Languages

During a session if you wish to speak in a Foreign Language (ie. not High German) then we are using the standard MET rules for indicating that you are doing so. While speaking in a foreign language you should say which language you are speaking in while holding a closed fist with your thumb and little finger extended to form an ‘L’, so that your thumb is touching your chin.

Anyone joining you in speaking that language should also follow the same gesture. Anyone passing by or spying on the conversation can ask OC what language is being spoken in to establish whether they are able to understand the conversation, if you are not able to understand the conversation either you should move to a distance where you cannot hear what is being said or the participants should speak more quietly.

Below is a list of example languages from the period, it is not comprehensive and the column that languages appear in is no reflection of the importance that they will have within the game itself. These are also the active languages of the period, there are other languages not included here, such as a number of dead languages or more literary/religious languages which characters may wish to consider too (eg. Ancient Greek, Sumarian, Aramaic, Sanskrit).

By Rarity:

Common Languages

  • Arabic

  • Bulgar (Bulgaria)

  • Cuman (Hungary and the East)

  • Castilian (Iberia/Spain)

  • Church Slavonic (Literary/Liturgical)

  • Dutch (Friesland)

  • English (Britain)

  • Frankish (Franconia)

  • French (Francia)

  • Gothic

  • Greek

  • Hebrew (Literary/Liturgical)

  • High German (Holy Roman Empire)

  • Knaanic (Poland, Bohemia)

  • Languages d’Oil (Francia)

  • Latin

  • Polish

  • Navarro Aragonese (Iberia)

  • Norman (Francia)

  • Norse (Scandinavia)

  • Saxon

Uncommon Languages

  • Andalusi Arabic (Iberia)

  • Anglo-Norman (England)

  • Armenian

  • Catalan (Iberia)

  • Coptic (Egypt)

  • Cumbric (Britain)

  • Curonian (Baltics)

  • Frisian (Friesland)

  • Galician-Portuguese (Iberia)

  • Galindian (North-East Poland)

  • Irish/Gaelic (Ireland)

  • Lombardic (Northern Italy)

  • Maridi Arabic (Egypt)

  • Mozarabic (Emirate of Cordoba)

  • Old Nubian (Egypt)

  • Occitan (Francia/Holy Roman E)

  • Ruthenian (Eastern Slavs)

  • Selonian (Baltics)

  • Semigallian/Zemgalian (Baltics)

  • Welsh (Britain)

  • Zarphatic (French Jews)

Rare Languages

  • Ahom (Asia)

  • Akkadian (Middle East)

  • Apabhramsa (India)

  • Burmese (Asia)

  • Ancient Egyptian (Egypt)

  • Farsi (Middle East)

  • Fingallian (Ireland)

  • Galwegian Gaelic (Scotland)

  • Guanche (Canary Islands)

  • Gurjar Apabhramsa (India)

  • Japanese (Japan)

  • Khitan (Northeast Asia)

  • Khorezmian (Central Asia)

  • Khwarezmian (Central Asia)

  • Pictish (Scotland)

  • Merya (Rus)

  • Meshchera (Urals)

  • Norn (Orkney and Shetlands)

  • Old Tagalog (Philippines)

  • Ruanruan (Mongolia/China)

  • Shauraseni Prakrit (India)

  • Sudovian (Baltics)

  • Sumerian (Middle East)

  • Tangut (East Asia)

  • Tiberian Hebrew (Middle East)

By Region:

Central Europe

  • Cuman (Hungary and the East - Common)

  • Church Slavonic (Literary/Liturgical - Common)

  • Frankish (Franconia - Common)

  • Gothic (Bavaria - Common)

  • High German (HRE - Common)

  • Knaanic (Western Slavs - Common)

  • Merya (Eastern Slavs - Rare)

  • Polish (Poland - Common)

  • Ruthenian (Eastern Slavs - Uncommon)

  • Saxon (Bavaria - Common)

W. Europe

  • Andalusi Arabic (Andalucia - Uncommon)

  • Castilian (Iberia - Common)

  • Catalan (Iberia - Uncommon)

  • French (Francia - Common)

  • Galician-Portuguese (Galicia - Uncommon)

  • Langues d’Oil (Francia - Common)

  • Mozarabic (Emirate of Córdoba - Uncommon)

  • Navarro Aragonese (Navarre/Aragon - Rare)

  • Norman (Francia - Common)

  • Occitan (Francia/Holy Roman E - Uncommon)

  • Zarphatic (French Jews - Uncommon)

N. Europe/Russia

  • Anglo-Norman (England - Uncommon)

  • Cumbric (Britain - Uncommon)

  • Curonian (Baltics - Uncommon)

  • Dutch (Friesland - Common)

  • English (Britain - Common)

  • Fingallian (Ireland - Rare)

  • Frisian (Friesland - Uncommon)

  • Galindian (South Rus - Uncommon)

  • Galwegian Gaelic (Scotland - Rare)

  • Irish/Gaelic (Ireland - Uncommon)

  • Merya (Eastern Slavs - Rare)

  • Meshchera (Urals - Rare)

  • Norn (Orkney and Shetlands - Rare)

  • Norse (Scandinavia - Common)

  • Pictish (Scotland - Rare)

  • Sudovian (Baltics - Rare)

  • Selonian (Baltics - Uncommon)

  • Semigallian/Zemgalian (Baltics - Uncommon)

  • Welsh (Uncommon)

S. Europe / Mediterranean

  • Bulgar (Bulgaria - Common)

  • Greek (Greece - Common)

  • Guanche (Canary Islands - Rare)

  • Latin (Italy/Liturgical - Common)

  • Lombardic (Northern Italy - Uncommon)

Asia

  • Armenian (Western Asia - Uncommon)

  • Ahom (Assam - Rare)

  • Burmese (Burma - Rare)

  • Khitan (Mongolia - Rare)

  • Khorezmian (Central Asia/Eastern Europe - Rare)

  • Khwarezmian (Central Asia - Rare)

  • Japanese (Japan - Rare)

  • Old Tagalog (Philippines - Rare)

  • Ruanruan (Mongolia/China - Rare)

  • Tangut (Eastern Asia - Rare)

India

  • Apabhramsa (Northern India - Rare)

  • Gurjar Apabhramsa (Western India - Rare)

  • Shauraseni Prakrit (Northern India - Rare)

Middle East

  • Akkadian (Mesopotamia -Rare)

  • Arabic (Common)

  • Farsi (Persia - Rare)

  • Hebrew (Literary/Liturgical - Common)

  • Sumerian (Mesopotamia -Rare)

  • Tiberian Hebrew (Tiberias - Rare)

Egypt

  • Ancient Egyptian (Rare)

  • Coptic (Uncommon)

  • Maridi Arabic (Upper Nile - Uncommon)

  • Old Nubian (Southern Egypt - Uncommon)