| Rephidim Standard is the language of the Temple and of Rephidim, and thus is in wide use across all of Sinai. In many nations, even those with native tongues, it is common for citizens there to learn Rephidim Standard as a second language. All Exiles who are taken to the Temple for Processing are taught Rephidim Standard. So far as can be told, Rephidim Standard has remained in its current form, virtually unchanged, for many millenia, purportedly since the time of the Expedition (0 RTR). Part of this is due to the Temple's stabilizing influence, and part of it is through the Learning Helmet training given to Exiles -- The language taught by the helmet is unchanged all these millenia, and therefore it is an unchanging standard. Individual terms and jargon may be introduced, of course, but the basic structure of the language and core words have remained unchanged. Still, there are instances of "offshoots" from Rephidim Standard, especially during the earliest days of Rephidim's history, before the age of widespread exploration and travel of Sinai by means of airship. Some isolated colonies -- free from the stabilizing influence of the Temple -- would develop on their own, and the language accordingly would diverge as well. Some call these "spin-off" languages "archaic Rephidim Standard", somewhat erroneously, therefore.
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