linguistic-taboo

The chapter introduces a far-future setting where humanity has spread across the galaxy, with each colony developing distinct cultures over centuries. On the planet Borthan, a unique and oppressive social order called the Covenant forbids self-expression and the use of personal pronouns, punishing 'self-baring' with exile or death. The protagonist, Kinnall Darival, a prince of Salla, is inspired by a visitor from Earth to challenge this taboo and redefine what it means to be human.

The narrator undertakes a secretive journey to the southern continent to obtain a rare drug, arranging passage through legal and bureaucratic manipulation to avoid recognition. During the trip, he and Schweiz discuss their plans to use the drug to liberate their society from self-imposed linguistic taboos, highlighting the cultural repression surrounding the use of the first-person pronoun. Their encounter with a local girl who reacts with disgust upon hearing 'I' underscores the deep social stigma against self-reference.

The chapter explores the protagonist's journey with Scile, a linguist researching the unique language of the Ariekei Hosts in Embassytown. It details the challenges faced by previous linguists in understanding the Hosts' dual-voiced language and the historical breakthrough achieved by early Bremen ACLers who realized the Hosts could only comprehend simultaneous dual sounds. The narrative also reflects on the isolation of Embassytown, the complexity of interspecies communication, and the personal dynamics between the narrator and Scile.