McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Language question

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comprex:

How do you know they're not illegal?

Spectacular Sameth:

--- Quote from: LizW65 on September 03, 2008, 01:17:34 PM ---Leaving off the quotation marks can also be effective, indicating as it does that the sounds are produced by some means other than standard vocal cords.

--- End quote ---

They are actually using vocal cords, though.

novium:
italicize. I think. Depending on what person you're writing in, it could be very hard to sneak in a way to overtly say they're speaking another language. Perhaps have another character react to it. Or have one ask the other how they should put something in english (or whatever).

meg_evonne:
So sometimes italicized is used for personal internal dialog to offset from spoken dialog in 1st POV, what do you do then?

To be honest, I don't see why you don't continue the way you do them in the comics as long as it makes sense to the reader what you are doing.  If you wish to publish it eventually--they'll probably tell you how it should be done and you might need to negotiate that you don't want to change it!  Language and grammar (oh listen to the groans from absolutism grammar rules advocates) are there for communication.  As long as you and the reader understand, then the mission is accomplished.   

Can you tell I was a communication major, not a language major?  LOL

Guardian 452:
You know, it probably doesn't matter what you use, so long as you're consistent.

#For example, I've seen something like this to denote an alien language.#

You could equally :put things in colons:

Whatever you want...again, I think the trick is to just be consistent!

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