Translation and tongues

[Vale]

One of the races I plan on including in my short fantasy novel are a flying, insectoid race whose tongue is compromised of warbles, clicks, whistles etc.

So I have several problems.

1. How to communicate without a translator?
2. How to keep describing the language interestingly?

(Just as a bit of background knowledge, I've blended steampunk and fantasy a little in my world. The humans have access to steam technology but are just starting to use it and share it with their allies, which includes this race. Other than that it's traditional technology for fantasy stories.)

Thanks for your time!

 

[mbartelsm]

To communicate the only way is learning the sound of foreign languages and talking in their own language (like district 9)
Insect: brrrztztzt
Human: Yeah, I though so too...
Insect: Bztztrrrpopo
Human: The same goes for you

 

[shangrila]

You could have them use some kind of sign language. Mieville did that for his Khepri race. They're not the same as yours (human bodies with bug heads, rather than full insects), but they would have the same problems being able to communicate with others.

 

[Vale]

Hmmm... I didn't consider a District 9 approach, thanks. But some of these characters need to be heard to actually move the story along, otherwise whoever happens to be in the room with them will end up translating for the reader. I'll definitely look into it though, thanks.

Sign language? Now that's an interesting proposition, how to communicate it to the reader would be crucial though, I'll do some brainstorming.

Thanks, both of you!

 

[battlestar]

I think you are referring to the term "interlinguistics" and "language contact".

Interlinguistics methods include but are not limited to:
- Gestures (sign languages)
- Writing (ie. drawings-pictogram, glyphs)
- Spoken (pattern recognition, etc.)
- Observation (observe what people say in certain situations, have someone point to an object and say what they call it -- basically what someone has to do to learn a foreign language while living in the foreign country)

TV shows such as Stargate has linguistics experts (Daniel Jackson) are examples of how interlinguistics is incorporated into literary works.

Interlinguistics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia can be a starting point, interlinguistics - Google Scholar is one of the websites to find credible sources for further research.

As for language contact, one of the methods can be creation of an auxiliary language that both humans and insect could speak/write. Insects would simplify their complex sounds into something closer to Morse code, so that humans would be able to speak it as well.

Again, websites such as Wikipedia and Google scholar could offer greater details.

 

[Vale]

I think you are referring to the term "interlinguistics" and "language contact".

Interlinguistics methods include but are not limited to:
- Gestures (sign languages)
- Writing (ie. drawings-pictogram, glyphs)
- Spoken (pattern recognition, etc.)
- Observation (observe what people say in certain situations, have someone point to an object and say what they call it -- basically what someone has to do to learn a foreign language while living in the foreign country)

TV shows such as Stargate has linguistics experts (Daniel Jackson) are examples of how interlinguistics is incorporated into literary works.

Interlinguistics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia can be a starting point, interlinguistics - Google Scholar is one of the websites to find credible sources for further research.

As for language contact, one of the methods can be creation of an auxiliary language that both humans and insect could speak/write. Insects would simplify their complex sounds into something closer to Morse code, so that humans would be able to speak it as well.

Again, websites such as Wikipedia and Google scholar could offer greater details.

Fantastic! I'll get down to researching! Thank you so much!