D&D General Languages suck in D&D.

[Clint_L]

My pet peeve is languages like "dwarvish" and "orcish." Languages don't really work that way. That's why there are no "humanish" language. So I resolve it pretty much as OP states: languages are regional and there are a lot fewer of them that are widespread, and then maybe distinct languages for isolated communities. However, I think Common actually makes sense - in a setting with as many distinct sentient species and cultures as D&D supposes, I imagine there would be a lot of pressure to come up with some mode of near-universal communication.

That said, realism is seldom my main rationale for gameplay decisions in D&D, since the premises of the entire game are so wildly unrealistic in so many ways that there isn't much point in picking any one hill to die on - it's whatever floats your boat. Occasional, a language barrier becomes a plot point but there's no way I would, as some do, have party members struggle to talk to each other because of language challenges. That just doesn't seem like much fun at the table - am I going to refuse to let those players talk and plan together on the premise that their characters couldn't? I feel like it would harsh the vibe.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

My pet peeve is languages like "dwarvish" and "orcish." Languages don't really work that way. That's why there are no "humanish" language. So I resolve it pretty much as OP states: languages are regional and there are a lot fewer of them that are widespread, and then maybe distinct languages for isolated communities. However, I think Common actually makes sense - in a setting with as many distinct sentient species and cultures as D&D supposes, I imagine there would be a lot of pressure to come up with some mode of near-universal communication.

That makes sense to me. It's why English has become a sort of de facto "common" in the late 20th century into this first quarter of the 21st, reinforced by the technological platform of the internet.

 

[GrimCo]

I like languages as a spice. In our campaign, there is common which would be latin ( old empire that spanned whole continent was very rome like). Now, every kingdom has it's own language, which all stem from latin (like romance languages, same root, but evolved over time with influences from other languages like dwarven, gnomish, halfling). So people from different kingdoms understand each other on the basic level, but higher echelons of society still use latin, priests and wizards have their own dialect ( think ecclesiastic latin vs classical latin). Only racial language still existing in it's pure form is elven, since they are highly isolationist island people that live for centuries ( and consider themselves better than everyone).

Fun thing about closely related languages is they are easier to understand in writing than in spoken form. I learned latin and italian in HS and later spanish. I could understand written text better cause they written form is somewhat similar, but they have different pronunciation and accents. On the other hand, dialects can be PIA. In school we learned standard croatian. But, there are couple distinct dialects and when people from different regions speak in dialects, sometimes they have trouble understanding each other, even when they technically speak same language.

 

[mrpopstar]

I agree with the sentiment that the handling of languages leaves something to be desired. The idea that globetrotting, multiverse-porting characters who live in species-integrated worlds are able to pick up multiple languages is a fine level of abstraction, I'm simply curious as to why there are species-specific languages if all other species-level culture has been stripped from the core game. For example, wouldn't it make sense for Elven to be folded into the much broader Sylvan? If you think about it, the exotic languages are in fact regional languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Primordial, and Sylvan all ultimately originate in the planes—and that makes sense.

Common makes sense for all those who live beneath the sun, Undercommon makes sense for all those who live underground, Draconic makes sense as something ancient and exotic, etc., but the list could really use some reorganization and updated lore.

And characters shouldn't know so many languages. This is another area where chipping away at spell caster resources should come into play.

 

[Sorinth]

My pet peeve is languages like "dwarvish" and "orcish." Languages don't really work that way. That's why there are no "humanish" language. So I resolve it pretty much as OP states: languages are regional and there are a lot fewer of them that are widespread, and then maybe distinct languages for isolated communities. However, I think Common actually makes sense - in a setting with as many distinct sentient species and cultures as D&D supposes, I imagine there would be a lot of pressure to come up with some mode of near-universal communication.

In most D&D game worlds Humans are by far the most populous species and cover pretty much the whole world with only small pockets for other races. So Common as the Human racial language is a pretty standard default assumption. If you want to travel anywhere on the surface world you pretty much have to travel through human controlled lands, so adopting the human racial language as a secondary language would simply make sense for other races.

 

[Micah Sweet]

In most D&D game worlds Humans are by far the most populous species and cover pretty much the whole world with only small pockets for other races. So Common as the Human racial language is a pretty standard default assumption. If you want to travel anywhere on the surface world you pretty much have to travel through human controlled lands, so adopting the human racial language as a secondary language would simply make sense for other races.

Seriously, why the heck would there even be a single language that virtually all humans (and most others) speak? Common as used in D&D makes no sense at all.

 

[Belen]

I am using the fact that there are over 10 languages with no core design on spread nor additional rules.

A party of 4 can't cover all Standard Languages.

And if you count rare languages as 1/2, a party of 4 who all choose not to overlap still has a 35% chance of not knowing what someone says.

And that's before you count languages that are not on the standard or rare list or planes that have additional languages.

So the use of language in D&D even in 5th edition is purely Mother May I.

They should have kept the 3e rule that you get additional languages based on intelligence modifier.

 

[Belen]

My current campaign uses regional dialects.

1. Therian:Trade Language, Therian Empire
2. Ashke: Ten Towns, Common
3. Ossian: Elder Ossia, Common tongue of the Northern Alkebulan continent
4. Cymrian: Common tongue of the Cymrian states
5. Tallan: Common tongue of the Tallian Empire
6. Abnobian: Common tongue of the Mon Abnoba region
7. Arelyn: Elven regional (summer elf)
8. Feren: Elven regional (winter elf)
9. Dwerren: Ancient dwarf/ undercommon

I also still use 3e rule for int modifier and Comprehend Languages gets a lot of use.

 

[Voadam]

Seriously, why the heck would there even be a single language that virtually all humans (and most others) speak? Common as used in D&D makes no sense at all.

Greyhawk is set on a geography fairly close to the United States and Canada with a history of a vast generally historically unified but now fallen empire.

Common as English works for me as an American.

 

[Minigiant]

Seriously, why the heck would there even be a single language that virtually all humans (and most others) speak? Common as used in D&D makes no sense at all.

Because then.theyd have to reconcile why there is only 1 language for the other major races.

D&D already has too many languages for a game with no concrete social mechanical subsystem

D&D with its lack of hard mechanics should only have 5 languages

1. Common
2. Runic (Dwarvish, Giant, and Orcish are dialects
3. Sylvan (Elvish and Goblin are dialects)
4. Primordial (the four element languages are dialects)
5. Astral ( abyssal, celestial, infernal, axiomatic, anarchic are dialects)

Maybe just add Draconic for flavor.