Language in Calabria

## Common Languages

These languages see common use throughout Calabria.

### **Calabrese**

Calabrese is spoken almost universally throughout the civilized lands of Calabria. Originating with the Rinaldi, it has since become the prominent speech of the Avoirdupois, Bisclavret, and Doloreaux.

*Calabrese* is the Italian demonym for those originating in the Italian region of Calabria, for which the landmass in *Ironclaw* is named.

### **Bérla Féini**

Bérla Féini is spoken everywhere in the Phelan demesne, as well as in some pockets of Bisclavret. History dictates that the Phelan brought their language with them from their original homeland, the *Tir ná Fadhadh-cruiachr.*

*Bérla* is an alternative form of the Old Irish *bélrae*, meaning "speech, language", and *féini* refers the Irish *Feini*, a term constituting the main body of free original inhabitants, thus it effectively translates to "Language of the Feini". The language shares its name with one of the oldest, purest dialects of Old Irish.

## Esoteric Languages

These languages are less common than the common Calabrese, but are still spoken in some places as normal speech.

### **Arpitan**

Arpitan is the original, native tongue of the Doloreaux. Though many of the Doloreaux speak Calabrese due to trade with Triskellian, Arpitan is still spoken among the Doloreaux gentry.

*Arpitan* is the more recent term referring to the Franco-Provençal dialect group, which are closely related to French. They are spoken mainly in east-central France, western Switzerland, and northern Italy. The name is ultimately derived from a word indigenous to the language meaning "alpine" ("mountain highlands").

### **Bérla Sgairneach**

This exclusively spoken language is used by the Ululants of Phelan. To the untrained ear, Sgairneach simply sounds like discordant howling, but is in fact a deeply nuanced vocalization used by the wolves of Phelan to communicate with one another over extreme distances. Due to the language's vocal requirements, it is impossible to speak without being capable of howling, though anyone can understand it with the proper teaching.

As stated above, *bérla* means "speech, language" in Old Irish, while *sgairneach* approximately translates to "rocky hillside" in Gaelic. This translates fully to "speech of the rocky hills" or perhaps "mountain speaking", a possible reference to its extreme distance of audibility.

### **Bérla Galláneah**

This is an ancient written form of Bérla Féini, usually used to mark various property boundaries or some religious sites. It is still taught among some such as the Druids, but it sees little use due to both its obscurity and the fact that the Phelan are almost entirely illiterate.

*Galláneah* likely derives from the Irish *gallán*, which refers to the Gaelic standing-stones, or *menhir*. Being the "language of the standing-stones", it corresponds well to the fact that Bérla Galláneah is primarily carved into rock to mark boundaries in Phelan.

### **Feòcullan**

Spoken exclusively by the people of the same name Feòcullan belongs to the Skunks of Phelan who live in the demesne's swampy locales. It is described as a "strange dialect of Bérla Féini".

*Feòcullan* is Gaelic for "pole-cat", a term which generally refers to the genus wherein animals such as weasels reside, but is also in some places a term for skunks.

## Dead Languages

These languages are no longer used by native speakers. Some, however, still see some niche useage.

### **Magniloquentia**

Occasionally referred to alternatively as *Matriloquentia* (Latin, "mother speech"), Magniloquentia was the original language of the Rinaldi in early times as well as some of the Avoirdupois, and would eventually evolve into the modern Calabrese tongue. Though no exact dates are given, Magniloquentia is assumed to be at least 1,000 years old. Magniloquentia still sees use in S'allumer prayer functions, and thus is also considered the 'canon' tongue for White Magic and Sacerdotal spells to be enunciated in.

Magniloquentia is based on Latin, where in its name derives from the Latin *magniloquens*, meaning "talkative, verbose" from the latin *magnus loquentis* ("great speaking/speech"). As a point of humor, the English descendant of the term, *magniloquent*, means "Speaking in a deliberately long, esoteric, or pompous manner".

### **Langue d'Anu**

The original language of the Avoirdupois. Due to the possession of Anu, the chief god of Heliodromency, in the language's title, it may have had some strong ceremonial roots. In the current day, no written or oral records of the language remain, making it a definitively lost language.

*Langue d'Anu* is quite plain French for "language of Anu", though in more complex terms, it could possibly be a reference to the *langues d'oïl*, from which modern French is most closely derived.

### **Xenophonia**

Though the ultimate origins of Xenophonia are unknown, it is reputed to have been the language used by the Autarchs. How present it is in Calabria is ultimately unknown, and likely intentionally so to be left up to GM discretion.

Xenophonia is based on Greek, where its name derives from *ξένος + φωνή* (*xénos + phōnḗ*) translating approximately to "foreign speech". The English descendant, *xenophone*, means "A sound in speech that is not native to the language being spoken".

## References

1. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pg. 221
2. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pg. 182
3. ↑ https://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/II-VIII-1.php
4. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pg. 192
5. ↑ Bessat, Hubert & Germi, Claudette (1991). *Les mots de la montagne autour du Mont-Blanc.* Grenoble: Ellug. ISBN 2-902709-68-4
6. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pg. 212
7. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pg. 68
8. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle,* pg. 209
9. ↑ *Ironclaw: Book of Adventures,* pg. 633
10. ↑ https://www.teanglann.ie/en/eid/gall%C3%A1n
11. ↑ *Ironclaw: Book of Adventures*, pg. 631
12. ↑ http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MB2/mb18.html
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle*, pg. 159
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 *Ironclaw, First Edition*, pg. 73
15. ↑ http://www.websters1913.com/words/Magniloquent
16. ↑ *Ironclaw: Squaring the Circle,* pg. 167
17. ↑ [academic.eb.com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/levels/collegiate/article/French-literature/109418 "French Literature"] Check `|url=` value (help). *Britannica Academic, Encyclopædia Britannica.*
18. ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/xenophone