text_combined: 5 1205 linguistics imperialism worth remembering hearing somewhere old persian empire used employ number translators competent imperial language language region carry messages throughout empire presumably somewhat similar british empire imperial functionaries used receive additional payments passed appropriate exams local languages old family friend district commissioner part uganda used sit court regularly overseeing cases customary law always conducted vernacular languages necessarily wellknown fco although make regular reports back london although would described linguist would seem work depended amount pretheoretical linguistics tony bex