English expressions in other language areas...

[Pirog]

I had a discussion with trage about starting up characters in areas where you don't speak the language, but play your characters as mutes and communicating with "sign language", expressed in English.

He said that Jos prefered if he didn't do that, and it got me wondering about how you do when people from different language areas eventually meet. If they aren't allowed to express emotions and movements in English I think the game will lack a lot of potentially interesting cultural meetings. In a society simulator the meeting of different cultures is one of the most interesting aspects I think.

It is also unrealistic that an "English" Cantrian can't see if a "Polish" Cantrian is sad, or waves his arm in greeting towards him.

I would just like to discuss this thru, in the hopes of getting this my way

[Black Canyon]

Yes, I've been a bit unclear about this myself. Initially I was using Spanish to describe actions, since I am in the Spanish language section, but then I noticed that most others seemed to be using English for that. In addition, I have run into just about as many Dutch speakers as I have Spanish speakers in this area........so probably using Spanish to describe actions does not make sense.

[Revanael]

Most of us are english, therefore things that should be understood by all chars (*actions*) should really be in english...

[Pirog]

Weee...support!

[Jos Elkink]

Most of us are english, therefore things that should be understood by all chars (*actions*) should really be in english...

It defies the whole purpose of language areas, though - people that play in that language that do not know English will be severely handicapped.

When I played a Dutch char in a Spanish area, I did the same, though ... I don't like this at all, but don't see a solution yet.

So, anyone any idea for solutions?

[.::. MysticGötén .::.]

Sign language is an universal language which almost everybody understands. When you wave for example, it is understood what you mean with it.

But since this is a text- based RPG, you need to express sign language or emotions with text.

I think it does not really matter in which language one should use sign language, but english is the language almost all cantr people speak and understand.

If someone would do sign language in spanish to me, I would not understand a bit of it, and thus would it not qualify as the sign language IRL which is clear and easy to understand.

[Pirog]

Jos>

The amount of players in Cantr that doesn't understand English must be very low. I think it's a classic case of "let's screw over the minorities"

But you shouldn't be FORCED to write the emotions in English...so those non-English speaking people could still communicate with each other without ptoblem. You could adapt to the situation...if you talk to a foreigner you could use English, if you talk to a native you keep your nativa language and if you talk to both you could always write it in both languages with a divider in between...

[.::. MysticGötén .::.]

I think it is logical, that if you are for instance in a dutch area, with dutch people and your char is dutch and you talk to them, that you express emotions in dutch.
But when dutch people meet german people, we use english emotions.

English chars don't have this problem since they always use english.

[Revanael]

I'd guess you wouldnt find ANY player who doesnt understand a bit of english - else I doubt they'd have joined.

[kroner]

regaurdless of what language you use, there's always babelfish. if someone gestured at me in spanish, it wouldn't be to much trouble for me to go find out what he/she was doing.

[Pirog]

kroner>

On the other hand we have people like me, who are much to lazy to sit and translate such things

[Jos Elkink]

Indeed, we probably have no players that do not understand any English. But the whole purpose of the language groups is to be able to attract those players. Gradually more and more of the game is translated and fairly soon the events page will be ... by introducing one element still in English, we keep pushing non-English speakers away. We really need to find a non-English solution.

[The Industriallist]

Seems to me that the only language-independant option is some kind of automated gestures, which could be displayed in the language of the viewing character.

[Revanael]

That's about all there is. And that would make things very inflexible.

[Missy]

I believe if you're in a dutch area, you should use dutch no matter what you're typing. Be it a note, having a character speak, or having a character express action.

I think if people in the English area started using spanish to describe actions of their characters there'd be an uproar.

Each area IMO should use the language thats required for speaking for actions as well.