Plause spoke all four of Barrayar's native languages perfectly already. "As student or instructor?" Miles inquired.
"Student."
"Ah, ha. It'll be galactic languages, then. Intelligence will be wanting you, after. You're bound off-planet for sure," said Miles.
"Not necessarily," said Plause. "They could just sit me in a concrete box somewhere, programming translating computers till I go blind." But hope gleamed in his eyes.
So, you see, there are galactic languages as compared to native Barrayaran languages and translations are necessary. Perhaps Aral, being as high in the succession as he is and military, got a bit more in the way of language education than the average Barrayaran. Or he learned Betan from his mother. Surely Cordelia, being a survey commander as well as Betan, ought to speak several galactic languages.
Whatever explanation, I find it a lot more likely than a universe of separate planets where every planet speak inter-intelligible English. I just assume Bujold didn't want to bother with the details of it all as it might distract from the stories.
Excerpt on languages (non-spoilerly)
"Language school," said Plause, still reading.
Plause spoke all four of Barrayar's native languages perfectly already. "As student or instructor?" Miles inquired.
"Student."
"Ah, ha. It'll be galactic languages, then. Intelligence will be wanting you, after. You're bound off-planet for sure," said Miles.
"Not necessarily," said Plause. "They could just sit me in a concrete box somewhere, programming translating computers till I go blind." But hope gleamed in his eyes.
So, you see, there are galactic languages as compared to native Barrayaran languages and translations are necessary. Perhaps Aral, being as high in the succession as he is and military, got a bit more in the way of language education than the average Barrayaran. Or he learned Betan from his mother. Surely Cordelia, being a survey commander as well as Betan, ought to speak several galactic languages.
Whatever explanation, I find it a lot more likely than a universe of separate planets where every planet speak inter-intelligible English. I just assume Bujold didn't want to bother with the details of it all as it might distract from the stories.