Do Nords have a language? If so where can I find it? I am working on a mod and if Nords have a language it would be great for it.

mabye I could just use Swedish in a book?

You should probably do a TIL search.

TIL? do you guys think Swedish would match Nords?

Try Norwegian instead

Try neither.

Hate to seem harsh, but when you start trying to equate a race that houses the ability to literally shout someone to destruction to a real life race, you're doing the lore an obvious abhorrent disservice.

TIL= The Imperial Library

If you want to use a real language, I would go for Old English, Norse or Icelandic. That seem more in tune with the viking-bit of the Nord culture. But if you want to use modern Norwegian or Swedish, I can help you out if you want or need.

There's not much known about the Nordic language except a few words - Old English is the best language to compare it to, I think, as English is mostly a Scandinavian language anyway, like German. If you put together that and German you'd end up with what Nordic would sound like, if this wasn't a fantasy game...

I disagree when you say put together Old English with German. It would be better to put together Old English with Icelandic, as the latter is closer to the Norse language than any other language today.

J?

Well, I don't know, they seem relatively close to certain real life races where it's not stated otherwise (you're shouting people to death part is a part where it's stated otherwise.)

In any case, if the names they use resemble those of real world races, it may indicate that their language might as well. I'd imagine that Nords do have a language of their own, they'd kind of need it, since I'm sure they didn't have whatever language Imperials speak all the time. I don't think there's much information on what language Nords speak, though.

Aside from the Khajiit, are there distinct languages in Tamriel? I don't recall the in-game books mentioning a need for translators - such as when Scotti traveled to Valenwood and Black Marsh, I don't recall him needing a translator to understand the native populations' speech.

I'd imagine the Ashlanders, Argonian tribes, Khajiiti desert tribes, and Alik'r nomads still speak their own languages. There is no logical reason for any of them, besides their leaders, to understand any other language. They weren't really conquered, and pay no attention to Imperial law.

But wouldn't all mer speak the same language, considering they are all descended from the Aldmer? Different dialects, sure, but probably the same root.

Then you've got the Nedes - they came from Atmora, right? So, the proto-men had their language, and the Nedes differentiated into the Nords, Bretons, and what is now collectively called the "Imperials." The Redguards (or, rather, the Ragada), definitely have their own language, since Cyrus needed Coyle to translate Coyle's mom's Yokudan.

I'm sure the Argonians probably have their own language - they are so unlike the other races, it is probable that they also have their own language.

In TESIV, it seems the Ayleid have their own language for at least magic - is that ancient Aldmeri, though?

Real languages have appeared in less than a hundred years although the people that speak one of them would have to speak the other if they went to the next town. The languages in TES are across a continent, not just regions, and the people that use them are racist and intolerant. There are also barriers, such as mountains and oceans, between them.

I'm amazed at just how similar the elven languages are, with the exception of the Khajiiti language, of course.

Brother Richard, Nibenese monk, Order of Dibella

"The hairy men from the North have a language...indeed they do.

They speak in blood and cold steel, and the hellion Voice of Shor. Violence is the only language these heathens truly understand, my friend. Fitting for a half civilized lot of barbarians and mead drinkers. Only those freed from this troglodyte ancestry by the cleansing presence of Lord Septim became fully human. "

Gilyan Helothayn, Dunmer Spellsword, Great House Redoran

"Sure, I heard them Nord men talk. They talk real pretty with my blade thrust through their heathen throats. They recite lovely prose such as 'garble blagh grrrrrl' as they slowly strangle on their own blood." *spits* "Haha...I kid, I kid. I've heard some of them yammerin' about in their native tongue. It's an ugly thing. Not as pretty as Merish languages, or even that poor imitation the Cyrodills use. It's something old and uncivilized as they are. It sounds less like spoken word and more like the creaking timbers of ancient trees and the scrapings of rocks. They carve some of their runes on their weapons. I got a big fat battle axe hangin' back at my house I pried from the cold dead hands of a sea reaver up 'round Khuul a few years back. Do I know what any of them Nord words or pretty runic symbols mean? Hell if I know. All I know is one thing - there's certain ones of them, bad sorcerers, ya ken? Not good Magic. Not Temple Magic - heathen magic of Lorkhan. When they open their throats, the thing that comes out isn't just sound. It's got a punch behind it. Anybody standin' in front of them bad bearded Nord mages is reduced to ash, or worse yet, erased from history, so they say. You don't wanna [censored] with that kinda Nord. Luckily them bastards is few and far between 'cause apparently you gotta be really old and really dedicated to use it. That's all I know, really. Now bug off. I got some Mazte ordered and it's turnin' warm."

Runes, Scandinavian (norse) architecture, Scandinavian looks, norse culture, norse-like religion, living up north - everything about the Nords say that they are highly inspired by the vikings/norse-Scandinavians. Therefore, it's only logical that their language would be inspired by the norse language as well. Old English is quite alike Norse, and so is Icelandic, as the living language of today that is the most like norse language.

But this is a fantasy world, you have to leave behind that assumption that the language is as fractured and differentiated as it is in the Real World. For instance, there's a lot more transportation between regions and among people groups on Nirn, and there's a long history of man and mer having a written form of their language. There's books, which would be useless unless there was a semi-standardized language across several of the provinces.

They probably just speak English with a swedish accent.

Role playing aside, I'm sure most of the Nords in Skyrim in the trading towns speak at least some Imperial. In fact, merchants in any town of any province period would have to know enough to trade. In the upcoming game, if indeed it is set in Skyrim as is rumored, I'm sure most of not all NPCs will speak Common/Imperial. That's not to say there isn't a native language. Of course there is. It's probably different from Common. Remember that the Imperial language is heavily influenced by Aldmer language, like many facets of Imperial culture from architecture to magic to government. They abandoned more than a few of the Nedic traditions passed down from their ancestors in favor of a new, more structured existence. Not to say Nordic existence isn't structured but I'd expect very different culture in Skyrim, which has been influenced by its annexation into the Empire but far from erased. I'm sure it's very much Scandanavian in a lot of ways, with a few other colorful quirks unique to this series.

Skyrim is home to four major language families, whose dialects are mutually intelligible on the east-west axis, but usually not north-south. Multiple languages with the same name coexist locally, having branched off during successive harsh winters when communication broke down. The result are occasional 'Tongue Feuds' which mercifully no longer include the Tongues. The linguistic effects of the return of the Burlap Generation (the young men who left to join Talos in the south) have been extreme is certain regions. The veterans, who carried off many of their extremely young relatives as followers and apprentices, now communicate solely in a Bruma-Cyrodiilic gutterspeak, which is considered a mark of honor, it having developed in the camps of the Stormcrown. In remote villages, the young cannot understand the old. No sane person even attempts to guess at the origins of what they speak in the Reach.

just sayin'

It's a shame Bethesda has translated everything to English really.

Aye, nothing like casual gamers needing to brush up on their Daedric.

Daedric is an alphabet, not a language