Waelan was the native language of the Ffolk.[1][2]
Speakers[]
Waelan was spoken by the Ffolk of the southern Moonshaes,[1] although by 1372 DR the majority of Ffolk in the Isles spoke the Illuskan language of the Northlanders who had invaded their native home.[3]
The Ffolk who had migrated to the Five Kingdoms of the Utter East also spoke Waelan.[1]
Dialects[]
There were two major dialects of Waelan, Proper (spoken in the Moonshaes) and Five Kingdoms (spoken in the Utter East).[4] The two dialects were substantially different from each other as a result of their separation. Five Kingdoms Waelan was comparatively isolated by the Utter East's mountainous borders, yet also influenced by the Northmen settlers who'd accompanied the Ffolk and by corsairs and merchants from across south Faerûn and north Zakhara.[5]
Related Languages[]
The term "Waelan" also referred to the group of languages including Waelan and Cosh, a little-known tongue spoken in the Nelanther Isles.[4]
The two secret druidic languages, Drueidan and Daelic, were derived from Waelan.[4]
Some scholars believed that the ancient Talfir race spoke Waelan,[2] while others claimed that the Talfir had their own separate language of Talfiric,[6][7] which was itself derived from the Draconic language.[2]
Script[]
Waelan and Cosh used the Thorass alphabet; the druidic languages had their own secret script.[8]
Appendix[]
Inspiration[]
Waelan is based on real-life Celtic languages, such as Cornish, Manx, and Welsh.[4]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Thomas M. Costa (1999). “Speaking in Tongues”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #4 (TSR, Inc) (4)., p. 26.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Brian R. James (December 2007). “Grand History of the Realms: The Moonshaes”. Dragon #362 (Wizards of the Coast). Archived from the original on 2009-06-01.
- ↑ Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 106. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Thomas M. Costa (1999). “Speaking in Tongues”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #4 (TSR, Inc) (4)., p. 28.
- ↑ Thomas M. Costa (1999). “Speaking in Tongues”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #4 (TSR, Inc) (4)., p. 29.
- ↑ Mark Anthony (1993). Crypt of the Shadowking. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 1-56076-594-1.
- ↑ Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 108–109. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
- ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 35. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.