Languages
From Tazlure Gaming System Wiki
Language is important in a game. Expressions. Greetings. Curses. They show culture and atmosphere, even if it is just plain English. It adds to the particulars of a setting. In addition you might want to give the impression that a character is a foreigner by mixing in words of another language. A Lexicon is a must. It will help your players add details to their posts.
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[edit] Real Life Languages
One of the choices is using real life languages, like English for normal day conversation and French, Italian and Danish for other nations. In fact, if you are doing a historic time period setting, why not simply use the historic languages, including archaic English?
You can use really exotic languages (to a westerner at least) and assign it to an alien race. Don't forget it comes with cultural impact as well.
See the effect of using Italian to define the culture of World's Mouth, reminiscent of De Medici Florence:
- "It is no wonder to me why Severo would send a woman to do a man's job! He wanted to be rid of you! What else do you do with such a BRUTTA VACCA when her only worth is the CAZZO that begat her?" he shouted, dangerously close to insulting her family...which was no doubt close to the desired effect. "You will remember your PLACE, bagascia! You will not tell me how I am to do MY job, or I will GIVE IT TO YOU and you will be dead inside of a DAY!" he finished, reaching out quickly to take up her hand once more. Closing his eyes, he turned his head slightly to one side, waiting for the strike that should complete their ruse.
- Rosalie winced when Kaspar stamped on his elegant hat that was so much part of his charm, resolving to find him a new one that was even more splendid than this one.
- Then the petite girl gasped as he started insulting her family. Even if it was only for show.. it was still a rather dangerous thing to do. Word of this may well reach Severo's or Ramius' ears with a party filled with westerners, and not to forget the Condotierre. Now how will I secure your promotion? You like to gamble don't you, mio amore? After all she could hardly tell her her father Do not worry Papa. He was only trying to cover up he tried to seduce me in a broom closet. That would not go down well at all.
- Rosalie was no stranger to screaming fits, nor to hitting gentlemen that went a bit too far. It was however her continued worry for his person that put the force behind her strike as she blinked away her tears. Her hand impacted on his cheek with a stingy feel, and she waited for the sound to be clearly heard before shouting at him "ALLUPATO CAFONE, you will not insult my family, or it is YOU who will be dead within the day!"
Or the effect of a lexicon based on English dialect, in this case Pirate talk:
- Addled -- Mad, insane, or just stupid. An "addlepate" is a fool
- Begad! -- By God!
- Bilge! -- Nonsense, or foolish talk. The bilges of a ship are the lowest parts, inside the hull along the keel. They fill with stinking bilgewater -- or just "bilge."
- Bilge-sucking -- A very uncomplimentary adjective.
- Blimey! -- An exclamation of surprise.
- Bosun -- Boatswain; a petty officer
- Dog -- A mild insult, perhaps even a friendly one
- Poxy, poxed -- Diseased. Used as an insult.
- Scurvy -- (1) A deficiency disease which often afflicted sailors; it was caused by lack of vitamin C. (2) A derogatory adjective suitable for use in a loud voice, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
- Shark bait -- (1) Your foes, who are about to feed the fish (q.v.). (2) A worthless or lazy sailor; a lubber who is no use aboard ship.
- Shiver me timbers! -- An expression of surprise or strong emotion
- Sink me! -- An expression of surprise.
- Swab (noun) -- A disrespectful term for a seaman. "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
- Swab (verb) -- To clean something. Being put to "swabbing the decks" would be a low-level punishment for a disobedient pirate.
- Son of a Biscuit Eater: not so much a sailor term, but a derogatory term indicating a bastard son of a sailor
- Squiffy: a buffoon
- Waister: an incompetent sailor
[edit] Fantasy or Construct Languages
If you want to go the mile, try and construct the languages of some areas. Create verbs, nouns etc. Basic sentences you need are greetings and curses. Use the words to create city names. Use small sentences or just words for flavour used by characters. It sounds like a lot of work (and really it is) but the result is definately worth it. The area will have gained something very unique.
Don't forget to think about how the language grew, how it was influenced by history and religion and how it sounds to others.
Example of a different race language, in this case Adhiel:
Common Greetings & Farewells
| [I salute] The world in you (plural/respect) | Seodhiu ta ea(bh) [inaidha] |
| [I salute] You in the world. (plural/respect) | Ea(bh) ta seodhiu [inaidha] |
| Well Met (traditional greeting and answer) | Namaste |
| May you go with the light (plural/respect) | I(bh) ea fiadhea ta ealiu!/ta ealiu! |
| May the Light show you your path (plural/respect) | I(bh) ealiu eafianiu ta ea(bh) amhadhea(bh)/ealiu eafianiu |
Common Curses
| May the trees (forest) forsake you, may the light forget you, may the gods know you not. | I ea saliubh sanafiadhanabh, i ea ealiu sanaidhanabh, i ea dainibh seodhielibh aidhanabh nin |
| shut up/damn it/screw you (vulgar) | sanafi, sanai, aidha ni/sanafi |
| may the elders (both gods and of the communities) forget (that you've said this, and forgive you.) | ibh dainibh sanaidhanabh |
Common Sentences
| How did he know about this? | Eoch an minufiadhan is sal? |
| They are not here. | Anabh nin seodhanabh salach. |
| Know this! | Ibh aidheabh sal! |
[edit] Language in Society
See Also Society
Language is important in society. It gives status, it indicates connection. The questions below help you define that for your own setting.
- Is there a common or trade language in which the diverse people can communicate, or are there communication problems due to the inability to understand each other?
- Are people bilingual? Are there slang versions? What areas of the economy do they come from? Are there class differences between various forms of slang?
- Are there secret languages known only to certain groups?
- What important marks of society are reflected in language?
- What words are forbidden? What words are not for polite company or only reserved for particular occasions?
- Does the language borrow from different languages?
