Languages

Many languages are spoken, or have been spoken, throughout the world of Gielinor. Though most characters speak a language usually referred to simply as the "common tongue," many more are encountered by the player, or are referred to by other characters.

The common tongue is spoken by the vast majority of Gielinor's races and nations. Although many races do possess their own languages and dialects, many of these have been forgotten or been made rarer in recent years. This may be partially due to the more peaceful relationships between civilizations since the Fourth Age, when interaction between many races became more common.

Because the frequent use of many different languages would negatively effect gameplay, the common tongue is presented to the player in the language they themselves select when logging in, such as German or French.

Mahjarrat Language
Main Article: Mahjarrat

The Mahjarrat race is known to possess a language of its own, which it brought to Gielinor from Freneskae in the Second Age. Perhaps because the race has been so deeply involved with other races during its time in Gielinor, the Mahjarrat are usually observed to speak the common tongue, even amongst themselves.

The language is apparantly incomprehensible to the human mind, causing physical damage and even insanity to those that hear it. Similar effects can be observed in the language of the stalker race, although there exist no other known similarities between the two. The only word known to have been directly derived from the Mahjarrat language is that of their home world, Freneskae. However, it is extremely difficult to approximate the language in the common tongue, and so alternate spellings and pronounciations such as Feneskrae, Freneskrae or Freneskæ have been used in the past.

Old Gnomish
Main Article: Old Gnomish

Old Gnomish is a language traditionally spoken the gnome race. It was used regularly by the gnomes of the Gnome Empire up until the late Fourth Age, when the race began to experience more regular interaction with other races. Today, few gnomes still speak Old Gnomish as a first language. Hazelmere, a gnome hero of the late Fourth Age, was known to regularly speak the language even into the modern day.

The language may draw some influence from the Latin language, as atleast one Old Gnomish term, Anima Mundi, is a Latin phrase meaning "the soul of the world."

TzHaar Language
Main Article: TzHaar Language



The TzHaar that inhabit Karamja Volcano still regularly speak the TzHaar Language, which was developed by the race during their long isolation during the Second, Third, and Fourth Ages, while they remained isolated from the surface. Since the race re-established open contact with the surface in the Year 169 of the Fifth Age, the language has been studied by humans, although thus far with only minor success.

The TzHaar are unique in that they possess the ability to pass their knowledge directly on to their ancestors. As a result, the minimal contact they had with the surface during their almost complete isolation was enough so that several TzHaar were able to learn the common tongue. This has been passed on to the TzHaar of today, who will speak the common tongue to those visiting the city.