Daenerys and how many languages she speaks

[Rosetta Stone]

I have a keen interest in languages.  In the books, I favor multi-lingual people llke Missandei, Jorah, Daenerys, and Viserys.  Missandei wins this contest because she speaks so many.  How many languages do the following characters speak?

1. Daenerys
2. Missandei
3. Jorah
4. Viserys
5. Mellissandre

[Darth Sidious]

1 hour ago, Rosetta Stone said:

I have a keen interest in languages.  In the books, I favor multi-lingual people llke Missandei, Jorah, Daenerys, and Viserys.  Missandei wins this contest because she speaks so many.  How many languages do the following characters speak?

1. Daenerys - At least three.  See my response under the Daenerys Targaryen's Power Plays topic.
2. Missandei - a lot
3. Jorah - Two, the common tongue and Dothraki.
4. Viserys - At least two.  Common tongue and High Valyrian.
5. Mellissandre - Asshai and the Common tongue.

 

[Lady Dacey]

Don't forget Arya 

First we have to stablish the languages that exist in universe. We have, geographycally:

- the Common Tongue (from Westeros)

- Dothraki language (Dothraki sea)

- Ghiscari (Slaver's bay) edited: Meereenese, a 'mongrel tongue' of Old Ghiscari and High Valyrian

- Summer's Islands language

- High Valyrian (from Old Valyria, it's pretty much a dead tongue, but most high borns in Westeros learn some of it, and probably the Targaeryans speak it among themselves, as Daenerys refers to it as her mother tongue. "Bastard Valyrian" works as a lingua franca in some situations) 

- Pentos, Braavos, Lys, Myr and Tyrosh and Volantis all have distinc languages derived from Valyrian. They are referred as different langagues in universe. While it's possible to infer there might be some sort of understanding between people who speak those languages, we must assume they are languages and not dialects. I think of it as Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French for example, all coming from Latin (High Valyrian analog), and there are some quotes to support this claim. 

Many times Martin chooses not make clear which language the characters are using. When Daenerys holds court in Meereen, which language does she use? When she dines with the Green Grace, or talks to Daario? It's probably high or bastard Valyrian. She probably speaks to Barristan and Jorah in the common tongue. When Jorah has a negotiation with the Widow of the Waterfront Tyrion can follow the entire conversation, but we know he doesn't undertand a lot of Volantene (he could only grasp a few words of the red priest's preaching). It's not always clear what language characters are speaking. So, here we go:

1) Daenerys speaks High Valyrian (mother tongue) the Common Tongue and Dothraki 

2) Missandei speaks a lot of lenguages. Let's assume Naathi (mother tongue), Ghiscari, High Valyrian, the Common Tongue 

3) Jorah speaks the Common Tongue (mother tongue), Dothraki, Volantene or bastard Valyrian (he understands what the Benerro is preaching in Volantis) 

4) Viserys speaks High Valyrian and the Common Tongue. Maybe bastard Valyrian. 

5) who knows. Common Tongue and 'Volantene' for certain... 

6) Arya speaks the Common Tongue (mother tongue), Bravoosi (as well as to pass for a native), 'pidgin harbor tongue', and she's been working on her High Valyrian (she started to learn in Westeros as most high borns) and learning the languages of Tyrosh and Myr as well.  

 

[The Lord of the Crossing]

Daenerys and how many languages she speaks?

Daenerys and her brother traveled through the Free Cities for quite a number of years.  I have to assume she can speak the languages of the cities.  Dany is said to have a slight Tyroshi accent.  So that's one language.  Dothraki of course.  The Common Tongue of Westeros.  High Valyrian, the language of her people.  Very soon she can add Ghiscari to this list.  A half-dozen languages with varying degrees of fluency is a good guess.

[Lady Dacey]

I also love langagues and linguistics <3 here are some quotes to consider:

Tyrion:

Quote

He had learned to read High Valyrian at his maester's knee, though what they spoke in the Nine Free Cities … well, it was not so much a dialect as nine dialects on the way to becoming separate tongues. Tyrion had some Braavosi and a smattering of Myrish. In Tyrosh he should be able to curse the gods, call a man a cheat, and order up an ale, thanks to a sellsword he had once known at the Rock. At least in Dorne they speak the Common Tongue.

In Pentos:

Quote

Tyrion began his explorations with the kitchen, where two fat women and a potboy watched him warily as he helped himself to cheese, bread, and figs. "Good morrow to you, fair ladies," he said with a bow. "Do you know where whores go?" When they did not respond, he repeated the question in HighValyrian, though he had to say courtesan in place of whore. The younger, fatter cook gave him a shrug that time.

So a cook in a manse Pentos is able to undertand some High Valyaria. Than in Volantis:

Quote

 

"Do you have a girl who speaks the tongue of Westeros?" asked Tyrion. The proprietor squinted, uncomprehending, so he repeated the question in High Valyrian. This time the man seemed to grasp a word or three and replied in Volantene. "Sunset girl" was all the dwarf could get out of his answer.

Volantene is Probably farther away from Valyrian than Pentoshi then. 

Samwell:

Quote

Outside the Foghouse several serpent boats were tied up awaiting patrons, and Sam tried to ask the polemen if they had seen a singer all in black, but none of the polemen understood his HighValyrian.

Quote

No sooner had he entered, flushed and out of breath, than a one-eyed woman threw her arms around his neck. "Don't," Sam told her, "I'm not here for that." She answered in Braavosi. "I do not speak that tongue," Sam said in High Valyrian. There were candles burning and a fire crackling in the hearth. Someone was sawing on a fiddle, and he saw two girls dancing around a red priest, holding hands. The one-eyed woman pressed her breasts against his chest. "Don't do that! I'm not here for that!"

But a Bravoosi whore doesn't undertand High Valyrian, neither do the polemen. That might be Sam's fault, or it may mean Braavosi is quite distant from HV. That is more likely, we get the following from Arya:

Quote

Arya only knew a few words of Braavosi, the ones that were the same in High Valyrian. 

That is some time later:

Quote

Supper was for language lessons. The blind girl understood Braavosi and could speak it passably, she had even lost most of her barbaric accent, but the kindly man was not content. He was insisting that she improve her High Valyrian and learn the tongues of Lys and Pentos too.

I guess I was wrong about "Ghiscari" being a lenguage in slavers bay:

Quote

The lesson began with languages. Young Griff spoke the Common Tongue as if he had been born to it, and was fluent in HighValyrian, the low dialects of Pentos, Tyrosh, Myr, and Lys, and the trade talk of sailors. The Volantene dialect was as new to him as it was to Tyrion, so every day they learned a few more words whilst Haldon corrected their mistakes. Meereenese was harder; its roots were Valyrian as well, but the tree had been grafted onto the harsh, ugly tongue of Old Ghis. "You need a bee up your nose to speak Ghiscari properly," Tyrion complained. Young Griff laughed, but the Halfmaester only said, "Again." The boy obeyed, though he rolled his eyes along with his zzzs this time. He has a better ear than me, Tyrion was forced to admit, though I'll wager my tongue is still more nimble.

But it's not so clear. This is Tyrion about the slave action:

Quote

Some bids were called out in HighValyrian, some in the mongrel tongue of Ghis. A few buyers signaled with a finger, the twist of a wrist, or the wave of a painted fan.

And this is Quentyn:

Quote

A gruff voice answered through the door, growling something unintelligible in the mongrel tongue of Slaver's Bay, an ugly blend of Old Ghiscari and High Valyrian. The prince answered in the same tongue. "Freedom."

And here Missandei asserts the masters will be able to speak (High?) Valyrian in Astapor:

Quote

"Missandei, what language will these Yunkai'i speak, Valyrian?"

"Yes, Your Grace," the child said. "A different dialect than Astapor's, yet close enough to understand. The slavers name themselves the Wise Masters."

 

[Ser Duncan of Flea Bottom]

2 hours ago, Rosetta Stone said:

I have a keen interest in languages.  In the books, I favor multi-lingual people llke Missandei, Jorah, Daenerys, and Viserys.  Missandei wins this contest because she speaks so many.  How many languages do the following characters speak?

1. Daenerys
2. Missandei
3. Jorah
4. Viserys
5. Mellissandre

Daenerys speaks the Common Tongue, High Valyrian and Dothraki

Missandei speaks tenths of languages

Jorah speaks the Common Tongue and Dothraki

Viserys spoke the Common Tongue and High Valyrian

Melisandre speaks the Common Tongue, High Valyrian and the Language of Asshai, it is possible she knows more, but we don't know it yet, as she became a POV character, we will get to know her better.

I don't know if anyone actually speaks Ghiscari, Slaver's Bay's People speak a mix of Ghiscari and Valyrian, but it is not pure Ghiscari.

[The Lord of the Crossing]

4 minutes ago, Shadow of Asshai said:

I don't know if anyone actually speaks Ghiscari, Slaver's Bay's People speak a mix of Ghiscari and Valyrian, but it is not pure Ghiscari.

I see.

[Only 89 selfies today]

On 2/4/2018 at 6:46 PM, Rosetta Stone said:

I have a keen interest in languages.  In the books, I favor multi-lingual people llke Missandei, Jorah, Daenerys, and Viserys.  Missandei wins this contest because she speaks so many.  How many languages do the following characters speak?

1. Daenerys
2. Missandei
3. Jorah
4. Viserys
5. Mellissandre

1. She speaks five that we know of.  Valyrian (High), Ghiscari (modern mix of Ghis and Valyerian), Dotharki, Tyroshi, and Westerosi (Common Tongue).  Maybe we can add Qohorik to her resume.
2. Countless.  She's a walking computer.
3. Westeros' common tongue, Dothraki, Pentoshi.  Three that we know.
4. Almost as many as Dany, minus the Dothraki. 
5. Asshai, Westerosi, Valyrian. 

 

[direpupy]

On 2/5/2018 at 0:46 AM, Rosetta Stone said:

I have a keen interest in languages.  In the books, I favor multi-lingual people llke Missandei, Jorah, Daenerys, and Viserys.  Missandei wins this contest because she speaks so many.  How many languages do the following characters speak?

1. Daenerys
2. Missandei
3. Jorah
4. Viserys
5. Mellissandre

1. The common tongue, High Valyrian,  Bastard Valyrian with a Tyroshi accent (this seems to be the trade tongue or trade talk mentioned in the books), Dothraki, and she is learning Ghiscari (the modern version based on a mix of High Valyrian and Old Ghiscari) and because she has spent her life in the Free Cities she might have some knowledge of there languages especially because they are based on High Valyrian which she knows.

2. She was used as a translator and seems to have been trained by her former masters specifically for that role so obviously she has a talent for languages and would know all they important ones for trade.

3. The common tongue, Dothraki and he seems to speak several of the languages of the free cities like Volantene and Tyroshi.

4. The common tongue and High Valyrian, possibly some of the languages of the Free Cities because of his time spent there.

5. Asshaii, The common tongue, High Valyrian and possibbly more.

[Yukle]

I had the impression that Viserys considered it beneath him to learn anything but High Valyrian. He never bothered learning Dothraki, despite the clear advantages it would have provided to him. I can imagine him bullying Dany into learning it so she can translate for him, but is there any indication that he spoke anything but High Valyrian? I don't even recall him specifically speaking the Andal common tongue.

[Rufus Snow]

On 2/4/2018 at 11:46 PM, Rosetta Stone said:

I have a keen interest in languages.  In the books, I favor multi-lingual people llke Missandei, Jorah, Daenerys, and Viserys.  Missandei wins this contest because she speaks so many.  How many languages do the following characters speak?

1. Daenerys
2. Missandei
3. Jorah
4. Viserys
5. Mellissandre

Good question, Rosetta (and with that name I guess your interest in languages is not surprising )

 

On 2/5/2018 at 1:21 AM, Lady Dacey said:

- Pentos, Braavos, Lys, Myr and Tyrosh and Volantis all have distinc languages derived from Valyrian. They are referred as different langagues in universe. While it's possible to infer there might be some sort of understanding between people who speak those languages, we must assume they are languages and not dialects. I think of it as Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French for example, all coming from Latin (High Valyrian analog), and there are some quotes to support this claim. 

Yes, this is very much how I see it in the Free Cities - they are the successor states to a fallen Empire in the way much of Europe is to Rome, so their languages are analagous. From what Tyrion says, the languages still seem to be somewhere on the arc from being just 'vulgar Latin' (Bastardised Valyrian) to fully-developed Romance tongues (like Portuguese, French, Italian, yadda yadda). The odd one out being Braavosi which seems to have the lowest content of High Valyrian, if we accept Arya's comments. Probably for two reasons, both of which derive from its founding by escaped slaves: first is the resentment against the overlords' language, even though it might be the only common reference between some escaped slaves, and the second is the huge diversity of peoples involved - some of whom were freed en route to Valyria so were never actually taught High Valyrian. So here we might see something similar to the difference between Brazilian and European Portuguese, due to Brazil's wider ethnic mix and the history of slavery and escape from it.

1 hour ago, Yukle said:

I had the impression that Viserys considered it beneath him to learn anything but High Valyrian. He never bothered learning Dothraki, despite the clear advantages it would have provided to him. I can imagine him bullying Dany into learning it so she can translate for him, but is there any indication that he spoke anything but High Valyrian? I don't even recall him specifically speaking the Andal common tongue.

Viserys is a difficult one, but I suspect he did have the Common Tongue as he was, what, eight? when he left Dragonstone. As a Targ heir he would NEED it to be able to boss around all his subjects. I mean, there's no fun being mean to people if they can't understand what you're calling them

What really got to me was that it must have been Viserys who taught Dany her High Valyrian, as they probably wouldn't have had access to much in the way of tutelage when they were doing the rounds of the Free Cities. But on second thoughts, perhaps it was still spoken amongst the high and mighty as a 'court language' in Essos.

It raises the question of what languages Illyrio spoke - he probably had the Common Tongue because Arya could understand his conversation with Varys in the tunnels after her cat-hunting exploits. Although it's possible that could have been High Valyrian as we know Arya had a touch of that as well (seems like it was taught to 'educated' people in Westeros, probably much as Latin is in the real world still), in which case it makes it more likely that Dany could have had it from other sources beyond Viserys.

The position with Old Ghiscari is more complex, and I think the closest analogue to our world is ancient Greek - it has left successor languages around Slavers' Bay but the pure form is probably only known to a few academics. Current 'Slavers' Bay Ghiscari' seems to have a similar role to koine Greek forming a bridge between the Roman Empire and the occupied territories in the former Empire of Alexander and his Successors.

Melissandre has at least three:
 

Quote

 

A Clash of Kings - Davos I

Hundreds had come to the castle gates to bear witness to the burning of the Seven. The smell in the air was ugly. Even for soldiers, it was hard not to feel uneasy at such an affront to the gods most had worshiped all their lives.

The red woman walked round the fire three times, praying once in the speech of Asshai, once in High Valyrian, and once in the Common Tongue. Davos understood only the last. "R'hllor, come to us in our darkness," she called. "Lord of Light, we offer you these false gods, these seven who are one, and him the enemy. Take them and cast your light upon us, for the night is dark and full of terrors." Queen Selyse echoed the words. Beside her, Stannis watched impassively, his jaw hard as stone under the blue-black shadow of his tight-cropped beard. He had dressed more richly than was his wont, as if for the sept.

 

 

[Foot_Of_The_King]

I've always wondered about this. Like what about characters like Barristan? Is he fluent in Ghiscari? I've always brushed the thoughts away, thinking that it was just for the plot to run smoothly. 

[Walda]

On 2/10/2018 at 3:58 PM, Foot_Of_The_King said:

Barristan? Is he fluent in Ghiscari?

He wondered how much they [Quentyn et al] understood of what was being said. Even he could not always make sense of the mongrel Ghiscari tongue the slavers spoke, especially when they were speaking fast.

(ADwD, Ch.59 The Discarded Knight)

and
The Shavepate muttered something in Ghiscari, then said, “As you wish. Though we will rue your old man’s honor before this game is done, I think. (ADwD, Ch.67 The Kingbreaker)

So, not fluent, but passable. Unless he is listening to the Shavepate, where it would be better he were fluent. GRRM has already made it clear that Ghiscari is a dead language, so I think he means for us to interpret the people who call spoken language 'Ghiscari' as being culturally distant - the way a north American might describe other Americans as  'Latino' regardless of the language they speak.

There are two spoken languages 'Ghiscari' could be - the type of low Valyrian spoken in Slaver's bay (called Meereenese, Yunkaii, Astapori  to people like Tyrion, but just 'Valyrian' to Dany and Missandi) and the slaver argot, which is most likely a colloquial version of the low Valyrian filled with trade jargon, and unintelligible to both people who don't understand the Valyrian of Slaver's Bay and people who are not involved in the slave trade.  We know Ghiscari survives as a written language, and that the unsullied can read it: 

Quote

Kraznys stopped in front of a Ghiscari who might have been his taller fitter brother, and flicked his lash at a small bronze disk on the swordbelt at his feet. “There is his name. Ask the whore of Westeros whether she can read Ghiscari glyphs.”

(ASoS, Ch.23 Daenerys II)

It is the only reference to Ghiscari glyphs rather than Valyrian ones, which Dany can read. It interests me because there are a lot of horns with glyphs on them, and people who can't read them claiming they are Valyrian glyphs.

Like Valyrian, the 'pure tongue' of Ghis also survives in song:

Quote

A troupe of Yunkish castrati owned by Yurkhaz zo Yunzak sang them songs in the ancient tongue of the Old Empire, their voices high and sweet and impossibly pure.

(ADwD, Ch.50 Daenerys VIII)

So it possibly still exists as a language of learning amongst the educated, as High Valyrian survives in Westeros. Also, we know at least one word remains in common use:- 'Mysha'.

Westerosi, and the low Valyrian sellswords of the Windblown, seem to have difficulty with the guttural and buzzing sounds (that I infer sound 'pure' to the ears of Slaver's Bay natives). But perhaps the difficulties are with the slaving culture rather than the pronunciation.

Barristan pointedly insists on using the Westerosi style 'his grace' for the King of Meereen - not because he lacks the fluency to pronounce 'radiance', but from cultural resistance. He recognises Hizdhar only as the consort of his Westerosi queen, does not regard himself as a liege of the Meereenese King. 

Tyrion has less of the language of Meereen, but quite as much resistance to it. Even when mastery does not seem to be an issue, Missandei is practically the only character that refers to the languages of Slavers Bay in neutral and politically correct terms.

Bizarrely, the Windblown, who come from places where slavery exists, have no interest in knowing the names of their current employers

Quote

telling one Ghiscari name from another was an art few of the Windblown had mastered, so they gave them mocking styles of their own devising.

(ADwD, Ch.25 The Windblown)

Perhaps because their company culture is in some ways libertarian, and maybe because they accept escaped slaves

Quote

One of the Windblown shouted at them. “I do not speak your tongue,” Quentyn answered. Though he could read and write High Valyrian, he had little practice speaking it. And the Volantene apple had rolled a fair distance from the Valyrian tree.
“Westerosi?” the man answered, in the Common Tongue.“Dornishmen. My master is a wineseller.”
“Master? Fuck that. Are you a slave? Come with us and be your own master.

(ADwD, Ch.06 The Merchant's Man) or maybe their nick-naming is due to a company naming system that makes the one the Unsullied use seem sane

Quote

The men of the Windblown used what names they would, and changed them at a whim...Even the commander of the Windblown kept his true name to himself.

(ADwD, Ch.25 The Windblown) And it is an open question how much Quentyn really comprehends. He seems oblivious to the problems his lack of linguistic ability (and general failure to fit in and maintain a low profile) are causing. Wherever they go, Drinkwater, Yronwood, and Quentyn are identified as exactly what they are, by their accents, their linguistic inabilities and abilities, their ignorance of the jargon of their putative trades - three highborn Dornishmen from Westeros pretending to be something they are not, going east on a highly questionable mission that they imagine is a well kept secret.

Quentyn thinks the recruiter for the Windblown adressed him in Volentene Valyrian, because he was in Volantis, but the recruiter can tell straight away that Quentyn speaks the common tongue, so addresses him fluently in that. We can be fairly sure the recruiter would understand Quentyn's High Valyrian too.

Quote

“And now we ride,” the Tattered Prince proclaimed from his huge grey warhorse, in a classic High Valyrian that was the closest thing they had to a company tongue.

(ADwD, Ch.25 The Windblown)

But this thread isn't about the inconsistencies of Quentyn, the Windblown, and ADwD. Here is what I've got to answer the OP

1. Daenerys 13 (5)
2. Missandei 24 (15)
3. Jorah 13 (5)
4. Viserys 8 (3)
5. Mellissandre 5 (3)

(the number in brackets are what you get if you count all Low Valyrian dialects as one language (that is, of Tyrosh, Lys, Myr, Braavos, Pentos, Volantis, Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen - although I am sure we are going to find Tolos and Mantarys, and Norvos and Lorath also speak some variety of Low Valyrian that Dany and Missandei comprehend readily) Also not counting any kind of magic or prophecy as languages. If you count trade talk as a language, add two or three to Missandei's totals, and at least one to Jorah - I'm sure he knows the slaver's argot.)

Daenarys

The thing that strikes me about Daenarys and languages, is the narrative emphasis on what she doesn't know

Quote

The black man knelt. “I am greatly honored, my queen,” he said; not in the tongue of the Summer Isles, which Dany did not know, but in the liquid Valyrian of the Nine Free Cities.

(ACoK, Ch.27 Daenerys II)

Quote

he scarcely glanced at Dany beside him. They had no common language. Dothraki was incomprehensible to her, and the khal knew only a few words of the bastard Valyrian of the Free Cities, and none at all of the Common Tongue of the Seven Kingdoms.

(AGoT, Ch.11 Daenerys II)

Quote

The stallion kicked and reared as Rakharo, Quaro, and Aggo pulled him close to the tub where the khal floated like one already dead, pus and blood seeping from his wound to stain the bathwaters. Mirri Maz Duur chanted words in a tongue that Dany did not know, and a knife appeared in her hand.

(AGoT, Ch.64 Daenerys VIII)

Quote

Pyat Pree was gibbering in some unknown tongue and hopping from one foot to the other.

(ACoK, Ch.48 Daenerys IV)

Quote

Across the road, the girl was still crying, her high singsong tongue strange to Dany’s ears. The first man was done with her now, and a second had taken his place.

(AGoT, Ch.61 Daenerys VII)

Quote

Ask the whore of Westeros whether she can read Ghiscari glyphs.” When Dany admitted that she could not, the slaver turned to the Unsullied. “What is your name?” he demanded.

(ASoS, Ch.23 Daenerys II)

Quote

“Mhysa! Mhysa!”
Dany looked at Missandei. “What are they shouting?”
“It is Ghiscari, the old pure tongue. It means ‘Mother.’ ”

(ASoS, Ch.42 Daenerys IV)

Daenerys speaks the common tongue and High Valyrian as mother tongues. She comprehends the low Valyrian of Pentos, Braavos, Myr, Tyrosh, Volantis, and Lys with native fluency - to her they don't seem like different languages. The same as Viserys,

Quote

“Tell me of this other Daenerys. I know less than I should of the history of my father’s kingdom. I never had a maester growing up.” Only a brother.

(ADwD, Ch.50 Daenerys VIII) Whatever his deficiencies as a history teacher, Viserys did well as a teacher of languages - especially considering he was only eight years older than her, and what he knew of Low Valyrian (and High, if it was not taught as a mother tongue) could not have been that much when he found himself orphaned in Braavos (or wherever they were), with a baby sister in tow.

Dany's fluency in language might be a bit of first book weirdness. Learning a language becomes a harder task in Dance than it had been in Game. Maybe, between the publication of Game of Thrones and that of Dance with Dragons, George RR Martin spent some time in non-English speaking countries, and became aware of how little his schoolboy Latin equipped him for comprehending Portuguese, Catalan, Italian, French, or Spanish. Perhaps the need to create the Dothraki language for the show, and for the actors to speak the languages he had created, made him more appreciative of the realities of living with multiple languages.

While Arya's lack of comprehension of language isn't explicitly mentioned as often as Dany's, she clearly has a harder and longer time learning to speak Braavosi and trade talk - and having done so, still isn't able to comprehend the dialects of other cities, any more than a person fluent in Italian would be able to understand Croatian on the strength of Latin roots. Tyrion's struggles are even harder, and he has studied and spoken his languages for decades.

Points of view are not necessarily the best judges of their own linguistic abilities. Dany does seem to be a bit of a savant, though. Between marrying Drogo and arriving at Vaes Dothrak, she learns to speak Dothraki, apparently fluently. Jhiqui being apparently an excellent language teacher. (Irri's horse riding lessons don't appear to have gone to waste either.)

Although it might be that being queen makes everybody act as if Dany speaks fluently - the broken English that represents Jhiqui and Irri's speech might indicate that they are seeking the simplest words in their vocabulary to include her in their conversation, or that they speak to her in the Common tongue or some variety of Valyrian that they do not know as well as Dany does.

Still, Dany's comprehension is quick enough. After crossing the red waste

Quote

Dany stared down at the strangers. “Here I stand. Look, if that is your pleasure … but first tell me your names.”
The pale man with the blue lips replied in guttural Dothraki, “I am Pyat Pree, the great warlock.”
The bald man with the jewels in his nose answered in the Valyrian of the Free Cities, “I am Xaro Xhoan Daxos of the Thirteen, a merchant prince of Qarth.”
The woman in the lacquered wooden mask said in the Common Tongue of the Seven Kingdoms, “I am Quaithe of the Shadow. We come seeking dragons.”

(ACoK, Ch.12 Daenerys I)

and

Quote

Kraznys’s High Valyrian was twisted and thickened by the characteristic growl of Ghis, and flavored here and there with words of slaver argot. Dany understood him well enough,

(ASoS, Ch.23 Daenerys II)

Here it is possible Kraznys is speaking his best High Valyrian, demonstrating he has received a gentleman's education, and so is not speaking the common Astapori dialect of Low Valyrian. Still,

Quote

“Missandei, what language will these Yunkai’i speak, Valyrian?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the child said. “A different dialect than Astapor’s, yet close enough to understand.

(ASoS, Ch.42 Daenerys IV)

and Daenarys has no difficulty negotiating with Prendhal na Ghezn, who does not appear to have received a gentleman's education,  nor with Grazdan mo Eraz's Yunkaii dialect. And the Masters of Meereen understand her perfectly when she tells them she will crucify 163 of them.

Dany might not know what Mhysa means the first time she hears it, but she quickly learns the word in several tongues

Quote

“Maela,” some called her, while others cried “Aelalla” or “Qathei” or “Tato,” but whatever the tongue it all meant the same thing. Mother.

(ASoS, Ch.42 Daenerys IV)

Quote

“Mother,” they called to her, in the dialects of Astapor, Lys, and Old Volantis, in guttural Dothraki and the liquid syllables of Qarth, even in the Common Tongue of Westeros

(ADwD, Ch.36 Daenerys VI) From the similarities, I think "Qathei" might be the Asshaii for mother, and the root of Quaithe's name.

It is through Dany, we learn that Asshai, Qarth, and Lhazarene have their own tongues. She stayed long enough in Qarth to have acquired some Qartheen, and might have addressed the Thirteen in their own language when she asked them for ships.

Missandei

We assume that Missandei speaks all the languages Daenarys knows, with perfect fluency, plus the languages of Naath, and of the Summer Isles, Qarth, Asshai, Lhaarene, the trade talks of the Summer and the Jade seas, the slavers argot, and perhaps the Pure Tongue of Old Ghis.

She might also speak the tongues of Jogos Nhai, Yi Ti, Bayasabhad, Shamyriana, and Kayakayanaya. As traders from those lands can be found travelling overland as far west as Vaes Dothrak, they might be found in Slaver's Bay as well.

I don't know if she speaks Ibbenese. They seem to be a whaling based culture, in an era before steel toggling gromet harpoons, and without the demand for lubricating oil that an industrial revolution full of steam driven pistons and tappets and rocker valves and metal gears, pullys and capstans would require.  So, their main (apparently sole) industry is dangerous, poorly paid, and localised to the cold waters around the Port of Ibben where whales spend their summers.  Brown Ben Plum is the only even part-Ibbinese person we find east of the Merchant's House in Volantis. The ships of the Ibbenese are more commonly found in colder climes - Lordsport, Braavos, Pentos. Whaling is skilled work, not well renumerated, and not work that boys can be trained to do in Slaver's Bay, so it seems more likely that a Whaling ship owner would source their crews at Ibben, than bring slaves from half way across the world. Although the high attrition rate might make such a strategy worthwhile, if the slaves were cheap enough. 

I don't think it likely that Missandei speaks the Old tongue, or the True Tongue (of the Children of the Forest - unless she is one, in disguise), or the tongue of the Others, or the dead tongues spoken by the undying of Qarth. But give her a scroll and a couple of evenings to peruse it, and doubtless she will pick them up quickly enough.

We don't witness her speaking many of these languages.

Jorah

Seems to speak as many languages as Dany. More than her bloodriders

Quote

Mormont hooked his thumbs through his swordbelt. “My place is here at your side.”
“Jhogo can guard me as well. You have more languages than my bloodriders, and the Dothraki mistrust the sea and those who sail her. Only you can serve me in this. Go among the ships and speak to the crews, learn where they are from and where they are bound and what manner of men command them.”

(ACoK, Ch.27 Daenerys II)

If Tyrion's estimate that

Quote

Half the lords in Westeros are not so learned [as Young Griff], sad to say. Languages, history, songs, sums

(ADwD, Ch.14 Tyrion IV) is accurate, then Jorah somehow managed to make his way into the better educated half, even if he spent the first three decades of his life on Bear Island with a father who attributes his dental health to lemon juice in his daily breakfast beer.

Coincidently, Tyrion is implying that half the lords of Westeros received a better education than Young Griff. Would it do to be better educated than Joffrey and Lord Karstark combined, but not quite as learned as Mace, Roose, Littlefinger, Stannis, and Jon Snow?

Jorah speaks and reads the common tongue and High Valyrian, presumably educated by a maester on Bear Island. He might also have learnt something of Low Valyrian. His preference for exile in Braavos might be the consequence of a Grand Tour of them in his youth, as Tywin and his brothers had done, and Tyrion had longed to have done. and Davos had fondly imagined doing with his sons after the war. At any rate, Jorah knew enough to find and do business with the Tyroshi slaver, understand the Lysene that took his wife in debt bond, find employment in the disputed lands. He knows his way around Volantis, he has been speaking Dothraki since the early summer, so at least three years or so ago.

He has expositional information to offer Dany, like

Quote

These Astapori were mongrels, Ser Jorah said. Even the Ghiscari tongue was largely forgotten; the slave cities spoke the High Valyrian of their conquerors, or what they had made of it.

(ASoS, Ch.23 Daenerys II) but that contemptuous assessment is probably gained from his selling slaves Drogo's Kalassar had harvested to them, rather than his superior knowledge of Ghiscari.

Jorah seems to be only Dany's equal, linguistically, in spite of being three times her aged and better travelled.

Viserys

High Valyrian, the common tongue, the low Valyrion of Pentos, and very probably of Braavos, Tyrosh, Myr, Lys and Volantis. He draws the line at Dothraki, but he seems to pick up the languages he wants to learn quickly. At the very least, he has been a great tutor for Dany, even if his history lessons were a bit stuck on the Usurpers dogs and his anticipated revenge.

Mellisandre

Quote

The red woman walked round the fire three times, praying once in the speech of Asshai, once in High Valyrian, and once in the Common Tongue.

(ACoK, Ch.10 Davos I)

In addition to these three tongues (which she speaks fluently), Melisandre considers the flames she reads constitute another language

Quote

R’hllor spoke to his chosen ones through blessed fire, in a language of ash and cinder and twisting flame that only a god could truly grasp.

(ADwD, Ch.31 Melisandre I) 

She also has the ability to speak in tongues.

Quote

The wildling heard one word, the crow another. Neither was the word that left her lips.

(ADwD, Ch.31 Melisandre I)

Melisandre's speech is flavoured with the music of the Jade sea - and we know there are islands in the Jade sea (as well as some part of Essos the Dothraki can reach on horseback) so Melisandre might speak more languages than we know - we might not even know her native language.

~

Random Points

• Arya and Tyrion, when they get to Essos, receive tuition in languages and have lots to say about them.
• Catelyn and Lysa had their own secret language,
• Silent sisters might know a language that allows them to speak to the dead
• Margaery is learning the Summer Tongue
• Euron, in spite of his globe trotting, does not speak a word of Tyroshi

Quote

"When he saw all the green and purple beards he hailed them in the tongue of Tyrosh, and not one of them had the words to hail him back.”

(AFfC, Ch.45 Samwell V)

Nature Languages

There are lots of 'nature' languages mentioned in ASoIaF. For instance, Dany hears the language of the grass on the Dothraki sea in her last chapter of ADwD.

The Greyjoys seem to hear the voices of nature better than most - Aeron listens to the sea and begs his god

Quote

Who shall be our king in Balon’s place? Sing to me in the language of leviathan, that I may know his name.

(AFfC, Ch.01 The Prophet) and at Deepwood Motte

Quote

the sighing seemed to come from all around her, as if the trees were whispering to one another in some language that she could not understand.

(ADwD, Ch.26 The Wayward Bride) although Asha is not the only one to hear the trees. Sam also

Quote

heard the dark red leaves of the weirwood rustling, whispering to one another in a tongue he did not know.

(ASoS, Ch.46 Samwell III) and Theon, of course.

Bran hears the language of the direwolf

Quote

They are talking to me, brother to brother, he told himself when the direwolves howled. He could almost understand them … not quite, not truly, but almost … as if they were singing in a language he had once known and somehow forgotten.

(ACoK, Ch.04 Bran I) But the one that stopped me in my tracks was Maester Luwin's

Quote

Maester Luwin sighed. “... I can teach you the speech of ravens,..."

(AGoT, Ch.53 Bran VI)

Quote

Do the ravens remember Maester Tothmure? Arya wondered. Are they sad for him? When they quork at him, do they wonder why he doesn’t answer? Perhaps the dead could speak to them in some secret tongue the living could not hear.

(ACoK, Ch.64 Arya X)

And ravens could speak to the dead in more than one tongue. They could sing the sweet songs of the Children

Quote

the True Tongue that no human man could speak. The ravens could speak it, though.

(ADwD, Ch.33 Bran III) And they could say 'snow' to them in the common tongue of Westeros.

[Back door hodor]

Messandie is the clear winner here, not only does she speak several lamguages(I think at least 5 or six off the top of my head) she can read and write them as well, remember she was trained as a scribe

[essosi watch]

I have my own little theory that the languages are something like indicators of character's political preferencies or something like that. 

Like, when you say, "we speak common tongue" when you have the same opinion or when you agreed on something with someone. 

It's quite clear with Viserys, who didn't bother to learn other languages except of High Valyrian. Imo this signales his allegiance was only to House Targaryen. 

I tend to think that everytime it's mentioned that a character speaks for instance "High Valyrian", it's in fact supposed to mean that they are asociated with Targaryens. I'm only not sure if it means their political allegiances or their origin/ancestry. But I'm quite convinced that the languages are a parallel or an allusion to something like that. 

I have reasons to think that "speaking Ghiscari" means Blackfyre allegiance. 

One thing, though. We have to keep in mind that the characters themselves are parallels of someone else. 

Like in the scene with Tyrion and Aegon learning Ghiscari. I think it's an echo of past events. 

Tyrion represents "Lannister". Aegon is "a possible king of uncertain Targaryen descent". They work together to achieve some political goal. Then the Lannister complains, "you need a bee up your nose to speak Ghiscari properly".  I think this is echo of Beony Beesbury marriage with Frey (Lannister ally) and naming their children after Tywin's family. And the Targaryen wannabe king rolls eyes but goes along anyway. 

So, this is to say that, except of actual storyline, the mentions of particular languages are there for the purpose of creating parallels/allusions/echoes of past events. 

[AlaskanSandman]

On 2/4/2018 at 5:14 PM, Agent Orange said:

Viserys - At least two.  Common tongue and High Valyrian.

Since when? We never hear Viserys speak in High Valyrian.

In fact, when he's trying to speak secretly to Dany among the Dothraki, he speaks the common tongue instead. 

Mean time Dany uses the High Valyrian word Dracarys for fire since no one speaks it and is like to accidentally say it. 

So why does Viserys speak the common tongue instead of High Valyrian? 

[Rippounet]

37 minutes ago, AlaskanSandman said:

Since when? We never hear Viserys speak in High Valyrian.

In fact, when he's trying to speak secretly to Dany among the Dothraki, he speaks the common tongue instead. 

Mean time Dany uses the High Valyrian word Dracarys for fire since no one speaks it and is like to accidentally say it. 

So why does Viserys speak the common tongue instead of High Valyrian? 

Thank you, I thought I was the only one to bear that in mind.

In the books there is zero evidence of Viserys knowing how to speak High Valyrian. It's easy to overlook at first, because the absence of someting does not exactly stand out. And yet, this particular absence is very odd, as it is very clear that it would have provided them a great advantage had Dany and Viserys been speaking High Valyrian between themselves.

I've already pointed it out elsewhere, but HIgh Valyrian is a bit like Latin: even though it is at the origin of many languages in Essos, very few people actually speak it. Dany is a significant exception in the series, as she seems to be perfectly fluent in what is essentially a dead language. Of course, educated folks know High Valyrian (Sam, Arya... etc), but it is relatively clear throughout the books that the language is mostly read rather than spoken.  

Quote

- High Valyrian (from Old Valyria, it's pretty much a dead tongue, but most high borns in Westeros learn some of it, and probably the Targaeryans speak it among themselves, as Daenerys refers to it as her mother tongue.

That's in the show.
In the books, she says no such thing, and it is never explained why she can speak High Valyrian. The common assumption that Viserys taught her relies on nothing, and doesn't necessarily compute with Viserys's character and their relationship.

[AlaskanSandman]

1 hour ago, Rippounet said:

Thank you, I thought I was the only one to bear that in mind.

In the books there is zero evidence of Viserys knowing how to speak High Valyrian. It's easy to overlook at first, because the absence of someting does not exactly stand out. And yet, this particular absence is very odd, as it is very clear that it would have provided them a great advantage had Dany and Viserys been speaking High Valyrian between themselves.

I've already pointed it out elsewhere, but HIgh Valyrian is a bit like Latin: even though it is at the origin of many languages in Essos, very few people actually speak it. Dany is a significant exception in the series, as she seems to be perfectly fluent in what is essentially a dead language. Of course, educated folks know High Valyrian (Sam, Arya... etc), but it is relatively clear throughout the books that the language is mostly read rather than spoken.  

I think the show has greatly marred this forum, even the book section. There is even a theory pinned like it's fact even though the books havn't even touched that yet. I think if that's gonna be penned then there should be an Ashara Dayne one up too. That's just me though. I just think every one has subconsciously still excepted the show as canon which is a shame and greatly influences peoples debates on here and limit many discussions by getting weighed down by the murk of the shows influence. 

To point.

Daenerys speaks low Valyrian, High Valyrian, the common tongue, and Dothraki at least.

Viserys should at least be able to speak low valyrian and doesn't. This should stand out to us. Even if he had learned it as a Latin language as some other noble people have learned it. Why does Viserys foolishly speak in the common tongue? The Dothraki deal with lots of people, it stands to reason that some one among them speaks the common tongue as they deal with it in trade. Same of Pentoshi Valyrian.  

As dialecs and phonetics go. The pentoshi word for Dracarys could be many variations. Specially depending on what the root word is and if there are any prefixes or suffixes to it that imply it's meaning. Like Geology. Ge Logia. Study of Earth, or Theology. Theo=God. It also depends on how it's written and how another speaker of another dialect might interpret the letters that make up the word. 

As in the U.S. people say Jalapeno as Halapinyo. Instead of Halapaynyo as a latin speaker might. You could also have written those sounds with other letters to represent the same phonetic sounds. 

So it could sound like Track-Aireese or Tragaireese. 

Point being that its possible for the Dothraki to understand a low dialect of Valyrian and still not recognize it's High Valyrian counterpart.

Viserys should be speaking in High Valyrian given it's scarcity if he wants to speak in secret, as he hushes his voice so no one hears him, showing the intent.

[AlaskanSandman]

1 hour ago, Rippounet said:

 

Random thought i thought id throw out regarding Dracarys and root words and such. 

We know Dracarys is something to do with fire. Though not a better description. Is it like Ignis in Latin, or is it like Flamma in Latin. Both have to do with fire. One is tied to the root for ignite=Ignium.

So, just maybe.

Dracarys = Frozen Fire. 

We dont know what the Valyrian word for Obsidian is just yet. Other than it means frozen fire.

Would be ironic if Dany was saying the wrong word.

[The Commentator]

High Valyrian is the language of the upperest of the upper class.  It is not practical in Westeros but you can understand why the royal Targaryens will have been taught.  It is part of their heritage.  Prince Viserys must have had the very best education and he then passed all he knew to little Dany during their travels.  It is said that children pick up a language easier and that will partly explain how it is that Dany speaks many tongues.  This is similar to Emperor Hirohito of Japan.  He spoke a Japanese that was no longer in common use.