Difference between revisions of "Languages"

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The languages of the known Galaxy are diverse. While many regional languages exist, there are few major languages which are of particular note for their large number of native speakers and status as official administrative and official species languages by governments and transtellars.
The languages of the known Galaxy are diverse. While many regional languages exist, there are few major languages which are of particular note for their large number of native speakers and status as official administrative and official species languages by governments and transtellars.
The following list features figures for the number of first (L1) and second language (L2) speakers. However, due to large uncertainties in estimating the number of secondary (L2) speakers, these figures should be used with caution.


==Human languages==
==Human languages==


===Tau Ceti Basic English===
'''Sol Common'''
The descendant of 21st century Modern English, Basic English shows notable Spanish influence, while also featuring loanwords from Mandarin and Hindi. Basic English remains one of the six administrative languages of the Sol Alliance. The status of English as the international language of commerce was cemented by the end of the 21st century, despite the United States being eclipsed in power by both India and China. Since then, the majority of English speakers have been non-native, and several dozen partially mutually intelligible local creoles and pidgins were spawned, though this process has slowed with the rise of mass media and widespread literacy.
An agglomeration and blending of Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish, Hindi and Russian with hints of Arabic, Portuguese and Japanese
*est. 35.3 billion native speakers, 41.5 billion total speakers.
*Gained Sol Alliance recognized status in 2158


Following the Great War, Tau Ceti Basic English replaced Modern English as the official standard within the Sol Alliance. It has since become the most common human language amongst Tajarans, Unathi, and Skrell, and is rising to the status of a universal lingua franca.
'''Tau Ceti Basic/Common'''
*est. 15 billion L1 speakers and 14 billion L2 speakers as of 2450 Sol Census.
An offshoot of Sol Common, which incorporates stronger elements  of English, Japanese, Cantonese, Bengali and Arabic, with some French influences.
*est. 43.6 billion native speakers, 49.9 billion total speakers.
*Gained Sol Alliance recognized status in 2246
*The most common language in human space and the official language of commerce in the Sol Alliance and numerous systems  
*The most common language in human space and the official language of commerce in the Sol Alliance and numerous systems  
*Heavily promoted in non-human business schools
*Heavily promoted in non-human business schools


===Sol Common Mandarin===
'''Tradeband'''
A descendant of Standard Mandarin, with elements of several South Chinese languages as well as numerous loanwords from English and Hindi. It is one of the Six administrative languages of the Sol Alliance. Due to Chinese educational policies and urbanization within China in the 20th and 21st centuries, Mandarin became the lingua franca throughout China, displacing several of the less common Chinese languages. As China rose to economic prominence, Mandarin became widely spoken in East Asia, though it failed to displace English on the international stage. It is a secondary language throughout much of the Alliance and among many independent states, due to the cultural and economic influence of China upon the Alliance.
An offshoot of Tau Ceti Basic, which incorporates stronger French, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese and Swiss elements, with some Belgian, Italian and Latin influences
*est. 17 billion L1 speakers and 3 billion L2 speakers as of 2450 Sol Census.
*est. 14.1 billion native speakers, 17.3 billion total speakers
*Taught as a second language in numerous schools throughout the Sol Alliance.
*Gained Sol Alliance recognized legal status in 2317
 
===Tradeband===
An offshoot of Tau Ceti Basic, which incorporates stronger French, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese and Dutch elements, with some Belgian, Italian and Latin influences.
*est. 14.1 billion L1 speakers, 17.3 billion L2 speakers
*A 'flowery, elegant' language, Tradeband is thought to have evolved out of a dialect of Tau Ceti Basic which traders used when bargaining for goods and negotiating prices amongst each other  
*A 'flowery, elegant' language, Tradeband is thought to have evolved out of a dialect of Tau Ceti Basic which traders used when bargaining for goods and negotiating prices amongst each other  
*Prominent in systems that have historically been major centers of trade
*Prominent in systems that have historically been major centers of trade  


===Gutter Hindi===
'''Gutter'''
This dialect of Hindi is suspected to have developed among the refugees of the Martian earth slums in the decades following the Great War and Holocaust. It is a Hindi-based creole, with a vocabulary which heavily borrows from English, Russian, Mandarin, and Malay. It serves as the lingua franca within several Earth Diaspora communities, including the Tau Ceti branch. As a result, it has come to be associated with criminals and miscreants, and its use has been discouraged by several local governments within the Sol Alliance. The use of Gutter Hindi was once a sensitive topic, closely linked to the debate over the Alliance's refugee policy. As of 2430, however, it was officially recognized by the Sol Alliance as a Recognized Minority Language.
An offshoot of Sol Common, which incorporates stronger English, Russian, Punjabi and Hindi elements, with some hints of Swahili
It is mutually intelligible with Hindi and Urdu.
*est. 15.2 billion native speakers, 17.5 billion total speakers
*est. 3 billion L1 speakers, 500 million L2 speakers as of 2450 census.
*Recognized by Sol Alliance as a spoken language in 2321
*A 'rough, informal' language, Gutter is believed to have evolved in Martian slums, quickly spreading throughout the Galaxy
*Prominent in lower-middle to low class settlements across human space, also prominent in regions with high English, Russian, Mandarin and/or Hindi speaking populations


===Other Languages===
'''Terran Languages'''
The rise of machine translation, combined with the relative isolation provided by space colonization, have allowed a variety of languages to survive into the modern day. However, speakers of these languages are still generally proficient in either Sol Common or Tau Ceti Basic.
Over 100 languages native to Earth; relatively unchanged since the 21st and 22nd centuries
*Spanish: 2.8 billion L1 speakers, 300 million L2 speakers.  
* est. 10.4 billion combined native speakers, 11.2 billion total speakers
*Hindi: 3.5 billion L1 speakers, 1 billion L2 speakers.
** Mandarin: 1.3 billion  
*Arabic: 2.5 billion L1 speakers, 300 million L2 speakers.
** English: 985 million
*Portuguese: 1.7 billion L1 speakers, 200 million L2 speakers.
** Spanish: 876 million
*Bengali: 1.3 billion L1 speakers, 100 million L2 speakers
** Russian: 729 million
*Russian: 1.7 billion L1 speakers, 100 million L2 speakers
* Prominent in ethnic enclaves and regions with relatively homogeneous populations
*Japanese: 1.5 billion L1 speakers, 100 million L2 speakers
*German: 1 billion L1 speakers

Revision as of 02:46, 12 December 2014

The languages of the known Galaxy are diverse. While many regional languages exist, there are few major languages which are of particular note for their large number of native speakers and status as official administrative and official species languages by governments and transtellars.

Human languages

Sol Common An agglomeration and blending of Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish, Hindi and Russian with hints of Arabic, Portuguese and Japanese

  • est. 35.3 billion native speakers, 41.5 billion total speakers.
  • Gained Sol Alliance recognized status in 2158

Tau Ceti Basic/Common An offshoot of Sol Common, which incorporates stronger elements of English, Japanese, Cantonese, Bengali and Arabic, with some French influences.

  • est. 43.6 billion native speakers, 49.9 billion total speakers.
  • Gained Sol Alliance recognized status in 2246
  • The most common language in human space and the official language of commerce in the Sol Alliance and numerous systems
  • Heavily promoted in non-human business schools

Tradeband An offshoot of Tau Ceti Basic, which incorporates stronger French, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese and Swiss elements, with some Belgian, Italian and Latin influences

  • est. 14.1 billion native speakers, 17.3 billion total speakers
  • Gained Sol Alliance recognized legal status in 2317
  • A 'flowery, elegant' language, Tradeband is thought to have evolved out of a dialect of Tau Ceti Basic which traders used when bargaining for goods and negotiating prices amongst each other
  • Prominent in systems that have historically been major centers of trade

Gutter An offshoot of Sol Common, which incorporates stronger English, Russian, Punjabi and Hindi elements, with some hints of Swahili

  • est. 15.2 billion native speakers, 17.5 billion total speakers
  • Recognized by Sol Alliance as a spoken language in 2321
  • A 'rough, informal' language, Gutter is believed to have evolved in Martian slums, quickly spreading throughout the Galaxy
  • Prominent in lower-middle to low class settlements across human space, also prominent in regions with high English, Russian, Mandarin and/or Hindi speaking populations

Terran Languages Over 100 languages native to Earth; relatively unchanged since the 21st and 22nd centuries

  • est. 10.4 billion combined native speakers, 11.2 billion total speakers
    • Mandarin: 1.3 billion
    • English: 985 million
    • Spanish: 876 million
    • Russian: 729 million
  • Prominent in ethnic enclaves and regions with relatively homogeneous populations
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