Quartz 4

Eldaran

8 min read

The development and spread of Eldaran (Common) from humanity’s emergence to its current status as the universal trade language.

Origins on Aelarion

The Birth from The Ythraewyn (Year 1 of Era of Chaos)

When humanity emerged from The Ythraewyn on Aelarion, they possessed no language of their own. Unlike the other races created by the Aevari, who were born with linguistic instincts tied to their creators, humans were born from the cosmic tension between Almariel, Lady of Light and Vorthar, The Dark Weaver - and thus began with no predetermined cultural framework.

The first humans learned to communicate through a mixture of:

  • Elvish - from their elven teachers and neighbors
  • Dwarvish - from dwarven craftsmen on the island
  • Primordial elements - natural sounds and intuitive vocalizations
  • Gestural systems - before developing full spoken language

The Synthesis Period (Years 1-150)

Over the first 150 years on Aelarion, humans developed what would become Proto-Eldaran - a creole language that synthesized elements from all the languages they encountered:

Elvish Influence:

  • Grammatical structure for complex ideas
  • Musical quality in pronunciation
  • Philosophical and abstract terminology
  • Formal register for diplomacy

Dwarvish Influence:

  • Technical vocabulary (metalwork, stone, engineering)
  • Directness in communication
  • Time-keeping terminology
  • Runic influences on early writing

Halfling Influence:

  • Colloquial expressions
  • Food and comfort-related vocabulary
  • Flexible, informal grammar structures

Primordial Influence:

Unique Human Innovation:

  • Rapid evolution to match faster lives (3. The Shortening)
  • Efficient communication for quick decision-making
  • Vocabulary for balance and duality concepts
  • Terms for uniquely human experiences

The Great Exodus (Years 150-300)

Dialectical Divergence

As humans spread across Eldara, the Shimmering Veil during 1. The Great Exodus, Proto-Eldaran began fragmenting into regional varieties:

Northern Dialect (Kingdom of Vanguard Reach):

  • Retained more Elvish influence from forest interactions
  • Developed military terminology
  • Crisper, more clipped pronunciation
  • Heavy influence from giant-language in Morvanyir Mountains region

Eastern Dialect (Kingdom of Lenthir):

  • Extensive agricultural vocabulary
  • Incorporated terms from steppe wildlife
  • Flowing, melodic quality suited to wide-open spaces
  • Influenced by wind and distance (calling across fields)

Western Dialect (Sylmaran Ruins):

  • Scholarly and contemplative register
  • Preserved archaic forms from Aelarion period
  • Developed extensive medical and philosophical terminology
  • Slower, more deliberate pacing

Maritime Dialect (Caernast):

  • Nautical terminology from dwarven and elven sailors
  • Direct, practical communication style
  • Incorporated words from distant trading partners
  • Weather and navigation-specific vocabulary

Mystical Dialect (Noldruun):

  • Heavy borrowing from Ethyric for magical concepts
  • Developed unique terms for arcane phenomena
  • Influenced by crystal resonances and magical energies
  • Most formal and ritualistic variant

The Unification Movement (Years 250-300)

During the 2. The Golden Founding, scholars recognized that dialectical drift threatened to split humanity linguistically. The Council of Five Crowns sponsored the Eldaran Standardization Project:

Key Figures:

  • Master Linguist Aeliana Wordweaver (Noldruun) - led the project
  • Chronicler Aldwin Greyquill (Lenthir) - documented all regional variants
  • Diplomat Helena Bridgeweaver (Sylmaran) - negotiated acceptable standards
  • Representatives from each kingdom contributed

Standardization Process:

  • Collected vocabulary from all five kingdoms
  • Identified core words vs. regional variations
  • Established standard spelling using Eldaran script (adapted from Elvish)
  • Created first comprehensive Eldaran Dictionary (Year 287)
  • Published Grammar of the Common Tongue (Year 291)

Results:

  • Standardized High Eldaran for official documents and diplomacy
  • Preserved regional dialects for local use
  • Created educational materials for teaching standard form
  • Established pronunciation guides

The Golden Age (Years 300-1200)

Eldaran as Trade Standard

During humanity’s Golden Founding, Eldaran became the de facto trade language across the continent:

Factors in Adoption:

  • Human merchants dominated trade routes
  • Faster human communication needs matched quick trade
  • Flexibility allowed easy borrowing of technical terms
  • Non-humans found it easier to learn than maintaining multiple languages

Spread Beyond Humans:

  • Dwarven merchants learned Eldaran for surface trade
  • Elven traders adopted it for human commerce
  • Halfling communities used it alongside their native tongue
  • Even orcs in border regions developed pidgin forms

The Grand Library Movement:

  • Major texts translated into Eldaran
  • Sylmaran’s Silent Libraries maintained Eldaran reference works
  • Noldruun’s scholars published magical research in Eldaran
  • Caernast’s Navigator’s Consortium created Eldaran maritime manuals

Literary Flourishing

Major Works in Eldaran:

  • The Chronicles of Five Crowns - official histories
  • Songs of the Ythraewyn - epic poetry about human origins
  • The Agricultural Treatises - Lenthir’s farming knowledge
  • Meditations on Balance - philosophical works
  • The Navigator’s Tales - Caernast adventure stories

The Era of Chaos (Years 1200-2800)

Linguistic Fragmentation

As human kingdoms turned inward and broke ties with other races:

Isolationist Changes:

  • Anti-elven sentiment led to purging of Elvish loanwords in some regions
  • Technical terms from dwarven sources deliberately replaced
  • Aggressive “human-first” language movements
  • Regional dialects strengthened as kingdoms stopped communicating

Noldruun Destruction (Year ~2400):

  • Loss of premier linguistic scholars
  • Destruction of comprehensive dictionaries and grammars
  • Magical terminology preserved only in fragments
  • Mystical dialect effectively extinct

Sylmaran Fall (Year ~2500):

  • Loss of historical language documentation
  • Ancient texts destroyed or scattered
  • Medical and philosophical terminology degraded
  • Western dialect became isolated

Corruption of Meaning:

  • Words for “cooperation” and “alliance” gained negative connotations
  • Terms borrowed from other races considered “contaminated”
  • Military vocabulary expanded dramatically
  • Language of diplomacy withered

Preservation Efforts

Monastic Orders:

  • Order of the Flowing Stream maintained pre-war texts
  • Sanctuary Monasteries preserved linguistic knowledge
  • Monks continued teaching standardized Eldaran
  • Hidden libraries protected from nationalist purges

Kingdom of Aelarion:

  • Maintained original Eldaran standards
  • Refused to adopt isolationist linguistic changes
  • Continued teaching all language influences
  • Became refuge for linguistic scholars

The Era of Conflict (Years 2800-4000)

Damage Assessment

By the beginning of the Era of Conflict, Eldaran had suffered:

  • Loss of 30-40% of Golden Age vocabulary
  • Regional dialects drifted to near-mutual unintelligibility
  • Standard written form fragmented
  • Ancient pronunciation lost

Pantheon Wars Impact:

  • Divine conflict required cross-kingdom communication
  • Mutual intelligibility problems hindered cooperation
  • Desperate need for standardization recognized
  • Religious vocabulary from The Alorama and The Nyx entered common speech

the Covenant of Divine Order Effect (Year 4200)

The Assembly of Mortal Realms required a common diplomatic language:

Re-standardization Project:

  • Aelarion scholars led restoration effort
  • Recovered pre-war dictionaries from monastery libraries
  • Established New Eldaran Standard (Year 4210)
  • Created simplified version for rapid learning
  • Published throughout surviving kingdoms

Changes from Golden Age Eldaran:

  • Simpler grammar (complex cases dropped)
  • Shorter average word length (faster life pace)
  • More direct communication style
  • Extensive divine/magical vocabulary from Covenant era
  • Military and diplomatic terms from conflict period

The Era of Repose (Year 4200-Present)

Modern Eldaran

Current Status:

  • Universal trade and diplomatic language
  • Required learning in all human kingdoms
  • Most non-humans speak at least basic Eldaran
  • Regional accents persist but mutual intelligibility high

Contemporary Dialects:

Vanguard Eldaran:

  • Military precision in word choice
  • Clipped, efficient pronunciation
  • Heavy state magical college influence
  • Formal and structured

Lenthir Eldaran:

  • Agricultural metaphors dominate
  • Slow, clear pronunciation (field-calling heritage)
  • Most conservative dialect (resistant to change)
  • Traditional pronunciation preserved

Aelarion Eldaran:

  • Considered the “proper” or “high” standard
  • Maintains most Golden Age vocabulary
  • Scholarly and diplomatic register
  • Taught as standard in academies

Caernast Eldaran:

  • Maritime vocabulary extensive
  • Quick, practical communication style
  • Most borrowings from dwarven and foreign languages
  • Cosmopolitan and evolving

Regional Variations:

  • Orc border regions: Simplified Eldaran-Orcish pidgin
  • The Greenfell: Eldaran-Halfling mixture
  • Underdark trade posts: Undercommon-influenced Eldaran

Writing System

Modern Eldaran Script:

  • Derived from Elvish but simplified over time
  • 26 letter alphabet (matching D&D Common)
  • Standardized spelling established in Year 4210
  • Regional spelling variations considered incorrect

Literacy Rates:

  • Urban areas: 40-60% (depending on kingdom)
  • Rural areas: 10-25%
  • Nobility: 90%+
  • Merchants: 70%+

Written Materials:

  • Government documents (required by law)
  • Trade contracts and records
  • Religious texts (translated from liturgical languages)
  • Literary works
  • Personal correspondence (among literate)

Vocabulary Statistics

Word Origins in Modern Eldaran:

  • 35% Pure human innovation
  • 25% Elvish derivatives
  • 15% Dwarvish loans
  • 10% Divine/liturgical terms
  • 5% Halfling contributions
  • 5% Technical terms (various sources)
  • 5% Other (Draconic, Giant, borrowed foreign words)

Most Common Loanwords:

  • Elvish: Abstract concepts, nature terms, art/culture
  • Dwarvish: Tools, metals, engineering, timekeeping
  • Halfling: Food, comfort, social relations
  • Ethyric: Magical terminology (via technical necessity)
  • Divine: Religious and philosophical concepts

Contemporary Issues

Prescriptivism vs. Descriptivism

Conservative Scholars (mainly Aelarion):

  • Advocate preserving Golden Age standards
  • Resist new borrowings and slang
  • Maintain complex grammatical structures
  • Publish style guides and corrections

Progressive Linguists:

  • Argue language must evolve with speakers
  • Document regional variations without judgment
  • Accept new coinages and borrowings
  • Study actual usage patterns

Regional Tensions

Vanguard Reach:

  • Prefers technical precision over flowery language
  • Looks down on “sloppy” rural dialects
  • Takes pride in military-influenced directness

Lenthir:

  • Views Aelarion dialect as pretentious
  • Maintains agricultural metaphors are “authentic”
  • Resistant to urban linguistic changes

Aelarion:

  • Considers itself guardian of “proper” Eldaran
  • Views regional variations as degraded
  • Publishes authoritative dictionaries

The Living Language

Despite scholarly debates, Eldaran continues evolving:

  • New words coined for new technologies (artificer inventions)
  • Magical terminology expands with research
  • Regional slang spreads via trade routes
  • Youth language innovates constantly
  • Cross-cultural marriages create household dialects

Future Trajectory

Modern Eldaran shows signs of:

Simplification Trends:

  • Complex verb tenses falling out of use
  • Formal pronouns declining
  • Sentence structures becoming more direct
  • Vocabulary streamlining (synonyms being lost)

Expansion Areas:

  • Technical vocabulary growing (magical research, artificer craft)
  • Religious terminology diversifying
  • International borrowings increasing
  • Youth slang evolving rapidly

Preservation Efforts:

  • Aelarion academies teaching historical forms
  • Monastery libraries maintaining ancient texts
  • Scholarly publications documenting changes
  • Language education improving literacy rates

Eldaran Today

As the Third Era progresses, Eldaran remains:

  • The universal trade language - essential for commerce
  • The diplomatic standard - used in international negotiations
  • The common tongue - spoken by majority as first or second language
  • A living, evolving system - constantly changing with its speakers

From its humble origins as a creole on Aelarion to its current status as Eldara’s linguistic bridge, Eldaran embodies humanity’s essential nature: synthesis, adaptation, and the creation of common ground from diverse influences.

See also: Languages of Eldara for overview of all languages, Ethyric for magical language

Graph View

Backlinks