diff --git a/plugins/Unix/config.py b/plugins/Unix/config.py
index 0da4ec10b..2b618327c 100644
--- a/plugins/Unix/config.py
+++ b/plugins/Unix/config.py
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ conf.registerGlobalValue(Unix.spell, 'command',
     registry.String(utils.findBinaryInPath('aspell') or
                     utils.findBinaryInPath('ispell') or '', _("""Determines
     what command will be called for the spell command.""")))
+conf.registerGlobalValue(Unix.spell, 'language',
+    registry.String('en', _("""Determines what aspell dictionary will be used
+    for spell checking.""")))
 
 conf.registerGroup(Unix, 'wtf')
 conf.registerGlobalValue(Unix.wtf, 'command',
diff --git a/plugins/Unix/plugin.py b/plugins/Unix/plugin.py
index 0f5a8c07c..9a18c4050 100644
--- a/plugins/Unix/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Unix/plugin.py
@@ -143,11 +143,12 @@ class Unix(callbacks.Plugin):
                      'is installed, reconfigure '
                      'supybot.plugins.Unix.spell.command appropriately.'),
                      Raise=True)
+        spellLang = self.registryValue('spell.language') or 'en'
         if word and not word[0].isalpha():
             irc.error(_('<word> must begin with an alphabet character.'))
             return
         try:
-            inst = subprocess.Popen([spellCmd, '-a'], close_fds=True,
+            inst = subprocess.Popen([spellCmd, '-l', spellLang, '-a'], close_fds=True,
                                     stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                     stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                                     stdin=subprocess.PIPE)