tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post1666753346924356764..comments2024-03-18T03:00:34.609-07:00Comments on Story Sensei: Q&A: Writing a scene with 2 characters who are not English speakersCamy Tanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577747925320907186noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-21922422094296899192010-01-20T12:55:49.869-08:002010-01-20T12:55:49.869-08:00Good points, Atlas! Thanks!Good points, Atlas! Thanks!Camy Tanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00790591988777275651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-21205565022711529292010-01-19T23:01:29.837-08:002010-01-19T23:01:29.837-08:00I agree about staying away from "pidgin engli...I agree about staying away from "pidgin english". it smacks of old colonial prejudices. <br /><br />Also, you might find you don’t need to explicitly state “They were speaking Apache” while they are speaking to one another, but you can do so when someone else is around them who doesn’t understand Apache. (a nice paradigm shift for the reader)<br /><br />One subtle trick is to deliberately choose words that establish the culture of the character. Just like you would choose words to establish the class, education, personality, etc of your characters. <br /><br />To establish people as scientists you put loads of latin and greek derived words in their mouths. To establish a poet, you make them brood with snatches of obscure metaphors. For a hard-working blue collar bloke sprinkle some slang (go easy) and stick to the more Anglo/German derived words.<br /><br />So if you have Native Americans talking, try using earthy words, living words. Stay away from words that come straight outta Latin and Greek. Remember to use the cadence of their speech to summon the image of ____ (insert what you want the reader to feel about their culture: stately, fatalistic, peace-loving, simple, fierce, happy, angry, etc, etc, etc)<br /><br />that's all I got. :)Atlas Takes Aimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07792492710535808397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-52101413238791788902010-01-19T22:31:30.196-08:002010-01-19T22:31:30.196-08:00That's a good idea! My only concern is that if...That's a good idea! My only concern is that if the grammar is odd, it might slow the reading flow for the modern reader.<br />CamyCamy Tanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00790591988777275651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-52465947163619253842010-01-19T18:12:25.606-08:002010-01-19T18:12:25.606-08:00In "Kim," Rudyard Kipling wrote the part...In "Kim," Rudyard Kipling wrote the parts in which characters speak Hindi using "thee," but the parts in which characters are speaking English have "you." James Clavell did something similar in "Shogun" to show when the characters are speaking Latin.Kristen Stieffelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06716097889143393543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-44357098022323797412010-01-19T17:56:29.867-08:002010-01-19T17:56:29.867-08:00Good point! Variety is always better.
CamyGood point! Variety is always better.<br />CamyCamy Tanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00790591988777275651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-72892971050854678132010-01-19T06:22:49.217-08:002010-01-19T06:22:49.217-08:00This is very succint and helpful advice. I think ...This is very succint and helpful advice. I think having these two methods to use would also be helpful if you have more then a few scenes where non-English speakers are talking in your book to kind've help you change it up and not get tiring.BKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14347297074791079439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-60418446739234100512010-01-18T14:17:36.771-08:002010-01-18T14:17:36.771-08:00Thanks a bunch, guys!
CamyThanks a bunch, guys!<br />CamyCamy Tanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577747925320907186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-30524651498817046142010-01-18T14:11:13.561-08:002010-01-18T14:11:13.561-08:00Hey I love your blog! :)Hey I love your blog! :)The Rejection Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01288683065588449736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19161923.post-41049632427535274352010-01-18T03:33:32.053-08:002010-01-18T03:33:32.053-08:00Wow, very helpful! I'm thinking about doing a ...Wow, very helpful! I'm thinking about doing a book soon with characters who speak another language, so I'll definitely keep these tips in mind :)Miahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06847210876356844336noreply@blogger.com