Summary
WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #14!From Kryptonese to Russian,Batmancan speak an impressive array of languages; however, there is one language even the Dark Knight hasn’t mastered thatNightwingis more than well-versed in. In fact, this language is so rare that only two heroes in the entire DC Universe are confirmed to be fluent in it. For fans interested in this mysterious language and all the others that the original Boy Wonder speaks, this is the article for you.
Dick Grayson is fluent in 12 languages, including English, Sign Language, French, Kikuyu, Tamaranean, Farsi, Russian, Japanese, German, Italian, Romany, and Carny.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold#14returns with the second installment of Tim Seeley, Kelley Jones, and Michelle Madsen’s Nightwing-centric story,Down the Road. This tale sees Dick Grayson team up with Boston “Deadman” Brand to solve a supernatural mystery connected to Dick’s circus past.
During their investigation,they encounter a little boy possessed by a ghost who communicates using carny speak, which falls under the umbrella of secret languages known as ‘cants.’ Nightwing’s immediate recognition and understanding of the language showcase yet another language the original Boy Wonder is fluent in.
Nightwing and Deadman May Be the Only 2 Heroes in the DC Universe Who Can Speak ‘Carny’
Carny Is a Specific ‘Cant’ or Secret Language
The ghost-possessed little boy approaches Boston and Dick at a diner and immediately starts speaking what would sound like gibberish to most people:“Feazind theaze reazed leazight.” After this encounter,Dick explains that the child was speaking ‘cant,’ a term for secret languages understood only by specific groups to exclude or mislead outsiders.‘Carny speak’ is a specific type of cant, making it an extremely rare language spoken by a very small group of people—a language so rare that even Batman, who knows Kryptonese, doesn’t speak it.
GivenDeadman and Nightwing’s circus backgrounds, it makes perfect sense that they understand carny, likely making them the only two heroes in the DC Universe fluent in this secret language. This rarity makes carny even more unique among heroes than Kryptonese. Considering Batman’s impressive ability to master various alien languages and his photographic memory, it would be fascinating to see how quickly he could learn carny. For now, it’s remarkable that Nightwing speaks a language that even Batman doesn’t. Unfortunately, this exclusivity means there aren’t many people Dick can converse with in carny, further highlighting its uniqueness.
Dick Grayson Is Fluent in 12 Languages According toNightwing#54 (2016-)
Which Languages Can Nightwing Speak?
According toNightwing#54 (2016-), Dick Grayson can speak 12 languages. While the comic doesn’t specify all the languages, mentions throughout his comic history provide a solid idea of his fluency. Besides his obvious fluency in English, Dick is also proficient Sign Language (Tales of the Teen Titans#44, 1984), French (Batman: Gotham Knights Vol 1, 2000-), Kikuyu (The Power Company: Manhunter Vol 1, 2002), Tamaranean (Action Comics #842, 2006), Farsi (Robin#175, 2008), Russian (Grayson#1, 2014), Japanese (Titans Annual#1, 2017), German(Nightwing#51, 2018), Italian (Nightwing#72, 2020), Romany (Nightwing#91, 2022), and Carny. This brings the total to 12 languages thatNightwingis confirmed to speak with comic evidence.
Nightwing’s New Nickname Is the Perfect Celebration of His Past
One iconic Justice Lague Dark member has officially crowned Nightwing with a new nickname that is the perfect tribute to Dick Grayson’s past.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold #14is available now from DC Comics!
BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #14 (2024)
Nightwing
Nightwing is the superhero moniker taken up by Dick Grayson, upon his aging out of the Robin role and becoming a superhero of his own. Inspired by the original Kryptonian hero of the same name, Grayson has risen to comic book immortality with the identity, earning respect as one of the greatest leaders in the DC Universe.
