Human languages of Golarion

There are countless human languages spoken on the surface of Golarion. Below is a sample of human languages spoken around the globe.

Common

Common is a relative term used to denote the most prevalent human language spoken in a particular region. For instance, Taldane is the most widely spoken language on the continents of Avistan and northern and eastern Garund and so is referred to as Common in the Inner Sea region. In western Garund, however, the Mwangi language is used as the common tongue. In Tian Xia, the most widely spoken language is Tien, and so that is classed as Common on that continent. It may be that on other continents, other human languages are classed as Common.

Calda

The Calda language is the regional language of the Caldaru people primarily from Senghor in the Mwangi Expanse. Unusually for the region, Calda shares no roots with other Mwangi languages.

Dtang

See Tang.

Erutaki

This is the native tongue of the Erutaki people of the Crown of the World.

Hallit

This harsh, guttural tongue spoken in rapid staccato is native to the Kellid people originally from the north of Avistan, and centers around survival and war. Although many northern barbarian tribes use versions of Hallit that have no written form, at least one ancient one does exist. It is spoken by a significant portion of the population in the following countries: Brevoy, Galt, Mendev, Nirmathas, Numeria, Razmiran, the River Kingdoms, and the Sarkoris Scar.

Hongali (Hon-La)

Hongali, also known as Hon-La, is the native language of the Tian-La people who reside in northernmost Tian Xia, mostly in the nations of Hongal and Shanguang. It is also spoken by a sizable minority population in the city-state of Goka, in the nation of Chu Ye, by the Mutabi-qi of the Wall of Heaven, and by a minority of people in the mountain nation of Zi Ha.

The Tian-Yae people speak a blend of the Shory and Hongali languages.

Hwan

Hwan is the native language of the ethnic Tian-Hwan of Hwanggot, although it also became popular among those rebelling against the empire of Lung Wa and those who now fight against its Successor States. Hwan is also spoken by a sizable minority in the city-state of Goka.

Iobarian

The Iobarian language is the native tongue spoken in the Iobarian area of the continent of Casmaron by many species, not just the Iobarian ethnic humans. It has a runic script.

Kelish

Kelish is the language of the Great Padishah Empire of Kelesh far to the east of the Inner Sea. It is a throaty, phlegmatic language rich with poetry, scholarly writing, and history, having served the empire for countless generations. It is also widely spoken by the genies of that land, and in the Inner Sea region in Absalom, Alkenstar, Geb, Katapesh, Nex, Taldor, and of course Qadira, the westernmost satrapy of the Great Empire. The traders of Kelesh are so ubiquitous that the language is even spoken by a sizable minority in the great city of Goka, in distant Tian Xia. The language evolved from the tribal languages spoken within the Empire of Kelesh.

Kibwani

Kibwani is the regional language of Kibwe in the Mwangi Expanse and is widely used as a trade dialect across the region. Speakers of Kibwani and Mwangi cannot understand one another due to Kibwani's eclectic influences, which include kobold, iruxi, and Nexian Kelish.

Lirgeni

The Lirgeni language is the regional language of Jaha, once a city of the nation of Lirgen. It is also spoken by the Lirgeni diaspora in other communities, such as Absalom. It shares roots with, but otherwise differs significantly from, languages of northern Garund.

Minatan

Minatan is the common language of the Wandering Isles, spoken by those who travel among the hundreds of isolated communities found throughout Minata, and is the native language of the Tian-Sing people. The local languages are all related to Minatan, and a speaker of Minatan can generally communicate effectively with its people. It is most commonly spoken in southeastern Tian Xia, and is also spoken by a sizable minority in the city-state of Goka.

Minkaian

Minkaian, sometimes called "Minkan", is spoken in the Minkai Empire as the native language of the Tian-Min peoples. The language is related to Tien and is also very widely spoken in Tian Xia, especially the northern and central regions of that continent, including particularly Jinin, Songbai, Chu Ye, Wanshou, and the city-state of Goka.

Mwangi (Common)

For other meanings of "Mwangi", please see Mwangi (disambiguation).

Mwangi, also known as Polyglot, is the collective name given to many of the numerous dialects of the Mwangi peoples inhabiting central and western Garund. The various groups can generally understand one another, and it is believed all of the dialects are derived from an unknown root language theorized to perhaps be Xanmba. Due to its widespread use, it is considered the Common tongue of the region.

Mwangi is spoken mainly in the Mwangi Expanse, Vidrian, and the Shackles. While some people use the term "Mwangi" to generically refer to all languages of the Mwangi Expanse or Mwangi people, the region is home to many languages with little or no connection to the Mwangi language, including Calda, Ekujae shape-script, and Kibwani.

Words

• ali: "to be eaten"
• mzali: "the eaten palace" or "devoured palace", the name of the city of Mzali

Mzunu

Mzunu, the regional language of Mzali in the Mwangi Expanse, is an ancient tongue of the Mzali Empire. Its historical forms replaced more modern usage alongside the rise of Walkena.

Ocotan

Ocotan is a flowing dialect used in the Mwangi Expanse.

Osiriani

This is the most widely spoken language on the continent of Garund. It is a direct descendant of Ancient Osiriani, which modern speakers can partially understand. It is a majority language in Osirion, Alkenstar, Geb, Nex, and Thuvia, and spoken by a sizeable minority in Katapesh and Rahadoum. Osiriani has a deep lexicon of precise magical terminology.

Razatlani

Razatlani is the ancient language of the Razatlani Empire of Arcadia, which covered most of the continent. It is still used today as the common language of the modern-day nation of Xopatl.

Senzar

See also: Nonhuman languages of Golarion

Senzar is the truly ancient language of the spirits of Tian Xia, and spoken most frequently by the kami of the Forest of Spirits as well as the inhabitants of the Wall of Heaven Mountains. Scholars believe that it may be the root language of all human tongues on the continent, as many words associated with the spirit world or dragons have Senzar roots. It is also spoken by minority populations in the nations of Chu Ye and Hongal.

Shadowtongue

Spoken with any frequency only in the shadowy country of Nidal, where it is used for ceremonial purposes and to keep outsiders from eavesdropping. Shadowtongue is a mix of Taldane, Infernal, and Azlanti. It is a sibilant language of quiet hisses and whispered words. Many words are pronounced with a delicate intake of breath. Non-speakers who hear it often remark that it sounds like it is being spoken backwards. The strix of the Devil's Perch mountains in nearby Cheliax refer to it as Whisprin and believe that it is not only inherently evil, but that it is the cause of Nidal's cultural malignancy.

Shoanti

Spoken by the Shoanti people of Varisia, this language has many similarities to Hallit, Varisian, Jotun, and ancient Thassilonian. A person who speaks any of these three language can communicate basic ideas to a Shoanti, although learning the language is necessary to truly earn these proud people's trust. Shoanti speakers often embellish the language with eloquent metaphors.

Sign languages

Several groups use sign and gesture languages to communicate. As deafness and muteness are unusually common among Varisians, many know a highly developed sign language. This method is also used by the Sczarni as a silent thieves' cant.

Napsu-Sign language

Members of the Pathfinder Society also use their own system of signs to silently communicate, known as Napsu-Sign language or Pathfinder Hand Signs. While originally created to communicate basic ideas loosely based on Taldane, it has been expanded over time into a robust sign language with about 1,250 universal signs and hundreds of additional signs in regional dialects. Few Pathfinders are fully fluent, but most know enough to communicate common adventuring concepts—such as the number and types of threats in a room, or to call for help—covertly or urgently.

Skald

For another meaning of "Skald", please see Skald.

Skald is the language of the people of the far north-west of Avistan, in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. It sounds both sonorous and harsh to the southern ear and has a chanting, sing-songy quality with long, complex words. Skald uses the dwarven alphabet with a few letters imported from Taldane. Other than in its homeland, it is also spoken in Brevoy, Irrisen, and Ustalav.

Taldane (Common)

Taldane is the most widely spoken language in Avistan and Garund; indeed, it is often referred to as Common across the Inner Sea region. It is a trade language which takes its alphabet from ancient Jistka and its numerals from Kelish. Most of the terms and grammar are based on ancient Azlanti, although Taldane also borrows from Varisian. It is thought to be one of the oldest human languages still spoken in the Inner Sea region, and is certainly the most widely spoken. Many localities in Avistan have their own particular slang words or phrases, and the most well-known of these is Korvosan slang.

Taldane is also spoken in the north and west of the continent of Tian Xia by those who trade heavily with the Inner Sea region. It is also the national tongue of the Taldan colony of Amanandar there, and is beginning to spread to other countries in that region.

Taltien

Taltien is a pidgin of Taldane and Tien spoken in Linvarre, formerly the Taldan colony of Amanandar in Tian Xia.

Tang

Tang, also known as Dtang, is the tongue of the Tian ethnic group known as the Tian-Tang who primarily inhabit the nation of Tang Mai in southeastern Tian Xia. It is also spoken by a sizable minority population in the city-state of Goka.

Thassilonian

Modern Giant, Varisian, and Shoanti contain elements of this truly ancient language spoken in the Thassilonian Empire before the coming of the Age of Darkness. Scholars remember it chiefly as the first language to develop three grammatical genders and for using a complex alphabet made up of three separate runic systems based heavily on Azlanti. Once considered a dead language, the Thassilonian city of Xin-Edasseril was recently freed from temporal stasis, resulting in the first living population of Thassilonian speakers in nearly 10,000 years.

Tien (Common)

This complex language is spoken by the Tian people from regions of the once-great Imperial Lung Wa. Its use is so prevalent that it is often referred to as Common in that part of the world. It contains nearly 24,000 pictographs and is a tonal language with thousands of homophones. Even though Lung Wa has long since faded from prominence, Tien remains the official tongue of most of mainland Tian Xia. A pidgin Tien is spoken in the Valashmai Jungle.

Varisian

Varisian is the language of the native Varisian people of Varisia. Vocabulary and grammar are based on a mix of Orc, Taldane, Giant, ancient Thassilonian, and a now defunct proto-Varisian language. It is known for its subtle nuances and double-meanings, and is a perfect tool for innuendo. It is spoken by a minority of the population of any of the countries these nomadic people have traveled to or settled in over the millennia, including Brevoy, Lastwall, Molthune, Nidal, Nirmathas, and Ustalav.

Varki

Varki is the native language of the semi-nomadic Varki people who live in the far north of Golarion, centered in Icemark in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings.

Vudrani

Vudrani is believed to have been born in the Dhavala River basin in distant Vudra, and has been heavily influenced by both Tien and Kelesh. Speakers tend to add many prefixes and suffixes in conversation, making for many difficult-to-pronounce and lengthy words. Derived from the language of its ancient kings, Vudrani is the primary language of Vudra, and its people believe it is the tongue of the gods. It is also spoken on the island of Jalmeray, and in Katapesh and Nex. On the continent of Tian Xia, Vudrani is the most commonly spoken foreign tongue. It can be frequently heard in the trade city of Goka as well as the southwestern parts of that landmass.

Xanmba

Xanmba is the regional language of Nantambu in the Mwangi Expanse that retains many usages now considered archaic by modern grammarians. Certain scholars suggest that the more commonly used modern Mwangi tongue is itself derived from Xanmba.

References

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