Quick Question

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Sekar
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Quick Question

Postby Sekar » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:43 pm

In an area where my character spawned, there seem to be alot of polish speakers. There are english speakers too, but alot of Polish people seem to be hanging out there. My question is if we are allowed to you use like an online translator to try to communicate with them?
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Sho
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Postby Sho » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:22 pm

If there were Polish characters where you spawned, you can use an online translator (with the understanding that online translators are garbage - particularly those for Polish-English). The presumption is that your character was born in a bilingual region and therefore knows both languages.

But I don't know if this is PD policy - it's just something that's been said on the forums.
Last edited by Sho on Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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SekoETC
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Postby SekoETC » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:23 pm

I think you should avoid that. Teach each other words by dropping a resource, then saying it's name. Point at all things you can. It's ok to know how things are spelled after hearing them, since otherwise it would make things too complicated. But you shouldn't know a word unless it's been taught. The only thing you can translate with external help is emotes - everything between the asterisks (*).
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T-shirt
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Postby T-shirt » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:12 pm

That's silly. In real life you can learn the basics of a language well within a year. In Cantr you can't, because you can't learn Polish in three weeks. Not when you are only allowed to use Cantr as the source of learning.

You should be able to use an online translator, because your character will learn a foreign language faster as the player does.
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. - G. Marx
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sanchez
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Postby sanchez » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:48 pm

I don't like the idea of using these in game, but if you must and PD approves, do try and avoid Poltran. It's horrible.

Here's a good dictionary, which is much more useful, and a translation site, that's spotty but at least not embarrassing:

http://www.getionary.pl/

http://translatica.pwn.pl/
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Chris Johnson
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Postby Chris Johnson » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:53 pm

and if you do use them always try back translation - i.e. translate the translation back into english to see if it still makes sense
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T-shirt
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Postby T-shirt » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:55 pm

I don't like different language speaking characters spawning in the same place. During the first twenty years of their lives, children would not learn words of languages spoken by their agelings?

I do not mind I have trouble making my character understand people in foreign places he travels to, but he should be able to communicate in some way with people spawned in his home town.

I have been in favour of fixed spawn places, or maybe spawning in places where 4 or 6 other people of your language group are present, but not two.
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. - G. Marx
Sekar
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Postby Sekar » Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:11 am

I understand how terrible online translators are, but at the moment there doesn't seem to be much choice but to use them.
DELGRAD
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Postby DELGRAD » Sun Dec 17, 2006 6:03 am

I agree. Online translation from Polish to English are complete trash.
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Piscator
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Postby Piscator » Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:13 am

Sho wrote:If there were Polish characters where you spawned, you can use an online translator (with the understanding that online translators are garbage - particularly those for Polish-English). The presumption is that your character was born in a bilingual region and therefore knows both languages.

But I don't know if this is PD policy - it's just something that's been said on the forums.


I wonder if someone could clear that issue. I always though it wasn't allowed to start your character bilingually, even if you are born in a bilingual town. Am I misinformed?

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