Is there a "common tounge" for humans?

[Ten Tigers]

If so what is it. It is my understanding that there are several human languages, but for demihumans there seems to be only one per race. Wolfen speak Wolfen, Dwarves speak Dwarven, Elves speak Elven, and so on. Humans on the other hand seem to be more "culturally diverse" than the other races.

The main point is I want to know what the best language to make my human characters have for their native language.

Remember, I'm looking for broadband here. The character's land of origin is not important at the is point; immigration alone frees up a lot of options...

[Guest]

I recommend Dragonese/Elven as it's one of the most commonly used languages. Otherwise Eastern Human would be good.

[Cranus]

Historically, as per Yin-Sloth Jungles, humanity's original language was Southern. However, Western is a good base. Think latin vs african in terms our language.

As for the other races not having diversity in language, it could be for three reasons:
1) Compared to humans, there aren't as many. Therefore, they've sought a "unifying" language.
2) Not as many spread out, defined geographic reasons.
3) Differences in cultures.

Both 2 and 3 serve as a means for explaining why there isn't a variety of Wolfen languages.

[Veknironth]

Well, first there is no "common" tongue. Second, you can roll your character's background and pick up whichever language that region speaks. Third, if you pikc up an additional language, go for whatever region the campaign will explore.

-Vek
"Fourth, quote yourself."

[Vidynn]

Hi,

there is no common tongue in PF (and thats good), closest thing to it is elven which many educated people (and not only elves) spreak.

if we look at the OCCs of PF though nearly everyone speaks several languages. so its quite alright if someone from the Western Empire speaks Western, Southern and Elven for instance, and someone from the East switches Western for Eastern.

I dont see many language problems in PF, at least for the civilized races.

cheers, V

[drewkitty ~..~]

Elf is the closest thing to a liguas fances that is a part of the PF world.

Because of how spead out the humans are and the naturale bounderies of the world they ended up with several 'common' languages.

[Hibik]

I always figured Elven to be like Latin, commonly spoken by the well learned and in this case, those who travel a lot. That said, those who probably don't adventure/travel much, or aren't terribly rich, might only speak their regional human dialect (or their racial language of choice). While Elven is probably the most commonly spoken, I do believe it's often just a pidgin language, something people speak as sort of an alternative if they can't understand each other's native tongues.

Either way, that's my take on it.

[Omote]

I personally don't use or accept the notion of a "common tongue." Palladium is pretty straight forward with this, The human languages are the most prevalent but each geographical region has it's own language. In my campaign, PCs that speak Western Dialect cannot understand eastern. 2 different languages that developed seperatly. With Dragonese, it is not a "common" language, however it is spoken with rarity in all regions.

.........................Omote

[J. Lionheart]

Like Omote, I neither use nor would be willing to use a common tongue. The regions are different, the languages are different, and either you should make a point to learn them or hire an interpreter. For us, Northern is Bizantium, the Shadow Coast, it's other affiliated colonies, and some of the northern human hermit types; Eastern is the Eastern Territory and their colonies in the disputed lands, as well as Phi and Lopan; Western is the Western Empire, their Ophid's Grassland and Baalgor colonies; Southern is Timiro, South-Winds, and such humans as can be found in the Old Kingdom and Yin-Sloth where human-kind originated.

Between the various members of the group, we speak all the major modern languages, and make a point to acquire magic to speak those we are not familiar with. Don't forget that literacy in these languages is a seperate skill.

[Ted Smythe]

Personally, I think four human languages isn't enough. Modern-day India has hundreds of languages and dialects. Modern-day Spain officially recognizes four Latin-based languages and Basque (which isn't related to any european languages). For a world with several millennia of known history, even one Dwarven langauge and one Elven language is an over-simplification in Palladium.

Unfortunately, if I were going to make my campaign realistic in the respect, my characters would have to speak a dozen languages each to get around.

That's my peso-worth.

[Omote]

Unfortunately, if I were going to make my campaign realistic in the respect, my characters would have to speak a dozen languages each to get around.

...which is the exact reason why many games don't have 100 languages, and those that do have a "common tongue." In my current Greyhawk campaign, I make languages a big deal (of sorts). There are about 30 established languages. The common tongue (which is a "trade" language), players have to make various skill rolls when trying to understand each other... I don't do this all of the time, for role-playing and game mechanics purposes, but when PCs are talking trade, money, or trying to understand details, then is when the appropriate language rolls come into play. The idea is not to bog down play, but make it a bit more "realistic." I use this same system (minus a "common" language) in all of my palladium games as well. It works, and my players don't seem to mind.

.........................................Omote