Difference between revisions of "Common Tongue"
(→Language) |
|||
Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
:'''Example 2''': ''"She don't know me,"'' he said, ''"but I knows her, oh, yes...I says, come."''{{ref|AGOT|50}} | :'''Example 2''': ''"She don't know me,"'' he said, ''"but I knows her, oh, yes...I says, come."''{{ref|AGOT|50}} | ||
− | Regional accents can lead someone to determine where a person has been born.{{Ref|agot|26}} This is not limited to the regions of [[Westeros]] (i.e., the [[north]], [[riverlands]], [[westerlands]], [[Reach]], [[Vale]], [[Crownlands]], [[Iron Islands]], and [[Dorne]]),{{Ref|agot|26}} but also specific cities.{{Ref|adwd|57}}{{Ref|adwd|66}} The largest difference within the [[Seven Kingdoms]] can be found in [[Dorne]], where the Common Tongue is marked by the influences of the language of the [[Rhoynar]].{{Ref|adwd|1}}{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} This influence can be found all over Dorne,{{Ref|adwd|1}} but most strongly among the salty [[Dornishmen]],{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} who have the most Rhoynish blood.{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne}} The Dornish speak with a Dornish drawl,{{Ref|affc|0}}{{Ref|affc|20}}{{Ref|affc|45}} stretching, rolling, or lilting some words.{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} Some describe the Dornish speech as charming.{{Ref| twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} | + | Regional accents can lead someone to determine where a person has been born.{{Ref|agot|26}} This is not limited to the regions of [[Westeros]] (i.e., the [[north]], [[riverlands]], [[westerlands]], [[Reach]], [[Vale]], [[Crownlands]], [[Iron Islands]], and [[Dorne]]),{{Ref|agot|26}} but also specific cities.{{Ref|adwd|57}}{{Ref|adwd|66}} [[Tyrion Lannister]], for example, notes that he has a westerlands accent. Thus when flees to the Free Cities, he tries to evade suspicion by saying he is a noble's bastard son and grew up in [[Lannisport]] in the westerlands - citing that the local accents of Lannisport, [[Oldtown]], and [[King's Landing]] are distinct enough that he doesn't think he could convincingly adopt one of the other two accents.{{ref|ADWD|14}} |
+ | |||
+ | The largest difference within the [[Seven Kingdoms]] can be found in [[Dorne]], where the Common Tongue is marked by the influences of the language of the [[Rhoynar]].{{Ref|adwd|1}}{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} This influence can be found all over Dorne,{{Ref|adwd|1}} but most strongly among the salty [[Dornishmen]],{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} who have the most Rhoynish blood.{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne}} The Dornish speak with a Dornish drawl,{{Ref|affc|0}}{{Ref|affc|20}}{{Ref|affc|45}} stretching, rolling, or lilting some words.{{Ref|twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} Some describe the Dornish speech as charming.{{Ref| twoiaf| Dorne: Queer Customs of the South}} | ||
==Quotes== | ==Quotes== |
Revision as of 02:09, 13 February 2018
The Common Tongue, sometimes called the Common Speech of Westeros,[1] is a language commonly spoken in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. There are regional accents,[2][3] but these do not result in a lack of comprehensibility.
While some free folk who live beyond the Wall understand the Common Tongue, many clans instead speak local languages.[4] The Thenns, for instance, speak the Old Tongue and can only speak a few words of the Common Tongue.[5]
Language
The Common Tongue is the language spoken by the people of the Seven Kingdoms.
A difference in speech can be observed between the highborn and lowborn of the Seven Kingdoms.[6][7][8][9] These differences can be found in the sound of their speech,[8][2][10] but also in the use of specific phrases and words. An example is the use of "my lord" by nobles, but "m'lord" by peasants.[11] According to Lord Roose Bolton, peasants pronounce "m'lord" as if they have mud in their mouths.[11] Although the degree of which it is used differs greatly between the common born, the lowborn patois can be seen in multiple further instances:
- Example 1: "She ast me to, m'lord," Mycah said. "She ast me to."..."It's not no sword, it's only a stick."[12]
- Example 2: "She don't know me," he said, "but I knows her, oh, yes...I says, come."[13]
Regional accents can lead someone to determine where a person has been born.[2] This is not limited to the regions of Westeros (i.e., the north, riverlands, westerlands, Reach, Vale, Crownlands, Iron Islands, and Dorne),[2] but also specific cities.[14][15] Tyrion Lannister, for example, notes that he has a westerlands accent. Thus when flees to the Free Cities, he tries to evade suspicion by saying he is a noble's bastard son and grew up in Lannisport in the westerlands - citing that the local accents of Lannisport, Oldtown, and King's Landing are distinct enough that he doesn't think he could convincingly adopt one of the other two accents.[16]
The largest difference within the Seven Kingdoms can be found in Dorne, where the Common Tongue is marked by the influences of the language of the Rhoynar.[17][18] This influence can be found all over Dorne,[17] but most strongly among the salty Dornishmen,[18] who have the most Rhoynish blood.[19] The Dornish speak with a Dornish drawl,[20][21][8] stretching, rolling, or lilting some words.[18] Some describe the Dornish speech as charming.[18]
Quotes
"I swear it," she said in the Common Tongue of the Seven Kingdoms that by rights were hers.[22]
- Daenerys Targaryen to Jorah Mormont
- thoughts of Tyrion Lannister
References
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 38, The Watcher.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 26, Jon IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 37, Brienne VII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 15, Jon II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 26, Jon III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 1, Jaime I.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 25, Davos III.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
- ↑ The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 2, The Captain Of Guards.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 15, Sansa I.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 50, Arya IV.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 57, Tyrion XI.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 66, Tyrion XII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 14, Tyrion IV.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 1, Tyrion I.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Queer Customs of the South.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Prologue.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 20, Brienne IV.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 72, Daenerys X.