With the new rules on languages, how do I deal with related languages and dialects?
Realistically, proficiency in a language should give a lower level in related languages. Close languages – e.g., Middle English and Old English, or Modern Arabic and Koranic Arabic – would have a one-level shift: Native gives Accented, Accented gives Broken, and Broken or worse gives nothing. More distantly related tongues – e.g., German and Dutch, or Spanish and Portuguese – would have a two-level shift: Native gives Broken, and Accented or below gives nothing. You can buy up a language from this “default” just as you would buy up a skill from default. If my German (Native) gives me Dutch (Broken), I can buy Dutch(Native) for 4 points instead of 6 points. Dialects are beneath the resolution of the language rules in GURPS. In a game where they could matter, the simplest way to handle them would be to say that everyone gets his native dialect for free and can pick up new dialects for one point apiece, as perks. For instance, if I have French (Native) for French from France, and want Bel
