Publisher Nacon and developer Spiders are back in a new GreedFall: The Dying World video, delving into the fictional language of Yecht Fradí. Join Antoine Henry, a linguist and video game language conceptualizer, as he walks you through its creation as well as some of the words used within the game.
Yecht Fradí was already present in the first GreedFall, but its role is much more central in The Dying World where you play as one of the natives. The language is inspired by Proto-Celtic and (its descendants, Old Irish, Old Welsh, Old Breton and Gaulish).
“The inhabitants of Teer Fradee live in harmony with nature, which is very evident in their culture.” says Antoine Henry. “This is also reflected in their language, particularly in their idiomatic expressions and interjections. For example, the greeting “Beurd tír to mad”, which means “May the Earth bear you well”, or the exclamation “Nod fradí!”, which could be translated as “Holy sap!”. Creating a fictional language is an exciting challenge, as it requires anticipating the elements that structure and characterise the people who speak it. And of course, the challenge is even greater because, as it is a video game, the elocution and phonetics of the language also have to be perfected. Thus, I worked closely with the voice actors, who had to learn to master the subtleties of this language in preparation for the recording sessions.”
About GreedFall: The Dying World
The events of the game start 3 years before the adventures of De Sardet. Where previously you had an opportunity to explore a mysterious island of Teer Fradee, now you play as a native whisked away to the foreboding continent.
As the world is ravaged by war and scarred by the Malichor, you must use diplomacy, cunning and combat as well as a help of new allies to regain your freedom and put an end to one man’s ambitions of conquest.
