Skies Cant and Common Phrases

The language of The Twelve Skies

In the world there are a few distinct idioms and linguistic developments that differ from our own. From common phrases referencing past events, to some that hint at but deeper tragedy, and even an entire language built on the foundation of unified culture. These evolutions of language are commonplace in the world particularly among those who traverse the sky. The first phrase of Wiimote is a statement that evolved based on misconceptions surrounding The Black Riots.

Watch your matches

The phrase "Watch the match" or "Watch the flame" and many other synonymous phrases came about after an urban legend surface that the black riots were caused by a match that was cast aside after someone lit their pipe. While the phrase is based on a myth it is remarkably common among lower and middle class citizens in the Americans and in the British Empire. The term itself is meant to urge the recipient of the phrase to be cautious when taking a course of action.

A Salem's Trial

A Salem's Trial, or A Cleary's Trial in The Erin Reef, is a situation or scenario that is always negative and completely out of one's control, this situation is usually against the best interest of the parties involved who often try to avoid it or don't even have a voice to do so. Is a complex statement filled with many cultural references that span the world. In particular a Salem's Trial refers to the Salem witch trials and how many individuals we're burned at the stake for being considered witches despite the true cause of their behavior being a mental disorder.

Bridget Cleary

In The Reef the phrase was changed to reference a particular victim of such a tragedy. The victim's name was Bridget Cleary and she was burned at the stake by her fellow countrymen due to the belief that she was possessed or replaced by fairies.
In reality she was suffering from a severe mental breakdown likely related to a psychosis. The phrase originated in the psychological community who felt personally responsible for such tragedies despite their best efforts to avoid them.
These situations appear quite often in the current time and the community of psychologists and psychiatrists originally meant for the phrase to serve as a reminder. With such a large popularity surrounding superstition in the form of mediums and spiritualism, the phrase was meant to keep them on the straight and narrow using the scientific method instead of the biased approach the mind can have pain what it sees.

Skies Cant

Skies Cant is many things. It's a secret language meant to threw off those who are not initiated, it's a way of communicating with those who do not speak your language, and is the common language used when undergoing illicit activities to prevent implication. The cant is a complex blend of linguistic elements from all languages that are commonly spoken in The Twelve Skies. The Sky Barrons encountered a problem shortly after their conception.

Conception

With hundreds, possibly thousands of languages spoken all across the globe, how could they properly communicate with one another about such a vital issues when convening as Polaris?
The answer came from a young Smuggler who once heard of a method of communication used by thieves long ago. By creating a lexicon, interpreters and translators brought by each of the houses constructed a language that Blended all of these languages together and often cryptic and confusing ways. The meanings of words were switched around and while someone listening in would be able to understand them, they would not be able to understand the intended meaning. The entire language is a set of code words meant to mean specific things of note that are valuable to Polaris.

Symbolic Communication

These words are also used in a written language using sets of symbols. Each symbol has a very particular meaning and has different meanings when coupled with another symbol next to it. These symbols can be as complex as battle plans, where many symbols are laid out next to one another and what would be a sentence if they used the English alphabet, and can be as simple as a single symbol written on the side of the building to indicate that the owner of the building owns a gun and is more than willing to use it.
The language has spread rapidly among The Twelve Skies. Those who travel among the clouds have even added their own strange traditions. Many have learned expletive words and phrases from other languages simply to Incorporated and their dialect of Skies cant, and explorers have learned various symbols used in its written form to indicate places that they have discovered explored what places they have encountered that I've already been explored before.
The particulars of a language vary. Some words are not found in languages that recently joined Polaris, and as such each culture has their own dialect using a set of words surrounding their general concept rather than their specific meeting.

Example

For example, the reference of a house for dwelling regardless of the kind of building the speakers actually referring to such as a dock or tower, has come to a destination and is usually followed by series of words that are meant to indicate accordance such as the word pair Triad quadruple and even geometric terms such as hexagon.

So when somebody says that there is a pair of triple towers next to a triple triangular dock.
They may very well simply be saying that the coordinates for the destination will be at 23,33. Well this translation may seem obvious to some degree it is important to remember that these words would be spoken in different languages alternating once every one or two words.

This has led to a stereotype that states Sky Sailors are remarkably intelligent because they can speak multiple languages. Many Sky Sailors can't even speak their home language properly much less another language. They are simply remembered the word for a specific thing in that language. This becomes particularly confusing windows that are speaking used languages that change the form of the word based on gender or contextual arrangement of a sentence, as these contextual cues will likely be lost on a person who doesn't speak the language leading others to misinterpret it. The only time it would be fully understood is by someone who understands what is actually being said, regardless of whether or not they actually speak the language.

Victorian Phrases

The following phrases are ones that were actually existed and were common during the 18th century in the 19th century.

• Fifteen Puzzle A term meaning complete and absolute confusion.


• Powdering Hair An 18th century term that essentially means getting absolutely wasted.




• Take The Egg To win or succeed at something.



• Whooperups A term meaning bad, subpar, noisy, or annoying singers




• Dizzy Age A phrase meaning "elderly," The term is usually refers to "a maiden or other woman canvassed by other maiden ladies or others.”




• Collie Shangles A term from Queen Victoria’s journal, that means a fight.




• Benjo Sailor slang for “A riotous holiday, a noisy day in the streets.”




• Bricky A term that means brave or fearless.



• Cat-lap A weak drink. Often used to refer to champagne, this term was usually used by the lower class.