# Has anyone covered writing dialogue in different languages yet?



## makmakmob (Jun 29, 2009)

If not, I have a few questions;

Firstly, if I pick one language to be translated into English (if more than one different language is being used in a scene), could it work to change this lnaguage from scene to scene, say, for example, the majority lngauage always being English?

Secondly, is it better to just describe a different language ('he babbled in a foreign tongue' or something to that effect), or actualy write it phonetically in the story ('Parlez vous', 'secma iwo' or something to that effect)?

Thirdly, should I even bother putting diferent languages in one scene or place?

Cheers to anyone who can give their advice! \( '-')c[~]


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## Myasa (Jun 29, 2009)

I feel your pain. In fact, I might have it slightly worse when inventing a new language. But to me, spelling it out phonetically gives a little bit more in depth. If you put "babbled in a foreign tongue", the immersion of the story sort of halts and you enter a gray area where the reader has to invent some conception of just what sort of babbling is going on. Even better, if your phonetic writing works well, a smart reader might be able to tell what general language it is from the sound and feel a sense of accomplishment for knowing more than the protagonist. You'd be surprised how well that works. Of course, there is something to be said for irony as well.

I'd personally say avoid different languages unless it is crucial or a very important part to the immersion, but if you have to, go for it.

I'm not particularly sure what you mean by the first question, but I hope I helped on the other two. ^_^


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## Murphy Z (Jun 29, 2009)

Another thing you can do is "translate" the foreign words into English, but put the words into <> (less than and greater than signs), for example:

"<Have a nice day>," he said in German. (Just let the reader know what the "<...>" means). This works if the person being talked to understood what is being said.

I tend to avoid people talking in a foreign languages too long, if they don't understand it, they'll tend to skim over the whole thing. It's catchy for a couple of phrases, but after that, it gets kind of boring.


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## M. LeRenard (Jun 29, 2009)

Most people I've talked with about this subject think it's pretentious and annoying for foreign languages to show up in fiction writing to any significant degree.  A few words here and there can add a nice effect (Panzergulo's North Edge stuff is a good example of this), but beyond that it becomes distasteful and distracting.
Especially languages you make up.  If you write any more than a few sentences in a con-lang per ten thousand words, you're basically just jumping around going, "Hey guys, look at how smart and clever I am for making up my very own super special language!"  Even Tolkien was rather sparing with Elvish when he wrote the Lord of the Rings, and the languages he made were basically his whole reason for writing those books in the first place.


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## Drbigt (Jun 29, 2009)

Yes, I have. I already did this years ago. Though only parts of dialogue, such as greetings are done in foreign language and during a chant for their god's name.


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## panzergulo (Jul 4, 2009)

M. Le Renard said:


> Most people I've talked with about this subject think it's pretentious and annoying for foreign languages to show up in fiction writing to any significant degree.  A few words here and there can add a nice effect (*Panzergulo's North Edge stuff is a good example of this*), but beyond that it becomes distasteful and distracting.
> Especially languages you make up.  If you write any more than a few sentences in a con-lang per ten thousand words, you're basically just jumping around going, "Hey guys, look at how smart and clever I am for making up my very own super special language!"  Even Tolkien was rather sparing with Elvish when he wrote the Lord of the Rings, and the languages he made were basically his whole reason for writing those books in the first place.



What he said. And no, not only because he pimped me there. I think Mister L. R. said pretty much what I would have liked to say. What I have to add is that I have experimented with this quite a lot and might say I have achieved a rather good balance. Extensive use of foreign language is justified only if it serves the story. I have a few times used more than one of two Finnish lines to emphasize the main character doesn't really understand what the other characters are talking. But this effect should be used with light hand and with taste. So far people have liked my writings and after I asked about it, the majority of them don't even want translations for the non-English parts. My readers are happier when they don't know what I'm writing. Go figure.


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