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Q&A How can I introduce languages that will be spoken in the long term?

Does it actually matter to the story that the language they are speaking changes? Most of the time in international stories, the difference is language is not germane to the plot in any way and is ...

posted 7y ago by Mark Baker‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2020-01-03T20:41:56Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33366
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:54:45Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33366
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:54:45Z (almost 5 years ago)
Does it actually matter to the story that the language they are speaking changes? Most of the time in international stories, the difference is language is not germane to the plot in any way and is simply ignored.

A well-told story focuses the reader's attention on the elements that matter to the story. It does this first and foremost simply by leaving out any mention of environmental factors that don't impact the story directly. Thus they don't talk about the weather unless it affects the story. They don't talk about food unless it affects the story. They don't talk about clothing unless it affects the story. And they don't talk about language unless is affects the story.

So unless it affects the story, simply don't mention it at all.

If it does affect the story, though, then how you handle it depends on how it affects the story and you will have to tell us that before we can suggest anything meaningful.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-02-17T19:03:45Z (almost 7 years ago)
Original score: 3