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A character speaks two languages throughout the whole plot. How to insert the translation of the other language without ruining the layout of the story or text? For example: "Guten tag, Herr X...
#3: Attribution notice added
by
System
·
2019-12-08T06:17:47Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/27373 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
by
J. Roberts
·
2019-12-08T06:17:47Z (over 4 years ago)
A character speaks two languages throughout the whole plot. How to insert the translation of the other language without ruining the layout of the story or text? For example: > "Guten tag, Herr X," they said. How do I insert a translation without ruining the whole paragraph or sentence? I can always have one of the characters ask for a translation, but what if they spoke to someone who understands them, or if I only want readers to understand but not the other characters? I have also thought of explaining it through indirect ways like the character speaking to themselves, but these scenes are not always in their point of view. Is it useless to try and add it into the text? I've seen people put a translation between braces () or adding it under the sentence or directly next to it in _italics_. Or should I just improvise through it?
#1: Imported from external source
by
System
·
2017-03-25T15:38:12Z (about 7 years ago)
Original score: 6