Languages of the Orion Spur and how to identify them! [spurtravelguide.net]

DekserBecauseILostMyAccoun · November 27, 2022

Hello! (Salamo Alaykom)

If you're anything like me, you love travelling. So many different worlds, it's hard not to, am I right? Well, unless you don't plan on leaving anywhere that Tau Ceti Basic is spoken. You'll likely be unable to speak the languages of where you visit! Which can be quite a problem. Lets start with the basics, these are the seven official languages (with written language) of the Orion Spur!

-By Aaliyah Amari

Spoiler

Sol Common, Tradeband, Freespeak and Elyran Standard all use the same alphabet in most forms. This makes them easy to learn for Humans! However, alien languages are far less simple, as none of them imitate the Human alphabet. If you are a non-Human looking to study up on Human-languages, click here ((OOC NOTE: cannot actually be used to speak other languages in-game))

Lets start with Sol Common. You will find a snippet text below:

You might notice, despite its familiar alphabet, it's really small! This is not a clerical error, often in writing Sol Common is written with dramatically small characters. Sol Common is spoken in many places, primarily those under Solarian control. It's a notoriously difficult language to learn, (not unlike Tradeband) and almost impossible for most non-Humans due to the intricate and often frustrating pronunciation. Another feature of its difficulty is tones, each word has four of them which can give it a totally different meaning! You can identify Sol Common by its tiny letters, or by use of sounds like "ying" "yeong" "chun" and the like.

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Next we'll move on to Tradeband.

Almost as hard as Solarian to learn but not in the same way! While anyone can learn to speak its alphabet, maybe even master a few hundred words. The trick of Tradeband is vocabulary. Simple words can be easier to learn, thanks to the grammar of Tradeband being somewhat similar to TCB. However its more complex words can be a nightmare to master. And unless you do master the language, most wont respect your ability to speak. Unfortunately. Luckily, reading and writing is far easier than speaking. You can identify Tradeband based similarity to TCB text, and for long, complex words that almost don't seem to fit Human mouths.

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Next up on our list, Freespeak.

Now, wow Freespeak has a lot of subsidiary languages. What it doesn't have, is a lot of education for it online. But luckily for you, the more common forms of the language are very easy to learn! The same cannot be said about pronunciation. Oftentimes the words are rough and coarse on the throat. Now, when it comes to the more unique and complex dialects, coming from deep in the Frontier, it'll get a lot harder to master. In some places, they wont even understand other forms of Freespeak. This is because the language, in all cases. Is very culturally tied. You can identify based on its almost natural italics in writing, and often the coarse and rough words that sound painful to say.

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Finally for Humans, we have Elyran Standard.

Another toughie! (Seeing a trend on Human languages) Elyran Standard is pretty hard because its roots come from a language completely different to that of TCB roots. Its writing here has been converted to TCB alphabet, but in a lot of places in Elyra, they have their own alphabet. Pronouncing the words in Elyran can be hard, but not as tough as Freespeak or Tradeband, only specific sounds get challenging. Otherwise, only its vastly different grammar and writing-style (in its own alphabet) makes it challenging. You can identify Elyran Standard in a TCB alphabet by its use of apostrophes and often its use of sounds like "aulf" or "sha" and the like.

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Lets start with our first alien language, Nral'Malic. A BIG notice before we go further. It is impossible for Humans to learn to SPEAK all of the below languages (barring Siik'maas but I'll get into that). However it is still possible to learn to understand and read in these languages, through much practice.

Made of warbles, croaks, crackles and chirps. Skrellian language is a really beautiful (although unfortunately hard to hear) language. Its pitch is spoken well above the languages of most other species, making some letters out of Human hearing range. Speaking Nral'Malic is impossible for non-Skrell for a few reasons, but primarily because some of their spoken words cause direct emotion on another Skrell (fascinating, right?) Nral'Malic can be identified by its geometric writing and its warble sounds.

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Next is, Siik'maas!

One of the very very few alien languages that a Human could learn to speak (and one that I myself dabble a little bit in). Comprised of mrowls and subtle body movements, it is really difficult for a Human to master, not only because of the alien grammar, alphabet and pronunciation, but because of biological difference. It is said that Humans attempting to speak Siik'maas often sound as if they were drunk. The body movements are vital to the language, but not as much as vocabulary, which is unique in Tajaran languages. Siik'maas can be identified by its square-like letters with occasional jotting lines, and by its mrowled words.

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Last but certainly not least, we have Sinta'Unathi.

Impossible for Humans to pronounce, it is comprised of hisses, rattles and barks. It is the official language of the Izweski Hegemony. One of my favorites, honestly, singing in this language is beautiful. Similar to Sol Common, it has small, compact letters which sometimes connect with each other, learning to write in Sinta'Unathi is difficult but possible! It's at the same level of difficulty as learning to write in Elyran Standard. Sinta'Unathi can be identified with its slithering, curving words and hisses and rattles.

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