#Don't be an asshole

[mudwerks]

don't be an asshole

[wtaacde]

As a bilingual person who's been reading way too many fanfics with bilingual characters I reeeaaallly need to make a statement on how our minds work most of the time so people stop getting it wrong!

It's making me cringe so much 🥲

So I'm making a list of what I think is important to know when it comes to writing bilingual characters.

I've seen some simmilar posts on this topic, so some things might be repetitive but others are not, so stick with me. I'll be adding some personal examples to make it easier and more comprehensible.

So let's get started!

Master list to writing bilingual characters!

With no especific order os hierarchy.

1- This is the biggest mistake I see people making when writting bilingual character, so let's make this crystal clear: Bilingual people rarely mix their languages by accident!!!!

Especially if they've been living in a place where no one speaks their mother tongue and have little to no contact with their original culture.

Now, for the moments we do make those mix ups, it'll usually be with expressions we use all the time on our day to day lifes.

Let's work with examples!

I'm fluent in English, but my original language is Portuguese. In Portuguese, whenever someone is in a conversation we make this "éééééé" sound while we're thinking or unsure of what to say. It would be similar to the "uuuuhhh" people use in English.

I find myself and a lot of other Brasilian people saying "éééé" all the time even when speaking English, because that comes more naturally to us. It's an instict reaction that doesn't pass through the language shift that happens in our brain.

This also happens with more especific expresions. I don't talk to any foreign people, but when texting I catch myself trying to call people "amiga", which translates to "friend" and is normally used as an endearing term to call your friends or even strangers in a way to show friendliness. Now, not everyone in Brasil refers to their friends as "amiga", but I do, and I use it so much it slips in my vocabulary in English.

So, to summarize, there are expressions or words from our mother languages that come out almost as an instinct, but there usually aren't many of them and the frequency in which it happens is proportional to how much contact we have with speaking our native language.

2- Next up (and this is a funny one to me): it's easier to make math in our first language. If we were schooled in our first language, obviously. This could happen conciously or not.

So if you want your characters to have a funny moment, just have them do some math in their original language. This happens because we learned math and nurmbers in our mother language, and math is the same everywhere, so when we're learning another language we don't go through the same process with learning to use numbers practically like we do with words. So despite knowing what the numbers are called, it's still easier doing math in our language because our thought process is a lot faster and smoother in it.

3- We will revert completely to our mother language if we're emotional.

This could range from seeing a cute puppy and having a cuteness overload and instantly calling them cute pet names in our language to getting so mad that the only acceptable way to express our anger is to curse in our own tongue.

This sudden change happens naturally but they are intentional. We could totally curse and fawn in a different language but we choose not to because of the next point on this list.

4- Words are more meaningful in our own language.

I'll go straight to examples, because I know fic and romance writers are gonna have a field day with this.

When my dog was alive, I always talked to her in both English and Portuguese. But whenever I complimented her or told her I loved her in English, it felt fake. So I always repeated what I said in Portuguese and then I felt like I properly expressed my feelings.

So if i said something like "You're the cutest little baby in the world! I love you so much!" I always had to follow it up with. "Quem é a coisinha mais fofinha desse mundo todo? É o amor da minha vida? É, você é o amor da minha vida! Eu te amo mais que tudo nesse mundo!"

Only then did I consider she understood the depths of my love for her.

This also works in more angsty ways:

My parents were always very distant, so during one especific Father's day, when I was a kid, my school, as usual, had us making DIY presents for our fathers. We were supposed to write messages on the gifts and all my classmates were writing "eu te amo" on theirs. I couldn't write it, but it still felt like I had to or it would be weird. So I wrote "I love you" instead, because it felt less like a lie. Now, let's focus on the fact that I was a child. I had barely started learning English. I was nowhere near fluent. But it still felt easier to write "I love you" than "eu te amo". I never said "eu te amor" to my parents again.

Now, we had some fluff and some angst. Now let's get to humor!

Swearing always feels better in your own language. Do with that what you will.

5- On the subject of swearing, we will talk shit about anyone right in front of their face in a language they don't know and use different languages to mess with people.

This doesn't even need to be done with our first language (although it would feel more satisfying). Any language would do as long as the other person doesn't understand it. Bonus points if we get to do that with a friend/group of friends.

When I was a teenager I had just one friend that was also fluent in English. We used to talk to each other mostly in English for three reasons: the first one was obviously to practice, the second was to gossip with each other without people understanding and the third was so we could pretend we were foreigners and see people's reactions. We were two little shits that talked about the craziest stuff and no one bat an eye.

6- Now, let's finally look in the correct and conscious ways in which we change languages in the middle of a conversation.

First one and the one that happens the most is when we forget a word in one language.

I do this all the time and it sucks! I constantly forget how to say "concealer" in Portuguese and go around asking my family what's the translation even though no one speaks English in my house. I can't even remember the translation right now! A few days ago I couldn't remember how to say "pulseira" in English. It means "bracelet". It's an easy word. I still forgot it. Although I would recognize it if I saw it somewhere or if someone told me, my brain wasn't willing to do that work on its own.

So when this happens in real life, we'll always ask the people around us for the translation, even if they don't know the other language we speak, just in the hopes that they will understand the ✨ vibe ✨.

It's also really funny when this happens and the other person does speak both languages and also can't remember the translation. And sometimes we forget the word in both languages and have to resort to describing "the thing", which usually leads to a lot of misunderstandings.

Another way in which we change languages is when we want to use a very especific expression or memes in another language.

I'm gonna use Brazilian expressions for this because they're pure gold!

One that I find really funny (and somewhat family friendly for this post) is "o que o cú tem a ver com as calças?" which literally translates to "what does the asshole have to do with the pants?". If you think a little bit, you can still understand the meaning, but not all expressions work like that. If anyone's confused, the expression means that the other person is trying to talk about two different subjects that aren't at all correlated. You're basically asking "what does one thing have to do with the other?" with more crude language.

When we do this we can either just throw the expression in a different language and not elaborate on it, or try and explain it to the people around. It can vary.

7- If you have friends or family that also speak the same languages as you, you'll be shifting languages all the time without any warning.

I have a friend that most of our hangouts consist of watching K-dramas together. We live in Brasil, so we speak Portuguese, but we watch the k-drama in Korean and the subtitles are in English. During out binging marathon, we will speak all three languages with each other, even if none of us speak Korean. Sometimes we mix the words in all the languages, sometimes we have a full conversation in one language then switch to another on another point in time. Forgeting words in one language doesn't mean a thing in situtations like this. We'll just say the word in the language we remember and move on with the conversation.

This is everything I can remember for now. If anyone remembers other quirks of bilingual people, feel free to add on. If I remember more I'll keep adding to this post.

If you read all the way to the end, thank you and congratulations!

[silverskull]

The Rookie - 7x04

Spoilers under the cut.

Not much chenford in this episode, even though a lot of people were hoping with the serial killer burying bodies it would bring back elements of DOD. It did not. 🤷‍♀️ Tim was not even at the dig site.

REALLY REALLY good Nyla and Harper scenes, and Wesley is going throoooough it. My poor boy.

Miles is taking more responsibility, but Seth is starting to seem extremely suspicious.

Bailey DOES NOT GO QUIETLY into that dark night. She finally puts her National Guard skills to some use. GO GIRL.

CHENFORD!

At the end (last 3 mins), Lucy goes to Tim's (new, again) house to ask him what he thinks of the LAPD background checks. She doesn't trust Seth. Kojo pops over and she tells him (KOJO) that she misses him. Tim offers to order dinner, but Lucy declines and leaves. They are EXTREMELY cute during this. I am very happy with it. It feels like real forward motion.

[highbrow-hepcat]

[clutching-our-plurals]

“Endos are probably plural!!!1!1!1!!11” just admit you know jack shit about being a system. It is caused BY TRAUMA, multiple studies have said it can only be formed BY TRAUMA. Every link braindead pro endos give is either not from an actual professional, or from someone who was considered a professional but got their license removed(and for good reason)

You have NO PROOF they exist. Escort your ableist ass OUT of system spaced you fuckwad.

Hey. If you actually read that the whole way through, I agree with you.

In fact, my whole point is, "yeah endos are probably plural BUT THEY'RE ALSO PROBABLY IN DENIAL ABOUT THE TRAUMA THAT MADE THEM. WHICH IS NOT FUNCTIONAL MULTIPLICITY AND IS THEREFORE AN ISSUE." So, kindly get off our ass.

And you know what? I still accept the possibility that plurality is not strictly caused by trauma, and when we develop the technology needed to study plurality further, I welcome all new research into my mind. Fuck you and your close minded, inefecient bullshit. It will not kill you to develop ONE nuanced opinion!

And you know what? Get off the ass of pro-endos too. Harassment and cursing someone out on their own blog — a safe space for oneself and no one else —is fucked. Whether you agree with them about shit or not. Like... what, are you 12? You're quick to drop the name of our lord and savior, scientific research, but your ass can't read through a... a single nuanced theory? A... multi-layered opinion? Fuck right off. You're not a proponent of the scientific community, the medical community, and if you're going around harassing people online (with the gall to do it anonymously no less)? You're not a true proponent of the plural community either.

Traumagenics and systems in general don't want their communities tarnished by people like you, that go around acting "holier than thou" with your buffering prefrontal cortex, 15 minutes of googling, and a sense of ownership over the experience of plurality without an ounce of respect for its nuance.

Learn something from this response, or block my ass, cause we won't get along, and I won't close my asks because of dumb shit like this. 💖

[im-adrienne]

Schedule your new Covid-19 vaccine!!

Scheduled my appt for the new COVID-19 vaccine (and flu) for this week before September 1st. I'm poor and have been benefiting from the COVID-19 Bridge Access Program that is ending on August 30th.

If you're like me and have been using the Bridge Program then try to find a pharmacy near you that has the newest vaccine before September 1st. I scheduled with CVS. All of the Walgreens near me will not have it until after the deadline.

I do not know if the federal government is doing anything like the Bridge Program again. They cut funding for this so who knows what else they're going to cut.

[sootchild]

draw a fat person i dare you

I was going to ignore this but.... OK so like fuck you?

I will admit to liking to drawing slimmer characters but I have my plus sized characters and drawing studies. I myself am like 240lbs and I'd like it if I could motivate myself to get down to like 180, so yeah I draw a more ideal body type for MYSELF. I draw my comfort zone for artwork.

If you want more plus sized character art there are so many great artists you could follow like @sergle , @hermitcraft-daily , or @haraatsume

Instead of harassing me. If you want me specifically to draw something then put your money where your mouth is and COMMISSION me or tip me on my Ko-fi and request stuff for me to sketch. Or even be polite and go, "I'd love to see more plus sized characters in your art." Instead of doing the equivalent of coming into my house and kicking over my coffee table in an attempt to shame me.

[fruityedge15]

I just some some gurlie on tiktok saying, that since the marauders fandom is "dying", she really disliked and never cared for genderfluid Sirius and trans Regulus.

And you know, to each their own, but maybe it's because you are cisgender.

Maybe, just maybe, genderfluid people, like me, would like to see more of themselves in the media, because there are barely any genderfluid characters, so yes, some of us took it upon ourselves to headcannon Sirius as genderfluid because it makes us feel seen and represented when the media doesn't. The same thing with trans Regulus. If people want to see themselves in characters when the media censors and limits trans characters, then let them. If you dislike certain headcannons, then you dislike them. Just like if you maybe dislike certain ships. But you don't need to put that on blast and diminish other people's views just because you are cis and you can't understand why we are headcannoning certain characters as certain genders.

If you don't like something, that's fine. But you don't need to openly complain about it, especially when it isn't doing anybody any harm and it actually means a lot to other people. If you, a cisgender person, are going to go onto tiktok and bash non cisgender peoples views of characters, just because you don't get it, then why even associate with the fandom in the first place if you are going to complain about harmless headcannons.

[bones-on-skin]

Negative Comments will get deleted!

Just as a warning! My blogs are suppose to be a safe space for POSITIVITY!! No negativity towards the topics/ships I am drawing allowed😤 You don't like what I am drawing? Don't follow, block me and let's part ways peacefully 🤝 You don't like other people opinions on ships and/or headcanons? Do not make a comment against their or my opinion. I will instantly block you without any hesitation!!!

It's simple as that. Let's share our love for certain things and don't spread hate! Just look away if you don't agree and feel the urge to trash talk 👍✨ It's as simple as that 😌

[animatronic-assistant]

It's your fault Titan got hurt!

Elara was too busy throwing up to hear you.

[randonauticrap]

I just spent TOO FUCKING LONG in the comments of a video talking about periods where men in the comments said they don't need to learn about periods cause they'll never have them, and being real dicks about it too.

Well you'll never have girlfriends either, hope you're fine with that. 👋🏻

.

Men who are sympathetic to period struggles and actually want to learn things, I love you. We, as women collectively, love you. YOU are the green flags.

[katarinahoe]

if you're being weird over kittyuri, stop being weird over kittyuri please.

ik it's being idk 4 days? but what a effort to make them seem to be a bad choice for the future seasons of xo, kitty.

i mean, i don't know if you know it but since kitty's a BISEXUAL girl, she can easily chose minho and that won't be a issue, because, oh what a surprise, SHE'S BISEXUAL. kitty liking girls is not stopping this ship to be a real possibility.

some of you keep acting like the fact the sapphics are supporting a sapphic ship (in which both characters are canonically sapphics too, and one of them has CANONICAL FEELINGS over the other) is so bad because *put here some dumb reason*. let us fucking have our ship and go live your own, because minho still a good option at the end, and will be valid as same (again, kitty is bi !!!!)

but it really is upsetting and seems like a lot of people are mad because the women are having something and suddenly it comes with comments like "kitty as bi doesn't make sense" or maybe "they don't have chemistry". like???? besides all the poor excuses like "yuri doesn't like her back" and well... kitty doesn't like minho either. or "you're erasing her girlfriend" no, we're actually not, and i really hope they can give her some good writing on [ hypothetical ] season 2.

again, it's not canonical kitty's bisexuality or her canonical feelings for yuri that will stop, if jenny han, the creator, or the writers of the show, will really want to make kittyminho canon — so...

[unsolicitedadvicecatlady]

I'm going to make a prediction:

Within the next two decades, Machiavellianism is going to be a diagnosable disorder.

That way, people with Chronic Asshat Syndrome will be able to hide behind their latest PDF copy of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and say, "The Devil made me do it!"

[squid-ichorous]

to piggyback off of the "don't shame transfems for their early sartorial decisions" post i relate to it a lot as someone who just wasn't allowed to express themselves fully as a kid and now as someone with autonomy and taste i'm exploring styles that might read as too young or something i should've settled into or moved past already when it's like baby!! i'm just getting started!!

[raccoonzinspace]

Hey y'all. This is just a reminder that even though I don't personally ship stuff like ZaDr, I still ain't gonna yell at people who do. It ain't my place to judge people's morality based on what cartoon characters they like to ship because I ain't no saint either.

Both shippers and non-shippers can interact. Just don't be a asshole.