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Languages of Pao

The Languages of Pao is a science fiction novel by Jack Vance, first published in 1958, in which the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is strongly true.

Plot
In this novel, the planet Pao is a quiet backwater with a large, homogenous and stolid population ruled by an absolute monarch: the so-called Panarch. The current panarch attempts to hire an offworld scientist, Lord Palafox from the Breakness Institute on the planet Breakness as a consultant in order to reform Pao. Before the deal can be concluded, however, the panarch is assassinated by his brother Bustamonte, using mind-control over the panarch's own son, Beran Panasper, to do so. Lord Palafox saves Beran Panasper and takes him to Breakness as a possible bargaining chip in his dealings with Pao.

Somewhat later the planet Pao is conquered by the Brumbo Clan from the planet Batmarsh and Bustamonte, now the panarch of Pao, is forced to pay heavy tributes. In order to rid himself of the Brumbos he seeks the aid of Palafox, whose plan is to create technical, mercantile and warrior castes on Pao using customized languages and other means to shape the mindsets of each caste and to isolate them from each other and the general populace of Pao. When a corps of interpreters is trained on Breakness, Beran Panasper infiltrates the programme and returns to Pao incognito.

After several years the plan proves successful. The Brumbo Clan is repulsed by the warrior caste and Beran Panasper stages a coup against his uncle Bustamonte, claiming the title of panarch that is rightfully his. For a few years the castes of Pao are highly successful in their respective endeavours and the planet experiences a short golden age. However, Beran Panasper is upset about the divisions in the populace of Pao caused by the Palafox programme and attempts to return the planet to its previous state by re-integrating the newly created castes into the general populace. Palafox opposes this move and is killed by Beran Panasper but the warrior caste stages a coup and takes command of Pao.

Beran Panasper convinces them that they can not rule the planet alone, since they share no common language with the rest of the population, and that the interpreters are still needed. Thus, the novel ends with Beran Panasper still in charge of the planet but only on the sufferance of the warrior caste. It is uncertain what will become of him and his plans of re-uniting the populace of Pao.

Commentary
The Languages of Pao is a rather generic adventure novel and certainly not one of Jack Vance's most successful works. It has won a great deal of attention and some critical acclaim through its portrayal of language as a tool of social engineering. Even this is somewhat overrated, however, as the eponymous languages are by no means the only tools used to shape the mindsets of the technical, commercial and warrior castes. Vance returns to the discussion of language and mind in other novels, perhaps most notably in the Planet of Adventure series, in which he describes the language of the alien Wankh at some length.

Unlike most generic adventure stories, much of the time is devoted to Beren's education, and the development of his character. His changing attitude to the character of Palofax is also vital to the novel.

Sapir-Whorf

It is often said that The Languages of Pao shows a reality in which the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is strongly true. Certainly Palofax makes this claim in his sales pitch to Bustamonte. But it is not at all clear if Palofax is overstating his case, is mistaken himself, or may even be lying. In the event, the new castes or sub-societies are created with strong cultural biases that supplement and reinforce their linguistic biases, and it is not at all clear which factors are the most influential. For example, the warrior sub-society (which we see the most of) trains its members from childhood that personal honor and the reputation of the group is the major value, copmpared to which personal comfort or wealth, or even obedience to orders is of little moment. Such training has been effective in real history (consider the case of Sparta) with no particular manipulation of language involved. This might well be the case in the world of Pao, too.