Two humans talking in Novigrad, using the language known as Common Speech
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Triss: You're not learning the local Skellige jargon but classical Elder Speech. Ciri: And why am I learning the Speech, tell me? Triss: 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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| - Triss Merigold and Ciri during the latter's studies, pg. 94, Blood of Elves (U.K. edition) | |||
A language is both a method and a system of communication used by sentient races throughout the world. Some became extinct as 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 in the Continent,[2] from Kovir and Poviss in the north, all the way down to Ebbing. After the 16th century however, Nilfgaardian encyclopedists Effenberg and Talbot consider it to be merely "ancient language" of the Empire's northern regions.[3]
Languages[]
- Common Speech
- Dwarvish
- Laith aen Undod[4] (ancestor of Hen Llinge and Ellylon)
- Hen Llinge
- Ellylon
- Gnomish language
- Goblin language
- Nilfgaardian language (descends from Hen Llinge but is considered a separate language)
- Ofiri tongue
- Scholar language
- Temple language
- Vampire language
- Vran language
- Vodyan language
- Werebbubb language
- Zerrikanian speech
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, the 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.[5]