Racial Languages?

[Fulcrum]

I did a search through the forums, and didn't really find anything for this (though I primarily stuck to looking at the post subject, then looking if it sounded like it might contain the information. I may have missed it, so apologies if it has been answered elsewhere and I just didn't see it.

 

 

Is there more than one language on Hydaelyn and/or Eorzea? Does each race have it's own unique language, including the beast tribes? Do the different clans in each race have different dialects (i.e. is the Hyurian the Highlanders use different from the Midlanders)?

 

 

Just curious due to a standing character concept I want to transfer to one of my characters here.

[Khaze'to Zhwan]

As I understand it there were racial languages but it was a long time ago and everyone has adjusted to the common tongue, you might be able to work in the odd old word or so but yeah thats about it.

[Havoc Snow]

Basically what Khaze said, there were different languages a long time ago but over time it seems like everyone speaks the same language now, not just in Eorzea but in Garlemald as well apparently.

[Aysun]

Basically what Khaze said, there were different languages a long time ago but over time it seems like everyone speaks the same language now, not just in Eorzea but in Garlemald as well apparently.

 

Exactly. There's also no indication in the spoken cutscenes of any of the races having a distinct accent that suggests that the common tongue is their second language. I really took note of that for the Garleans who spoke, because I know a lot of people have always assumed they spoke a different language. We're learning more about them already!

[FreelanceWizard]

Everyone else has pretty well summed it up. However...

 

In the cutscene around level 15 where you meet with your city's leader and the Echo takes you back to the Battle of Cartenaux, the Ascian is speaking some sort of foreign language in the English voiceover.

 

 

[Aysun]

Everyone else has pretty well summed it up. However...

 

In the cutscene around level 15 where you meet with your city's leader and the Echo takes you back to the Battle of Cartenaux, the Ascian is speaking some sort of foreign language in the English voiceover.

 

 

Yep! They're.. um.. different~

[Fulcrum]

So then do even beast tribes speak common Eorzean?

[Havoc Snow]

So then do even beast tribes speak common Eorzean?

This is the one exception I believe. In some cases it's shown that they can speak whatever common language everyone else speaks, but when Minfilia explains the Echo to you she states that it's the Echo that lets you speak with the Beastmen, which would imply that under normal circumstances Beastmen don't speak "Eorzean."

[S'demyx Tia]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. But does that have to stop you from RPing like there's other langs? NO! You go right ahead. 

 

It'd be dapper if there were different languages. It makes things more interesting, (esp. for the sake of RP.)

 

( I'd like to think the Miqo'te language is mostly the same, but accents differentiate from tribe to tribe. Prob. would sound something like Yoruba.  )

[FreelanceWizard]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. But does that have to stop you from RPing like there's other langs? NO! You go right ahead. 

 

It'd be dapper if there were different languages. It makes things more interesting, (esp. for the sake of RP.)

 

It would be interesting, but the lore closes the door on it, sadly.

 

Of course, you can RP whatever you like, but if you assert the existence of languages that aren't supported in lore, you need to have an explanation for them that supports your story and doesn't clobber others' stories or the official lore. One way is to have your character come from some esoteric area where the language is still used, for instance. You wouldn't want to claim you're a master of the modern miqo'te tongue and that you learned it from a variety of miqo'te you've met in the city-states, since there's no lore support for that; other characters (especially other miqo'te characters!) would have to either accept your assertion or react as if you're lying or, perhaps, touched.

 

IMO, though, the larger issue is what this buys you narratively. The further you stretch the lore, the more it should enhance your (and others') stories, lest you slide into "special snowflake" territory.

[S'demyx Tia]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. But does that have to stop you from RPing like there's other langs? NO! You go right ahead. 

 

It'd be dapper if there were different languages. It makes things more interesting, (esp. for the sake of RP.)

Of course, you can RP whatever you like, but if you assert the existence of languages that aren't supported in lore, you need to have an explanation for them that supports your story and doesn't clobber others' stories or the official lore. One way is to have your character come from some esoteric area where the language is still used, for instance. You wouldn't want to claim you're a master of the modern miqo'te tongue and that you learned it from a variety of  miqo'te you've met in the city-states, since there's no lore support for that; other characters (especially other miqo'te characters!) would have to either accept your assertion or react as if you're lying or, perhaps, touched.

 

True, true. I guess if the people who're able to actually form tribe communities can make up their own little thing for roleplay if they can get some background on it. 

 

 Very nicely put, Freelance!

[Aysun]

So then do even beast tribes speak common Eorzean?

This is the one exception I believe. In some cases it's shown that they can speak whatever common language everyone else speaks, but when Minfilia explains the Echo to you she states that it's the Echo that lets you speak with the Beastmen, which would imply that under normal circumstances Beastmen don't speak "Eorzean."

 

Beast tribes speak their own languages, but some of them have been known to speak/understand simple Eorzean I think.. The Echo allows us to understand them though, as you said.

[Fulcrum]

I'm going to go with the idea that racial languages are "dead" languages; I doubt they'd toss all of the ancient books with older versions of Eorzean and the racial languages. That would just be dangerous (as knowledge is power, and history repeats itself). The character won't actually speak them, just be able to read and write in them.

 

 

Beast languages I'm up in the air about. Part of me thinks that they may be unspeakable by non-beastmen (i.e. most non-Wookies can't speak Wookie), but that may not be the case. So far, I've only seen anything about beastman language in relation to the Echo...which doesn't help. >.<

[Ari Kagon]

I'm really glad someone did a thread on this. I myself was wondering the same thing.

[Azthran]

It's not exactly a different language and as far as I know this only applies to Miqo'te and their names but they seem to pronounce some letters differently to make sounds that the other races physically can't. I think it's the letter H that they end up making a sort of rasping hiss for, I do believe it's in the naming conventions part of their lore on the wiki page.