Playing with language while writing.

[Samantha The Escapist]

I need opinions! I have three countries in what I'm working on (novel, fantasy world) all are fairly separate from each other. Each uses the same language for the sake of my sanity but I wanted to include some varied speech patterns in how I'm naming people and places.

There will be multiple first-person POVs going on and I had thought perhaps to go a little further and have one country's spelling often substitute the letter Y for the letter I - just to set them apart a little.

Similar to Canada VS USA on the word Colour/Color

I don't mean to do it with everything ("Y don't mean to do yt wyth everythyng" would be far too stupid of course) but only a handful of english nouns. Perhaps the word wind would be wynd.

I know this has a very high potential to seem quite stupid, the more I write about it here the stupider it seems, but i'm looking for some simple ways to really fundamentally separate my cultures from each other, and I want to toy with things that will reflect well in a first-person narrative.

[❄️ Propertea Of Frostea ❄️ Bitter SnoBerry ❄]

Hi Sam :)
Firstly, it's a challenge to work with multiple languages. Secondly, (just my opinion) for examples on handling languages, And The Mountains Echoed is mild in expressing. French, English and Farsi.

Also, seeing as one of my other friend using multiple languages, it's good. Bring more of the native flavour. While she's using the languages very different from English, and main storyline flows in English itself. Only a few phrases in other tongues.

I don't think spelling words differently will be as useful though. :/

[Samantha The Escapist]

नूमी XD ^.^ wrote: "Hi Sam :)
Firstly, it's a challenge to work with multiple languages. Secondly, (just my opinion) for examples on handling languages, And The Mountains Echoed is mild in expressing. French, English..."

Thanks for your quick response :)

In my case, I've determined that all three countries definitely use the same language, I had thought only to include some minor cultural variations - or nothing at all.

If I don't get any positive feedback about my spelling idea I'll probably stick only to their naming patterns. Maybe some scripture in an old language if I get ambitious.

I have lots of time to decide because the culture I'm considering right now won't be in a first-person POV for a while.

[Sarah]

I agree. Spelling words differently might be a bit confusing for the reader. However, I do think that naming patterns is a good idea.

[Purvika]

I want to say something here.... As numey mentioned her "other friend" using multiple languages in storyline .... That would be ME .

Using multiple language gives a flair to story. But changing spelling will make it look different to different readers. Some might even find it typo err.
Moreover if you want to use different language try studying their language itself ... It helps. And how the native talks...instead if changing spelling see how they write phrases... How they pronounce certain words.

I am using totally different languages in my story. From past few days I have been studying Greek , Arabic . As I am using it in my story. Hope am not intruding...

[Samantha The Escapist]

|Augusti| wrote: "I want to say something here.... As numey mentioned her "other friend" using multiple languages in storyline .... That would be ME .

Using multiple language gives a flair to story. But changing s..."

Oh I'm not looking to change any language other than the one I'm speaking. I know a fair bit about English and its history so I would be armed with that while taking any creative license.

In fact, the Y changes I was thinking might be a somewhat natural jump to older types of English (think Chaucer)

I'll say again, I'm quite literally only trying to emulate the small differences between typical British spellings of english and typical american spellings of english (how they sometimes use ou instead of o, z instead of s etc.) just ones of my own choosing.


The reason behind this is quite literally that although three cultures are related to a singular source several hundreds(?) of years ago, over the years I like to think different variations on words may have surfaced.

Once again, a concept I'm playing with.

Eep done work, must go! Thanks SOO much everyone for the suggestions.

[ℂᖺαᖇᒪἷ℮ ⊰1017 &Tardis⊱, This is my witty title (head mod)]

I think about this quite a lot. In one of my stories, class differences cause differences in speech. One class is written using a lot of old style, like the words ought and stuff, while the lower classes used used more causal words.
In my futuristic story, words from many different languages are sprinkled throughout, but everything is still in English.

[Samantha The Escapist]

Thanks Keith! That's actually a great thought. I'll try to avoid blatently copying you by coming up with something similar of my own, but if not look for a thankyou in my acknowledgements :P

You seem to get what I'm saying completely though, just some small little quirks in speech patterns to further express their cultural differences.

[Will]

From what I understand, you seem to be trying to create dialects for use in your story. This is hard enough to do with real languages let alone making up one for yourself. There's a fine balance between it being useful or distracting.

You could start by using an accented English as a base. Modifying some words to fit your novel.

[Samantha The Escapist]

Oh no, not creating them. Writing it all in english and they are all speaking english. I'm just trying to diversify their language use between the three countries involved.

[☁ ℳisty ℳoonlit ℳemories ☾]

Can I just clarify what I think you're saying? You're not trying to create/use other languages and make it English, you're trying to write in English, while still portraying the country's native accent... am I close?

[Samantha The Escapist]

That's pretty much it Dreams, but rereading my posts so far I'm really at a loss at how else I can say that lol. I've never talked about other languages, I've used my own examples plus comparative examples from both classic and modern english.

[☁ ℳisty ℳoonlit ℳemories ☾]

So you're trying to show the difference between say, a suth'rn drawl and a proper British salutation.

[Samantha The Escapist]

Keith wrote: "You have my permission to absolutely use that idea if you like it. I don't anticipate any need for it."

Hehe thanks :D Actually Keith if you`re around I`d love to brainstorm with you for a bit, just go to the `live chat for brainstorming` thread. I`ll hop in and be there all day.

(I only suggest because you just last night made that dialogue post, I`d like to hear of you adventures and misadventures in writing)

⚛Dreams_Nitemare_Crisis✉ wrote: "So you're trying to show the difference between say, a suth'rn drawl and a proper British salutation."

Essentially, but something of my own invention (still in english through) since this is a fantasy world.

Just trying to figure out how annoying or distracting such a change might be to a reader, i'm mostly going for subtlety.

My goal is for the characters from different countries to feel fundamentally different from each other in a way people may or may not manage to pinpoint.

[☁ ℳisty ℳoonlit ℳemories ☾]

I found this site and wasn't sure if it would help your situation, but if it does...
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/educ...