diff --git a/locale/+linux.ha b/locale/+linux.ha
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a87069
--- /dev/null
+++ b/locale/+linux.ha
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+use bufio;
+use errors;
+use io;
+use os;
+use strings;
+
+def locale_conf_path = "/etc/locale.conf";
+
+// Returns the locale to use for character classification and case conversion.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_ctype() locale = get_locale("LC_CTYPE");
+
+// Returns the locale to use for collation order.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_collate() locale = get_locale("LC_COLLATE");
+
+// Returns the locale to use for monetary formatting.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_monetary() locale = get_locale("LC_MONETARY");
+
+// Returns the locale to use for numeric, non-monetary formatting.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_numeric() locale = get_locale("LC_NUMERIC");
+
+// Returns the locale to use for date and time formats.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_time() locale = get_locale("LC_TIME");
+
+// Returns the locale to use for formats of informative and diagnostic messages
+// and interactive responses.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_messages() locale = get_locale("LC_MESSAGES");
+
+// Returns the locale to use for linguistic translations.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_lang() locale = get_locale("LC_LANG");
+
+// TODO
+fn get_language() []locale;
+
+fn get_locale(var: str) locale =
+	match (get_env_locale(var)) {
+	case let local: locale => yield local;
+	case =>
+		yield match (get_locale_conf_entry(var)) {
+		case let local: locale => yield local;
+		case =>
+			yield c;
+		};
+	};
+
+fn get_env_locale(var: str) (locale | errors::invalid) =
+	match (os::getenv(var)) {
+	case let env: str => return parse_locale(env);
+	case              => return errors::invalid;
+	};
+
+let locale_conf: []str = [];
+
+@fini fn locale_conf() void = strings::freeall(locale_conf);
+
+fn get_locale_conf_entry(var: str) (locale | errors::invalid) = {
+	get_locale_conf();
+	for (let entry .. locale_conf) {
+		let (key, value) = strings::cut(entry, "=");
+		if (key == var) return parse_locale(value);
+	};
+	return errors::invalid;
+};
+
+fn get_locale_conf() []str = {
+	if (len(locale_conf) != 0) return locale_conf;
+
+	let file = match (os::open(locale_conf_path)) {
+	case let file: io::file => yield file;
+	case                    => return locale_conf;
+	};
+	defer io::close(file)!; // when the hell does closing a file fail????
+
+	let scanner = bufio::newscanner(file);
+	defer bufio::finish(&scanner);
+
+	for (true) {
+		match (bufio::scan_line(&scanner)) {
+		case let line: const str => append(locale_conf, line);
+		case                     => return locale_conf;
+		};
+	};
+};
diff --git a/locale/-linux.ha b/locale/-linux.ha
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9eec62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/locale/-linux.ha
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+use errors;
+
+// Returns the locale to use for character classification and case conversion.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_ctype() locale = c;
+
+// Returns the locale to use for collation order.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_collate() locale = c;
+
+// Returns the locale to use for monetary formatting.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_monetary() locale = c;
+
+// Returns the locale to use for numeric, non-monetary formatting.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_numeric() locale = c;
+
+// Returns the locale to use for date and time formats.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_time() locale = c;
+
+// Returns the locale to use for formats of informative and diagnostic messages
+// and interactive responses.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_messages() locale = c;
+
+// Returns the locale to use for linguistic translations.
+// The memory is statically allocated and must not be free'd. It may be
+// overwritten later, so use [[locale_dup]] to extend its lifetime.
+export fn get_lang() locale = c;
+
+// TODO
+export fn get_language() []locale;
diff --git a/locale/locale.ha b/locale/locale.ha
index 931104e..5ae02e2 100644
--- a/locale/locale.ha
+++ b/locale/locale.ha
@@ -10,13 +10,20 @@ export type locale = struct {
 	modifier: str,
 };
 
+// The default locale. Stands for computer, the C language, etc.
+export def c = locale {
+	lang = "C",
+	...
+};
+
 // Parses a [[locale]] name of the form:
 // 
 //   lang_COUNTRY.ENCODING@MODIFIER
 // 
 // Where _COUNTRY, .ENCODING, and @MODIFIER may be omitted. The function
 // returns a [[locale]], or [[errors::invalid]] if the input cannot be parsed.
-// All memory is borrowed from the input.
+// All memory is borrowed from the input, so [[locale_finish]] should not be
+// used to free it.
 export fn parse_locale(in: str) (locale | errors::invalid) = {
 	let (in, modifier) = strings::rcut(in, "@");
 	if (strings::compare(in, "") == 0) return void: errors::invalid;
@@ -55,7 +62,23 @@ export fn format_locale(local: locale) str = {
 
 // Checks if two [[locale]]s are equal.
 export fn locale_equal(a: locale, b: locale) bool =
-	strings::compare(a.lang,     b.lang    ) == 0 &&
-	strings::compare(a.country,  b.country ) == 0 &&
-	strings::compare(a.encoding, b.encoding) == 0 &&
-	strings::compare(a.modifier, b.modifier) == 0;
+	a.lang     == b.lang     &&
+	a.country  == b.country  &&
+	a.encoding == b.encoding &&
+	a.modifier == b.modifier;
+
+// Duplicates a [[locale]] structure. Use [[locale_finish]] to get rid of it.
+export fn locale_dup(local: locale) locale = locale {
+	lang     = strings::dup(local.lang),
+	country  = strings::dup(local.country),
+	encoding = strings::dup(local.encoding),
+	modifier = strings::dup(local.modifier),
+};
+
+// Frees memory associated with a [[locale]] structure.
+export fn locale_finish(local: locale) void = {
+	free(local.lang);
+	free(local.country);
+	free(local.encoding);
+	free(local.modifier);
+};