Oral tradition indicates that wood sylphs once chiefly spoke Old Sylvan, even after the Great Wars. Some time around 500-600 B.I., however, Druidic slowly spread as a primary language. Over several centuries the druidic tongue has evolved into Meisylvan, and that is now an almost universal first language among wood sylphs. Their literacy rate is relatively low. However, most meisylphs can comprehend and write a simplistic pictorial system based on the ancient Memory Marks used to mark territory.

Imperial Common is gradually spreading among wood sylphs as a secondary language, but its adoption is surprisingly slow. Very few wood sylphs are brought up speaking Imperial Common, only a minority learn it as adults, and a vanishing handful can read and write any Imperial tongue.