LanguagesMost people other than complete isolationists or pre-contact civilisations speak the lingua franca of their regional superpower—Imperial Standard (Empire) or Lizard (Tribe). People who are not members of the dominant culture also speak one or two regional languages. Members of the Warrior caste are taught the lizard language via hypno-learning. Lizards who spend a lot of time interacting with humans get a language implant. Learning the standard Imperial language (the normal way) is usually compulsory on human vassal planets, although loyal Patrician families are sometimes rewarded with hypno-bundles. The trade language is a pidgin language spoken by dockworkers and other hired labourers on every sufficiently cosmopolitan space station, and to a limited extent by anyone who has had dealings with them. It has many words and phrases for "dock", "biohazard", "this way up", "strike", "toggle antigravity", "wage dispute" and so on, but is less suited to poetry or the discussion of advanced astrophysics. |