Resurrection of the Rhaya Debate

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dutch206:
To my knowledge, the question of what to do about the language Rhaya was never definitively answered. All the Master Atlas says is that Rhaya 'is a language with seven very distinct dialects'.

Consider this: Sky Giants of the Brass Stair, Cloudlords of Tanara, Norek, Demons of the Burning Night, and Quellbourne all contain references to languages spoken in Jaiman.

Question: Does 'distinctly different' mean learning each dialect separately?

Take the real-world example of the Low German language family. English, Dutch, and Afrikaans all belong to this language group. However, I would be hopelessly lost in a conversation with someone from either country.

My choices for Dialects of Rhaya:

1) Quells (Quellbourne)
2) Nore (Spoken in Norek and U-Lyshak)
3) Ranaka (Spoken in Tanara)
4) Zorin (Spoken in the Zor Wastes and Northern Rhakhaan)
5) Nureti (Spoken in the Mellurian States and Southern Rhakhaan)
6) Alaros (Spoken in NE Jaiman)
7) ????

munchy:
Maybe Urulan qualifies as an area where a special dialect formed, mind you, almost all Elven population with their own specific language which might result in a special Rhaya dialect over the centuries in mixed cities!

Vince:
Maybe you can add another one for Meluria separated from Southern Rhakhaan.

But i don't use anything of all this. Players often only speak a pair of languages and with only one Rhaya, it happens a lots of times that a group of 5 players can't talk one same language.

Seven dialects will be too much troubles for playing imho

Walt:
We used a similar system now for quite some time and it works rather well.
Rhaya is seperated into seven quite different dialects:
Rhaya: The "original"
Lyshak: Spoken in the very west of U-Lyshak, many elements of the ancient language developing around Cynar
Zotha: spoken in the northern Provinves of the Rhakhaan Empire, Prevan etc, strongly influenced from ancient Zor
Lethysian: dialect spoken around Lethys, influenced through Erlini
Middle: spoken in the Eastern Part of U-Lyshak, in Terrys version this would be the area of the western marches
Meluri: a difficult dialect to learn, because many influences from all the different tribes of Meluria mixed with many words phrases pf Rhaya
Sarla: the Saralis Version of Rhaya

I integrated a Conversion System (something like Similar Skills)
Somebody with mother tongue "Rhaya-the original" has also picks in the different dialects (read(write):
Lyshak 1/4 - 1/4
Zotha 1/2 - 3/4
Lethysian 3/4 - 4/4
Middle 1/4 - 1/4
Meluri 1/8
Sarla 1/8

So accordingly to this chart the written form of Rhaya is quite the same for the old Midcontinent. But Meluri and Sarla are not included because of different style of writing (or even glyphs)

With this system the Player can communicate with each other and they have some difficulties to communicate in different areas.

Another think what I strongly emphasize are the emotions related to the languages.
For example, the "real" Rhakhaan Zori Nobility speaks Rhaya, even if thei are living in Lethys. All other Zoris speak?n dialect are snooped on, not following the old ways.
Or the Yarthraak-Cult: they discovered for themself the ancient U-Lyshak dialect. Out of this develpd for sure Lyshak, but they use the old version. Gaining followers only to the contribution to the powerful kingdom, seperating Halek and Kier and their "new ways" from the people.

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