Languages

Suzerain's world has plenty of languages of many language groups

### North-Merkopan Languages

The North-Merkopan language group has spread from North-Merkopa to East-Merkopa. It is based on Proto-Germanic. It has 3 different derived languages:

#### Agnolian

Agnolian is the official language of Agnolia. It has phonology and words highly similar to Sordish, with the main difference being the use of the letter and sound "j" (/j/) in Agnolian. Agnolian old words are North-Merkopan, whereas newer words are Markian. The language also has loans from Rummish and Valgish colonies.

#### Sordish

Sordish is the official language of Sordland. It is a close relative of Agnolian. Unlike Agnolian, Sordish does not use the letter and phoneme "j" (/j/) in native words. Like Agnolian, older Sordish words are North-Merkopan, whereas newer words are Markian. The language also has loans from Rummish and Valgish colonies. Main article: Sordish (Language).

#### Lespian

Lespian is the official language of Lespia. It is a relative to Sordish and Agnolian, though has been set under large Markian effect since the Great Migration. It has its roots in North-Merkopan, but now the language is mainly based on Markian. It has loans from Valgish colonies.

#### Old Valgish

Old Valgish was the language spoken by the Valgs, prior to the transformation of the language to a Contic one. It shared a lot of characteristics with the other North-Merkopan languages, and in the game upon hearing Old Valgish, Anton Rayne mistakes it as Sordish for a moment. Its roots are in North-Merkopan, and it did not receive a lot of influence from other languages prior to the great migration. However, the language changed a lot after it, and is now concidered a Contic language.

### Markian Languages

The Markian language group is situated in Middle- and East Merkopa. It has been named after the Marks, and has influenced languages in the areas of the Markian Empire. Markian is based on Latin. However, no surviving language or a language that has been declared official in a nation of Markian derivation exists:

#### Markian

The Markian language was the language spoken in the Markian Empire. After the Markian Empire collapsed, no nation has it as its official language. Large amounts of Markian are unknown, but it is known that many of the newer words in the North-Merkopan languages are derived off Markian.

### Contic Languages

The Contic languages are situated primarily in Contana and Wehlen. Recently the language has spread a little to the rest of Eastern Merkopa as well, due to loaning words from Valgish colonies via Valgish. The Contic languages are based on variations of Slavic, and it splits to two smaller language groups: Proto-Contanian and Proto-Wehic. Proto-Contanian is based on Slavic, whereas Proto-Wehic is based on West Slavic.

#### Contanian

Contanian is the official language of United Contana. It is a Contanian language, and has had large influence on Valgish.

#### Valgish

Valgish is the official language of Valgsland. It derives from Galmanic, which was a language spoken by the tribe which originally inhabited what now is Valgsland; North-Merkopan and Contanian. The North-Merkopan influences have largely faded away since the settling, and has been replaced by Galmanic and Contanian. Valgish also has influence from its colonies in Xina and Rika. Many other languages have taken loans from Valgish, as it has words for things from its colonies that have been largely unknown to the languages loaning words from them. The language might also have some influence from Markian as loans via Merkopan nations.

#### Wehic

Wehic is the official language of Wehlen. It is a Proto-Wehic language. It has its roots in Markian and Proto-Wehic, as earlier mentioned. It also is thought to have loans from Rummish.

### Arcaic Languages

Arcaic languages are situated in West Merkopa, and are hence also known as West-Merkopan languages. They are named after Arcasia. The languages are based on Anglo-Saxon or Old English. In the normal game, the only nation which can be seen on the map speaking an Arcaic language, is Rumburg.

#### Rummish

Rummish is the official language of Rumburg. It has had some influence over other Merkopan languages. It has loans from Markian. A draft of the Rummish language exists for forming words, and it is possible to translate "God save the Queen" to Rummish.

#### Arcasian

Arcasian is the official language of Arcasia. Not much is known about it, but it can be theorized to be similar to Rummish.

Bludish

Bludish is a dialect spoken by the Bludish population, primarily in Bergia and North Wehlen. Its recognition as a fully independent and credible language is still a matter of debate among scholars as it does not abide by any of the common roots present in the North-Merkopan language group, with the most likely explanation for its incepcion being a mere offshoot of the Wehic tongue.

### Other languages and language groups

Some languages and language groups in the game have such a small role that not a lot of information is available about them.

#### Xinish

Xinish is the language group spoken in Xina. It is based around Middle Chinese, and one word has been formed as a loan from it: "Stangci" (Sor.), meaning chess. It mainly affects languages as loan words via Valgish.

#### Rikian

Rikian is the language group spoken in Rika. It is based on Afroasiatic. It mainly affects languages as loan words via Valgish

#### Galmanic

The Galmanic language, or Old Valgos, was spoken by the Galmanic tribes of where now Valgsland is set. It is thought to be a mixture of Old Norse, an early language from the Germanic language group, and Slavic, due to Contanian influence. This language had a great influence on the Valgish language

## Use of the languages in the game

These languages are sometimes used in the game. Common uses are city and person names, but sometimes snippets of text are used as well.

### Old Valgish

In dialoque, Emmerich Hegel once says *"E'Rewoluten vez kore!".* To this Anton responds by asking Deivid if what he heard was Sordish, but Deivid tells him that it was Old Valgish. The whole dialoque is the following:

> *Emmerich Hegel: "E'Rewoluten vez kore!"*
>
>

> *Anton Rayne: "Was that Sordish? Did I catch that right?"*
>
>

> *Deivid Wisci: "Very similar to Sordish, right? Some words are even written the same way. But I'm surprised you caught that from his accent."*
>
>

> *Deivid Wisci: "He said 'the revolution will come', yes, but it was in old Valgish."*
>
>

There is also a second dialoque in which similar things happen:

> *Anton Rayne: "A Morgna wes core!"*
>
>

> *Emmerich Hegel stood up and raised his fist.*
>
>

> *Emmerich Hegel: "Vekterne ziz'ta"*
>
>

#### **Rummish**

You will found it in ending if you got assassinate by Rumburg Nationalist, that will only happen if you didn't fired/imprisonment/kill Livia Suno, and win war against Rumburg. After speech in the end of the game, you will got killed (or survived if you took serge good luck charm), The assassin will say:

**"Or Dax Querna! Qival Rumburgia!"**

### Sordish references

There are a ton of Sordish references within the game. They are listed in the Sordish (Language) -article.

## Sources

* sordish.org
* In-game sources (Codex, dialoque, gamefiles)