I absolutely love this interpretation! It would make so much sense!
In a similar vein, I’ve always played with the idea that the Elven languages are so complex that minor changes can completely change the nature of these languages. Most don’t pick up on the changes unless they are very invested in them, but native speakers spot them instantly.
This used to cause a fair bit of divide between certain classes in Quel’Thalas, where nobility distinguished themselves from the rest by the use of a more aloof and prosy version of the language, contrasted against a more musical “slang” version by commoners (similar to the difference between Classical Latin and Vulgar Latin in the Roman Empire).
Since the fall of Quel’Thalas this distinction has shrunk, just as all displays of class differences are being reeled in due to the greater need for national unity. Some traditionalist High Elves still maintain the “old” accents and speech patterns.
I’m rather certain its called Ancient Elven in lore too, or to something of that effect.
It’s quite possible Darnassian came first and might represent a word with meaning akin to “People’s Language” or something. In the earliest WoW previews we had, Darnassus was placed on an island marked on maps as “Kalidar” - very similar to Kalimdor and considering its proximity and the like its possible Teldrassil was planted on Kalidar.
Considering there was 10,000 years of difference between language even minor dialect differences for example Thalassian is probably derived from the manner of speech the aristocrats spoke is why they evolved very differently.
Just look at major European languages. English and French for example are almost unrecognisable from their forms only 1000 years ago.
Not all of the exiles were aristocrats, but they did probably speak several various Darnassian dialects, which in turn evolved into different Thalassian dialects and speech patterns.
While true, we humans don’t tend to live for several thousand years and develop penchants for maintaining things in stasis. I think those two things would cause Elven languages to develop slower and different ways than a human language would in the same amount of time.
The differences in dialect for Thalassian - since it is a very small area compared to the vast reaches of the Kaldorei empire - would thus be more subtle, causing confusion to outsiders who don’t quite get the nuances at first.
As Fae said, the european languages don’t have native speakers of the 1000 years ago version still hanging around. Languages won’t evolve that much if it’s still the same speakers (also, french is absolutly not unrecognizable anyway.)
I suppose with elves living longer lives the change wouldn’t be drastic anyway. I guess the closet thing we have is Latin being akin to Titan, a dead language that isn’t understood outside of scholarly sorts.
Most tools are clumsy, bulky and difficult for human and elven hands because almost every other sapient species in all the world producing tools have wide, blunt sausage fingers by comparison. This issue presents itself when trying to operate machinery made for hands twice the size of their users’ but also when it comes to weaponry and shields.
It’s hardly difficult getting specialty tools made, though and plenty within the alliance produce “human sized” equivalents of basic things. In the Horde, this mostly fell to the forsaken as the blood elves prefer to make tools for themselves and nobody else.
It’s for this reason that Saurfang was hesitant to challenge Malfurion to a Mak’gora during the War of the Thorns because he knew he was a powerful warrior in his youth who had honoured his brother’s sacrifice by defeating the Legion with his axe.
I like this interpretation. The post-Sundering kaldorei government defined itself with a narrative of return to simplicity and opposition to the old ruling class — the Highborne, — and a an appeal to the “the people” identity would make sense as part of that.
Some elves still remember the quaint barbaric tribes of man and deeply regret ever teaching those impudent apes the first thing about the Arcane. They could have been compliant, ignorant vassals in a High Home reaching from the Sunwell to Booty Bay. They’d have been charming pets instead of the equivalent of children playing with artillery, responsible for demonic invasions, the Scourge and so much more.
Lesson? Spay and neuter your humans and spoil them with chocolate to keep them docile.
Housecats are invasive, spreading wherever humans go. This is of concern to many druids as few want to recognise that their beloved purrfect angels could ever be a problem.
There is also a small afterlife realm in the Shadowlands where artful souls go. Painters, poets, musicians, sculptors, singers – all those who yearn for the pursuit of arts in life find themselves in this idyllic realm where the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful as if painted by the finest masters. Anima is generated through inspiration as the old greats compose timeless pieces through the arts; sculptors shaping statues the likes of which they could only dream of with the time constraints of mortal life.
All the great artists of history find themselves in this place, mentoring other artful souls for eternity to generate more inspiration and thus anima for their small self-contained paradise. With all the cross-discipline inspiration, they’ve created some works of art beyond mortal comprehension. Imagine Michelangelo sculpting statues inspired by listening to Mozart.
I’m going to 3d print an afterlife that’s just the Shadowlands itself, with a 3d printer inside it.
I am pretty sure the Night Elves kept humans enslaved in the time before the War of the Ancients.
Even if they didn’t, its my headcanon they did. But yes, you need to control the population of an easily propagating species lest it get out of hand.
