Trade Tongue

The Trade Tongue was the common trade language used amongst the inhabitants of Kara-Tur. The people of the continent of Zakhara referred to this language as Shang-Chou.Land of Fate: Adventurer's Guide to Zakhara p. 124 simply lists "Shang-Chou from the far-flung East" as an "outlander tongue" acquired from foreigners during trade. It is assumed to be from Kara-Tur and is assumed to be the same as the Trade Tongue. The same sentence also refers to Thorasta, which is associated with Common, Faerûn's trade tongue. It is possible that "Shang-Chou" is intended to be a corruption of the Shou Chiang languages. Regardless, these are assumptions for convenience on this wiki and Shang-Chou could be a language from anywhere in or around Kara-Tur.
Due to its purpose, it had only a limited vocabulary, consisting largely of terms for the exchange of goods and currency. It was therefore mostly used by merchants and traders, as well as sailors. However, in the mid–14 century DR, an increasing number of diplomats preferred it for negotiation, for the sake of neutrality and impartiality. However, it was not widespread: most people of Tabot did not know the Trade Tongue or else knew very little of it, necessitating an interpreter for anything more than the most basic communication. Travelers from Petan, like the students of Awang Sophir, used Trade Tongue with thick T'u Lung accents when abroad in Kara-Tur.
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Category:Human languages
Category:Kara-Turan languages
Category:Languages