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.

Nomenclature

The careful reader may notice that a single entity in the GREYHAWK campaign - be it a person, place or thing - may have several similar‑sounding names in different products. Folk common and learned, great and small, tend to disregard linguistic precision in everyday speech. Some of the many variations in nomenclature used across the Flanaess follow. Variations like these may be used in game play by players to give more flavor to the campaign. The volume you hold uses the most commonly accepted nomenclature when identifying people and places.

Some changes are minor. The Merchants' and Traders' Union of Greyhawk is also called the Union (or Guild) of Merchants and Traders. The Union of Moneychangers and Pawnbrokers is sometimes called the Union of Moneylenders and Pawnbrokers, as this union makes loans to guilds and individuals. The Knights of Holy Shielding are also called the Knights of the Shield or the Knights of the Holy Shielding. The Spindrift Isles are lately called the Lendore Isles, though Lendore Isle is actually only the largest island of the cluster.

The problem is worse when talking about states and peoples in singular, plural and possessive forms. Persons from the Kingdom of Nyrond are Nyrondese, Nyrondel, Nyrondal, Nyronders, Nyrondians or even Nyrondish. Persons ftom Onnwal (also spelled Onwal, Onwall or Orinwall) are Ormwalers, Ormwalans or Ormwalish. People of the Kingdom of Sunndi are Sunnd, Sunndi, or Sunndians; those of Sterich are Sterish or Sterichers. The Oeridian tribe that founded the Kingdom of Aerdy was the Aerdi or Aerdy. Persons from Greyhawk are Greyhawkers or Greyhawk folk; those from the Duchy of Tenh are Tenha, Tenhas or Tennese. Elves from the Spindrifts are sometimes called Lendorian or Lendorese.

The names of the human races are subject to many variant spellings. The Flan are also Flannae or Flannish; the Suloise are also Suel or Suelites; the Oeridians are also Oerids. A few racial names change little in any form (an example: "A Rhennee wearing Rhennee armor joined those other Rhennee and left on that Rhennee barge").

Certain enhancements, such as adding “Town” after the name of a village or city (for example, Hardby Town), are not uncommon. Terms for communities (hamlet, village, town, city) are casually applied even in formal speech and writing. Safeton, Narwell, Hardby and Elmshire might be called villages by those who hold thern in low esteem, or cities by those who think them important. They are in fact towns.

Some "creative spelling" is inevitable in such a massive setting as the Flanaess - or "Flaness," as some write it. Keoland becomes "Keoghland: 'Urnst becomes "Ernst," and so forth. Personal names are subject to some creative spelling as well. Sevvord Redbeard, the grim Master of Stonehold, is "Seuvord" in some sources. Lord Baron Lexnol of Ratik is 'Archbaron Lexol" to some. Ewerd Destron, the szek of Onnwal before the Greyhawk Wars, became "Elverd"; Duke Karll of Urnst became "Karl"; and the mysterious Mage of the Vale, Jaran Krimmeeah became "Jason Krimeah" in several sources. Misspellings can be repeated unknowingly in later works, causing careful scholars to pull out their hair. The actual name of the Lord Mayor of the City of Greyhawk, for instance, is Nerof Gasgol, but when his last name is pronounced the "o" sounds like an "a" (Gasgal), and that is what everyone thinks his name is when they write it out. He has long ago given up trying to correct the error, so it remains Gasgal herein.

Old names may change, but they never die. Nyrond was once known as "Nehron," after the Oeridian tribe that settled there, and the latter spelling shows up even today. (Nehron eventually became Nyrond, the name of a noble house allied with Rax until Nyrond declared independence.) The Hold of Stonefist is now Stonehold, but many call it by its old name; its inhabitants, once called Holders or Stonefisters, are now Stoneholders (or Fists, though this properly means only the war bands).

Similarly, the Great Kingdom of Northern Aerdy and the United Kingdom of Ahlissa have alternate names; many still call this region "The former Great Kingdorn," regardless of the current political situation. No one is sure what to call the regions once known as the Duchy of Tenh and the Hold of the Sea Princes, given their civil chaos and internal military conflicts. The Duchy of Geoff, invaded by giants and humanoids almost a decade ago, is still called that by everyone except the invaders.

Murlynd, the most peculiar Quasi-Deity known, was called Murlon or something similar (but not Merlin!) during his mortal life; variant spellings appear in many works. Zagyg the demigod is often called the Mad Archmage or identified by his mortal name, Zagig Yragerne. The castle Zagig built is variously called Castle Greyhawk, Greyhawk Castle, the ruins of Greyhawk, the Greyhawk ruins, the dungeons of Greyhawk, Zagiis Folly and so forth.

In short, the nomenclature of the Flanaess is like everything else in this fascinating land: vivid, varied and full of surprises.