Ibebuda Uenelubba Schlangkallo! Kimmelfizzittane!

[alsih2o]

When your party comes across a critter or person who speaks another language do oyu throw out some nonsense syllables, just mention that they speak in a foriegn tongue, or describe the language?

One of my players has a necklace that translates almost nay lnaguage for her, but the rest of the party would just hear the normal garble. This makes me wonder how to handle it best AND makes me wonder if she should have to make some kind of check to get the correct info to the rest of the party. (I am leaning HEAVILY against this, unless someone has a powerful argument for it)

Feel free to expound on anyway you have handled non-common languages in your world.

 

[Salad Shooter]

My thoughts would be to speak gibberish, and write down the words for the player whose character can understand it. I don't think you should make her make a check to relay the info, but she should have to actually explain it to the other PCs.

Great thread title, by the way

 

[Gez]

I describe the kind of sounds the gibberish makes, and then just say "blablabla, blablabla".

 

[Cintra]

If it's practical, take the player across the room so everyone else can't hear every word you say, conduct the conversation, and she can always talk to the rest of the group if she wants to translate as she goes. That way, it's up to her to relay the information.

I've also provided my group with a map that was labeled in a foreign language (not Common). One of the PCs had that language, none of the others did, so I made two copies of the map, one with gibberish written in (but consistent when the same words appeared in multiple places), the other in English. Only the one who could read the language was allowed to look at the English copy, and they actually had a lot of fun explaining, and writing the translation, onto the gibberish version so everyone could read it.

 

[Berandor]

Sometimes I speak in Gibberish.

In the case of a dragon, I had even made up several phrases I could utter (in Draconic).

Sometimes I do what Gez suggests.

 

[Desdichado]

If it's practical, take the player across the room so everyone else can't hear every word you say, conduct the conversation, and she can always talk to the rest of the group if she wants to translate as she goes. That way, it's up to her to relay the information.

If I were more immersive I might do this. What I usually do is end up telling everybody, but addressing the player who's character actually speaks the language. My players are good enough not to act inappropriately (i.e.; as if their characters knew as much as the players.)

 

[Zappo]

Easy. Every language sounds like the creature's name, repeated over and over, much like pokemon.

For example, babau tanar'ris speak Abyssal like this: "Babau. Babau babau. Babababau, babau, bau bau babau babau! Babau! Babauuuu! BAAAABAAAAUUUU!" *sounds of combat*

This has unfortunately led to the viral proliferation of inside jokes among my group. So, if you ever find yourself in Padova, Italy, and someone starts pulling at your shirt, looking miserable, and moaning "maneeees" (pr. mah-nehs), that's probably either me or someone I know: please don't resort to violence. Just say "balor" (or "marilith" if you're a girl) in a sufficiently menacing tone, and we'll stop.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I usually use the gibberish routine. I usually do it in a way that the party can get some sense as to what the attitude of the creature is - friendly, inquisitive, fearful, intimidating etc.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

What the?! *BURP*

 

[Barak]

well..

The best way would be for you and the player to learn a language that the other players don't understand.

What?

Seriously, obviously the other methods mentioned work fine. The only problem is that there is many languages that aren't easily translated. Then again, for the necklace to work, it must somehow translate stuff in a way she understand, so any errors in translation would involve her too. That would be interesting.. A race with concepts very alien to the others would probably be full of untranslatable words. Kinda like that fish race in Star Control2