much because the game -does- tell us that our Echo powers include being able to understand all languages. Otherwise, we wouldn't know what many of the beast tribes, moogles and dragon are saying.

 

Hey, if Au Ra are roleplayed to speak Japanese, I insist y'all roleplay in British English, as per the MSQ dialogue!

 

Gehe.

 

I do. (Or, mostly. I go close to Limsan!)

 

...but it's not really British English that they speak in game. Some NPCs use some more...archaic terms, but I can't imagine all of them are actively in use across the sea, so to speak.

 

I mean, Japanese = Doman. Splittin' hairs, there.

 

And yes, it's not British English that they speak, but it's closer to that than American English. The various accents lend to the regions from whence the characters hail. Ul'dahn seems like a dirty British, whereas Sharlayans/Ishgardians speak a more archaic British, Limsans have like a really really dirty British, Gridanians have a more proper, less accented British (or at least, the padjal do!).. Ala Mhigans now sound rather Scottish.

 

It's fun!

[Spethah]

I've kinda accepted that Mhigans speech something along the lines of German. Elezen having French words, Doman having Japanese words (the NIN questline does show this), Xaela having something close to Mongolian, Miqo'te Seekers having a Bantu language (Example: Swahili), Some midlanders having lost Gaelic words (Probably Scottish given how close to dead it is irl) and so forth might be a thing and in all honestly I kinda accept it. 

 

Do I see a full blown language in an real life language? Sorta no. I can see a resemblance to a real life language, but nothing along the lines of outright taking it in it's entirely.  

 

That said, if you wanna do that kinda thing then go for it. I think it's a nice boost of flavour if done correctly.

[Seriphyn]

While the more educated NPCs seem to speak with archaic vocabulary, I assure you that the lesser-educated NPCs most definitely speak in a British English manner. This includes word usage and even sentence structure. I'm from London myself, but now live in the US, working and living alongside Americans. Our differences in speech is a constant point of discussion and humour. So, it's a particular point of interest for me. I am able to identify modern[-ish] British English speech very easily, and it is all over the game (again, not so much in the fancier NPCs).

 

And no, 3.0 Ilberd does not speak in a Scottish accent. It is a northern English accent!

[allgivenover]

Hey, if Au Ra are roleplayed to speak Japanese, I insist y'all roleplay in British English, as per the MSQ dialogue!

 

Gehe.

 

On Rakka'li I totally roleplayed with the written dialogue.

[Azureus Scipio]

It was slightly referenced to i the Nin storyline Doma has its own language... There is also nothing in the lore that states wether or not they speak it anymore... Nor does it really hurt anyone that other players want to speak Doman... so we should just live and let live ^.^

[Kismet]

As long as nobody's literally doing "Wow, Eorzea! Sugoi! Kawaii desu! Uguu~" then I don't care.

 

 

...Much. <_<

[ArmachiA]

I think it adds a lot of flavour to the game world for each race/nation to have its own language so if it can be pulled off in a plausible manner than I'm all for it!

 

I would, however, urge that people do it tastefully. I've seen a fair few role-players have their character use terms that don't really fit the setting (such as 'senpai') or they're borderline offensive in their implications by using stuff like 'herro'.

 

One good way to show a character as not being able to speak a language very well is to simply have them struggle to describe something or use the correct word if it's something fairly uncommon that they're addressing.

 

Senpai can work in a non-weird setting, since it just means someone who is senior to you in your station (Not someone of a higher position then you, but someone who has been there longer), but given the "Notice Me Senpai" meme, I'd certainly actively avoid it. There's no excuse for HERRO though. Wow.

 

If people are going to use Japanese, which is fine, I strongly urge to at least study the language beyond that which we learn in anime. It'd actually a really interesting, artistic language, but a huge bitch to learn.

[Blue]

Ideally I prefer to use, and see used, emotes like "/em speaks to his connational in their native language, difficult to understand to those not from Othard.", and if someone watching thinks he should understand, they can send me a tell and I'll tell him what my character said.

 

To see dialogues in a directly uncomprehensible language bothers me, and I think it'd bother others too if I started RPing in Italian in /say even though I can. More than anything though, it's mixed English and Japanese that makes me cringe ("You're so kawaii, Clive-chan!"), or the use of romanji in general. If you really want to RP in Japanese and not do it with an English emote like the one I mentioned earlier, at least use kanji so that I just see jibberish and don't bother trying to understand OOCly.

 

As for what I do with my Au Ras, I tend to use those emotes when open-RPing. When close-RPing in LS instead, we use brackets to indicate that a certain english dialogue is being pronounced in Doman, so that those with Echo (most of us have IC Echo in our LS) can directly read and understand.

[Jana]

Then explain how the WoL is able to understand Dragon speak during the 3.0 MSQ if the echo doesn't allow it.

 

 

That's likely just a thing Dragons can do. Alphinud and Eistinian don't have the Echo but are also able to understand in their heads, despite what their ears are hearing.

 

[Blue]

I don't really see where in the MSQ people are saying the WoL can understand Doman through the Echo. There's not a scene where a Doman NPC says "You can understand me?", I assume they speak the same language as Eorzeans. Just because they are Japanese inspired doesn't mean they speak Japanese. I'd like to see a full sentence spoken in Doman language, if they have any, to be proven otherwise.

 

All the balloons with a different frame indicate that the other person is speaking another language that we understand thanks to the Echo. In particular, Lahabrea brings this up in one of your first encounters. He first speaks in Ascian (and his balloon is black/reddish), and upon seeing that our character understands what he's saying, he goes like "Ah, yes, the Echo, then I might as well address you in your language.".

 

Examples of other balloons like this are seen when talking to Primals, meaning that they too speak a different language that we understand as Eorzean thanks to the Echo.

 

That the Echo allows us to understand multiple languages is mentioned more in 1.0 than in 2.0 (because in 1.0 it was a very common power), but it definitely does.

 

It's not a coincidence either that when we are prompted answers to give to an NPC, these answers are all written in that NPC's accent/dialect, indicating that not only we understand what they say, but can speak back in it, as well.

 

tl;dr: Echo with languages works in a similar way of how Harry Potter could speak with snakes. He understood them as if they were speaking his tongue, and spoke back in what he thought to be his tongue, while to outside ears, in was in fact the opposite language.