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Languages of the Flanaess
Despite the great size of the Flanaess, only six tongues are recognized as actual languages: Flan, Suloise, Ancient Baklunish, Old Oeridian, Common and the Rhennee cant. Rhennee is considered less important in the Flanaess than the other five. A number of dialects exist, but these are not considered languages due to their close similarity to the major languages or their limited numbers of speakers.
The foremost authority on languages in northeastern Oerik is Revort Leyhar at the Grey College of the University of Greyhawk. His 44-volume work, Exegesis of Linguistic Usage by the Flanaess Peoples,, examines each language and dialect in painstaking detail. A brief summary follows.
Major Languages
Flan: The language of the original nomadic peoples of the Flanaess, Flan is the oldest language still spoken in modern times. The current version of Flan, spoken by the Tenhas, has changed considerably from the original. Despite these changes, the language is stagnant and inappropriate for describing modern concepts and technology. The vocabulary and syntax are not nearly flexible enough to express ideas and objects that were unknown to the original speakers.
Suloise: The tongue of the Suel peoples, this language is all but dead, thanks in large part to the Rain of Colorless Fire. The only known modern speakers of Suloise are the members of the Scarlet Brotherhood (where it is the only language permitted within its hierarchy), and the lawyers of Greyhawk. Others who study Suloise do so primarily as a written language in order to study the ancient tomes of the Suel people.
Ancient Baklunish: This language survives among the Paynim tribes and certain clans in Zeif Tusmit and others. It is always used in formal addresses and commercial dealings. Baklunish is one of the roots of modern Common.
Old Oeridian: One of the "younger" languages in the Flanaess, Oeridian was believed to be a pure tongue (having changed very little over the centuries) until Revort Leyhar proved otherwise. In his essays, Leyhar points out that a language as widespread as Oeridian could not have remained free of outside influences. Oeridian is still widely used in the lands of the former Great Kingdom, and is used almost exclusively by scribes, lawyers, clerks and similar professionals. Their critics maintain that the only reason these people still use the old tongue is to exclude speakers of "mere" Common and to maintain a monopoly on their professions. Libraries and archives are filled with official documents and ancient tomes written in Oeridian.
Common: The newest language spoken in the Flanaess, Common is a blend of Old Oeridian and Ancient Baklunish. It is the most widely spoken language in Greyhawk, even among native speakers of other tongues. Anyone who plans to travel across national or cultural boundaries understands the need to speak at least some Common. This language evolved, in part, from the need for translations; certain languages cannot be translated directly to other languages. Common forms the bridge, allowing a language to be translated first into Common, then into the target language. It has become the universal language for trade and diplomacy.
Rhennee Cant: Though usually ignored in most writings or languages, Rhennee cant was studied by Revort Leyhar in some detail, using means he does not describe. He did not group it with other Flanaess languages, instead stating that its roots were of unknown origin but that it was a complete language, not a true "cant.' The private language of the Rhennee has great flexibility and has incorporated many terms and phrases from other Flanaess tongues, particularly Old Oeridian and Common, with many specialized terms borrowed from mariners and thieves. Because this language has so few speakers (only the Rhennee) and may come from another world entirely, it is not considered one of the five “true” tongues of eastern Oerik.
Minor Dialects
Ferral: An Oeridian tribal language, Ferral is now a guarded secret. It is spoken only by officials of the Iron League, and is used primarily for commands and purposes of identification. It is not a true living language, and amounts to little more than a code - a set of signals and labels. Most expressions are discrete: Ferral does not have the capability to mix elements to form new concepts.
Nyrondese: Common is the basis for this dialect, which adds elements from an Oeridian tribal tongue. It is used in Nyrond,, primarily by peasants and shopkeepers.
Fruz (the Cold Tongue): This dialect is primarily Suloise with Flan influences. It is spoken by the Frost, Snow and Ice Barbarians. Even fluent speakers of Suloise find it hard to comprehend.
Velondi: Used only in isolated areas of Veluna and its northern borders this is an Oeridian tribal tongue with no written form.
Keolandish: Spoken in Keoland and surrounding areas, this is a dialect of Old Oeridian. Variations are noticeable from village to village.
Lendorian: This obscure dialect of Suloise was used only in the Spindrift Isles but is nearly extinct at this time. It bears no similarity to Fruz. Spoken primarily by seamen and voyagers, it has an amazing degree of detail with regard to weather conditions and phenomena at sea. It has no written form.
Lendorian Elvish: This complex language is used by aquatic and high elves of the Isles. It is difficult to translate into anything but other elven languages.
Glyphs
An assortment of standard symbols has evolved as a pictorial analog to the Common tongue. While hardly comprehensive, the symbols convey important information to speakers of any language. They are often carved or scrawled in prominent places as warnings of danger nearby. For a drawing of the glyphs, please see the facing page. Many societies, groups and guilds have their own secret rune or glyph languages, as well.
