Re: Learning Languages was Re: Larnsti Brotherhood

From: donald_at_...
Date: Sun, 05 Jun 2005 12:59:30 GMT

In message <d7umvu+m7gv_at_...> "Rob" writes:
>hi
>
>YGWV, but I think its wrong on many ways to view the Gloranthan
>learning of languages to the real world. Gloranthans have gods of
>communication and literacy that are active. FWIW I think the
>current discussion about the lack of written Heortling language puts
>the Heortlings down to the literacy level of what I imagined the
>Praxians to be. Maybe thats right, but its not how I have portrayed
>them.

A majority of the population being literate belongs post-industrial revolution with the introduction of public education. Prior to the printing press there wasn't even the opportunity for most people to learn - the only book they were likely to see was the bible the priest read from in church. We tend to think of people like the Ancient Greeks as being literate because the male upper class was.

>As the author of Thunder Rebels I'd be interested to hear
>John Hughes' impression, and of course a ruling from Greg would be
>good. The presence of a written form of Heortling does not, I
>think, detract from the presence of an oral tradition of the society
>as a rule. Having said that I am far from an expert in these matters!

No one is saying there isn't a written form of Heortling, just that it is not in common use except among sages who tend to congregate in towns and cities.

-- 
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/