Posted by Philip Newton on 1:03 12/12/01
In reply to: Belshai inhabited by non-humans? posted by Philip Newton on 19:42 12/11/01
Mark wrote:
there is no national language. It's not just multilingual; there is no single ruling class or dominant ethnic group.
I presume each semi-autonomous canton has a dominant ethnic group, however, and that government would take place in the language of that group. But isn't there also some de facto common language which is used to co-ordinate things between the different cantons?
The atlas page for 3220 states that the different cantons are "united for purposes of defense and trade". Is there a common trade language? Or perhaps a pidgin of some other language? Or do any two cantons just pick a mutually convenient language?
I imagine there must be provisions for some sound of inter-cantonal Grand Council (for example, to discuss actions to be taken against an impending attack from another nation), at which presumably one language is spoken. Unless, of course, the situation is similar to that at the United Nations, where each delegation has its own interpreter to tell the ambassador what each speaker is saying.
Cheers,
Philip.
There are at least half a dozen languages spoken in Belshai. There really is no common language, but multilingualism is common, and the most-spoken languages are (forms of) Sevisre and Lenani. Educated people may also know Tzhuro or Xurnese. So it's not very hard to get national business done, or do some trade.