Re: Languages

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_cs.ucc.ie>
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 01:06:38 +0100 (BST)


Peter Metcalfe expounds on language intraconversion:
> 1/3 is an incomprehensible dialect. Most of the time you are going
> "What?!? Can you repeat that please?". Some dialects spoken in
> the remote parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands may fall into
> this catergory from the PoV of the average english speaker.

Totally off-topic digression:

Actually, Gaelic-speaking Highlanders have very non-incomprehensible accents when speaking English, in my experience. Now, hard-core Aberdonians, mind you... As for Ireland, it's the "remote parts" of certain cities that are the most... challenging, in my experience. (Not unlike the Taggart phenomenon (except _him_ I can understand, unsurprisingly)).

> Personally I think the idea of adding the communication bonus onto
> the reduced language skill is a load of crap.

I forgot about this rule entirely. Though it sort of fits with your suggestion that similarly at the 0.2 or 0.1 chance level is at the level of SPEAK ENGLISH SLOWLY AND LOUDLY, frantic mime, and attempted telepathy. Though the logical extension of _that_ would be that you get your CB in even your "00%" tongues.

Slainte,
Alex.


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