Re New Pelorian and the Empire

From: Svechin_at_...
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 17:09:26 EDT


I wrote:
> >New Pelorian is the linguistic expression of the Empire and its various
> >forms.

Peter commented:
> That's Dara Happan. New Pelorian is the linguistic expression of the
> Lunar Way while Dara Happan is the language best suited to expressing
> order and other institutions of the Empire.

In Dara Happa, this is undoubtedly so, but the Lunar Empire has managed to maintain its hegemony over Peloria by not dominating the cultures and states within its control with a foreign language and system but by incorportating them with Lunar inclusiveness.

At this level the Empire and the Lunar Way are indivisible because only the Lunar Way provides the enlightenment to hold such a dispirate and unruly set of peoples together. New Pelorian is the lubricant for imperial communication, it is not culturally specific and therefore does not offend or dominate other sub-cultures which have ancient (mostly unpleasant) histories with Dara Happa or Carmania.

Though I may be biased with regard to the analysis of this process and its success...

Dara Happan would be the language of the bureacracy for sure but the higher level govt functions are performed in New Pelorian, the Imperial court speaks New Pelorian as do most of the Satrapal courts, though they also speak the language (usually) of the major culture within their bounds.

> I suppose that as one speaks Dara Happan better, they become more anal.

Ha! I like that. Perhaps a good idea would be to make the persons skill in Dara Happan to be linked directly with their skill in Know Ones Place in Society.

Martin Laurie

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