Say It Like You Play It From Elfsperanto to Orcstralian: The Languages of D&D
Jul 26, 2024
Dive into the fascinating languages of Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate 3! Discover constructed languages and their immersive storytelling power. Unpack how diverse species communicate and the complexities of their unique writing systems. Listen as accents, like a half-orc's Australian twang, challenge fantasy stereotypes. Explore secret languages and the creative freedom players experience in shaping their own languages. Finally, see how language influences relationships within the gaming community.
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Constructed Languages Vs. D&D Sketches
- Constructed languages are deliberately invented systems with phonetics, grammar, and history.
- D&D usually provides sketches, not full complete languages, leaving room for player creativity.
Body Shapes Sound Systems
- Physical anatomy of a species constrains its sounds and phonetics.
- D&D entries often describe phonetic flavor tied to a race's body (e.g., beaks produce birdlike calls).
Tools Define Script Shapes
- Writing technology and tools shape a script's visual features.
- D&D maps tools (claws, chisels) to script shapes and stroke biases in its language descriptions.
