>> Don't worry, everyone in this particular scenario is doing the best they can with what info they've got; and they try to work out problems as they find them; but some things take time.<<
That's good.
>> Just because you're doing everything right doesn't mean that everything goes well, especially if you run into outside-context problems. <<
Outside problems are good for characters who are generally sympathetic and competent. For more flawed characters, I really like seeing their poor choices bite them in the ass. I am especially delighted when a villain's piss-poor behavior brings about their downfall.
>> Furthermore, such writing is a good teaching tool for how to interact with people non-verbally, and for how to interact and build relationships with people who are different than you.<<
Writing is a good teaching tool in general. I have been an activist all my life, and have tried many tactics. The one with the highest throughput of people saying "I did the thing" ...? Is plain old storytelling. So that's what I do.
>> I'm actually toying with trying to have one group use a sign language, (which you almost never see done in literature). <<
It's rare, but I've seen some lovely examples. If you haven't read Hellspark yet, look it up.
>> Or maybe it should be a trade languague, with the one amphibious/aquatic group being habitually bilingual and switching to suit current needs...<<
Verbal language in air and sign language in water, or vice versa, depending which their voice is tuned for.
>> ...and yes, Imma include languague shenanigans. Don't annoy your volunteer interpreters, folks! Also, Divided by a Common Languague, Translation Chain, your Translator Buddy is a security blanket, and being the Unintelligible 'cause you learned to speak from books are all very true.<<
Go you! I love xenolinguistics.
>> For a different story idea, I'm tempted to base aliens off earthlings (cockatoo, dog, horse, dolphin, fish, cephelopods etc) and then use the earthling 'donor species' body language as the alien one. Sneaky way to get people to learn about cross-species communication, bwahahaha!<<
>>And now I'm tempted to challenge you to write a story with a complete languague barrier and no workarounds (i.e. translators), where the characters fix the problem / make friends / confuse everyone around them. (Or as someone incredulously asked me once "How do you talk to each other?")<<
Find any relevant prompt call and ask for it. I'll hit that. :D Just remember to specify no language workaround via technology or magic so I can refer to body language, guesstures, or trial-and-error.
In fact, I'm toward the end of my poetic themes and will have to call for suggestions probably some time in January. By all means propose "Linguistics & Xenolinguistics" as a theme.
Re: Thoughts
That's good.
>> Just because you're doing everything right doesn't mean that everything goes well, especially if you run into outside-context problems. <<
Outside problems are good for characters who are generally sympathetic and competent. For more flawed characters, I really like seeing their poor choices bite them in the ass. I am especially delighted when a villain's piss-poor behavior brings about their downfall.
>> Furthermore, such writing is a good teaching tool for how to interact with people non-verbally, and for how to interact and build relationships with people who are different than you.<<
Writing is a good teaching tool in general. I have been an activist all my life, and have tried many tactics. The one with the highest throughput of people saying "I did the thing" ...? Is plain old storytelling. So that's what I do.
>> I'm actually toying with trying to have one group use a sign language, (which you almost never see done in literature). <<
It's rare, but I've seen some lovely examples. If you haven't read Hellspark yet, look it up.
>> Or maybe it should be a trade languague, with the one amphibious/aquatic group being habitually bilingual and switching to suit current needs...<<
Verbal language in air and sign language in water, or vice versa, depending which their voice is tuned for.
>> ...and yes, Imma include languague shenanigans. Don't annoy your volunteer interpreters, folks! Also, Divided by a Common Languague, Translation Chain, your Translator Buddy is a security blanket, and being the Unintelligible 'cause you learned to speak from books are all very true.<<
Go you! I love xenolinguistics.
>> For a different story idea, I'm tempted to base aliens off earthlings (cockatoo, dog, horse, dolphin, fish, cephelopods etc) and then use the earthling 'donor species' body language as the alien one. Sneaky way to get people to learn about cross-species communication, bwahahaha!<<
That works quite well. I have based aliens on:
* ants and butterflies in Alien Ants and Butterflies
* ruff birds in Feathered Nests
* starfish and sunda colugos in the Godship Wanderers
* assorted hymenoptera in Queen Choufa and the Rebel Drones
* also in Frankenstein's Family the werewolves are modeled after natural wolves while the vampires are modeled after vampire bats.
* also in Submerged Nebraska there are two sentient species evolved from manta rays and cockroaches.
>> Its fun talking about this stuff with you. :)
Yay! I enjoy it too.
>>And now I'm tempted to challenge you to write a story with a complete languague barrier and no workarounds (i.e. translators), where the characters fix the problem / make friends / confuse everyone around them. (Or as someone incredulously asked me once "How do you talk to each other?")<<
Find any relevant prompt call and ask for it. I'll hit that. :D Just remember to specify no language workaround via technology or magic so I can refer to body language, guesstures, or trial-and-error.
In fact, I'm toward the end of my poetic themes and will have to call for suggestions probably some time in January. By all means propose "Linguistics & Xenolinguistics" as a theme.