Alignment Languages?

[Quantarum]

I remember a few AD&D game where it was used, two chaotic characters trying to drive the lawful cleric nuts by pretending to talk about him in front of his face. They passed notes back and forth and the DM forbade him to read them until he was steaming. As a DM I just sort of ignored the rules unless the players brought it up. -Q.

 

[rogueattorney]

Alignment language was 1st edition AD&D

Alignment language was in the original edition of D&D. AD&D came a few years later, and is where things (with regard to alignment language, at least) got all screwed up.

 

[Romtos]

I think you're trying to be funny. But it was originally an actual language with words and vocabulary. The idea that you could only communicate concepts related to the alignment came later.

Which is a rather odd notion, since the vast majority of languages is quite capable of getting across virtually every concept imaginable, or otherwise its users manage to get a replacement word borrowed from another language. Even Latin is constantly being updated with modern notions by the Vatican in order to cover all socio-political issues in their published media.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

I think you're trying to be funny. But it was originally an actual language with words and vocabulary. The idea that you could only communicate concepts related to the alignment came later.

Um... I don't think so. I certainly don't recall alignment languages having been included in OD&D. They first appear as a reference in the 1E AD&D PH where assassins are allowed to learn up to 4 alignment languages and were explained the next year with the release of the DMG which states, "Furthermore, alignment languages are of limited vocabulary and deal with the ethos of the alignment in general, so lengthy discussion of varying subjects cannot be conducted in such tongues."

Unless alignment tongues were implemented prior to that, this was always intended to be limited communication dealing largely with shared moral/ethical concepts. Or so the BOOK says...

 

[Remathilis]

Um... I don't think so. I certainly don't recall alignment languages having been included in OD&D. They first appear as a reference in the 1E AD&D PH where assassins are allowed to learn up to 4 alignment languages and were explained the next year with the release of the DMG which states, "Furthermore, alignment languages are of limited vocabulary and deal with the ethos of the alignment in general, so lengthy discussion of varying subjects cannot be conducted in such tongues."

Unless alignment tongues were implemented prior to that, this was always intended to be limited communication dealing largely with shared moral/ethical concepts. Or so the BOOK says...

Just to sidetrack a moment: I think THAT'S why we have such heated alignment debates on the internet: we all don't speak the same alignment language!

~ Remathilis "Do you speak; Chaotic Evil?" Ooi.

 

[Bregh]

Um... I don't think so. I certainly don't recall alignment languages having been included in OD&D. They first appear as a reference in the 1E AD&D PH where assassins are allowed to learn up to 4 alignment languages and were explained the next year with the release of the DMG which states, "Furthermore, alignment languages are of limited vocabulary and deal with the ethos of the alignment in general, so lengthy discussion of varying subjects cannot be conducted in such tongues."

Unless alignment tongues were implemented prior to that, this was always intended to be limited communication dealing largely with shared moral/ethical concepts. Or so the BOOK says...

Alignment language was part and parcel of OD&D from the very first ruleset.

From D&D vol. I, Men & Magic, p. 12 (c. 1974)
...Law, Chaos, and Neutrality also have common languages spoken by each respectively. One can attempt to communicate through the common tongue, language particular to a creature class, or one of the divisional languages (law, &c). while not understanding the language, creatures who speak a divisional tongue will recognise a hostile one and attack...

 

[Dragonhelm]

I could see where some of the alignment languages could be used. For example, Lawful Neutral is the language of the constabulary, and Lawful Evil is the language of the lawyers and politicians.



In all seriousness, I can see all sorts of regional dialects (i.e. American English vs. the Queen's English) or occupational terminology (i.e. legalese), but to base language on alignment seems odd.

For example, let's take Lawful Neutral. This is a language that could be spoken by a police officer, a judge, or a soldier. While there may be certain similarities, there are also certain differences as well. You can't expect a judge to understand military terminology.

 

[Ambrus]

I think you're trying to be funny.

And failing apparently.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

I think including Abyssal, Infernal, Celestial, etc. was 3.x attempt to bring back alignment languages in a more sensible manner.

 

[tuxgeo]

Um... I don't think so. I certainly don't recall alignment languages having been included in OD&D. They first appear as a reference in the 1E AD&D PH where assassins are allowed to learn up to 4 alignment languages and were explained the next year with the release of the DMG which states, "Furthermore, alignment languages are of limited vocabulary and deal with the ethos of the alignment in general, so lengthy discussion of varying subjects cannot be conducted in such tongues."

Unless alignment tongues were implemented prior to that, this was always intended to be limited communication dealing largely with shared moral/ethical concepts. Or so the BOOK says...

I imagine that some alignment languages are similar to Thieves' Cant: the thieves speak it and the law does not, because that is the whole point: to speak in a way that the Force does not understand, so the cops don't get wise to the schemes of the thieves.
The vocabulary would have to be fairly detailed concerning the running of cons and the pulling of jobs, but need not have any vocabulary at all for tithing in church.
Cockney Rhyming Slang was a good example until its contents and method became widely known. Carney slang could be a weaker example; "mark" means "sucker," "rube" means "customer," etc. The Gypsies spoke Romani, but I don't know whether the law was likely to suspect them of multiple crimes merely from hearing them speak it.
Lawful alignment languages would presumably be filled with words referring to such things as honor, perps, degree of severity of an infraction (misdemeanor vs. felony), hourly billing, and donuts.