Languages in HW

From: Mark Galeotti <Mark_at_galeotti.fsbusiness.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 21:27:44 -0000


This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

Alain RAMEAU writes:

"However, is "Read/write" still a valid skill, for the same reason : I = guess a
Hero should be able to read/write his mother tongue, except if the = player
decides to take a flaw ?"

I'd say so - these are, generally, illiterate societies, and literacy = should thus be a special attribute of the scholarly, educated or maybe = mercantile types.

"In the same idea, I think the "Culture" skill should include the = relevant speak
language (and read/write ?) ability as well, as a culture is defined by = a
language (not only, but it is a major element IMO), and knowing the = language is
essential to understand well a culture ?"

I'd agree that language helps understand culture (and vice-versa!), but = they are still distinct skills.

After all, drawing on my own experiences:

I speak Italian fluently, having learnt it orally at home while growing = up, but having written it much less, I am rather worse at writing it, = hence I may have Speak Italian 10w or whatever, Read/Write 17.

I know a lot about Russia and would say I have a good (expert) = understanding of its culture...but I'm no linguist and, frankly, I don;t = like the language. I read it OK, by dint of wading through newspapers, = etc, doing my PhD, but my spoken Russian is rusty and even when it was = better, it was rather bizarrely skewed towards words relating to my PhD = rather than 'normal Russian'. Oh, and apparently in Russian I have a = rustic northern accent! So put them together and, just to pluck figures = out of the air, I might have Russian Culture 1w2, Read Russian 20, Speak = Russian 13! (But then, I tend to Augment with Sign Language or Wave = Dollars...)

Mark

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Alain RAMEAU writes:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"However, is "Read/write" still a valid =
skill, for=20
the same reason : I guess a<BR>Hero should be able to read/write his = mother=20
tongue, except if the player<BR>decides to take a flaw ?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'd say so - these are, generally, =
illiterate=20
societies, and literacy should thus be a special attribute of the = scholarly,=20
educated or maybe mercantile types.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"In the same idea, I think the =
"Culture" skill=20
should include the relevant speak<BR>language (and read/write ?) ability = as=20
well, as a culture is defined by a<BR>language (not only, but it is a = major=20
element&nbsp; IMO), and knowing the language is<BR>essential to = understand well=20
a culture ?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I'd agree that language helps =
understand culture=20
(and vice-versa!), but they are still distinct skills.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>After all, drawing on my own=20
experiences:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I speak Italian fluently, having learnt =
it orally=20
at home while growing up, but having written it much less, I am rather = worse at=20
writing it, hence I may have Speak Italian 10w or whatever, Read/Write=20 17.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I know a lot about Russia and would say =
I have a=20
good (expert) understanding of its culture...but I'm no linguist and, = frankly, I=20
don;t like the language. I read it OK, by dint of wading through = newspapers,=20
etc, doing my PhD, but my spoken Russian is rusty and even when it was = better,=20
it was rather bizarrely skewed towards words relating to my PhD rather = than=20
'normal Russian'. Oh, and apparently in Russian I have a rustic northern = accent!=20
So put them together and, just to pluck figures out of the air, I might = have=20
Russian Culture 1w2, Read Russian 20, Speak Russian 13! (But then, I = tend to=20
Augment with Sign Language or Wave Dollars...)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mark</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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