Getting ready for Deathwatch: Language and Culture in the Imperium

There are many different cultures and civilizations spread across the Imperium and each has its own customs, traditions and variations in language. This section serves as an introduction to highlight some of the differences. As the Imperium sprawls across innumerable star systems, we cannot hope to cover a small fraction of the peculiarities and oddities in the general population. However, the players and the GM should liven up their role-play sessions and bring some individuality to characters by the use of some of these dialects and customs. Nothing can be more infuriating than trying to restock your character’s dwindling supplies when no one can understand you.

A Note on Language

High Gothic
High Gothic, also known as Principal Gothic, Archaic Gothic or Prime Gothic, is the official language of the Imperium. It is an ancient and highly evolved language mainly used in ceremonies, consultations and situations where absolute clarity and definition are required. High Gothic has remained virtually unchanged since the founding of the Imperium which means that speakers from very different cultures and backgrounds can effectively communicate with each other. The language is mainly used by highly educated people and generally by those of higher class and refinement. High Gothic represents an older tongue, itself a development of Twentieth Century languages, not necessarily Latin as such.

Low Gothic
Low Gothic, also referred to as Base Gothic or Common Tongue, is the main language used everyday by the majority of people in the Imperium. It has many variations from world to world and often from sector to sector on a particular planet. Mainly the differences are in accents and peculiarities in pronunciation, but there maybe differences in dialect. This can come about due to unique animals, objects, organizations and so on present on the world. Many words can also have multiple meanings which makes Low Gothic seem incomprehensible to a foreigner. On the other hand, some worlds at opposite ends of the Imperium will have been discovered and settled by groups of colonists setting off from the same world. Therefore the accents and dialects are remarkably similar leading to some citizens proclaiming that their long lost cousins have returned.

If characters resort to very simple sentences using basic words they will be understood most of the time. In the roleplay environment, the GM should rule when a different dialect is in operation and whether it can easily be understood. A few Int and Fel test should suffice. No hard rules can be presented here, it’s just to add a bit of color to the proceedings. Failure of any test by a small margin means that there are problems getting the message across. Failure by a larger amount could lead to animosity and even racial discrimination.

On my travels, perhaps the hardest form of Low Gothic to understand is on the Planet Cock-Nee. The planet and its people are harmless enough: they mainly trade with one another in their chirpy, fast-speaking manner, but what I find difficult to understand is their rhyming slang. Instead of referring to an object by its correct name they twist it around and use another name that rhymes with the original, thus leading to widespread confusion.

On my first day in the space port at Lundun I was told to “take a butcher’s” at a cheap home appliance. Did this peddler mean that I had to taker a butcher’s cleaver and destroy his worthless goods? Or did he merely want me to don a butcher’s apron to fit in? On further questioning I was informed that “butcher’s” was short for “butcher’s hook…look, gerrit!” What a confusing expression. One citizen then turned to another and said, “look at that geezer’s whistle.” But I didn’t even possess one, I am not some common entertainer sent from the Ministorum to keep these people occupied.

It will take some time to educate these heathens in the correct tongue of our beneficent Emperor. I am sending for immediate aid from a member of the Orders Dialogus of the Sisterhood to help me with my quest.

- From the Journal of Preacher Lutha

Low Gothic is often debased even further in some cultures, where slang marks one out as belonging to a gang or to an organization. For example, it is very hard to understand a Hive World gangster as the slang is part of their culture and differs depending on the Hive they grew up in and even on the floor they inhabit. Therefore it is virtually impossible to understand gangsters unless the character has been some form of Rogue. Asteroid miners also form another clique that uses colloquialisms. Some warrior sects also employ secret dialects. If a character can understand these groups then they maybe able to gain useful information as they are part of the ‘brotherhood’.

Lingua-Technis
Within the Adeptus Mechanicus a language is used that describes and refers to technical aspects and scientific findings. Known as Lingua-Technis, this language is mainly confined to the Tech-Priests of the Machine God. However, on highly industrialized nations or in technologically oriented cultures some elements of Lingua-Technis can be found integrated into Low Gothic.

Lingua-Technis developed during the Dark Age of Technology (in fact a golden age from the point of view of science – it is only dark in the minds of the men who now fear it). It derives from the common tongue of the time, an assimilation of English, European and Pacific languages which developed over many centuries in the American/Pacific region. This was the universal medium of written record until the Age of Strife, and was spoken as a first language by many and as a second language by almost everyone. Its idioms and vocabulary now appear archaic and mystic, many of its words have acquired religious significance over the years. It is the language of the Tech-priests and of forbidden books.

A Note on Culture
Just as there are many different dialects and accents across the Imperium, there are many different customs and traditions. The characters should be careful of their hand movements and body language as the wrong signals can deeply offend some races. The characters should be aware that cultures are different to capitalist, decadent, 20th century America. Going up to someone and giving them a ‘high five’ whilst shouting “what’s up, dude?” can often result in a stub gun in the ribs. A quick apology is advisable at this point.

The usual greeting is to shake someone’s right hand. Characters will come across races that bow (particularly on Hasaka), salute, wave, kiss and so on. The PCs could really be put in an embarrassing situation if the greeting is against their culture – I’m sure GMs can think of some good ideas.

Often the left hand is seen as insanitary and if a character waves it in a friendly fashion to a local he will be met with open hostility. On these worlds money should not be exchanged using the left hand.

On some worlds, mainly those with lower technology, martial prowess is very important: this is marked out by scars, tattoos, and ‘trophies’ taken from a victim. If a duel or similar engagement is fought and the PCs win then they will gain respect on the planet, but they’d better be careful of the loser and his associates.

The PCs should also be aware of the use of technology on Feudal or Feral worlds, or even on some civilized planets as technology is seen as witchcraft and the population is very wary of practitioners of the Dark Arts. The GM could set up some interesting encounters where the PCs are driven out of town for speaking to evil spirits on their comm-links. Maybe one of the PCs is captured and tried for being a witch and the rest of the party have to rescue him (or do they!). Conversely, the characters could be worshiped as demigods by savages after they witness the PCs performing some miracles with their equipment.

The Emperor Deified
One thing is for certain that where ever one travels in the Imperium, the Emperor is worshiped as a God. Some worship Him as the savior of Mankind, others as the protector of the weak or as a God of War. However, it is unlikely that the population of the Imperium know the true nature of the Emperor and how he came to be incarcerated in the Golden Throne.

All over the Imperium there are shrines and temples to the Emperor. The prayers, hymns and ceremonies are usually overseen by priests of the Ministorum. These priests, in the guise of missionaries, are responsible for bringing the divine Light of the Emperor to far off worlds recently embraced by the Imperium. Many missionaries have given their lives to spread the word and many will become martyrs in the future to turn humanity to the True Path of Wisdom.

Needless to say, the brave PCs could be called upon to spread the Word, or maybe they are sent to rescue a group of missionaries from a heathen planet.