Multilingualism

From Almeopedia

Multilingualism, the use of two or more languages, is very common on Almea. Only very large empires with dense agricultural populations are likely to have large monolingual populations.

Imperial languages in Ereláe

The map at right shows the principle second languages of Ereláe. Within each of the zones shown, the indicated language is likely to be understood by the educated elite, and to be used for administration, travel, and literature. Some complications should be noted.

• Till a few centuries ago the lingua franca in Eretald was Caďinor, not Verdurian, and in some areas (especially scholarship) Caďinor is still preferred. The Caďinor zone extends into western Dhekhnam. Kebreni traders in Dhekhnam use Sarroc.
• Verdurian is widely known in the ports on the Mišicama ocean, including those of Dhekhnam.
• Kebreni is common in Érenat and Moreo Ašcai and is widespread in the northern ports as well as northwestern Arcél.
• The Lenani do not routinely learn Tžuro, as they have their own translation of the Baburkunim; but many do learn it for study or trade.

Even in the homelands of these languages, there is considerable dialectal diversity and the educated are likely to be bidialectal.

Nomads often learn the languages of their neighbors, both nomadic and agricultural. The real champions of multilingualism, however, are hunter-gatherers; the inhabitants of the Rau jungle, for instance, routinely know four or five languages.

Imperial languages in Arcél

In the north, the most widely spoken language is Lé, the language of Belesao. Kebreni is widely used in the northwest.

The lingua franca of the southwest is Fananaki, and of the middle south Uyseʔ, the language of Uytai.

Interpretation

The interpreter is an ancient institution. The most ready supply has always been minority populations. For instance, Érenat and Ismahi long had residents who spoke Kebreni, while the Tžuro relied on native Skourenes to speak with the Uṭandal. Today, the Dhekhnami use natives of Sarnáe to speak with Eretald; likewise Xurno has many citizens who can speak with the neighboring countries.

Merchants from commercial nations often settle abroad; these may indeed largely handle the internal trade of their host nations: Verdurians in Barakhún, Kebreni in various coastal regions, Gurdagor in the Xoranas. In earlier times Cuzeians, Skourenes, and Jei fulfilled similar roles. A colony of such traders was often self-governing and undertook diplomatic missions for the host nation.

Rulers often did not entirely trust these groups, which might have agendas of their own. Some therefore set up schools for learning the languages of their allies or enemies. The Uṭandal assigned some of their own to learn Tžuro; the Verdurians and Érenati have studied Kebreni, Dhekhnami, and Xurnese; the queens of Belesao have encouraged the study of Kebreni.

Often negotiators must have recourse to a third language, with interpreters on both sides. For instance, when queen Andrea visited Xurno, she was obliged to speak (in Verdurian) to a Kebreni interpreter, who spoke to another Kebreni who knew Xurnese, who could then convey the message to her hosts. Similarly, Xurnese in the Xoranas have recourse to Gurdagor rather than the local Ša languages, and relations with Šura are conducted in Uṭandal or Ṭeôši or both.

Diplomats worry, with good reason, that their messages are not translated accurately. Interpreters generally adapt their message to local norms. For instance, the pre-Revaudo Xurnese used to insist that all outsiders acknowledge their universal suzerainty; interpreters routinely added professions of submission to the statements of foreign negotiators, and going the other way, softened the emperors' arrogance. Similarly, interpreters for the Tžuro gave their employers the impression that outsiders accepted the lordship of Jippir.