Master list of languages used in Mythic Europe?

Games Discussion Ars Magica
21

Hmm... Is that an error in RoP:tD that should have an erratum? I've got Biblical Aramaic already, and I could add a note. Here is why I say this:

For many centuries, from at least the time of Jerome of Stridon (d. 420), Biblical Aramaic was misnamed as "Chaldean" (Chaldaic, Chaldee).[11][12][13] That label remained common in early Aramaic studies, and persisted up to the nineteenth century.[14][15][16] The "Chaldean" misnomer was consequently abandoned, when further research showed conclusively that the Aramaic dialect used in the Hebrew Bible was not related to the ancient Chaldeans and their language.[17][18][19]
(from Biblical Aramaic - Wikipedia )

Now, I do need to add a few ArM5 languages like Amazon, Jotun, and Adamic.

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22

Now, I do need to add a few ArM5 languages like Amazon, Jotun, and Adamic.

Lets not forget the Hyperborean. Interestingly enough, for that Mythical Language we have a stated proximity to Greek to work with.

23

We're not the ones who speak funny. :wink:

Seriously, that probably has as much to do with idiomatic expressions than actual pronunciation. Some regions also have more pronounced accents then others, and the level of education also has a big impact.

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24

As an actual Cajun, I would have to ask are they speaking English or Cajun English? Because the first you just run into their accent as difficulty, while with the second lots of things make no sense even if you understand the words and it gets worse with the odd bits from Cajun French thrown in.

How many people understand what "Making groceries" or "Get down" means? They mean Go grocery shopping and Let out of vehicle.

If told to "Save the [object]", you are being directed to store it in its proper place. So "Save the dishes" means put them in the cabinet.

If someone says "Come see", they are saying come here and don't actually have something for you to look at.

"Shut face" means to be quiet, even if you weren't talking. It sounds like "shoe fae". The phrase "Sit butt and shut face" means sit still and be quiet, sounding like "See twa eh shoe fae". It is specific to Cajun English, with words that sound completely different in Cajun French.

How about "Pass a" [time] (sounds like "pass'ah"). That means Hang out/spend time together. The most commonly mentioned online is "pass a good time", though the [time] could be nearly anything from units (hour) to things like spell.

A "yea" at the end of an action answer is common as a counter-question requesting participation. So if you asked someone what they were doing and they answered "gone fishing yea", they are saying they are going fishing and offering participation to you.

Several sounds are clipped or dropped, making some things very hard to understand. “Dis,” “dat,” “dese,” and “dose” for "this", "that", "these", and "those". Hair is "air" and hand is "and", since the "H" sound is commonly dropped. Is and are are not commonly used ("what you do" or "what you doing" instead of "what are you doing"). "For" is used instead of "at" when discussing time.

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25

I admit, I am quite curious to learn what alphabet is used for Adamic.

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26

Ancient Magic p.24 discusses it.

27

Nothing will change my mind: the Jotun language should be part of the Finnic group, as much of their mythological beings were giants (Kalev, Kalevipieg, Suur Tõll...) thereby binding the Scandinavian and Finnic pantheons together, much as Finnic and Norse tribes got involved in each other's business in the (early) medieval period.

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28

I believe in Ars Magica terms Cajun English would be considered an accent, not a separate language, so the comparison still holds.
Only part I understood when listening was "I guarantee"

29

Justin Wilson (the "I guarantee" guy) was actually not Cajun or Acadian. Go figure he is the person everyone thinks of when they hear Cajun and he wasn't one. My uncle Jim Soileau is actually the most widely known Cajun French speaker and was "the voice of the Cajun heartland" for over 50 years when he died. He hosted "Live from Fred's Lounge", which had world wide syndication for ~30 years.

Cajun English is classified as a dialect. Technically it is a hybrid of English and Cajun French, serving as an "in between" that came about when the primary language was changing from the later to former. Non-speakers will actually often think that the person is speaking some weird French with the odd English thrown in.

In the little area of Louisiana I grew up in, you had English, Cajun English, Cajun French, Acadian French, Louisiana Creole, and Parisian French all spoken. Today there are almost no native speakers of true Cajun French left (Silent Generation and older), with what most people calling "Cajun French" being Acadian French. This came about became the government actually tried to kill off Cajun French for decades, before making a reverse around 1980 and trying to bring it back. Not enough young native speakers were left, so they hired speakers of the closest dialect to serve as teachers in schools.

Comparing Cajun English verse modern "Cajun French" (Acadian French) results in lots of dissimilarities as well. This is because Cajun English came about from true Cajun French transitioning to English, so many of the French origin words in it are different from modern "Cajun French" and Parisian French.

When I visited France I had to speak English because none of the people there could understand my Cajun French and I speak very minimal Parisian French.

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