Galarian

Galarian is a widespread language which had its origins from the region of Galar. It is also the demonym for anyone from Galar (and to some extent the Crown Tundra). It began its spread outside the region with Galarian explorers and colonists. Thanks in no small part to the Galarian Empire, Galarian became a world language. At present, it is the primary language of Galar, Unova, Orre, Angela, and Alola.

History

The languages of Old Galar were varied, though they all came from the same general subfamily of languages. What most people now know as Galarian began with the language brought over by later settlers from a different region, who ruled over the indigenous Galarians. Where these two populations mixed, the new language emerged, while areas where the influence of the invaders was less present kept their original languages. The areas that now spoke Galarian eventually came under the rule of nobles from Kalos, which later peppered the dialect and vocabulary of the upper classes with Kalosian-derived words and phrases. The resulting divide created a prestige register for the Galarian language, now mostly spoken in the wealthier parts of Wyndon.

As the Galarians established the empire, they spread their language around. They also came to adopt many words in the cultures they ruled over. Parts of the empire that broke off, such as what would later become Unova, would develop their own dialects in splendid isolation.

Dialect Diversity

Specific mutually intelligible dialects of the Galarian language (often reductively dubbed as "accents") can be found across the globe. They sound remarkably distinct from region to region. Within Galar is a wide range of dialects that vary from Freezington to Wyndon. Some people from Kalos also adopt a Galarian accent, though others speak the language in a distinctively Kalosian one. The Freezington dialect of modern Galarian sounds quite similar to the Postwick one to outsiders, and the two are frequently mistaken for one another.

Other Languages of Galar

Although the most common and de facto official language of the Galar region, Galarian isn't the sole indigenous language there (nor is it the first). Specific areas have their own languages. One of these languages is Armourese, still spoken in the Isle of Armor. Other areas with their own languages include Spikemuth and the Crown Tundra, though until recently they've been largely displaced by modern standard Galarian. In Freezington, a language similar to Galarian is spoken alongside a very distinctive dialect of modern Galarian.

Trivia

• It is basically the WAAPTverse version of English, replacing the angle-bracketed version of the language upon the announcement trailer of Pokémon Sword and Shield.
• Although the RP itself is primarily written in English, Galarian is not presumed to be the default language anyone is speaking unless otherwise specified.
• The history of the Galarian language mimics that of modern English.
• The languages of Galar mirror the actual linguistic diversity of the United Kingdom:
  • The language in Spikemuth is analogous to Welsh.
  • The language of the Crown Tundra is based on Scottish Gaelic, while Freezington has a language analogous to the Scots language and a dialect of Galarian mirroring Scottish Standard English.
  • Armourese, the language of the Isle of Armor, is analogous to Manx.