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[ Balok | Luktar | Vaasi | Mordentish | Darkonese | Lamordian | Forfarian ]
[ Old Kartakan | Sithican | Tepestani | Rokuma | Patterna ]
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Balok
The predominant language of Barovia, Balok is often described as having thick, guttural consonants and is not particularly pleasant to the ear. It is the language of ethnic Barovians, but is also the primary language of Borca and Invidia. Primary Language in: Barovia, Borca, G'Henna, Invidia Secondary Language in: Hazlan, Kartakass, Richemulot, Sithicus, Verbrek Sample Vocabulary:
The language of the ethnic Gundarakites has alternately been described as having a sing-song cadence or a hive of angry wasps. Primary Language in: ethnic Gundarakites in Barovia and Invidia Secondary Language in: Borca Sample Vocabulary:
This language is described as having harmonious vowels. Outlanders who claim to be from a place called "Faerûn" say that it is a variation of the trade language or "common tongue" of their homeland. Naturally, most people do not take the tall tales of outlanders seriously. Primary Language In: Hazlan, Nova Vaasa, Kartakass, Valachan Secondary Language In: Barovia, Darkon, Invidia, Mordent, Graben Island, Liffe, Sithicus, Tepest, Verbrek Sample Vocabulary:
This language is separated into two distinct dialects with entirely different vocabularies and even different grammar. "High" Mordentish is spoken by the nobility, while "Low" Mordentish is spoken by the common folk. The mingling of these two dialects has created an incredibly flexible language that is widely regarded throughout the world as the language of literature. Primary Language in: Mordent, Dementlieu, Richemulot, Verbrek, Ghastria Secondary Language in: Borca, Darkon, Dominia, Falkovnia, Invidia, Lamordia, Sithicus, Valachan "Low" Mordentish Sample Vocabulary:
"High" Mordentish Sample Vocabulary:
The language of Darkon is both complex and highly structured. It has not spread far from Darkon's borders, but the immense size of the kingdom and its huge population are enough to ensure the significance of the language. Since Darkon has a large demihuman population, many of them mix Darkonese with their racial tongues. Many wizards have found that the precise definitions found in the language make for ideal magical writings. Primary Language In: Darkon, Necropolis Secondary Language In: Falkovnia, Lamordia, Nova Vaasa, Liffe, Dominia, Tepest Sample Vocabulary:
Lamordian is a flat and guttural language which superficially resembles a mixture of Darkonese, Falkovnian, and Mordentish. The Lamordian alphabet has hundreds of sounds such as dipthongs and slurs that would be considered entirely new letters in other languages. Lamordian has euphemistic compound words, odd idiomatic expressions, and a needlessly complex system of tenses and genders. Lamordians are very proud of their language and make it a point to correct foreigners who mispronounce a word or make a grammatical error. Primary Language In: Lamordia Secondary Language In: Darkon, Falkovnia, Dementlieu, Dominia Sample Vocabulary:
Forfarians in Forlorn speak this language in exclusion to any other. Forfarians in other lands are taught this language alongside the native tongue of their adopted homeland. The Forfarian language is often described as "brogue." Primary Language in: Forlorn Secondary Language in: Barovia, Hazlan Sample Vocabulary:
Kartakass possesses its own, entirely distinct language known as Old Kartakan. This difficult language was apparently the common tongue of the Kartakans prior to the Occupation (Kartakans claim that they were once occupied by Invidia), though today it is all but extinct, spoken only by the elderly or to add an air of dignity to formal affairs. In a sense, it has become a language of secrets. Primary Language In: none Secondary Language In: Kartakass Sample Vocabulary:
This elven language is noted for its sibilants, which earns the Sithicans the derogatory nickname of the "hissing elves." To the learned ear, numerous Sithican words and phrases seem oddly dissonant, hinting that they may have been borrowed from languages otherwise unknown in these lands. Primary Language In: Sithicus Secondary Language In: Barovia, Kartakass, Valachan, Verbrek Sample Vocabulary:
The Tepestani language is composed of harsh, phlegmatic sounds, making it sound as if the speakers are constantly clearing their throats. Until recently, it had no written form. Wyan of Viktal has now come up with a written text of the Tepestani language to be used for the Inquisition's court records. Primary Language in: Tepest Secondary Language in: Nova Vaasa, Darkon Sample Vocabulary:
The native language of Rokushima Táiyoo has an open-syllable sound pattern, so that most syllables end in a vowel. In Rokuma, a person's speech depends on his or her present surroundings and his or her social status. Compared to many languages of the Core, Rokuma grammar is relatively simple. Complicating factors such as gender articles and distinctions between plural and singular are missing almost completely. Conjugation rules for verbs and adjectives are simple and almost free of exceptions. Nouns are not declinated at all, but appear always in the same form. It is the written form of Rokuma that many foreigners find difficult. There are no less than three different written forms of the language: two sets of phonetic characters (one for native words, the other for foreign words), and one set of symbolic characters. The language is written vertically, from right to left, another factor which many foreigners find confusing. Primary Language in: Rokushima Táiyoo Secondary Language in: none Sample Vocabulary:
The language of the Vistani is a strange one, being a mixture of the common tongue, several humanoid dialects, and a unique slang, unspoken by any race other than the Vistani. Many non-Vistani find the language maddening, because patterna is conveyed more by context and intonation than by meaning or root words. Many ordinary words in the common tongue have no translations in patterna. In fact, Vistani dialect appropriates non-Vistani words when needed, without interrupting the rythm of speech. Primary Language in: none; only spoken by Vistani Secondary Language in: none; only spoken by Vistani, although Barovia has many non-Vistani speakers of patterna due to the special status the Barovian government has given the Vistani. Sample Vocabulary:
Sources: Ravenloft 3rd Edition Campaign Setting, Ravenloft Gazetteers I-V, Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani |
