House Rules: Optional Language Chart

[CourtFool]

Re: House Rules: Optional Language Chart

 

True' date=' although it can be argued that its, "many dialects," are really several different languages. When someone who knows Dialect A can understand someone speaking Dialect B, and that person can understand someone speaking Dialect C but the first person can't, where do you draw the line between languages? Is there one?[/quote']

 

I draw it at Ebonics.

[schir1964]

Re: House Rules: Optional Language Chart

 

True' date=' although it can be argued that its, "many dialects," are really several different languages. When someone who knows Dialect A can understand someone speaking Dialect B, and that person can understand someone speaking Dialect C but the first person can't, where do you draw the line between languages? Is there one?[/quote']

Very good point! (8^D)

 

Again, could be why they left it up to the GM.

 

- Christopher Mullins

[schir1964]

Re: House Rules: Optional Language Chart

 

I draw it at Ebonics.

< Slaps Knee > HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[prestidigitator]

Re: House Rules: Optional Language Chart

 

I draw it at Ebonics.

At what? Never heard of such a thing. No. And neither have you.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: House Rules: Optional Language Chart

 

-Basic Conversation barely lets you order the most basic of items from a menu.

-Fluent Conversation will get you most of the way, but there will be many many words you don't know, especially colloquialisms (slang) that you will not know AT ALL.

-Compeletly Fluent means you will know and understand most slang, or at least the most common slang.

-Idiomatic means you will get almost all slang the language has to offer - like knowing that when you go to Rhode Island, US and someone orders a Cabinet from the local hamburger joint they're getting a Milk Shake. Or knowing that a 'Sub' a 'Hero' and a 'Grinder' are all the same thing when referencing a sandwich.

How often do these distinctions come up in play? Is it really worth the points? It costs a cp to order off of a menu? A lot of slang and idioms are commonly taught to new learners of a language. It really isn't that big of a deal to be able to understand idioms like "big deal."

 

I like the 5-point level' date=' actually. I always liked the way the old D&D Elven Handbook explained the elven language, and how non-elves (including half elves) can never quite learn the nuances of intonation that allow full elves to add a whole additional level of almost empathic communication to their conversations. It also works well in the same way as a kind of "Thieves' Cant," where you know enough about slang and different dialects that you can carry on a conversation that will completely pass over most peoples' heads, or sound totally like nonesense to them because of the unusual vocabulary.[/quote']

That's a good point. I was thinking primarily about real world languages in a modern setting. For secret languages in fantasy or other settings (such as Thieve's Cant), or "beyond human complexity" languages like "true" elven, you can simply charge extra points or restict the purchase to certain types of characters. F'rex: Thieves' Cant is an ordinary language and costs the normal price, but your not allowed to buy it unless you've bought the Perk: Membership in Thieves' Guild. Non-elves can only buy up to three points of Elven. etc.

 

Think Shakespear; he had 5 points of English!

Yes, at least. That's another advantage of my house rule: you can be a truly great expert on a language. 5 points would give you a 15- roll (or 11+INT/5). I'd give Shakespeare about 7-8 points of English. With the rules as written. All languages max out at Imitate dialects + literacy.

 

We also have to be careful to distinguish between Languages and other language-dependent or -related skills, like Oratory, High Society*, and other interaction skills, PS: Writer/Poet/etc., and also KS's and Sciences**

 

* I'd say High Society may allow you to speak with an upper class accent regardless of your skill in languages.

** In my house rules, a 1-pt familiarity with a language will not allow you to understand and use technical jargon or other more complex uses of language, but a SC or KS or PS in the appropriate field may allow you to understand certain technical communication in a language that you are otherwise not that proficient in. After all the word "electronic" for example is very similar in most languages (electronique, elektronisch, etc.).

 

And let me add one more bit to the explanation of my house rules which I didn't mention before: 3 points gives you a 9+INT/5 roll, just like any other background skill. This is what everyone starts with for their own native language.

 

And one further note about ebonics: The word is coined from the word "ebony" which is a very dense tropical hardwood. Therefore, it is permissible to speak ebonics only if you are very dense and made of wood.

[zornwil]

Re: House Rules: Optional Language Chart (Revision 3)

 

It's nice work. I can't see using it because the level of minutiae, even for a realistic campaign, is too much for my taste, but I like what you've done.