Throughout The Elder Scrolls, numerous cultural and regional dialects are discussed. These dialects form the world's spoken tongue, and help define its people.
Portrayal[]
Unlike J. R. R. Tolkien, who created entire languages with grammar, syntax, and tenses, The Elder Scrolls has only a few words from each language in its world, and its languages are not conveyed in any great detail. Instead, the tongue in which they are speaking is noted but rendered in English, with added characteristics and flavour portrayed throughout dialogue.
Languages of Tamriel[]
Many languages exist in Tamriel:
- Common Tongue, used predominantly throughout the continent, functioning as the lingua franca of Tamriel. It has minor variations and regional accents, though this does not inhibit communication in any significant way, Redguards can communicate with Nords without difficulty. Common Tongue is a linguistic mix between the Nedic and Aldmeri child-languages.
- Aldmeris, used by the Aldmer of old and was brought to the Summerset Archielago during the Exodus. It has largely been supplanted by the Common Tongue, though a few words remain in every-day vocabulary.
- Ayleidoon, the language of the Ayleid Empire, is a language all but lost to history due to the Alessian Slave Rebellion and the Alessian Order. Traces of it remain in the Common Tongue.
- Dunmeris
- Dwemeris
- Ehlnofex, an dead language of Nirn spoken by the ancient Ehlnofey. Many contemporary Tamrielic languages derive in some way or another from Ehlnofex.
- Jel, used by the Argonians of Black Marsh.
- Old Tongue, including dialects such as Bretic
- Orcish, the language known by many orc strongholds, though most use their own local dialects.
- Trade Talk
Notes[]
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