Earthian n. 2

It was a roundabout way, a long way, an awkward way to read the language of Mars, Monk reflected. Martian to Jovian to Earthian. But it was better than no way at all.

The native walked over to Benton and said in perfect Earthian ‘Well…I didn’t think I looked that surprised.’

‘I apologize if I have insulted you,’ I said in Earthian. ‘I do not yet always understand what I am saying, in your language.’

Despite the manifold difficulties involved in teaching an alien our tongue, his Earthian was becoming increasingly fluent and errorless day by day.

Sister Lorpa spoke Earthian very clearly, in a high, sweet voice, starting without preamble to describe something called the ‘ghyrm.’ I recognized this as a Cantardene word meaning ‘eater.’