Languages

**Language** is a method of communication used by the Four Earthly Peoples. Globally, there are 14 recognized extant languages, as well as six creolized languages. Various varieties exist of each language, and each has a unique lineage that traces back to the ancient languages of the E'Ash Civilization.

## Language families

All languages currently spoken on the planet are descended from the E'Ash languages. After the fall of the E'Ash civilization, the languages of the Four Earthly Peoples diverged and evolved over a period of 10,000 years during the Infinite War. The languages of the Four Earthly peoples do share some traits with each other, relics from the age of the E'Ash.

It is important to note that, while standard varieties of all these languages exist, dialectical variation is still highly common. All languages have a host of varieties which are often symbols of regional or ethnic identity.

### Human (Ukohan) Languages

The earliest language spoken by Humans upon their arrival to Ditarre was Ukohan. On Ditarre, Ukohan developed into Old Iloisa and Old Metzi (which was likely a descendant of an even older variety of Ukohan). Old Iloisa spread with the expansion of the Iloisa Empire, where it split into distinct Northern and Southern dialect continuums. The Northern varieties gradually developed into **Nokin** and **Uzeb**, spoken in Nokina and Usybork, respectively. The Southern varieties split into **Iloisa** and **Honsinic**, spoken in Ilois and Honsinad. Meanwhile, Old Metzi gradually developed into modern **Metzi** thanks to Uzeb influence.

### Orc (Orcanthi) Languages

Orcanthi was the language brought to the southern Frozen Continent (also known as the Penazaduz subcontinent) by the earliest Orcs. Early Orcs gradually moved south to the southern Garden Continent as well as the Rodadzz Islands and Nen Ren; at this time Orcanthi split into Penaz and Gardenian varieties. Penaz split into Northern and southern varieties as Orcs began to settle the Frozen Continent; the Northern Penaz varieties diverged into **Keghotuhr** in Keghotogh and **Kepeti** in Kepet, while southern Penaz became modern **Penazaduz**, spoken in Orcanth. The Gardenian branch split into Island and Continental divisions, the former of which became modern **Gogeg** and the latter of which evolved into modern **Rodadzi** and **Nennish**. Gogeg and Rodadzi are spoken in Gogeget (although only Gogeg has official status) and Nennish is spoken in Nen Ren. Unlike their Penaz cousins, the Gardenian languages have a relatively high degree of mutual intelligibility.

### Elf (Sehohan) Languages

Early Elves spoke Sehohan and brought the language with them when the moved to the central Garden Continent. As populations of Elves moved westard into Däe and Ditarre, Sehohan diverged into Eastern and Western branches. Eastern Sehohan varieties eventually evolved into modern **Ynoforan**, while western varieties gradually evolved into **Ydelhiad** and **A'Roic**. All three Elven languages now have official status in the A'Roastad Empire, although Ydelhiad is the most widely spoken thanks to the influence of the Däeist religion.

### Dwarf (Noralic) Languages

The Dwarves brought the language of Noralic with them to the Onor Peninsula. Varieties of Noralic split into Mul, spoken in the western half of the peninsula, and Old Onor, spoken in the eastern half of the peninsula. Mul went extinct after the Dwarven Genocide, while Old Onor developed into Middle Onor during the Middle Ages. Middle Onor was eventually taken to the new nation of Nodal; wide geographic separation led to Middle Onor evolving into modern **Onor** and **Nodalonor**, spoken in Norte-Muldox and Nodal, respectively.

### Creole Languages

Creole languages are languages born of the fusion of several other existing languages.

* **Däegic**: a blend of Nodalonor, Iloisa, Ydelhiad, Ynoforan, and Gogeg that developed on the continent of Däegarden after the 40-Year War. Däegic is ubiquitous throughout the continent, and has official status in each of its territories. Despite being the world's largest language, it is usually taught as a second language and has few native speakers. Däegic shares numerous features with the other languages of the world. It is most closely related to Nodalonor, but only by a small margin. Däegic is the lingua franca of much of the southern hemisphere.
* **Imperial Creole**: Referring to several different blends of Ydelhiad, Ynoforan, and A'Roic that developed in the western A'Roastad Empire after the Immortal War. They developed due to a high degree of cultural blending within the A'Roastad Empire, especially in densely populated urban areas, each of which has its own variety. Most Elves use it for daily communication while speaking in one of the country's three official languages during formal occasions, education, or at home.
* **Acadon**: A hybrid of Ydelhiad and A'Roic that formed during the settling of the Acadon Islands. It is mostly spoken by the Acadon, but its use is dying out. Revitalization efforts have taken place to save the language. In the modern era, it is highly influenced by Däegic.
* **Sankari**: A blend of Ydelhiad and Gogeg, spoken by the Sankari people, a group of mixed Ydelhiads and Western Gardenians. The language and the people developed after the 40-Year War, when groups of Ydelhiads remained in an area formerly governed by Däe Ydelhiad that came under Gogeget rule.
* **Vardo:** A blend of Iloisa and A'Roic spoken in the city of Ygasa Vardo and surrounding eras in the Ra'Acen Isthsmus by the Vardo People, a group of mixed Iloisa and A'Roafans. The language and culture developed over centuries of cultural exchange between the city's native A'Roafan population and settlers from the Iloisa Empire.
* **Tulkonic**: A blend of Penaz and Old Iloisa. Also known as Penoisa. It developed when Tulkonism was first brought to the Iloisa Empire. The language is a liturgical language, often used in Tulkonist religious settings, and is the official language of the Tulkonist Council, the governing body of Tulkonism. Council affairs as well as some religious ceremonies in more conservative branches of Tulkonism are conducted using the language. Tulkonic, until the onset of the Immortal War, was the lingua franca of the northern hemisphere and was used by citizens of Tulkonist countries to communicate across borders. Speaking of Tulkonic was outlawed in the territories of the Immortal Empire, so its usage in daily life greatly declined. Keghotuhr and Iloisa, and to some degree Däegic, have gradually replaced Tulkonic as the languages of trade in the region.
* **Baikhalakh**: a blend of a later form of Penaz and Southern Old Iloisa spoken by the Baikhalakh people of southern Keghotogh, in the Baikhalakh region. Its use is declining, as most Baikhalakh have begun to favor Keghotuhr.
* **Western Nokina Creole**: a blend of Nokin and Keghotuhr spoken by the Nokina Creoles of Western Nokina.

### Other languages

The **High Tongue** is a language shared by the Angels and Demons. It is likely that each of those races spoke separate varieties of the language, which had a wide geographic spread during the Infinite War. It is unrelated to any other known language, and is notable for being completely undecipherable by anyone.

## Trivia

* Many of the similarities between mainland Human and Dwarven languages suggest that the two groups may have had close contact during the Infinite War.