Nenneke: You're not learning the local Skellige jargon but classical Elder Speech. Ciri: And why am I learning the Speech, tell me? Nenneke: So that you know it. It's fitting to learn things you don't know. Anyone who doesn't know other languages is handicapped. |
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- Nenneke and Ciri during the latter's studies, Blood of Elves |
A language is both a method and a system of communication used by sentient races. Some became extinct as the time passed, and its native speakers replaced it with a different one.[1]
From the 8th into the 14th century, Common Speech was considered the most widespread language,[2] from Kovir and Poviss in the north, all the way down to Ebbing. By the 16th century though, it is considered an endangered or even dead language.[3]
Languages[]
- Common Speech
- Scholar language
- One Speech ("Laith aen Undod")
- Ellylon
- Elder Speech ("Hen Llinge")
- Dwarvish
- Gnomish language
- Goblin language
- Sea dialect
- Vampire language
- Vran language
- Vodyan language
- Werebbubb language
- Nilfgaardian language
- Ofiri tongue
- Skellige jargon
- Zerrikanian dialect
Writing systems[]
- Dwarven runes and ideograms – used in the Dwarvish
- Elder Runes – used in the Elder Speech and the dryad dialect
- First Runes – used earlier in the Common Speech
- Modern alphabet – used later in the Common Speech (and at times other languages too)
Notes[]
- In Netflix's The Witcher, development of Andrzej Sapkowski's fantasy languages is handled by David J. Peterson, known for creating spoken Dothraki and High Valyrian for HBO's Game of Thrones.[4]