Jane Williams
> It sounds like it yes - I hadn't realised there were so many of them.
> Understandably silent, I suppose: reading in another language is much
> easier than writing in it.
Certainly is.
>> People whose writing can compare to that of native speaker authors are
>> rare (not sure I fall into that category, since I am quite painfully
>> aware of the limited
>> active vocabulary I am using when writing in English). Good enough for
>> discussion
>> purposes, and even gaming, but severly challenged when writing prose.
> I don't remember seeing any fiction you've written.
Here's something loosely appropriate for this list (at least geographically) I posted on World of Glorantha, which you will have missed. Most of my fiction (either in English or German) is fragmentary or unfinished...
Another stab at human-Kitori relations:
"The beacons all around the Footprint were lit, and the Larnstings had
started the ceremonies which made the stone creatures move and fight.
Still, our hearts sank as we say beacon after beacon expire, or
replaced by columns of foul smoke. Bagog's spawn was swarming again,
and little did our efforts hold them at bay. Styrman after Styrman
rushed in to kill chaos, and be killed by it.
Chief Barnandrin's spirits sank when one of the shepherd boys doing
outlook service towards the rear came running, shouting that the
Kitori came. Herds being lost, crops devoured or befouled, and still
the Shadow tribute would be claimed. Without goods to give, they would
leave with more children of the clan.
Drums marked their approach, and horns. Unmistakable were the clicking
of mandibles and the vibrations of Darksense. The Kitori had come in
force.
Angry mutters rose, cursing the greed of the dark men, but Chief
Barnandrin stepped forth to greet the arriving Kitori, as custom and
tribute demanded.
'We claim and bring equal exchange,' intoned the Kitori leader, citing
the usual phrases custom demanded. 'These are the rules of the
Shadowlands, as have been laid down by the Unity Council.'
Everybody expected the Kitori to inspect the herds and storages of the
chieftain, but not this time. The leader turned to the drummers and
hornists, and they played tunes and rhythms only few of our warriors
had ever heard. Some of these most hardened veterans wept openly, but
in relief - this was the mustering call for the Unity army, one of
them exclaimed, and ordered our skalds to let the pipers sing a hefty
response. They did, and fyrd and warband assembled in orderly lines.
Still, the forces of the assembled clans were outnumbered by the
forces following the Kitori onto our pasture. They had beetle riders,
spearkin, fisherfolk hefting tridents, and even Esvulari horsemen.
Another signal of the Kitori leader made the drummers and hornists
fall silent.
'Chief of the Orshanti, acknowledge the claims of the Shadowlands, and
bring your warriors.
Chaos stalks the world...'
And the Orshanti warband and fyrd followed the emissaries of the Only
Old One into the Stone Forest, along with many others, and stood firm
to stem the tide of scorpion spawn. Shadows hovered around us, but
protected us with Darkness, controlled by the Kitori. Aye, we paid our
tribute in blood that year, but willingly so..."
(part of my coping with the new data on the Kitori, written about half a year ago)
> FWIW, your writing of
> factual prose comes across to me as that of a native English speaker, and
> an unusually well-educated one at that. I'd rate it as better than mine.
> The only problem I ever have with your vocabulary is when you use
> technical words I don't recognise and I have to go and look them up.
I don't really expect my vocabulary to produce problems with readers, I am rather annoyed by my limitations when it comes to all the multiple terms for pretty much the one and the same German word. No, I don't translate when I write English texts, but when I lack a word, it comes unbidden in some other language, and makes me translate.
>> Failed heroically - something Kallyr avoided at Larnste's Table.
> I really must work out how she avoided the "heroically" trap. That isn't
> like her.
Blame it on her Trickster. Who else could make her act sensibly? Surely not her advisors.
>> > Manching looks interesting.
>> Very interesting - if you are at Tentacles, I can show you some video
>> material I bought at the museum there.
> Sorry, I won't be at Tentacles.
Too bad - apparently last chance to go there.
(Which reminds me to register...)
>>� I think the Heortlings would be very disappointed when an invader fails
>> to produce strange new ideas in their invasions.
> That disappointment could be the basis of an amusing short story...
At least some comedy dialogue.
>> Sure. Let's take Caesar.
>> French version: Caesar and his legions conquered France and undertook
>> pacifying expeditions across the borders.
>> UK version: After conquering France, Caesar campaigned in Britain, and
>> fought the druids.
> Surely in both cases we'd say "Gaul"?
Indeed. The mark of the non-native speaker...
>> German version: Having subdued the Helvetii, Caesar fought against the
>> Suebes led by Ariovist, and pushed them back across the Rhine.
>> Italian version: Having assured the loyalty of his legions in 10 years
>> of campaigning in the north, Caesar returned to Italy.
> Rubicon, etc?
Yes. More to the point, this is a parallel to the Iceland Saga style "That summer he went a-Viking in the western Island, When he returned..." disregard for things away from home.
>> US version: Founder of the Roman Empire.
>> Maybe a bit exaggerated, but that's how school history relates to those
>> events.
>From what Chris was saying, would the Americans know that much??
If they really looked into it, they would recognize it as false... Caesar was a dictator in the late Republic. Octavian founded the Empire.
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