Languages of Westeros...

[KiwiBird]

Written language is different then spoken language though.

[Marvolo]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Nicely analyzed Boaz. I don't really have anything to add, except the say: "She's got huge...tracts of land!" You gave me a Monty Python moment.

One of the funniest scenes ever. "So I built another castle, and it sank into the swamp. So I built another castle!..."

Mance references the old tongue a few times. The Wildlings have contact with folks from the Iron Kingdom, through deserters from the wall or through contact with rangers. It is entirely possible that the language simply spread.

I don't know about the giants because I haven't gotten that far. But is it possible they're just so stubborn they refuse to adopt another language?

[Slyde]

Originally Posted by Boaz

... Westeros and the War of the Five Kings has been compared to England and the War of the Roses. If medieval England is the inspiration for ASOIAF, then perhaps the languages and ethnic groups may be compared...

Great analysis Boaz - I thought some of this seemed familiar, in a historical sense.

Much like the Dune series is derived from situations and people in the middle east.

[Shacklock]

I found a line in Storm of Swords where it states the vast majority of the Wildings actually dont speak the common tongue, so apparently it's only the ones close to the wall that do buisness/trade etc. with the Crows.