English
This article deals with English as it relates to NationStates. For more general information, see the Wikipedia article on this subject.
English is one of the principal languages of NationStates, and it is used by different nations in different ways. In Gameplay it is usually the medium of communication except in regions based around certain RL nations. In Roleplay, a great many nations have English as their primary language. Rather than being attributable to historical developments in roleplay, this is generally the case because a majority of the NS players are from English-speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia (Dutch players have the largest non-English presence). However, some roleplaying nations do speak English because of the roleplayed origins of the nation.
Virtually all Roleplay is in English and the language for interaction between characters of different nations is often also English, at least OOC. Sometimes, English is used OOCly while assuming that the characters are speaking an IC language that is either fictional or incomprehensible to other players. Using another language is sometimes indicated by using a different colour for the spoken text when players do not want to assume away the language barrier but still want other players to understand what their characters are saying.
English is so widely spoken that it often serves as a medium of communication across national boundaries. Instead of maintaining an army of language experts to translate the hundreds or even thousands of languages and dialects spoken across the NS universe, countries can simply train their diplomatic staff in English. English then facilitates dialogue by eliminating the need to translate multiple languages. This system is most prevalent among future nations, which will frequently refer to English as "Common" or "Standard," reflecting its critical role in international communication. The obvious shortfall of this strategy is that it cannot be used when any of the concerned parties do not have an English-speaking liason.
