Re: Learning Languages was Re: Larnsti Brotherhood

From: Chris Lemens <chrislemens_at_...>
Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2005 19:05:16 -0700 (PDT)


Jane Williams observes:

> The Praxians, however, have no written language,
> as I understand it, not even in a specialist
> caste/cult?

Correct, except for the knot-writing.

> But they do have a system of knot-writing,
> with presumably a very limited "vocabulary"?

It is probably broader than you would expect, but it is primarily a sacred language, with direct analogs on the spirit plane. For example, place-knots denote things like distance form chaos, which is certainly useful in a sense, but has a mythic denotation. It would be difficult, so example, to keep a diary in knot-writing, though one could keep a simple travel-log. It would be difficult to keep merchant accounts, but simple to keep a count of beasts. It is pretty difficult to describe new things, but it describes everyting you would normally find in the Greatlands.

So, yes, somewhat limited. I would compare it to systems where a single symbol equates to a word. The huge difference is that one can make many more symbols with brush and ink than one can with a few pieces of string. It has everything that a nomad would need to write down, of course.

If you need to record anything else, you're Outlandish, so I'll need your hair to tie the knot to describe you. Waha!

Chris Lemens

(Not an ad: If you have a little extra money to donate to a good cause, check out http://www.modestneeds.org/.)                 



Discover Yahoo!
Stay in touch with email, IM, photo sharing and more. Check it out! http://discover.yahoo.com/stayintouch.html

Powered by hypermail