Editing Civilizations in Babylon 5 (section)

== Languages ==
There are three primary languages used on the Babylon 5 station: English and the fictional Centauri and Interlac.<ref name="trans">{{cite web |title=Orange County interview |author=[[J. Michael Straczynski]] |date=1996-12-14 |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-6901 |publisher=[[Compuserve]] |accessdate=2007-08-15}}</ref> English is mentioned explicitly as the "human language of commerce,"<ref>[[Objects at Rest]]</ref> and is the baseline language of the station; written signs appear in all three languages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Re: language...English is the basic… |author=[[J. Michael Straczynski]] |date=1992-07-12 |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-7326 |publisher=[[GEnie]] |accessdate=2007-08-16}}</ref> Other human and alien languages do exist in the ''Babylon 5'' universe, though with the exception of [[Minbari#Language|Minbari]], hearing them spoken is uncommon; when aliens of the same species are speaking to one another, the words heard are English, though it is presumed they are speaking their native tongue. Only in the presence of humans can the alien language be heard, to stress that the humans cannot understand what is being said.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yes, people will go to the bathroom |author=[[J. Michael Straczynski]] |date=1993-11-04 |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-9729 |publisher=[[GEnie]] |accessdate=2007-04-26}}</ref> 

The [[Gaim (Babylon 5)|Gaim]], [[pak'ma'ra]], and Vorlons do not speak directly in English; in the case of the pak'ma'ra, either because they refuse to learn any language other than their own,<ref>"[[Learning Curve (Babylon 5)|Learning Curve]]"</ref> or because they are incapable of making human sounds.<ref name="trans"/> Members of these races instead make use of real-time translation devices.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pat: sorry, but you're strictly... |author=[[J. Michael Straczynski]] |date=1994-11-24 |url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-8462 |publisher=[[GEnie]] |accessdate=2007-08-15}}</ref>

The principal human characters speak with an American accent, with the exception of [[Marcus Cole (Babylon 5)|Marcus Cole]], who speaks with Jason Carter's natural English accent. Susan Ivanova, born in [[Russia]], speaks with an American accent, as her character was raised and schooled outside Russia.<ref>{{cite newsgroup |title=Diversity of B5 populace |author=[[J. Michael Straczynski]] |date=1995-12-01 |newsgroup= rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated |url= http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-12166&query=winters |accessdate=2007-11-05}}</ref> Her father and brother have a distinct Russian accent. Various other minor human characters speak English with recognizable regional accents. Ambassadors Delenn and Londo Mollari, both alien characters, have distinct accents similar to [[Slavic languages|Slavic]]. Delenn has actress [[Mira Furlan]]'s normal [[Croatian language|Croatian]] accent; most other Minbari have native-speaker accents for English (for example, American for Lennier, British for [[Neroon]]). Londo's accent was developed independently by actor [[Peter Jurasik]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/377/377726p4.html |title=IGN: An Interview with Peter Jurasik |accessdate=2006-09-26}}</ref> and was imitated by [[William Forward]],<ref>{{IMDb name|id=0287480|name=William Forward}}</ref> who played Lord Refa. Straczynski has described Londo's accent as being that of the "old school" of the Centauri Imperial Court.<ref>{{cite web |title=Re:Franklin and Ivanova |author=[[J. Michael Straczynski]] |date=1995-11-12 |url= http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-15929 |publisher=[[AOL]] |accessdate=2007-04-26}}</ref> Narns tend to speak in native-speaker (generally English) accents as well.