Do Ponies speak English or do they have their own language?

[Azureth 687]

Now I am sure you might think this is a dumb question considering they do speak English in the show, however, my question is do they have their own language but is simply translated for us ala all the aliens in Star Trek or do you think they do actually speak English? If not, what do you think a Pony language would be?

[[NULL] 906]

We all know they speak Galactic Basic.

Edited January 16, 2015 by SpaceOnion

[Metemponychosis 1,261]

I like to think that Equestria has it's own language as much as other regions have their own languages.

The show is translated... You see.. Ponies speak Portuguese in Brazil. 

[Queen Sparkle 104]

I think they do speak English or they have their own copy of English because in the show they use words that are considered complex words meanwhile English is the most complex language where as some of the other languages don't have these words but their copy of English is kindof just replacing some words

[Radiance64 7,053]

Their mouths are animated to move in English so... it's meant to be English, I'd say.

[Deae Rising Shine~ 55,421]

Equestrian. It's their own language, pretty similiar to english, but some different words(Everybody = Everypony etc., several bad words more friendly*Buck, shout etc.*)

[Cleverclover 1,526]

I can point out three little words that prove that ponies speak English: 

 

WELCOME PRINCESS CELEST 

 

As far as I can tell, this has been the only time that plain English text has been seen so clearly in the show. Normally, text is shown in either wavy lines or somewhat distorted letters. That said, it's more than likely that many of the terms we have would not be familiar with them, and additionally, they may have some terms (such as everypony, somepony, etc.) that are not used by us. 

Edited January 16, 2015 by Cleverclover

[Silver Letter 1,832]

They do but the show itself is not completely clear on it. There is modern Equestrian and old Equestrian. Modern is distorted lettering but simple alphabetic language that would not easily translate well naturally to English due to its simplicity. The show just has them speak English anyway as a translation. The banner with English? Who knows....that can just be seen as an odd oversight since that is not supported by the rest of the show. As for old Equestrian, that is an ancient pictographic language. Meaning it uses symbols instead of an alphabet. The symbols themselves stand for words or concepts and are mostly understood only by high unicorns or royalty.

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

They speak English with some show-created slang because Equestria represents the U.S. and parts of Canada and English is the official language of those two.

Edited January 19, 2015 by CC_Maud_Pie

[Pinkie-Guy 563]

I'm just going to pretend it's English.  It makes a crossover fanfic a bit smoother.

[inactive09 61]

Considering they have their own Manehattan, and so on, it is similar to America, yes. But it isn't America because it's a land of ponies, a whole country actually, right? So I'd say of course it is possible that they do have their own language called Equestrian! I mean why wouldn't that be a possibility? Maybe that would be a language close to english but still not, like their name of certain places. 
I'd like to believe it would be highly possible rather than just assuming it's english because it doesn't make much sense else that it is in english of course because it's a show with english speaking directors, animators and voice actors. But it is another place, a fantasy place, so for them to speak another language, yes, I find that highly possible!

[FluffyGoat13 375]

I think they do have their own language(s). Although their lips move as if they speak english they amy not be speaking english. It's the same with star wars, they don't speak english they speak galactic basic but it looks like they're speaking english. So maybe they have a different language, but it sounds like english.

[Disk Spinner 51]

I dont think the people who created the show thought that it would be an issue. The expected just ittle girls to watch it. I think that ponies speak their own language but it is jest tranalated for us to watch.

[Frostgage 7,975]

They speak English (or whatever language the show is translated to), although I'm sure they have a ponified name for it. I would assume there are other regions of Equestria where they speak different languages.

[Vocaloid_IA 95]

The show is in English in some parts in North America, but I know that the show is also in more languages for the other countries so everyone can enjoy MLP. However, if they did have their own language, only in our language so we can watch the show... I would say they would make noises the normal pony would make.

[FluffyGoat13 375]

I would say they would make noises the normal pony would make.

Hmm...Interesting idea. I didn't think of that. That does make sense.

[Cleverclover 1,526]

The show just has them speak English anyway as a translation. The banner with English? Who knows....that can just be seen as an odd oversight since that is not supported by the rest of the show. As for old Equestrian, that is an ancient pictographic language. Meaning it uses symbols instead of an alphabet. The symbols themselves stand for words or concepts and are mostly understood only by high unicorns or royalty.

 

 

I don't believe that the show is translated. "Old Equestrian" and "Modern Equestrian" may indeed be canon as far as the actual text/alphabet goes, but the language actually spoken is English. 

 

In addition to the banner, there's also a little scene in MMMystery on the Friendship Express that also support that they're speaking English:

 

 

Pinkie: "Now we just have to find out whodunit!" 

 

Twilight: "You mean, 'who did it.'" 

 

Pinkie: "Exactly! Who diddundoodit?!" 

 

 

I can't really see a scene like that playing out in another language. A syntax error as relatively minor as the misplaced usage of done/did wouldn't typically be corrected in a non-English language, nevermind the fact that the term "whodunit" is an English expression in the first place. 

 

In fact, even the scene in the first episode where Twilight gives Spike several words with the same meaning wouldn't play out as well in a non-English language. 

[Bird Mom 900]

I would assume they speak English naturally, but I do know for a fact that they have their own writing system.

[ponylaces 1,870]

They speak the Equestrian language, duh.

 

I don't like to overthink stuff like this. Ponies simply just speak English, but have a few of their own ponified words (everypony, somepony, etc). They also have their own ponified swear words (buck, flying feather, etc).

Edited February 8, 2015 by PonyLaces

[Buck Testa 5,505]

I'm less interested in what they are speaking than their written language. How many times has our bookworm Twilight MISREAD something? Is their language that hard to understand that you could mistake "potion" for "Poison"? You would expect someone of her brains to be able to read without an issue and yet their written word is apparently something that needs deciphering. 

 

[Fhaolan 4,483]

I'm less interested in what they are speaking than their written language. How many times has our bookworm Twilight MISREAD something? Is their language that hard to understand that you could mistake "potion" for "Poison"? You would expect someone of her brains to be able to read without an issue and yet their written word is apparently something that needs deciphering. 

 

That actually doesn't surprise me *that* much. In English there have been many words that radically change meaning depending on when they were written, and have multiple meanings that can only be deciphered from context. For example 'awful' has completely flipped from 'something that is full of awe (as in awesome)' to 'something that is horrible'. It depends on how old the stories are that she's reading.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

That actually doesn't surprise me *that* much. In English there have been many words that radically change meaning depending on when they were written, and have multiple meanings that can only be deciphered from context. For example 'awful' has completely flipped from 'something that is full of awe (as in awesome)' to 'something that is horrible'. It depends on how old the stories are that she's reading.

You make a good point, I didn't think about how the context of words change over time and she reads a lot of ancient texts on a regular basis. Thank you for that! Head canon all kinds of accepted. 

[Scrubbed user 3,416]

It's because the show is originally meant for North American TV, and all of the VAs speak in english, therefore...

 

@CC_Maud_Pie Fun fact: the US doesn't actually have an official language. 

[RavenholmZombie 1,330]

Except for some terms (Everypony, Somepony, etc) their spoken language is English (Their mouths move to form English words as well)

 

However, I'm fairly sure that they're using a different writing system (perhaps their own alphabet)

[Namename. 275]

You know, I would actually believe that they have their own language and writing, but the show just represents it in English. My story is supposedly like that, in which all the characters speak a different language (Because they are in an entirely different universe, so they speak their own, a bit between Hebrew and Arabic), but the story shows them as if they were speaking English. It wouldn't be fun if there was never any understanding! Well, unless some people find the "Pony Language," and people fully learn it by heart and watch the show... you get it.