tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post56300701393732096..comments2024-03-26T22:17:42.458-04:00Comments on Semper Initiativus Unum: Goblin doesn't have a word for "friend."Wayne Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11347401495298367324noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-87119780794288545882010-03-09T22:02:29.528-05:002010-03-09T22:02:29.528-05:00Yeah, it might come out sounding something like, &...Yeah, it might come out sounding something like, "I'm not going to hurt you very much," or, "I'm only going to hurt you a little".Eli Arndthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10445801567500822187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-72976433724977357692010-03-09T21:13:44.797-05:002010-03-09T21:13:44.797-05:00This is good solid thinking on language, and very ...This is good solid thinking on language, and very useful for roleplaying. In fact, I'd say you can make more hay with languages defining concepts the race values, doesn't value, and doesn't even consider, than coming up with lists of randomly jumbled syllables. <br /><br />I've flirted with this sort of thing myself, and once made life a bit difficult for the players trying to negotiate with a group of humanoids in a goblinish. and therefore being unable to communicate "we come in peace" or "we don't want to harm you".<br /><br />Both Draconic and Dwarvish have 100 words for "mine", but for very different understandings of the word in English.BigFellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03052419088140204154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-16918618044345439012009-12-30T21:05:49.439-05:002009-12-30T21:05:49.439-05:00I like your point about languages being forgotten ...I like your point about languages being forgotten by players. <br /><br />Goblins play prominantly in my settings as I have a fondness for using them as random encounters, red herrings, even the occasional ally or NPC.<br /><br />I have to say though that the goblins in my world, though not having specifics, are very aware of quantitative differences and I haven't made them such warmongers that they have no word for "peace".<br /><br />-EliEli Arndthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10445801567500822187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-10866262646170020842009-12-18T02:43:42.234-05:002009-12-18T02:43:42.234-05:00As long as you include "Bree Yark!" on t...As long as you include "Bree Yark!" on the list, I'll be happy.ktreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16680322763419091488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-66649206663539668222009-06-11T16:19:14.399-04:002009-06-11T16:19:14.399-04:00You can probably manage simple languages by referr...You can probably manage simple languages by referring to Basic English and its 850 word list. Take out what you think goblins shouldn't have, add 150 words that goblins care about, and you've got a vocabulary. <br /><br />Now come up with some nonsense words that sound goblin-like, and start assigning them as the goblin word for each of the above 1000.<br /><br />Then decide on some funky language rules, what kind of writing (if any) they use, and draw up the writing system. <br /><br />It's far more than you'd ever need, but it's well within reach if you cared to.Tacomanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-81136163550700575792009-05-28T00:18:37.422-04:002009-05-28T00:18:37.422-04:00Interesting thoughts there.
One think I always li...Interesting thoughts there.<br /><br />One think I always liked about the trolls of Glorantha was that for them the world was dualistic. Everything was either "uz" or "food". It said so much about their attitude. I loved it.<br /><br />The language of a race would express a lot of things like that.AndreasDavourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17170806742393291962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-60291691908486170002009-05-27T16:30:16.871-04:002009-05-27T16:30:16.871-04:00Thanks, Dave.
I actually agree about not having a...Thanks, Dave.<br /><br />I actually agree about not having a word for war - only for different levels of war (on hiatus, skirmishes, full-scale war). I think of humanoid existence as basically one where the closest thing you get to "peace" is "attacking them is more trouble than it's worth."<br /><br />And yes, thinking in terms of "what can you say in goblin terms?" is very fun when doing parlay...it gets the players to think more creatively, whether we're talking about interrogation or trying to negotiate not fighting.Wayne Rossihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11347401495298367324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-66668700484892098742009-05-27T15:25:14.020-04:002009-05-27T15:25:14.020-04:00This is great, Wayne. I agree about having no word...This is great, Wayne. I agree about having no word for Peace or Truce, but wouldn't that also mean there is no word for War, since Peace is its absence and Truce is its cessation? Battle or even Fight I can understand, as that is the actual pursuit of War, but by this logic it seems that Goblins are essentially always at War.<br /><br />Anyway, very thought provoking and a good deal of fun for Goblin-PC parleying.<br /><br />I was struck while reading this that Goblins would normally count a group of non-Goblins by whether or not they outnumbered them. A group which the Goblins outnumber by 2:1 or more might be called "Eat", less than 2:1 and up to even odds might be called "Hide" and those which outnumber the little blighters might be called "Run".<br /><br />I see the Goblin Tongue as a very crude and immediate language driven by their constant struggles revolving around survival in the underworld.<br /><br />Interesting topic!Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.com