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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/47266
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/47266
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I am writing a short story, about a particular field with multiple specific terms, none of which are in English. (Specifically, I'm writing about bullfighting, but the question could apply to other fields.)

My POV character lives that particular field, so he would be using the proper terms, not more general nonspecific words. Anything else doesn't really make sense in terms of the narrator's voice.

When speaking in English, the proper terms are the Spanish ones. Those are the terms used in any and all related publications, fiction and non-fiction alike. As an example, the red piece of cloth the matador uses is called a _[muleta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muleta)_. No other word exists. Calling it a "red piece of cloth" makes as much sense as a professional swordsman calling the hilt "a handle", or worse - referring to a fuller as a "blood groove".

Trouble is, within the scope of a short story, my beta readers feel overwhelmed by the abundance of terms. What they're saying is, it's not that the meaning of each particular term can't be figured out from context, but there's just too many, too much effort required.

How can I alleviate the weight of foreign terms in the story, without sacrificing the main character's voice? It is important to note this is a short story, so spreading the term out more isn't an option.

Original score: 25