#which may help a bit? also in language learning in particular it may be useful for tools that highlight the word being Read Aloud?

[rigelmejo]

hey my guy, didnt mean to talk shit about lack of brevity - it was meant as a like semi affectionate ask for line breaks.

I want to read your post! It is not too long!! But my brain is Dying. dyslexia is turning everything to mush the second i get five lines into your para.

(semi affectionate bc you are a stranger to me but i do vibe with your language learning goals? parasocial blablabla?? hopefulyl you feel me)

I feel you. <3 I will try to break those huge paragraph chunks a bit more, I'll think a bit. Part of it is that I try to write some posts as numbered lists where a numbered item has to be 1 paragraph even if it gets long. Then it DOES get long since I only have 1 paragraph to do it, then it gets so long I turn it into Regular Text instead of Numbered List format. Then it's just huge paragraphs from when I was trying to squeeze it into a numbered list format.

Maybe an alternative could be sections with headers or capital letter titles or in bold, to separate things. Instead of numbered lists. Then it would be easier for me to split sections into multiple parapraphs possibly. Again I will think on it. Apologies in advance though for the blocks of text I'll inevitably post at times. I just kinda end up writing long rambling a lot when I'm trying to jot down ideas (as seen by my horrifically long tags and main blog fandom bullshit lol sjdjjd)

Tldr: I'll try maybe more header titles bolded or capitalized or on their own line, to break up sections. Then maybe I'll be able to add more paragraphs without it being hard to locate which section is which. While having maybe a bit more line breaks hopefully.

[perpetual-stories]

Eight Strategies for Improving Dialogue in Your Writing

Well, hi! Oh my… wow! It’s been a long time since I’ve posted! I’ve been very busy and I am genuinely sorry to all my followers, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about this account, but here is one final post for the year!

Hopefully next year I become consistent with it again!

Let’s begin!

One of the best ways to help a reader connect with your writing is by crafting excellent dialogue. Use these tips to learn how to write dialogue that showcases character development, defines your characters’ voices, and hooks readers.

Why Use Dialogue?

Good dialogue performs all sorts of functions in fiction writing. It defines your characters’ voices, establishes their speech patterns, exposes the inner emotions, and showcases their character development. Beyond mere characterization, effective dialogue can also establish the setting and time period of your story and reveal information in a way that doesn’t feel overly expository.

Authors use lines of dialogue to reveal a character’s personality and express their point of view. For instance, an archetypal football coach might speak in short, terse sentences peppered with exclamation points and quotations from famous war generals. By contrast, a nebbish lover with a broken heart might drone on endlessly to his therapist or best friend, speaking in run-on sentences that circle around his true motivations. When an author can reveal character traits through dialogue, it cuts down on exposition and makes a story flow briskly.

Eight Writing Tips for Improving Dialogue

The first time you write dialogue, you may find it quite difficult to replicate the patterns of normal speech. This can be compounded by the concurrent challenges of finding your own voice and telling a great story overall. Even bestselling authors can get stuck on how a particular character says a particular line of dialogue. With practice and hard work, however, lackluster dialogue can be elevated to great dialogue.

Here are some strategies for improving the dialogue in your own work:

Mimic the voices of people in your own life. Perhaps you’ve created a physician character with the same vocal inflections as your mother. Perhaps your hero soldier talks just like your old volleyball coach. If you want to ensure that your dialogue sounds the way real people speak, there’s no better resource than the real life people in your everyday world.

Mix dialogue with narration. Long runs of dialogue can dislodge a reader from the action of a scene. As your characters talk, interpolate some descriptions of their physical postures or other activity taking place in the room. This mimics the real-world experience of listening to someone speaking while simultaneously taking in visual and olfactory stimuli.

Give your main character a secret. Sometimes a line of dialogue is most notable for what it withholds. Even if your audience doesn’t realize it, you can build dynamic three-dimensionality by having your character withhold a key bit of information from their speech. For instance, you may draft a scene in which a museum curator speaks to an artist about how she wants her work displayed—but what the curator isn’t saying out loud is that she’s in love with the artist. You can use that secret to embed layers of tension into the character’s spoken phrases.

Use a layperson character to clarify technical language. When you need dialogue to convey technical information in approachable terms, split the conversation between two people. Have one character be an expert and one character be uninformed. The expert character can speak at a technical level, and the uninformed one can stop them, asking questions for clarification. Your readers will appreciate it.

Use authentic shorthand. Does your character call a gun a “piece” or a “Glock”? Whatever it is, be authentic and consistent in how your characters speak. If they all sound the same, your dialogue needs another pass.

Look to great examples of dialogue for inspiration. If you're looking for a dialogue example in the realm of novels or short stories, consider reading the great books written by Mark Twain, Judy Blume, or Toni Morrison. Within the world of screenwriting, Aaron Sorkin is renowned for his use of dialogue.

Ensure that you’re punctuating your dialogue properly. Remember that question marks and exclamation points go inside quotation marks. Enclose dialogue in double quotation marks and use single quotation marks when a character quotes another character within their dialogue. Knowing how to punctuate dialogue properly can ensure that your reader stays immersed in the story.

Use dialogue tags that are evocative. Repeating the word “said” over and over can make for dull writing and miss out on opportunities for added expressiveness. Consider replacing the word “said” with a more descriptive verb.

[bambi-kinos]

Beatles Reading List (Introductory)

Hi guys. So I saw a post floating around asking about "where to start" with the Beatles and how to find out more about them. Moeexyz's recommendation on it was to read fanfiction and this alarmed me a bit. Fanfiction just isn't a good source to get information about the band for one simple reason: fanfic authors change stuff for dramatic purposes all the time. It's just not a great way to get more information about them because fanfiction by necessity shifts things around for the sake of storytelling.

That Beatles iceberg is nice but the only way you're going to get a good picture of the Beatles is by doing a lot of reading of published sources. That's right. You're in for a lot of homework.

In an effort to combat misinformation, I asked the McLennon discord server to help me put together a rough list of introductory level books for Beatle fans that want to learn more about the band. These books are either a) read by me or b) read by someone I trust and I have included her quotes about the books she liked. I'll have color commentary talking about what they are and why they should be read. I do not consider this post finished! My server is constantly reading and discussing (we're looking at podcasts right now because they're the ones doing interviews with Liverpool citizens who were peers of the Beatles!) and they're being very gracious by contributing to this list. That means that this post may be updated in the future as I read more! If you want to keep up with updates then give my blog a follow, I'll post every time I update this list.

Some of these books are available on Archive.org but others can be gotten through your local library or through piracy. If you buy something, buy it used. Never pay more than $20 for a Beatle book.

The Whole Story

Anthology This is the documentary made by the band after John Lennon's death in 1980. It is both a documentary as well as a book (essentially a script of the documentary) which makes it very accessible. This is the version of the story that the band wanted to put out and includes interviews with Paul, George, and Ringo. They cover their beginning to their end. Anthology can be found on archive.org if you want to read it: https://archive.org/details/beatlesanthology0000unse_y2k8 The episodes are also available on Archive.org. If you search for "Beatles Anthology" and select "movies" option to search for videos then you will find it there. It's worth the watch and is all around the best introduction to the Beatles.

The Beatles - Hunter Davies This is the only sanctioned biography of the band. It's written in older language since it is contemporary to the 1960s but it's still very readable and a good intro. It is part of the media image that the band wanted to present at the time so you should make sure to think about what you are reading, who is saying what, and contemplate why he is saying it. It it still a great resource.

150 Glimpses of the Beatles - Craig Brown This is a short book that describes 150 anecdotes about the Beatles and what it was like to experience them. I recommend this because it demonstrates what a unique and personal experience the Beatles are while also demonstrating their global reach and how they became the most famous rock band in the world. It's a short read but a good one and there are many charming and thought provoking anecdotes in it. The story of the Beatles is just as much about their fans as it is about the band and you cannot understand one without looking at the other.

Books About Each Beatle

This particular section is a bit of a minefield. Many books written about the Beatles are of questionable veracity or just out and out wrong. (I can think of two that were written as blatant cash grabs and filled with libel that someone should have been sued over.) My recommendations on this may change so please check back from time to time! John Lennon

The John Lennon Letters - John Lennon, edited by Hunter Davies Primary source documents of the various letters and missives John wrote through his life. This may be the most important book on the list because it shows us who John really is: just another ordinary guy like us, trying to get through life. Also gives insight into his mindset as the decades pressed on.

The Making of John Lennon - Francis Kenny This is a very vital and heartbreaking read for people who want more insight into John. John Lennon is the most famous Beatle but he is also the one who's image is the most obscured and distorted. Francis Kenny is a Liverpool native who puts John in his proper context. To quote my server friend who read this one: Kenny, himself a Liverpudlian, takes into account how life in Liverpool in the first half of the 20th century shaped not only John but everyone he knew and his entire family. Mimi and Julia get a good critical view, and Uncle George gets his moment in the sun. He also lays out how class divides affected the Stanleys and then how Mimi took it out on John and Julia. He quotes a 1880s travel guide of London that said Liverpool was called "the New York of Europe," because of its economy and place on the ocean, and like in the Gilded Age New York that was happening concurrently across the ocean, Liverpool had pockets of wealth and splendor surrounded by poverty and rough living. Definitely a pro-read and a great insight into the culture and time John lived in. It does not fall into the pitfalls of hero worshipping John but Francis Kenny still treats John with sympathy and respect, hard qualities to come by when it comes to the cashgrabs written about John and his family.

John - Cynthia Lennon John's first wife, Cynthia, wrote two autobiographies about herself and John. This is one of them. It's a tough read in many places but a good one. Hers is a voice that doesn't shy away from John's flaws and actions but she also takes care to tell us why she and so many other people love him and remain loyal to him.

Paul McCartney

Many Years From Now - Barry Miles This is Paul's only sanctioned biography. It is formatted as a quasi-interview with Paul where there are interruptions of regular prose in each chapter. There are eyebrow raising moments where you can tell Paul is not quite telling the truth but it's important to read and identify these moments since Paul's habit of embroidering the truth is important to know and understand. Nonetheless it is still a lot more honest than I was expecting when I read it.

Paul McCartney: A Life - Peter Ames Carlin Probably the best Paul McCartney biography on the market. Peter Ames Carlin also did a similarly great bio of Paul Simon for people who are into that. To quote my friend Betty who read it: Paul gets to be a whole person here: the preternaturally talented boy wonder, the guy casting around for meaning, the less than attractive moments and qualities described without getting preachy or turning to [Paul Derangement Syndrome]. Carlin treats him with dignity instead of something to be gawked at and gossiped about. His (many) sources are cited at the end of the book. What I really appreciated was the ideas he put forth that I've only seen on Tumblr and not in Serious Official Biographies, which says to me he's writing as a fan and scholar and not a journalist trying to fill column inches.

George Harrison

I Me Mine - George Harrison Make sure to get the extended edition! George Harrison in his own words. There's a lot to say about this biography but it won't make much sense without context so I just encourage you to read it. George Harrison was, in my opinion, the best Beatle.

George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door - Graeme Thomson A good no bullshit biography about George Harrison. This covers his life as the material musician and the man seeking the divine. Graeme worked very hard to be respectful of George and his life, did extensive interviews with George's wife Olivia. Such a pro-read and definitely the best George biography written to date.

Ringo Starr

Photograph - Ringo Starr Ringo has stated that this book is his autobiography. In a few bumpers on the Beatles Sirius XM channel Ringo says that he doesn't want to write a biography like the others did but he was happy with putting this photobook together and essentially writing a bio through the captions. This is the closest that we will get for a biography for him as of right now. In time that may change but this is your best option. Piracy is the way to go when it comes to getting a copy of this, iirc it was a limited run and getting a physical copy might be very expensive these days.

Brian Epstein

A Cellarful of Noise - Brian Epstein/Derek Taylor This autobiography was ghostwritten by Brian's assistant Derek Taylor. It's not a tell-all but Brian talks about his youth and how he met the Beatles, including giving his own personal (and accurate) insights into each band member.

Conclusion

There are many, many books about the Beatles. Almost all of them offer something but most are about very niche periods in the Beatles history. When it comes to understanding the band I tried to put together a list where you can get an overview of the band and then read materials that either come straight from the Beatle in question or are not as biased as the competition. I am a McLennon shipper but for a post like this I did my best to recommend books that don't have that kind of bias in them so this is a list you can send to non-shipper friends haha.

In another post I will put together a history book list in the order of their timeline as a band, starting from the Quarrymen and on to the present. There is a LOT of ground to cover in a historical arrangement and it will take a while to compile. Please check back here regularly or give me a follow: whenever I update this post or make a new list, I'll make sure to post about it.

My plan is to make a website with all of this information that anyone can reference but it will take a long long time to make such a thing so put a pin in that one.

[leillaaaa]

hiii! about that one terukane post discussing the clock keepers’ original time period/location, i did some light searching and it mostly points to the clock keepers coming from around the 1800s! i’ll write down a few reasons why!

clothing:

mirai’s attire may seem a bit more western at first glance , but going off her sandals (sorry i’m not sure about the name) and the outfit under her cloak, it seems that it is either inspired or is the same as 1800’s japanese winter wear, with the same design, albeit with mirai’s design being a bit more puffy/flowy(?) see here:

so mirai’s outfit points to around the 1800’s, but what about kako and akane?

kako and akane don’t have much to go off, except for their sleeve garters/arm bands! sleeve garters started being manufactured around the late 1800’s, and they were used by people who needed to adjust their sleeves without much hassle! kako is shown to tinker with machinery, and we all know that can become seriously messy, so he uses sleeve garters to prevent his sleeves from being too long and messing with his work!

another thing to add are their tassels, which were used in the 1800’s as well(?)

other than their clothing, we can also refer to their boundary and the particular clock they used in chapter 111!

machinery:

the boundary mechanisms look particularly similar to clocks i found online that date back 200 years ago (i think) like this,

although i am not sure if this can be used as evidence as inspiration could be taken from any similar time periods, i believe that it most resembles the machinery of this particular era!

however, we can see that the big clock used to change the present/operated by the yorishiro has a unique style, quite unlike clocks today or the slim grandfather clocks we associate with the clock keepers! however, I found a clock quite similar to it that dates back to early-mid 1800’s (1800-1849)!

even though the time periods don’t nessecarily overlap, it still proves to be quite useful evidence!

it’s quite reminiscent of the big ben, built in 1943, overlapping with the manufactured period of the supernatural clock they used 🕰️, giving me reason to believe that the clock keepers might have made/maintained this when alive in that time period as mechanics!

lastly, the town!

not much to say here, but judging by the common people in the heart of the boundary and the fact that they spoke an unfamiliar language, i have reason to believe that kako might have originated from around europe, prob not in england, because akane learns english in school! (not accounting for older english)

i won’t say that it is in this specific location, because tbhk is obv a work of fiction with little to no actual ties to real locations, but i will say that the town is reminiscent of old luxembourg in ville-haute, to the south, which was known for its industry in the 19th century!

for reference:

sorry for the bad quality ahah

there are some holes here and there such as mirai’s japanese like clothing not matching kako’s more western attire, or why certain thing don’t overlap, but this is what i could find haha

so in conclusion i’d reckon the clock keepers to be from around the 1800’s in europe(my guess is old luxembourg city in villehaute, southern luxembourg), where kako is a mechanic known for his knack for machinery and mirai is either his adopted daughter from far away or a pinocchio-esque figure to keep kako company!

hope this helped!

WAHHH, TYYY !! This was so helpful, tysm !! (≧∇≦)b <3

[lifeiskentastic]

Ken x gn!Reader as friends to lovers story

A/n: my first fic on tumblr… and hopefully not the last;) also english is my second language so if you notice a mistake please write to me about it, 'cause i'm just learning and this will help me a lot.

Summary: A real world reader finds a box of vinyl records in Ken's house, which leads to an unexpected turn of events.

Genre: fluff, comfort, friends to lovers;

Song played in fic: Biggest Part of Me by Ambrosia;

World count: 805 words;

Hope you enjoy!

***

"Ken, can I borrow this, please?"

You point to a small box in the corner of Ken's House (and yes, as it turns out, it does really exist), right by the entrance. Although it may look small at first glance, if you take the lid off, you'll be genuinely surprised at how much can this thing hold. How many music records can this thing hold.

"Mmm," Ken turned to you in confusion, distracted from the very important task of destroying all available books about patriarchy (only those that mentioned horses survived).

As soon as Ken realized what you were pointing at, he jumped up and ran over to you.

"Oh, this thing..." He exhaled heavily, as if he didn't know how to describe it: "I brought it from your world... I haven't figured out how to use it yet. But it was fun to play with it in Frisbee, though."

You had to hold back your giggles, knowing full well that the box contained not a Frisbee but rather vinyl records of 80s rock hits.

"Ken... Don't worry, I know what it is, and unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend playing with it."

Ken looks at you in confusion, waiting for an explanation.

"Then what does it do?" Now his face was full of curiosity.

"Oh, it's music." You bit your lip, already anticipating that wave of the cutest delight in the entire universe on Ken's face. "My favorite music, for real. What a coincidence!"

"Ah, so that means we can listen to these little flat wheels?"

As difficult as it was, you still controlled your laughter because you didn't want to hurt your friend's feelings.

"Huh... Yes, Ken, wait a minute, I'll play you something."

You had noticed beforehand that the box contained a modern vinyl record player. The only question was where Ken had gotten it from, but you decided to put that aside for later. There are more important things to do now. For example, the culturalization of the inhabitants of Barbieland for unselfish purposes (or one particular inhabitant of Barbieland for, to be honest, a little bit of selfish purposes)

You could feel Ken's intrigued look on your back as you conscientiously chose which song to start your immersion in the deep culture of the 80s. Of course, you chose the one you thought Ken would like the most. Of course, it was a love song.

As the playful melody began to play on the record player, you were very pleased with yourself. But Ken was still on edge. So you wisely decided to relax him a little.

When the first words of Biggest Part of Me by Ambrosia touched your ears, you gently led the surprised Ken into a dance, grabbing him around the waist with one hand and intertwining your palms with the other. He was a little confused, but he quickly realized what was going on and began to follow your movements. His puzzlement turned into a gentle, homely smile, and those two crystal blue eyes look that always gave you goosebumps.

"It's a nice song." He spoke calmly and quietly, though there was no need for that. "Make a wish, baby, and I will make it come true."

He began to sing along to the beat of dance, which suddenly gave him control of the situation.

"I finally found someone who believes in me." Ken kept staring at you, still smiling gently. "I need your love here, next to me."

It seemed as if with every turn in the dance, your faces were getting closer together. And when you felt that you were crossing the line between friendly dancing and something closer and more romantic, you had to stop it. But you didn't want to.

"You're the biggest part of me".

Immediately after these words, Ken stopped singing. He thought for a moment and then confidently proclaimed:

"Hmm, really," he raised his eyebrows as if he had come to some brilliant conclusion, "I really feel like you are the biggest part of me."

You had to swallow because something strange and incomprehensible was preventing the answer from coming out of your throat. However, when you felt your cheeks burning, you realized that this strange and incomprehensible feeling was embarrassment. A very unusual kind of embarrassment, the kind that you shouldn't normally feel towards a friend.

"M-m", You understood that Ken was waiting for your answer, so you gathered all your willpower into a fist and said, "I feel something similar, Ken."

Ken's smile grew bigger, and his joy radiated from him like rays from the sun.

"I'm, ah, glad to hear that... Does that mean we can continue dancing?"

You smile back. Ken was charging you with positivity just by being there.

"Of course, Ken, as much as you want!"

You were both ready for the next song.

Thanks for reading! I'd also love to hear your ideas for the next Barbie fic, so see ya.)

***

[mumms-the-word]

Illithid Souls - Part 1

What’s up with mind flayers and souls anyway?

I know this deep dive has been done before like a hundred times, based on all the Reddit threads I’ve read, but I feel like a lot of the "evidence" has been scattered about in a lot of places (reddit, tumblr, other threads, other socials, etc). So I figured...why not gather a lot of it here in one place?

As with all my deep dives, this post is designed to equip you with some lore so you can build your own theories and ideas. I’ll offer theories that I find interesting or feasible, but lore is always a little hazy so I’m bound to be wrong or you’re bound to interpret things differently. Just have fun with the lore!

I’ll start by defining what D&D calls a soul, and then…well it unravels from there. In this part we're going to dive into the lore about souls, the afterlife, and where mind flayers differ, along with a bit of in-game context. In Part 2 we'll look at individual case studies (Tav/Durge, Orpheus, Karlach, and Gale).

Buckle up, folks, cause it's a long one!

As always, I’ll include images and image descriptors/text written out in case the pictures fail or are too small to read!

What is a soul?

The entire game of Baldur's Gate 3 is heavily invested in the idea of souls. Raphael wants to bargain with your soul. Mizora has Wyll's soul bound to a contract. Cazador plans to sacrifice 7007 souls. Vlaakith consumes the souls of her faithful. Karlach wants to collect (and use) soul coins. Every tadpoled follower of the Absolute is called a True Soul. This game is OBSESSED with souls.

But it never actually defines a soul, does it? So what do the official D&D rules say?

Well...they don't. Older editions used to split hairs about the difference between a soul and a spirit, but those older editions also used to say that elves, orcs, and half-orcs didn't have souls, so...we've moved on a bit from those days.

In the game, a book on soul coins defines souls as "the sum of personal and magical essence," which is both helpful and vague. The general player consensus is that a soul is the animating "force" that is made up of memories, personality, intelligence, and (possibly) morality, and that in some cases, such as the spell Speak with Dead, a soul differs from a spirit, which merely "animates" the body but does not actually possess the personality or the thinking capabilities of the deceased (though it may have access to memories).

Speak with Dead [...] Until the spell ends, you can ask the corpse up to five questions. The corpse knows only what it knew in life, including the languages it knew. [...] This spell doesn't return the creature's soul to its body, only its animating spirit. Thus, the corpse can't learn new information, doesn't comprehend anything that has happened since it died, and can't speculate about future events.

So there's a chance that while an entire soul is generally made up of personality, memories, and some element of active thinking/decision making/speculation (intelligence, for lack of a better term), the part of a soul that functions as an "animating spirit" is what houses memory. In other words, animating spirit (memories) + personality + intelligence = soul.

This idea of the animating spirit (memories) being housed within a soul, but also detachable from a soul, is important for later, so remember this in a bit.

Souls also have power, which is why the game is obsessed with everyone fighting over souls. Raphael, Mizora, and Cazador trade in souls in exchange for power. There are insinuations in the game that the gods want to stop the "scourge of soulless illithids" (Mystra's words) because souls are a kind of currency to them (though, trust me, trying to find a recent D&D source that clearly states that particular stance is a damn migraine of an endeavor). But Withers does say that souls imbue gods with power, so the game at least operates with that assumption in mind.

According to Withers…

We all know that Withers, aka Jergal, aka the Final Scribe, aka the former god of death, aka the expert on souls, has plenty to say when you ask him to elaborate on anything:

Well, okay, maybe he doesn't. But he does have a bit more to say about souls and mind flayers. For example, when he first brings up the topic of illithids and souls in Moonrise, this is some of the information he can give the player.

Withers: I shall ask yet again. Do illithids possess souls? Player: These abominations are soulless, surely. Withers: Correct. - Player: I'm not sure. Don't all living things? Withers: No. Nor canst thou count mind flayers among them. - Player: I admit I haven't thought about it. Withers: Thou shalt think about it now, and I shall give the answer. Mind flayers are soulless. Yet the Three amass an illithid army, void of apostolic souls that could imbue them with power.

A couple of things to note here. Jergal, the guy in charge of putting down the names of people who die and keeping track of where their souls go, is pretty clear that he thinks mind flayers don't have souls. But his last statement clarifies two things: one, that he is referring specifically to apostolic souls (more on that in a bit) and that souls imbue gods with power.

Souls give the gods a kind of strength. He brings this up when he criticizes the dumb plot the Dead Three came up with in his post-epilogue scene:

Thou sought to bolster thy strength by taking away the souls of mortals. But souls vanish when their hosts become mind flayers.

So we know that souls are a source of power for deities and gods because they imbue gods with power and strength. But gods only get the power of these souls after a mortal dies with their soul intact. If someone becomes a mind flayer...well, let's just say the natural order of things gets disrupted.

What happens when you die?

You see, normally, when someone dies in Faerûn (assuming they are humanoid), their soul travels to the Fugue Plane where it basically waits around until a deity picks them up or Kelemvor decides they're just going to be part of the Wall of the Faithless for forever. From the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (page 20 because I am, as youtuber Swoop says in her docs, a thorough bitch):

The Afterlife Most humans believe the souls of the recently deceased are spirited away to the Fugue Plane, where they wander the great City of Judgment, often unaware they are dead. The servants of the gods come to collect such souls and, if they are worthy, they are taken to their awaited afterlife in the deity's domain. Occasionally, the faithful are sent back to be reborn into the world to finish work that was left undone.

This is where the idea of apostolic souls comes in. Apostolic, in its most basic definition, means "having the characteristics of an apostle," or having the characteristics of someone who dedicates their entire lives to the teaching of a particular religious figure (in our context and reality, this mostly means the apostles of Christ, but in BG3 it would refer to any deity). I think here, the definition gets stretched a little thinner to mean any soul that is capable of devotion to a deity, rather than a soul that is already devoted. Apostolic souls can be Faithful, Faithless, or False (which is how souls are separated in the Fugue Plane).

In other words, an apostolic soul is a humanoid-specific soul that the deities recognize and can use as a source of power by inviting said soul into their domain. Mind flayers do not have apostolic souls. Emphasis on apostolic here, but we'll back to mind flayers in a minute. For now, let's look at the Faithless and False souls.

Souls that are unclaimed by the servants of the gods are judged by Kelemvor, who decides the fate of each one. Some are charged with serving as guides for other lost souls, while others are transformed into squirming larvae and cast into the dust. The truly false and faithless are mortared into the Wall of the Faithless, the great barrier that bounds the City of the Dead, where their souls slowly dissolve and begin to become part of the stuff of the Wall itself.

Depressing.

The distinction between a Faithless and a False soul is a little hazy, but according to the Forgotten Realms wiki, a Faithless soul is someone who never aligned themselves to the worship of a specific deity or who just didn't believe in the existence of the gods at all (think of Astarion, who outright rejects all gods). A False soul, in contrast, is someone who did believe but failed to serve their god or outright betrayed them (a fate that Gale feels he is faced with for being on Mystra's bad side). Allegedly all the Faithless end up becoming part of the Wall, whereas the False could get mitigated sentences, such as becoming guides for other souls.

Of course, there's nothing stopping deities from combing through Faithless or False souls to collect them into their domains. But it could take a while. Clearly, the more souls a god collects into their domains, the more powerful they become, but the gods are also not exactly fighting over the souls of Faithless or False people, because people can end up waiting hundreds of years before Kelemvor is finally like "guess you're part of the wall now." Your only option to get out of that is to sell your soul to a devil, which isn't a much better fate.

From The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, page 25, regarding servants of Asmodeus:

To those not so dedicated, priests of Asmodeus offer the prospect of a reprieve in the afterlife. All souls wait on the Fugue Plane for a deity's pleasure, which determines where a soul will spend the rest of eternity. Those who lived their lives most in keeping with a deity's outlook are taken first. Others, who have transgressed in the eyes of their favored god or have not followed any particular ethos, might wait centuries before Kelemvor judges where they go. People who fear such a fate can pray to Asmodeus, his priests say, and in return a devil will grant a waiting soul some comfort.

This makes me infer two things: first, that the gods are kind of picky about which souls they want to join their domain (regardless of what actually happens to that soul in a deity's domain, which is a topic for a different post entirely, because the results may vary) and therefore the gods aren't just going to go with any soul that ends up in the Fugue Plane. Second, that the gods aren't exactly in a hurry to choose among wandering souls, likely because the Material Plane just keeps producing and destroying mortals, resulting in a constant flow of souls.

We see a glimpse of a god's perspective on the influx of souls when Gale confronts Mystra in the Stormshore Tabernacle (in this case, when you play him as an Origin):

Gale: You're one to talk. How many innocents were you prepared to sacrifice if I detonated the orb? Mystra: Such eddies are unexpectional. Souls arrive and depart your plane with every tide, in circumstances just and unjust. The Weave cannot be lost because we are unwilling to cause a ripple. And that is what is at stake.

She then goes on to say "With each day that passes, the elder brain threatens to become a new kind of god, its worshippers a scourge of soulless illithids." This is what's at stake. The loss of souls on the Material Plane.

The Absolute plot threatens that cycle of birth and death, of souls arriving and departing. But how, exactly, is the mind flayer plot a threat?

Well, for one, if everyone with a tadpole turns into an illithid (which doesn't have an apostolic soul, Withers is adamant about this), and then all the illithids kill all the non-illithids...who is making new babies with apostolic souls? And if there are no new fresh souls, eventually the deities will just also die out, since no one will be left to believe in them and thus their powers will diminish and eventually fade. It might take a few hundred years, but it still spells death for everyone involved.

The irony here is that it means the Dead Three gambled and lost even if their plan to ascend a Netherbrain ends with a success, such as when Tav or Durge decides to dominate the world by controlling the Netherbrain. Either the brain is destroyed and they lose, or the Netherbrain successfully completes its Grand Design and they really lose, because the only winner here after a thousand years would be the Netherbrain. Thus we have Withers taunting them in the post-epilogue scene by asking if they really thought their ploy would succeed.

Okay...so we know that mind flayers killing everyone on the planet is a bad idea because it means that apostolic souls stop arriving in the Fugue Plane. But what about mind flayers? If they don't have apostolic souls, do they have ANY soul worth eternal currency?

Remember, the only way to create more mind flayers is to tadpole a humanoid creature. Without humanoids, mind flayers can't reproduce. But when humanoids turn into mind flayers, they allegedly lose their souls. Right?

Withers says souls "vanish" when the body turns into a mind flayer. But this is vague, and thus allows for a few different theories. Perhaps souls move on to the Fugue Plane while the person-turned-mind-flayer continues existing on the Material Plane. Perhaps the soul just becomes obscured and unrecognizable by the gods. Or perhaps the soul really does go poof and is replaced by something else entirely.

So which is it? Well...first of all, let's set the record straight on mind flayer souls.

Do mind flayers have souls?

The short answer is...yes. They just don't have apostolic souls.

According to Volo's Guide to Monsters (page 80 for those looking through their copies at home):

Illithids acknowledge the existence of divine entities, but it is unusual for any but a deviant mind flayer to actively worship such a power. Since they are capable of planar travel, illithids don't view the afterlife and the Outer Planes in the mythic way that most other races do. Illithids don't believe they possess souls whose eternal fate is governed by the gods. Instead, when a mind flayer's brain is returned to the elder brain to be consumed, the creature's intelligence lives on. Only if an illithid's brain isn't retrieved after death would its consciousness be cast into oblivion.

And on page 72:

An elder brain has a perfect recollection of its race's history. Consequently, it views itself as both a refugee and a victim, forced into hiding by barbaric monsters. An elder brain also sees itself as a savior of the mind flayer race and a living memorial that preserves the memories of the mind flayers' prey. By its twisted logic, humanoids whose brains are devoured by the colony are rendered immortal, their memories preserved forever in the elder brain's labyrinthine mind. When a mind flayer grows old, becomes infirm, or is previously injured, the elder brain absorbs it—another form of immortality, as the mind flayer's mind dwells within the hive mind forever after.

So essentially, mind flayers do have a soul, but because they are a) not humanoid but are aberrations from another plane, and b) not faithful to the deities of Faerûn, their souls are not recognized by the gods. The souls might not even journey to the Fugue Plane when they die. Instead, mind flayers give up their consciousness (their memories, especially) to an elder brain to become part of its eternal collective memory.

It's worth noting that Volo's Guide to Monsters puts emphasis on memory and intelligence here, but not necessarily personality. Mind flayers and elder brains do have a kind of personality, because they experience emotions (we'll look at some conversations with the Emperor in Part 2), but their emotional range seems to be a little limited. For example, regarding elder brains:

An elder brain is arrogant, scheming, and power hungry, yet quick to flee or beg for mercy in the face of a powerful foe. It has no conception of joy, sympathy, or charity, but is well acquainted with fear, anger, and curiosity. It is an intellect utterly incapable of empathy or concern for creatures other than itself.

These limited emotions suggest there might be some element of personality here, but it's not exactly the same as a humanoid personality, which would normally be capable of a wider scope of emotional range. We'll talk a lot more about personality and how transforming into a mind flayer alters that part of one's identity (if not their actual soul) more in Part 2, but for now, just know that a mind flayer technically has all the elements usually present in a soul: an animating spirit (memories), intelligence, and personality (emotion).

When mind flayers die, their memories and intelligence are usually consumed by an elder brain, but it's unclear if the personality is too, or if the personality is destroyed. However, if they're not enthralled to an elder brain or if they die and their brain isn't retrieved to give to an elder brain...then their soul is "cast into oblivion."

Being cast into oblivion could mean anything. It could mean that their soul simply wanders around wherever it died, untethered to anything but unable to move on. Or it could mean that their soul simply ceases to exist. No one really knows what happens to it because renegade mind flayers are extremely rare. BG3 has Omeluum and the Emperor, but other than those two, official D&D lore only lists a small handful of other renegades out of millions of mind flayers over time.

So now you're probably thinking, "Well, wait, but is a mind flayer's soul the same soul that a person had before they became a mind flayer?" And the answer to that is complicated.

Let's talk about ceremorphosis

Normally a mind flayer isn't supposed to remember much of its life prior to ceremorphosis. This is partly why mind flayers eat brains, so they can literally absorb the memories of other creatures and make those memories part of the hive mind. But initially, after ceremorphosis, it seems like the the usual animating spirit (memories) of a person gets destroyed or displaced.

The tadpole grows as it devours the humanoid's brain, attaching to the victim's brain stem and becoming its new brain. Over the course of a week, the humanoid body changes form, and a new mind flayer comes into being. The emergent mind flayer often retains a few dim memories from its previous form, but these vague recollections seldom have any bearing on its new life as a brain-eating monster.

So right off the bat, a typical mind flayer loses the memories (perhaps the animating spirit) of the original host, and it's likely that it loses a lot of the initial personality as well (since it seems likely to lose some of the emotional range). Its intelligence is likely altered too, since the tadpole is literally eating brain matter. So this could lead us to believe two things.

First, that ceremorphosis utterly destroys the host's body and the host's soul likely goes to the Fugue Plane because they have basically died. Their brain has been consumed and their body transformed, so in essence they can't be themselves anymore. Instead, a new soul has taken residence inside the mind flayer body, though where this soul comes from is unclear since tadpoles probably don't have souls. The original soul, however, is free to move to the Fugue Plane and beyond.

Or, alternatively, the host's soul is transformed, shedding memories and personality to become a non-apostolic soul that aligns with an elder brain's hive mind somehow. This means that the host's apostolic soul might be destroyed because it's been changed so drastically, but there are some parts of the original soul still left (the lingering memories, for example). This means the host's original soul didn't move on, but is tethered to the mind flayer body and has been changed into something unrecognizable. When the mind flayer dies, the former apostolic-soul-turned-illithid-soul is either consumed by an elder brain or cast into oblivion.

If the first theory is correct, it seems a little odd that the BG3 companions are so concerned about losing their own souls. If it would just be the same as dying, there would still be some desire to avoid the fate of ceremorphosis, but the companions seem incredibly concerned about losing their own autonomy, as if their consciousness will be trapped inside a mind flayer body and their souls forfeit and unable to move on to the Fugue Plane. After all, Withers is in the business of plucking souls out of the Fugue Plane when we inevitably die in the game.

Specifically, Withers can take a body that has been completely turned to ash and resurrect it with True Resurrection, a spell powerful enough to completely restore a body to its former state. However, there is some assumption here that he wouldn't be able to do this with a mind flayer body, thus the push in the game for a cure.

True Resurrection You touch a creature that has been dead for no longer than 200 years and that died for any reason except old age. If the creature's soul is free and willing, the creature is restored to life with all its hit points. This spell closes all wounds, neutralizes any poison, cures all diseases, and lifts any curses affecting the creature when it died. The spell replaces damaged or missing organs and limbs. If the creature was undead, it is restored to its non-undead form. The spell can even provide a new body if the original no longer exists, in which case you must speak the creature's name. The creature then appears in an unoccupied space you choose within 10 feet of you.

In other words, if theory one is correct, and a person simply dies when they become a mind flayer, Withers should technically be able to resurrect them by pulling their soul out of the Fugue Plane and giving them a new body. You'd have a weird mind flayer clone of you running around, but you wouldn't have to worry about ceremorphosis again.

(But then again, we know the game ignores the organ-regrowing properties of True Resurrection for Karlach, too, so the game intentionally limits the capabilities of True Resurrection.)

If theory two is correct, and the lore is extremely unclear about this process if this is the case, then the companions' reactions and dialogues make a bit more sense. They all talk as though turning into a mind flayer means their soul is somehow destroyed. Mind flayers having souls is likely not common knowledge in the universe (certainly no one in the game is arguing that they have souls), so if a person's soul is transformed beyond recognition it could certainly seem like the host's soul got destroyed. Additionally, this would result in a person's consciousness being trapped inside a mind flayer body, so the loss of autonomy would be a terrifying possibility here.

Plus, we know that when a mind flayer dies, the soul they have (whether a brand new soul or an apostolic soul that has been altered) is consumed or thrown into oblivion. So if theory two is correct, there will be no eternal consciousness for you, allegedly (though there's some debate as to how much eternal consciousness you have in the Fugue Plane or the Outer Planes too...)

We don't know which of these theories is correct, and the game sort of slides between these two theories (as we'll see in Part 2). But, and I cannot stress this enough, this lore only applies to normal mind flayers.

BG3 has altered the usual mind flayer tadpoles with Netherese magic such that things get a little wonky. And beyond that, the ultimate tadpole that changes you (or Karlach, or Orpheus) into a mind flayer capable of wielding the Netherstones is a Supreme Tadpole that has been further altered by the Emperor:

The Emperor: I took this one from the nautiloid. I have been nurturing it ever since - priming it for your use. It is not dissimilar to the experience you already had with the previous one. Only this one is much more potent. All you have to do is open your mind to it. Its latent potential will do the rest.

We don't know how the Emperor has been priming this tadpole, but if it came from the nautiloid, then it is imbued with the same Netherese magic as all the other tadpoles. It's not the same as the Astral-touched tadpole (from Act 2), which has been in the Astral Prism for millennia, but it is somehow more powerful, or at least more effective in transforming you into a new kind of mind flayer, one that can think independently of the elder brain.

So now you (or Orpheus, or Karlach) are a new special kind of mind flayer. Does that change anything?

Yes. In fact, it seems to change quite a lot. But this post is already super long, so you'll have to check out Part 2 to see what I mean.

~*~*~

You made it to the end! Gold stars!!!

✨⭐️🌟⭐️✨

I'll link part 2 soon~

Tagging those who wanted an update! @galesdevoteewife @stuffforthestash

[hapi-transformers-enthusiast]

"Wayward Soldier"

General and Romantic headcanons for TFP Ultra Magnus.

He has made a lil office in my head and he's paying rent, so I'm indulging him.

WARNINGS: Mentions of death, PTSD, sleep paralysis, and general mental-health related things that may hit very close to home.

General HCs first, then Romantic ones Under the cut!

Ultra Magnus has been through quite a lot, just like the other Autobots. However, unlike the others, he's had very little time to get used to Earth.

His uptight demeanor and formal speech is a front, but he's had to hold it up for so long, that it's become difficult for him to ever truly lower his guard anymore.

After he starts getting used to the team, he does loosen up slightly. He's still very strict and orderly, but he starts learning what the other bots won't appreciate - especially Wheeljack.

Earth as an environment, however, takes much longer for him to acclimate to. The first time he gets caught in a thunderstorm, it sends him into a panic attack from the sudden noise. He... rather dislikes rain, really.

The weather that he does enjoy, to everyone's surprise, is Snow. The cool air and the way it seems to muffle noises around it calms him down, even if he needs to be careful about the temperature.

That being said, please do not send him up to the Arctic. Bulkhead told him about the Scraplet incident, and he really doesn't want there to be a second wave of that.

Ultra Magnus also has a pretty religious sleep schedule, which he only diverges from in the event of an extreme emergency. However, there is one particular hinderance that occasionally robs him of rest: Sleep Paralysis.

Every now and again, Magnus gets extremely intense bouts of sleep paralysis, rendering him unable to move for hours at a time. He has a repeated hallucination of a dead comrade holding him down, whispering just barely too quiet, and every time it destroys him.

He'll usually break out of the condition before the sun rises, but it's never pleasant. He'll be extra uptight and particular about things the next morning, as well as a little bit jumpy.

The way that Magnus tends to calm himself down is actually with creative writing. Contrary to popular belief, he's actually a very adept storyteller, and he enjoys putting his extensive vocabulary to use. However, he never shares these stories, always deleting the files after he finishes them.

Onto the Romantic Headcanons!

This mech is extremely out of touch when it comes to romance. It takes him a long time to even recognize that what he's feeling is love, rather than just particularly deep comradery.

Once he does realize he's in love, he'll withdraw pretty deeply. He has lost so many people that he has cared about, and the very idea of losing the one he loves most shakes him to his spark. That, and he overthinks things quite a bit.

After his significant other lets him know that they love him back, though? He is on Cloud Nine. He has trouble putting it into words, but he smiles a lot more now.

Ultra Magnus' love languages are Acts of Service and Words of Affirmation. He's a chivalrous mech, always willing to help his S/O with even the smallest tasks, and he'll always go just a little bit above the standard.

However, he absolutely needs his S/O to verbalize that they love him. He can be very insecure if it's not something war related, and thus needs reassurance that he's doing things right: That his lover is happy with him.

Touch Starved. He spent way too long alone on that ship flying to Earth, and it shows. Put a hand on his cheek, or (if you can) the small of his back? He'll be putty in your hands.

At first, he doesn't really like cuddling, because he starts to overheat. However, if his S/O helps him through a Sleep Paralysis or Traumatic Episode, he'll start liking it a whole lot more.

Similarly to humans, Cybertronians tend to sleep better when in groups, and Ultra Magnus is no exception. He often wales to find his hand entwined with his partner, or even spooning them lovingly. Don't ever mention these things to Wheeljack, poor Magnus will never hear the end of it.

Alright, that's all I have for now!! Stay tuned, folks, I'll be writing more often soon!

[art-of-a-space-duck]

Some ideas (subject to change) on my furry characters and their relationships. And because this a terrible diagram, here’s the info in text form.

Matonne Cerise and Bev: Each other’s main romantic (and sexual) partners. Their love language is making all manner of animal noises at each other and cuddling a bunch. They have a shared love of speculative fiction, abstract art, food, and encouraging each other to be bold.

Matonne and Camry: They date, sometimes swap clothes. They in particular like to have group dates (and sleepovers 😉) with each other and their main partners.

Matonne and Flora: Probably the most physical of the two’s platonic relationships, since both of them crave physical affection. Occasional bedmates.

Matonne and Octávio: Housemates and drag performers who work together. Most of their bonding is over fashion. Every so often they’ll, uh, share a bed.

Matonne and Joan: Matonne highly respects (and is slightly intimidated by) Joan who admires Matonne for his artistry. Joan sells the clothes Matonne makes in xir store.

Matonne and Tristan: Neither of them quite know how platonic or romantic their relationship is. Both are really good at (and comfortable with) listening to the other vent. And yes, Matonne’s bed is open to Tristan too. Bev and Camry: Met through each other’s main romantic partners. Like going out for sweets together, with or without their partners. They love talking with each other about their crushes (which include their current partners).

Bev and Flora: Best friends who met in college and currently live together. Bev and Flora helped each other out a lot in their queer journeys. Bev has a slight crush on Flora (Flora knows). Traded entire wardrobes.

Bev and Octávio: Gym buddies who also trade recipes. They also both really love speculative fiction, mostly movies though where they fawn over the costumes.

Bev and Joan: Joan sells Bev’s books. Bev is less intimated by Joan than Matonne is.

Bev and Tristan: Gaming buddies. Sometimes Tristan proofreads Bev’s writing.

Camry and Flora: Lovebirds. They’re constantly reassuring of each other through hugs, and head pats, and words of affirmation. They’re both can be pretty sensitive, and are both the most understanding of that for each other.

Camry and Octávio: They absolutely love clothes shopping together. Often these two, plus Flora, will just give each other makeovers.

Camry and Joan: Camry works at Joan’s shop and lives with xir. He’s often very jokey with xir and is the only person Joan trusts to run the shop without xir.

Camry and Tristan: Cousins, best friends, and roommates. They’re always finishing each other’s sentences (and sandwiches) and playfully bantering. Camry is the person Tristan near always turns to when he needs physical or medical assistance.

Flora and Octávio: Octávio teaches Flora makeup. Flora teaches him board gaming. Octávio can sometimes be a bit much for Flora, but he’s learning to tone down his intensity around her.

Flora and Joan: Flora was at first intimidated by Joan, but xe quickly made sure she felt welcome around xir. I mean, Flora is at Joan’s house a lot.

Flora and Tristan: They trade gaming and gender tips. Frequently mistaken for siblings in public.

Octávio and Joan: Octávio is the muscle of Joan’s store, taking care of most of the heavy lifting. Joan is probably the only person who can reign in Octávio’s wild energy.

Octávio and Tristan: They did it once together when Tristan was still figuring out his orientation. You’d think this would make things awkward from then on, but actually, they’re really chill and hang out a lot.

Tristan and Joan: Joan may be Tristan’s boss, but they’re almost like family at this point. Joan is pretty lax with Tristan when it comes to his work and understands his limitations and medical needs. They both bond over media and art preservation which they use to guide the direction of the store.

[oh-no-my-hand-slipped]

Any headcanons about TF2 sneezes? :⁰

Ah, yes, TF2…one of my not so secret loves! I must say, this is a fantastic ask to come back to!

Scout:

He has a pretty standard sneeze - one or two into the back of the hand.

However, covering or stifling isn’t in his vocabulary, which means that his sneezes can get pretty loud if it’s been coming for a while. He is also very vocal, no matter how much he needs to sneeze.

He’s also the kind of person that will commentate on his sneeze, both before and after.

“H-hold on, I’m gonna - HTCH’CHOO!”

“Snf! Ugh, I’ve been waitin’ for that all day.”

He’s not allergic to anything in particular, but his number one reason for sneezing is all the dust, dirt, and sand that’s kicked up during a mission.

Scout has a great sense of smell - just like his dad - so strong perfumes and spices bothers his nose more than he’d like to admit.

His sneezes become even more wet when he’s sick, which he cleans up with the bottom or collar of his shirt instead.

Because his skin is so pale, his nose and ears become dark red when he’s come down with a cold.

When it comes to other people’s sneezes, he was raised to say “bless ya” so he often does without even thinking about it.

However, it’s often followed up by teasing, especially if it’s Spy.

“Aw, gross!” is usually his go-to.

Heavy:

You would think that such a big guy would have a huge sneeze, and you may be right.

However, Heavy makes it a point to not fully sneeze any chance he can.

This leads to his sneezes usually sounding more like he’s being strangled.

He also religiously uses his handkerchief, putting it fully over his nose and turning away before every sneeze.

After he’s finished, he blesses himself in Russian while he blows his nose.

Heavy only has one allergy, and it’s quite a strange one: ladybugs.

Luckily, with how hot it is, ladybug sightings are few and far between.

But Medic using ladybug serum for tear gas had some…not so great results for Heavy, who is often in the lab.

Because Heavy takes good care of himself, sickness is rare. When he does catch a cold, though, his sneezes grow more and more desperate and messy.

Even still, no merc has ever seen him sneeze without pinching his nose or his handkerchief firmly over his nostrils.

This means it takes him a bit longer to recover than most, as he doesn’t allow himself to release the illness.

When other people sneeze, he’ll quickly bless them. After learning more about his comrades, he has also taken to blessing them in their native languages.

He is also the mercs main caretaker, always noticing sickness first and helping the person get better. He gets almost comically fussy, worrying about the the sick merc like a mother hen.

It is also one of the many times Heavy likes to cook for the mercs, usually a hearty stew with small, round, flat “cakes”.

Soldier:

This man SCREAMS his sneezes. You can hear his nose from across the base.

However, he at least tries to sneeze in the crook of his elbow…sometimes.

He only uses tissues if he’s congested, and he never has any on-hand.

He usually wipes his nose on the back of his hand, especially on the field. However, he refuses to wipe it on his uniform - something about “wiping his nose on America”?

His biggest allergy is pollen. Growing up around a power plant doesn’t give you a whole lot of opportunities for your body to accumulate to nature. Luckily, not much blooms near the base.

However, the occasional dandelion seed or cut flowers will send him sniffling.

It’s not too difficult to tell when Soldier is getting sick - unlike his normal, unnecessarily loud sneezes, his sick sneezes are pretty quiet, but still just as harsh.

This leads most of the mercs to believe that him sneezing loudly is on purpose - honestly, it wouldn’t surprise them, since Soldier is booming in every other aspect.

His nose gets less red than the paler mercs, but it does get very swollen and painful. Not to mention extremely congested.

When other people sneeze, instead of saying the normal “bless you,” he’ll say, “God bless America!” Eh, close enough.

He refers to any time one of the mercs are sick as “sick leave” or “shore leave”.

He also has to be kept from using different “army remedies” on the sick merc - one of which is covering the chest with peanut butter and lighting it on fire.

Demo:

Due to his almost continuous drunkenness, Demo’s nose is pretty sensitive.

It tingles and buzzes when he’s tipsy, meaning that anything can set him off.

He has loud, rough sneezes, and they get louder the more alcohol is in his system.

It’s also very clear when he’s about to sneeze, as he usually has to focus all of his energy on getting it out.

A lot of mercs tease him about this, even to the point of him losing the sneeze entirely.

When he does sneeze, he uses the back of his hand to cover (as best he can), and a rag in his pocket to blow his nose.

He doesn’t have any allergies, but his nose is generally sensitive because of the alcohol he drinks.

When he catches a cold, his face becomes even more swollen the usual, and his sneezes are more forthcoming.

If he’s drunk and sick, which is usually the case, he sneezes CONSTANTLY. Anything from gunpowder to rubbing alcohol to dirt to sunlight can render him a sneezy mess.

If one of the mercs sneeze, he usually says, “gesundheit” or “dia leat.” If someone sneezes more than twice, it’s usually accompanied with, “Don’t blow yer head off!”

If anyone comes down with a cold, you better bet that Demo will give you some good scrumpy - even against Medic’s orders.

Sniper:

Sniper has mastered the art of stifling, even to the point where his unstifled sneezes are rarely ever vocal.

If he’s trying to hold back, his sneezes are completely silent.

He usually sneezes into the crook of his arm, especially when he’s on the field and that’s the closest part of the body to his face when he’s holding a rifle.

When he’s not working, he’ll often dip the front of his hat down with every sneeze, turning away if necessary.

He also grits his teeth, making a harsh “CHHH!” sound.

He doesn’t have any allergies, but he does have a photic sneeze response, which is one of the reasons he wears a large-brimmed hat and dark sunglasses.

When he’s ill - which is pretty rare - his nostrils are so slender that, though he can stifle his sneezes pretty easily, he sniffles relentlessly.

This means that his nose is often irritated and red if he catches a cold, both from rubbing it with his finger and the tissues he keeps on hand.

When someone sneezes around him, he’s usually in the chorus of “bless yous”. He doesn’t usually pay too much attention unless it sounds like someone is getting sick.

Since Sniper hates catching colds, or any other illness, he avoids sick mercs like the literal plague. He has been known to take revenge on people he suspects had gotten him sick.

Medic:

Medic, for all his terrifying traits, has an almost comical sneeze.

It’s higher pitched, and usually come in multiples, each one getting higher than the last.

Heavy teases him for it often, but only good-naturedly as he offers him a handkerchief.

Medic himself keeps tissues in his pockets, but often forgets to replace them, meaning that he usually just has a pocket full of used ones.

If he doesn’t have a tissue, the crook of his arm works just fine. Or inside of a surgical mask.

He has a ferocious allergy to cats - one of the many reasons he doesn’t like them - and just being near one will cause several sneezing fits. When Scout found a stray kitten and decided to keep it in the lab, you can guess how well that went.

Medic gets sick every year along with the rest of the mercs (the yearly “Merc Flu” as they call it), and would usually ignore his symptoms.

However, it’s gotten to the point where he takes sick days immediately - not because he isn’t willing to risk his health, but because Heavy would throttle him.

He gets very, very red in the cheeks, ears, and nose when he’s sick, and it’s one of the only times he wears a mask.

When someone else sneezes, he usually says, “gesundheit” or “salut”. He can also usually tell with one sneeze whether or not they need to stop by the lab.

When mercs are sick, they are usually sent to the lab to quarantine, sleeping on a cot in the sick bay. Medic will usually take up his knitting hobby or read so that he won’t wake them up with experiments, and they’ll be available if needed.

Pyro:

Because of the mask they wear, Pyro doesn’t sneeze very often.

But whether a bit of hair tickles their nostrils or a speck of dust makes it through their mask, when they sneeze, it’s a doozy.

It’s very loud, very wet, and very messy.

They usually have to take their mask off to clean afterwards.

However, most of the time, things like allergies don’t bother them, as the mask protects them from most pathogens.

This also goes for illnesses - most of the time. On the off-chance that Pyro does get sick, there is an entire protocol dedicated to such an event.

Pyro will stay in their room, not the sick bay. No one will come in, as they are likely to be unmasked. A whole week will be set aside for their recovery.

When someone else sneezes, Pyro mumbled their blessings. Or, well, something. No one is quite sure what they say after someone sneezes.

Because of their mask, they are very handy in the lab with Medic if someone is ill. However, they never take direct care of a patient - imagine looking up and seeing a gas mask stare back at you!

Engineer:

His sneezes are very vocal, both before, during, and after.

Before a sneeze, even if he’s alone, he’ll say, “‘Scuse me-!”

Even though he isn’t particularly loud, Engie’s sneezes are very distinct, with a jump near the end: “hhhh’tchIEW!”

And afterwards, he’ll usually say, “Phew!” or “Sorry ‘bout that.”

Because he’s worked in dusty, dark, and musty places all his life, Engie doesn’t have any major allergies.

The closest thing is when he sneezes after opening a new bottle of oil or any other strong-smelling chemical.

However, he does get sick just as much as the rest of the mercs, if not more.

The reason is that he’s one of the more willing people to get near sick people, especially if they need his help.

One day he helps Scout get to the sick bay, the next, he’s sniffling and sneezing in the cot next to him!

He always blesses people when they sneeze. He usually has the loudest, “Bless ya!” out of everyone.

And if anyone is sick, he’d take the shirt off his back just so they could use it as a handkerchief. Is it any wonder he’s usually one of the first people sick?

Spy:

Like Sniper, Spy is a master stifler. If you aren’t paying close attention to him, you might wonder if he ever sneezes at all.

He usually grimaces, wrinkles his nose, and squeezes his eyes shut, only moving slightly.

He also always keeps a handkerchief handy in case he needs to get rid of any evidence.

Spy, like his son, has a fantastic sense of smell. This is useful in espionage, but terrible for allergies.

If a perfume is too strong, a wine too potent, a powder too fine, he’ll have a very quick reaction.

But, due to his extensive training and experience, he is very good at hiding this fact.

Almost like a pet bird, Medic needs to keep a special eye on Spy when it comes to illness.

The details of his sickness are so minute that most won’t even notice - a slight nasal tone, fatigue, harsh swallowing. His sneezes are still controlled as ever, but his face becomes more and more pained after each one.

Usually it’s Engineer who will delicately suggest - or even deceive - that Spy take a day off. However, instead of the sick bay, Spy will spend it in his smoking room, wearing a robe and listening to old records.

Spy usually says “salut” if no one else is there to say bless you, but only out of politeness. If it’s Scout or Demo, this might be followed up with, “Disgusting.”

If he has an inkling that someone is sick, he will stay as far away from them as possible. He abhors getting sick, and will take any measures necessary to stay healthy.

However, he has been known to go into the sick bay with a cup of chamomile tea after a merc has been coughing or sneezing, hand it to them, and say, “Now please. Shut up.” However, this is the extent of his kindness

[checkoutmybookshelf]

The Consequences of Getting Lightly Stabbed

I have been WAITING to get the hardcopies of the re-releases of this fabulous series to do individual reviews of each book, because this series is my ultimate comfort series. This series hits a ton of my favorite points. It is urban fantasy, does some amazing things with both Irish and Native American lore, has a fabulous slow burn romance, has GARRISON MATTHEW MULDOON, and a protagonist with attitude. It also has one of the strongest writer voices ever. Literally every CE Murphy book SOUNDS like a CE Murphy book, but without compromising the voice of the protagonist. That is a skill that is a hella rare delight. So let me introduce you to Joanne Walker--nee Siobhan Walkingstick--as we talk Urban Shaman.

This is you SPOILER WARNING because this book is too damn good and I want to talk all about it. This is also a CONTENT WARNING for anyone sensitive to novels focusing on cops, because while this series is not entirely uncritical of them, we do spend a lot of time with and around them, and Morrison in particular has idealized being a cop. The book was originally published in 2005, so a LOT has happened since then. Your mileage may vary.

So this series has a bit of a story to it, and if you've been hanging out around my bookshelf for a while, you've seen me mention this series before. It was originally published traditionally starting in 2005. The author had to make a couple of concessions for the series (including relegating a novella to "book 1.5" rather than making it book 2 and a title that she SUPER did not like), but the series did well and its fans love it deeply. I picked it up in...like 2010? Ish? It was early in my undergrad, because I made a dear friend who did not stop talking about this series. So I picked it up, read it, loved it. Fast forward to the 2020s and I believe it was sometime during the pandemic that Murphy got the rights back to this series and decided to rerelease them with new covers, a new order that includes book 1.5 as book 2, and a title change for book 4/5. I tend to be a practical reader; it's rare I collect for titles or special editions. This time though? I made an exception. I want these beauties on my shelf and I want to support this indie rerelease. Also I haven't done a reread of the series in a few years, so this is going to be just a sheer delight for me.

Ok, context having been contextualized, let's jump right into this book.

Joanne Walker is a hot mess. On page one of book one, she is in her mid-twenties, is estranged from a messy relationship with her father and her Cherokee heritage, met her very Irish mother four months ago and buried her days ago, is estranged from her Irish heritage, has lost her job because she overextended her bereavement leave, and is carrying around a metric ton of trauma related to getting pregnant with twins at fifteen and losing one baby shortly after giving birth and giving the other up for adoption shortly after that. And that's literally square one.

I honestly don't know how well I would handle getting fatally stabbed by the god of the Wild Hunt after not sleeping for over 24 hours, but for Joanne, this is just the start of tracking and catching a serial murderer who is killing people who are powerful in or connected to "another plane of existence." It's also the beginning of a new journey for Joanne, because she has power--specifically healing power--and the cost of not dying on a fae blade is learning to use it. She gets help from Marie D'Ambra--who Joanne spots from a plane and briefly rescues from Cernnunous--Coyote, Billy Holliday (a coworker and family friend), and Garrison Matthew Muldoon (Gary; cab driver extraordinaire and kickass septuagenarian sidekick). However, baby shaman (or gwyld, depending on which language you want to use) Joanne is super caught on her back foot and just barely manages to stay ahead of Hearne and Cernunnos long enough to stay alive and keep the Wild Hunt bound into its endless cycle.

The fact that before she met her mother Joanne was also a hardcore realist and pragmatist doesn't help either; she has to not only change her worldview, but she has to get out of her own damn way to do it. And she has to do it while changing jobs. She was a police mechanic who went to the academy on the recommendation (and pressure) from a previous boss. So when her current boss, Captain Morrison, is told by HIS superior that he is not allowed to fire the half-Cherokee woman in his department whose only crime was overextending her bereavement leave, he ends up "promoting" her to foot patrol. Admittedly this was on the expectation that Joanne would leave on her own, because this woman doesn't want to be a cop. This would have worked with lots of other people, but Joanne and Morrison are the most awkward of ducks, and she is too stubborn to quit.

There's also the small matter that when Morrison and Joanne first met, she didn't know he was the new boss and she mocked him MERCILESSLY for misidentifying her muscle car, Petite. And they never really recovered from that little incident, but Morrison is damn good at his job, so when Joanne can produce actual results, he grinds his teeth and coaches her in her new position to be the best she can be, help people, and get the job done. And he manages to be the best grouchy boss with a heart of gold even in this first book where he isn't the most sympathetic and I don't think is MEANT to be the most sympathetic. But when Joanne wipes out on concrete stairs, he's the one there with the smelling salts until it's clear she's ok. When Joanne has to deal with the death of a witness to a school stabbing who was under police protection and Joanne feels guilty for putting a target on her back, it's Morrison who is there going "It's not your fault. But you can do something about it."

Guys, I ship Joanne and Morrison so hard, even in this first book. They're honestly a really interesting and solid couple. I don't want to derail this with Morrison, but I do want to just highlight my favorite interaction between Morrison and Joanne in this entire book. This is Joanne being deeply sleep deprived and filterless, and while Morrison manages to stay pretty much professional, he's HONEST with her:

"Why do I bug you so much?" This was probably not the time to get into it, but I was suddenly incredibly curious. Morrison arched his eyebrows. "No, really," I said." I mean, I know we got off to a bad start, although I still can't believe you didn't know a Mustang from a Corvette--" "I was never into cars." "Obviously. What were you into?" Morrison stared at me over the edge of his coffee cup, then put it back down. "Being a cop." "What, when you were like nine? Fifteen? You wanted to be a cop, not to drive fast cars and pick up girls?" I took an incredulous bite of the apple fritter. "Yeah. I never wanted to be anything but a cop. And that, Walker, is why you irritate me." Morrison looked like he was at war with his own body language, trying to force himself to relax back into his seat while the intense low pitch of his voice drove him to lean forward, speaking to me sharply. "You fell into a job I spent my whole life working for. You irritate me because I think being a police officer is a calling and a solemn occupation and you're carrying a badge without it meaning a damn thing to you. You hang out with my officers in your off time, being just that damned cool, an attractive woman who talks cars and drinks beer and arm wrestles. None of them give a damn that you were in the top third of your class at the academy and that you're wasting your skills in the Motor Pool playing with engines. But it bugs the hell out of me. That is why you irritate me."

Literally I think this is my favorite exchange of theirs in this book, but it cannot be said that this is comfortable or amicable. It's tense and frustrated and I kinda love that.

Now, Morrison is amazing, but even Morrison does not hold a candle to Gary. Gary picks Joanne up from the airport and then spends three days tagging along and snarking as she figures out her powers and gets entangled in murders and goes on a self-directed crash course in healing magic. Gary is HERE for an interesting time with a lifetime of diverse experience, an open mind, and honestly a big squishy center. We are gonna spend like the next six books with people accusing Joanne of dating him and it is the best thing ever because she makes herself an easy target about it and Gary is deeply entertained by it. I've talked about Gary's backstory in detail here, so I won't go too much into it here. But Garrison Matthew Muldoon is the best person in the series, end of conversation. We love him so much.

We can mostly skip over the other cops, but we should address Billy. Because aside from being aware of other planes of existence, Billy is pretty awesome and will become a pretty important secondary character in further books. The poor man leans into his name as best he can, he's a wonderful dad and a decent detective. We also adore Billy.

We also need to address Cernunnos and Suzy. Because despite a fairly antagonist relationship in this book, Joanne and Cernunnos sort of settle into the friends who have sheer animal magnetism and a snarktastic dynamic who nonetheless have each other's backs. We get a lot more of Cernunnos and he is kind of the first touchpoint for the Irish half of Joanne's heritage and powers as Coyote is for the Cherokee half. (We'll address Coyote later; for now he's just cute and furry but that's gonna change.)

Suzy shows up again in book 4/5, and she kind of represents Joanne's first save. Because until Suzanne Quinley at the end of this book, Joanne can't save ANYONE. Hearne's body count is like seven shamans, Suzanne's adoptive parents, a 60-something schoolteacher, and four high school kids in this book before he heads for his biological daughter to sacrifice her to unbind the Hunt. Joanne can't save any of them, and it eats her. She DOES save Suzy though, and Suzy is really the person who proves to Joanne that she really can make a go of the shaman thing and she really can make a difference in people's lives.

This is the book I recommend to people who tell me they like the Dresden Files, because the vibes are similar without the paternalism, chauvanism and dickheaded machismo. Also, where Dresden Files make me FURIOUS, Joanne makes me cry good tears, especially in later books. Her story is about healing and finding humanity and community when you think you've lost them forever. I adore these books, and we'll definitely be talking more about them as the the rereleases keep coming.

[nelyoslegalteam]

Hi hello, here have an excuse to talk about murdoc harfoot-brandybuck of the easterly inn <3

jaz i love you so much you KNOW i have been waiting for someone to send me this EXACT ask. how the FUCK do i explain the character i have been playing for three years now.

so murdoc harfoot brandybuck of the easterly inn is my player character from my friend group's adventures in middle earth campaign (loving referred to as the mirkwood campaign), gmed by the absolutely wonderful @potatoobsessed999. he's very much still evolving, even as we get closer to the campaign's conclusion, as he absolutely has been over the last three years, but i will attempt to describe him, is he is my absolute favorite of my (like two) tolkien ocs, and may very well be my favorite oc of mine of all time at this point.

murdoc, as his name makes apparent, is a hobbit. he has been raised by his uncles and aunt, a family of upper-class inkeepers, as the heir apparent of the family inn. before i knew anything else about who i wanted him to be, or who he was going to become, murdoc was meant to embody the idea of home. he's creature-comfort, he's hospitality in its purest form, he's the maker of stews and the finder of comfortable places to sleep and the brewer of teas. this is the absolute core of who murdoc is: where he is is his home, and who he's with are his people, and he will do absolutely anything and everything to keep it all safe.

when murdoc was about the hobbit equivalent of a teenager, his more adventurous uncle got it into his head that he too should have a great big adventure just like his drinking buddy and idol bilbo baggins, and up and moved the family inn out of the shire and to a northern corner of mirkwood.

when murdoc was about the hobbit equivalent of, say, a human eighteen-year-old, he began to have extremely disturbing prophetic dreams.

so what do you do when you're a foresighted hobbit in the middle of a famously dangerous forest whose aforementioned foresight has every last bit of you screaming that it is now your responsibility to keep this place and everyone in it safe? you join an adventuring party, serve as an emissary of radagast the brown, have a sort of falling out with radagast the brown over realizing that his boss is evil and nobody believes you yet, adopt the ghost of actual maedhros feanorion (who is possessing your best friend's sword, as one does) as your new dad, and do a bunch of arson and protective rage murder as you develop greater and greater paranoia about whether you will be able to see coming the threats you will need to see in order to keep the people you care about alive!!!!!!

some more fun things about murdoc, in no particular order:

yes the fact that his name is Like That is on purpose. he's a pretentious piece of shit who named himself. his name is extremely reflective of the fact that he is just Like That. (also his partner is a huge nerd who got way into hobbit history around the time murdoc was picking his name and it is just as cute as it is stupid)

languages that murdoc speaks, in the order in which he learned them, include: westron, fucking spider, quenya, and sindarin. he has the most perfect most annoying feanorian accent when speaking in quenya. yes, i rolled to determine this.

(in murdoc's defense, he learned quenya because he wanted maedhros to be able to speak his first language with someone, and it was something to bond over.)

maedhros helped a very afraid and traumatized murdoc begin to interface with his foresight by acting as an anchor point for him while dreaming, to help him develop greater control over what he sees in them and to use his foresight on purpose.

murdoc did use the realization that this meant that he can see maedhros in his dreams as an immediate opportunity to hug him ;w;

murdoc's foresight cannot see nazgûl. anna, my beloved gm, has used this for effect emotional and horrific.

murdoc harfoot brandybuck of the easterly inn does in fact introduce himself to everyone he meets as "murdoc harfoot brandybuck of the easterly inn"

this resulted in murdoc being put on the entire-ass council of mirkwood because everyone assumed that this was an important title and the easterly inn must be a small fiefdom

murdoc did not correct anyone about the fact that the easterly inn is very much not a small fiefdom

murdoc has a +13 intimidation, making it his highest stat. i'm not sure what stats our gm gave to @jaz-the-bard for maedhros, but we have talked about it at some point and murdoc's is apparently higher

murdoc has a feat that lets him vanish into thin air. it's not magic or anything. he's extremely not a ringbearer. he's just That sneaky.

has a rivalry with one of The Eagles^tm. over hospitality.

fire motif fire motif fire motif

his primary weapon is an enchanted dwarven bow. he shoots flaming arrows.

lover of a good molotov cocktail to solve all his problems very fast

special interests include teas, cooking, and linguistics!! likes to research all the local plants and come up with tea brews that remind him of people or places, or pair well with certain things. came up with a brew for himself that he only shares with people he trusts and cares deeply for. i do in fact have little snippets for points at which he has shared it with each member of the party.

i did once storyboard an edgy animatic for him to the killers' jenny was a friend of mine. i am still very proud of it, and lament that i cannot animate. or do art at all.

i have been playing this character through a literal global pandemic, the completion of two entire degrees, my first adult job, and literally so much other life stuff. sometimes i think about how long i've had him for and how much he's changed, very organically, in that time, and get entirely too emotional about him tbh.

murdoc operates, i would say, from a very genuine sense of care for others, eclipsed by a rather marked lack of estel. for about the whole three years i've had him, i would say i've felt genuinely none from him, and i did not think it was there.

the last time i played him however, i did.

anyhow!!!!! this post would not be complete without this lovely art of our party - i don't know that the artist we commissioned is on tumblr, but "hey can i share this?" was met with an enthusiastic "go for it!" so!! on top is my boy, and left to right down are the bearer (@thymo-leonta), déorwyn (@shadowkat2000), ríros (@jaz-the-bard, who also plays maedhros), and ioreth (not canon ioreth jdjdndn, whose player is definitely not on tumblr).

anyhow i love my party and this game and my friends and my stupid murder arson hobbit inkeeper boy so so very much <33333

and thank you jaz for literally just giving me an opportunity to talk about him lmao, get you friends who send you asks about your ocs even though they literally know so much about your ocs >:p <33

[has-gilgamesh-doneanythingwrong]

An Anniversary like No Other (Sigurd/Master)

Request: Soft sfw Sigurd headcanons/ messing up the celebration for Sigurd's Summoning Anniversary Celebration/ Master has strong feelings for Sigurd + his reaction-- from an anonymous user

This is a long overdue gift for a special Sigurd appreciator who has been a great person to talk to. Thank you for waiting for so long. As this is the very first time writing Sigurd, I apologise for any inconsistencies in advance.

Note: No warnings, but this includes a master who has feelings for Sigurd.

❃ The day you summoned Sigurd was an auspicious day. As Chaldea's leylines glimmered with a sparkling rainbow hue, you were taken aback by the solemn yet also quite friendly demeanor of this particular hero.

❃ "Are you my master? Please give me your orders. I promise you they will be carried out swiftly." His initial greeting towards you is rather formal and polite, indicating he could possibly make for a great ally both on and off the battlefield.

❃ Your eyes sparkle with wonder at this hero, wishing to grow closer to him; delighted by how easily conversation bounces between the two of you. 'I hope we can talk more in the future...'

❃ It is the hallmark of the development of a rather wonderful new bond...

Daily Life (Soft Headcanons)

❃ At first he may seem a bit cold, focusing moreso on fulfilling his duties to you as a servant instead of as a friend. However, as time gradually trickles on; he can't help but grow to like you. A master that values him and doesn't betray him? It's a complete win-win in his eyes!

❃ Sigurd makes for a wonderful accomplice. Need any help with battle strategy? Farming? Assistance with any other duties? Sigurd's your guy. Not only is he very intelligent, but he is very grateful for you placing his trust in him as a Servant, wishing for you to use him to his absolute limits (he may offer to lay his life down for you).

❃ Showing interest in both him as a person and his background fills Sigurd with great joy and pride. Though he may deem talking about personal details as mere 'idle chatter' at first, it isn't long before the two of you can speak freely about many things! Whenever you visit him to talk, he is extremely happy; willing to talk about his culture, his language and the things he enjoys. In addition to that, he is really interested to learn about you as well!

❃ However, he may go into extremely precise detail at times, as he gets very passionate when talking about what is dear to him (and packs a great memory to boost); talking about very significant moments and hyperfocusing onto his favorite parts. He also gets inwardly joyful whenever he remembers little factoids about you, his glasses sparkling.

❃ Sigurd is very protective of you in battle, shielding you from any threats. He just wants his master to feel as supported as he possibly can. He doesn't want to see you suffer alone, especially not when you are going through such difficult times.

❃ However, the way in which he tries to alleviate the pain may be a bit surprising at times, with him flashing an occasional MEGANE KIRAN! (just to cough lightly from slight embarrassment after) or making surreal movements and maneuvers with the intent of cheering you up a little bit. He may be a bit awkward at times, but he has got the right spirit and heart.

❃ He also possesses a great sense of faith in you as well, describing you as the 'light'. Therefore, he will do his utmost to support you and cheer you on with your own desires and dreams as well. However, he also understands that you may have limits as a human, and tries to check up on your wellbeing and ensure that you get a good rest as well!!

❃ Brynhildr is extremely dear to him, so he is grateful to you for supporting their love so much, and for assisting with their reunion in Chaldea. Despite this, he notices the little droop in your smile, and the twinge in your expression at times when you are around them both; and can't help but wonder if there is something deeper going on beneath the surface.

❃ But as he is a very polite guy, he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable, and is willing to wait as long as need be for you to finally voice the feelings that you have kept deeply buried within. Sigurd is a deeply loyal person, so he doesn't judge you for how you feel; instead wishing to lend an ear if you ever come to need him in the future.

THE ANNIVERSARY (dun dun dun!!!)

❃ A year has passed, and now the two of you have become rather close contemporaries; Sigurd is an incredibly special fellow in your heart (though the way it races slightly around him indicates that your love for him is not solely platonic, but mayhap romantic as well).

❃ Wanting to commemorate the event, you decide to make a surprise cake for him; enlisting one of the chefs that can actually keep a secret (probably Boudicca and/or Emiya) to help you a bit with the recipe. Your plan is to make the ultimate Sigurd memorabilia cake- with a replica of his weapon made with icing, as well as decorating it with a color scheme that suits him. You even scour ancient cookery manuals within the library to guess what flavors would be to his liking, settling for a Yule Cake!

❃ Pouring your entire heart into the confection, you are horrified to see the lopsided decorations and burnt raisins, as well as the very strange end result that the cake ends up in. Tears in your eyes, you are about to give up right there and then, until-

❃ Sigurd appears, worried that you had set the kitchen on fire! Taken aback by this, you begin to sniffle back tears, distraught that not only had your surprise fallen apart, but that your gift to Sigurd had come out as a messy slop!! As the words tumble out of your mouth about how much of a mess this is, of how much you wanted to show him your gratitude, and about how deeply you care for him, he patiently listens, making an occasional sound- to emphasise that he is readily hanging onto your every word.

❃ "Thank you, master. I am honored that you would make such a thoughtful gift in my name. Can I have a bite?" As you reluctantly agree, warning him of the burnt raisins and bitter taste of the cake, he cuts a slice anyway; smiling through the whole thing.

❃ To Sigurd, it doesn't matter that your gift turned out a bit lopsided. What truly matters to him is the sheer devotion you poured into his gift. Expressing said thoughts directly, your heart hammers in your chest, as a blush spreads across your face...and accidentally let slip how you feel about him.

❃ Stricken by terror, you try to flee the room at once after your confession; scared by how he would react. He had a wife. A partner. There was no way that he would take kindly to this, you thought- but that is not the case at all. Softly latching a hand onto your shoulder, Sigurd thanks you for your affections towards him.

❃ "I knew something was going on... however, I never anticipated that you possessed romantic inclinations towards me. Thank you ever so much for viewing me with such affection, master. I am forever your grateful servant."

❃ As for what this means for the future of your relationship, it is unclear. However, it is certain that you are dear to him as well- as for in what way.. well, that still remains a mystery.

[iviarellereads]

Fugitive Telemetry, Chapter 2

(Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Murderbot Diaries, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

In which someone makes unlikely allies.

Station Security were unhappy with Murderbot's presence in Preservation, when they first learned about it. Indah in particular wanted MB sent away. Mensah refused, Indah called MB a weapon, and Mensah reminded her, cold and angry, that MB is a person. Even when Indah regained her composure after the wave of fear, Mensah told her not to talk and make it worse. She agreed to forget what was just said, despite Pin-Lee's hiss of protest, and start negotiating how to agree that MB stayed.

MB was given two restrictions, the first of which is not accessing non-public systems without permission, including other bots.(1) MB is still unhappy with the situation, but it's not like Preservation's systems are top of any line anyway.

When the call came in about the murder, Mensah asked if this was the GrayCris attack they'd been preparing for. MB said maybe, and Mensah half hoped it was, so they could get it over with.(2)

Now, MB stands over a dead human, with Tech Tural and two others. It's set up a bit of a surveillance network with its drones, particularly following Mensah back to her office. Tural says they still don't have an ID, but DNA testing didn't turn up any results in the database, so the deceased isn't related to 85% of Preservation residents. At Indah's and MB's stares, Tural clarifies that the body scan should help more.

Indah looks at MB as if to ask what it's got for this. MB asks Tural if they've done a forensic sweep, and apparently those are correct keywords,(3) because they confirm it, and say they'll send the report when it's ready. MB asks for the raw data, and at Indah's confirmation that this is okay, Tural sends it. MB runs a quick analysis, and determines that someone used a cleaning field after the murder, because there aren't many DNA samples on the victim's clothes. Tural and Indah are both a bit surprised when MB relates this, and sends them its version of a report.

While they examine that, MB leans down to examine the wound at the base of the deceased's skull, which may be the cause of death. It's certainly deep, but there's not enough blood or brain matter around to suggest they were killed here. This was a dump site. Indah already knew that, though, and dismisses it.

Indah tells Tural they need to search for cleaning field doodads that fit the criteria, especially if they can fit in a pocket or bag. Tural suggests the clothing is distinct enough to offer some information, but MB is quite familiar with the materials, as it's just recycler fabric from the Corp Rim, very like what it's wearing. Tural takes a sample anyway, but Indah frowns and says then the clothes might indicate origin, or might have been changed to blend in.

Tural's analysis of the fabric comes back, confirming it's from a recycler. They suggest it could have come from a store, like MB's, but MB says it could also be from a transport, as some of them have quite fancy recyclers. Indah asks if the clothes are at all helpful. MB says the deceased might have wanted to look like a visitor to Preservation. If you're worried you're being followed, you can either try to fade into a crowd, or make yourself stand out and look unafraid. Privately, MB thinks it could never pull off the latter, but a human with normal human body language could.

The StatSec pair look thoughtful, and Tural suggests they see if Medical can tell if the deceased's skin or hair colour was changed recently. Indah admits she wouldn't think twice about a visitor who looked like this. MB says they'd also need a bag, to indicate having somewhere to go,(4) but there's none here. Indah says StatSec will keep an eye out, and orders a search of adjacent areas for any sort of travel bag left unattended.

Indah then gets a message indicating Pathology is ready, and need the area cleared. Tural takes the broken feed interface to analyse, and Indah tells MB they'll call if it's needed.

I know a “fuck off” when I hear one. So I fucked off.

=====

(1) We don't get the second in this chapter, you didn't miss anything. (2) I certainly can't imagine living in that kind of fear, day in and day out. (3) Chalk one up for the crime serials. (4) Funny how much of MB's experience from going rogue is coming in handy. Almost as if this series was planned out or something. And on that note, did you see anything in this chapter to indicate what might be coming up?

[lingthusiasm]

Transcript Episode 77: How kids learn language in Singapore - Interview with Woon Fei Ting

This is a transcript for Lingthusiasm episode ‘How kids learn language in Singapore - Interview with Woon Fei Ting’. It’s been lightly edited for readability. Listen to the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts. Links to studies mentioned and further reading can be found on the episode show notes page.

[Music]

Gretchen: Welcome to Lingthusiasm, a podcast that’s enthusiastic about linguistics! I’m Gretchen McCulloch. I’m here with Woon Fei Ting who’s a Research Associate and the Lab Manager at the Brain, Language & Intersensory Perception Lab at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Today, we’re getting enthusiastic about kids in multilingual environments. We’d like to extend a huge thanks to Dr. Suzy Styles, who heads the BLIP lab at NTU, for hosting me in Singapore! Check out our interview with Suzy about which words sound spiky across languages. See the link in the show notes. But first, some announcements. We’re doing another Lingthusiasm liveshow just a few days after this episode goes up. The liveshow is online at 4:00 p.m. on February the 18th, for me in Montreal, or 8:00 a.m. on the 19th for Lauren in Melbourne, 2023. Follow the link in the show notes fore more time zones. This liveshow is a Q&A about language and gender with returning special guest, Dr. Kirby Conrod. You may remember Kirby from their very popular episode about the grammar of “singular they,” so we’re bringing them back for more informal discussion which you can participate in. You can ask your language and gender-y questions or share your examples and stories in the comments on Patreon or in the AMA questions channel on Discord in advance or bring them along to the liveshow. You can join the Lingthusiasm liveshow by becoming a patron at the Lingthusiast tier or higher. This is also the tier that has access to our monthly bonus episodes – most recently, a chat between me and Lauren about what’s coming up in the year ahead, including our plans to keep giving you regular episodes while Lauren’s on parental leave. Go to patreon.com/lingthusiasm to get access to the liveshow, monthly bonus episodes, and more.

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Gretchen: Hello, Fei Ting, welcome to the show!

Fei Ting: Hi, thanks for having me. This is the first time I’m doing any kind of interview and the first time being on a podcast.

Gretchen: Amazing! We’re excited to be your very first time. Can we start with the question that we ask all of our guests? How did you get into linguistics?

Fei Ting: My younger sibling was diagnosed with dyslexia when she was maybe around the age of 9 or 10, then she started going for English language classes to help her spell. That was when my older sibling and I started realising that we display a lot of the same quote-unquote “symptoms,” or we have the same struggles. I started doing a little bit of reading and got really interested in this idea of, oh, maybe we’re all dyslexic, but then she got a diagnosis because it was a lot more prominent, or it came out a lot more in her day-to-day schooling. Later on in high school, my high school is right next to a school for children with cerebral palsy. I would go over once a week to be a teaching assistant to help out if the teachers need any help. One of the things that we did was to bring the children to their speech therapy sessions. The speech therapist there at that time was a very nice lady. She was from India. She was teaching some of these children how to pronounce particular consonants or vowel sounds as best as they could. She spoke with a really heavy accent. I thought to myself, “Well, these children are Singaporean children, and they’re receiving speech therapy in an accent that is unfamiliar to them” –

Gretchen: Yeah, is this gonna be any use for them?

Fei Ting: Yeah, and they are – well, a lot of them have a lot of, as you can imagine, modal difficulties, some of them with language development difficulties. When they mimic, they also mimic the accent as well.

Gretchen: So, they’re gonna be mimicking her accent, which is a perfectly fine accent to have but not what the rest of their family and community have.

Fei Ting: Yeah. At that time, I was just thinking about, okay, this is a cool job. I had never come across speech therapy before in my life. I didn’t even know what it was. So, when I first learned about it, I thought, “Wow, that’s really cool!” But at the same time, I also thought, “Maybe this is what I wanna do in the future.” I set out looking at which universities to go to, what do I have to do to become a speech therapist. It led me on to this path of going to university for linguistics, and then I taught for a little bit. I taught for about 4 years.

Gretchen: Teaching what?

Fei Ting: Teaching English after graduation. In between, I did some volunteering work, and I looked at the overall job market for speech therapy in Singapore. The thing about it in Singapore is a lot of our speech therapists don’t really get to do a lot of speech therapy per se.

Gretchen: Oh, that seems like it’s not the thing you came into the job for.

Fei Ting: A lot of them end up doing elderly care, swallowing therapy with patients that might have suffered from a stroke.

Gretchen: But you were excited about working with kids.

Fei Ting: Yeah. I was told by almost every speech therapist that there isn’t that much focus on research right now because they are hoping that a lot of people just graduate with a master’s in speech therapy and then go work in a hospital. Then you will likely not be working with children.

Gretchen: I guess there’s the question of like, what are Singaporean children quote-unquote “expected” to be able to do at a certain age or is there even research on what their typically developing peers would be able to do in this context that would help you devise therapy programmes for kids.

Fei Ting: At that point, no. I think right now as well – this is the current work that we’re doing, right, looking at children growing up in Singapore, which is a really multilingual environment. The documentation of regular kids, we don’t have good documentation of that yet, and therefore, you can think about how, for children that have some sort of language delay or developmental disorders, we don’t have therapy that might be tailored to our variety of English and the other languages that we speak here.

Gretchen: I feel like something that I’ve heard from people in more monolingual or monolingual-ish language environments in Canada/the US is “Oh, well, my sibling got diagnosed with dyslexia or something, and so my parents stopped speaking our heritage language to the kid because they thought it would confuse them, and they did only English.” We know that lots of people are multilingual, and this is fine, but there isn’t a good amount of knowledge about what does it look like to develop in a multilingual environment where this is normal and expected and everyone is doing this. It would cause difficulties to not be able to function in that multilingual space because you can’t talk to your grandparents, or you can’t talk to people in some stores that you go into. That’s also part of what you need for functioning in a language is having access to multiple language spaces.

Fei Ting: That’s exactly right. In Singapore – well, I think this is unfortunate – some of the children who are diagnosed with dyslexia earlier on, they will be given recommendations to not do the – well, we call it here the “mother tongue languages,” which in schools are taught as Mandarin Chinese, Malay, or Tamil. The recommendation is, well, don’t do your mother tongue language as a subject.

Gretchen: Only do English, and that’s it.

Fei Ting: Only do English, yeah, which as you mentioned, it then becomes difficult for the child to converse with people around them or their family members who might not be using English.

Gretchen: Right. Because the norm of the research that’s been happening on kids with various developmental disabilities has been doing it on monolingual populations, which then makes it seem like you need to be monolingual in order to benefit from the various kinds of therapies that people do.

Fei Ting: The common misconception is, if you’re already struggling in one, and that one language is usually English, then let’s not burden your brain with a second one. But languages are so different. Mandarin Chinese is radically different compared to English both in the way it looks as well as the structure, so processing of Mandarin Chinese is also different. There isn’t enough research right now to support saying that a child who is English-Mandarin bilingual will benefit from not having to do Mandarin as a subject in school.

Gretchen: I mean, the brain is very flexible, very plastic, and so the things you make the brain do, it almost makes me wonder if being exposed to more languages would help because you’re giving the brain more practice in doing language stuff, but I dunno if there’s data on this.

Fei Ting: Well, we don’t know enough.

Gretchen: But you’re not currently a speech therapist.

Fei Ting: No, I’m not.

Gretchen: You work in a language lab. How did that happen, and what are you working on now?

Fei Ting: I did my undergraduate degree in linguistics, which I loved. It was fantastic. I think for the first time when our professors were like, “Let’s do research on the languages that you speak,” it was the first time that I thought, “Oh, you mean I can study Singapore English, like Singlish, in an academic setting? You mean it’s worthy of being studied?” I think that was the first thing. Then later on, after graduation, because I had looked at what speech therapy is and isn’t in Singapore currently, I thought, “Well, maybe I should go and do some work, earn some money, and then think about whether or not I wanna do grad school,” and then I think eventually settled on just my love for research more than being a therapist or going out and practicing in a clinical setting. I decided to pursue my master’s, and then after that, I just stayed with the same lab.

Gretchen: As a day-to-day level, as a lab manager, you’re working with and supervising the various studies that are being run by the professors and students and people in the lab. Yeah, what do you do as a lab manager?

Fei Ting: The number one thing is coordinating the different studies that go on. We have studies that are carried out independently by our PhD students. We also have studies that we run as a group amongst all of our research assistants and our student assistants, and then just making sure that everything is running on schedule. I also do a lot of prep before any study’s been conducted. We write all of our surveys. We make sure that all of the equipment is well set up. Then there is also the administrative side of things, which is the boring and less-glamorous part of research.

Gretchen: This is working on writing grants or filling out paperwork to get permission to work with children. You have to go through the ethics board and tell them, “No, we’re not gonna harm the children. It’s gonna be fine. They’re just gonna look at some pictures and hear some sounds or something.” If you’ve got equipment – like you’ve got an EEG machine, which is the electrode cap that you put on your head, and you can see the brain waves going. I guess that probably needs to be maintained.

Fei Ting: We need to watch that very thoroughly. We need to train our students when they come into the lab on how to use it. We have interns come in every summer, and they do good work with us. I also manage all of our interns and, I think, help our students or our undergrads see what’s the reality behind doing research. I think, very often, they might think about grad school, or they might think about moving into the field of academia after graduation, just seeing the glam side of things, or looking at papers that are being published, or books that are being written.

Gretchen: And papers look very polished, right. Like, “Oh, we did this thing. We had 32 infants. They came in and did this.” It doesn’t tell you like, “This infant started crying, and so we had to exclude them,” or like, “These infants – we tried to call their parents, and they wouldn’t reply to our messages, and so they wouldn’t come in. We actually tried to get 52, but only 32 came.”

Fei Ting: Yes, the day-to-day of it is very mundane. A lot of the work that we are focusing now on is understanding the linguistic landscape for children growing up in Singapore, so we wanna find out what’s going on at home: Who is talking to them, and in what languages, and in what proportion? The best way to do that right now is to send them home with a little recorder.

Gretchen: I’ve seen this recorder. It’s sort of the size of a credit card but thicker. You put it in a shirt that the child wears, and it has a little Velcro pocket, so it doesn’t fall it. Then it runs, and the kid can run around, and you’re not trying to keep them in front of a mic where they have to stay still, which because they’re toddlers, they’re not gonna do that. You can hear anything that the infant says and also anything that someone says, like an adult or an older child, says around them.

Fei Ting: That’s right. That recorder goes on for about 10-16 hours on its own. When we get that recording back, the humans have to go listen to these recordings. We do a lot of transcription work. That is one of the day-to-day mundane things. It’s not exciting. You sit in front of a computer, and you open up a file, and you’re listening, maybe, for an hour before you have to stop because it’s just too much. We do a lot of fine-grained transcription. We’re not only noting down the words that are being said, we are also looking at who’s saying it; we’re counting the number of turns; we’re making it for the different languages. Right now, I’m speaking English, but the day-to-day conversation for a Singaporean household might be English plus a lot of other things that are going on. Maybe it’s different from what we conventionally understand as code-switching or the way that code-switching is being described in textbooks is that you switch very elegantly from one language to the other in a nice, wrapped up sentence.

Gretchen: Right. So, it’s saying like, okay, I’m gonna say this bit in, for me, English, and then French or something, and I’m going back and forth. This implies that these two languages are distinct entities that I’m switching back and forth between them. But if you’ve grown up in a multilingual household your whole life, and your parents have also grown up in a multilingual household, what you’re also doing is producing the whole spectrum in a way that’s like how people have produced it around you but also may be a little bit different.

Fei Ting: It’s not “clean” code switching. It happens within an utterance. People swap out words, and sometimes it’s conscious, sometimes it’s unconscious, sometimes it’s deliberate to make a point. The way that we describe it, or I like to think about it, is if you have a salad bowl of different components – you have your tomatoes; you have your cucumber and onions – as I’m speaking to a different person, I can decide which part of the salad I wanna pick, which ingredient I wanna pick. It’s not a clean switch. For me, it would be English and Mandarin. It's not a clean switch between the two. Then, of course, there’s this very exciting thing called “Singlish.”

Gretchen: This is stuff that’s unique to Singapore. “Singlish” seems to imply that it’s English-y, but there’s stuff from lots of languages involved.

Fei Ting: When I was in university, and when we first looked at it from a very academic setting, it’s often described as a “creoloid.” It’s a little bit like a creole but maybe not. Then people have explained to it say that, oh, the backbone of Singlish is English, and then it’s added with all these vocabulary from non-English languages.

Gretchen: This is gonna be like Chinese but less Mandarin.

Fei Ting: Less Mandarin, for sure. More Hokkien. In some other parts of the world, “Hokkien” is also referred to as “Min Nan.” Then some Cantonese, some Teochew, Hakka, and then some Malay, and some Tamil.

Gretchen: So, Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, and Hakka are all Chinese varieties within that, and then Malay and Tamil are separate from other regions of the world. These are all groups that have been part of Singapore.

Fei Ting: We were colonised by the British for a long time. Before that time, we didn’t really have people living on the island. Well, historically, if you look at it, there were fishermen or fishing villages, but largely this island is uninhabited. Then when the British came, and they decide to develop this place, or this island, as a port, obviously, lots of people came for work opportunities. We saw a lot of migration from modern-day south part of China, so the Guangzhou/Guangdong region. We also saw some migration from modern-day Malaysia and Indonesia and then from the southern part of India. That’s why the Indian language that’s spoken here, predominantly, by people at that time was Tamil instead of Hindi, for example.

Gretchen: These are the big ethnic groups in Singapore’s history. And then when people are coming into contact with them, they get mixed together – people using words from all sorts of sources. This is what kids are exposed to in the home. It’s not just “Oh, here’s Chinese. Here’s Mandarin,” which is the most famous version of Chinese, “but also here are words from Hokkien or Teochew or these other varieties,” and also, I guess, probably depending on the kid’s heritage, whether they’re gonna have more Malay words or more Tamil words or more Chinese words.

Fei Ting: That’s right.

Gretchen: What does this look like when you’re trying to say, “Here are the results that we have. This is what kids are getting exposed to”?

Fei Ting: I think the thing that we didn’t expect was to do so much language documentation as part of this project. Because what we wanna do is find out, you know, what are kids growing up hearing. But then, along the way, because we were collecting all of this data, we are also documenting what is the current state of things for what Singlish sounds like or what we can say what Singlish is in a household right now. If we look at the Singapore census, the last one was taken in 2020, a huge number of the younger population now say that English is the predominant home language. It has crossed the 50% threshold for the younger age groups. That’s a first in our country’s history. You can also imagine that the English here or the Singlish here is changing rapidly compared to my parents’ or my grandparents’ era.

Gretchen: What people are doing is changing. If you say English is a dominant home language, that’s picking one out of probably there are still several languages being spoken in this mixed way.

Fei Ting: Understanding what Singlish is is one thing, and then when we are writing it in our paper, how do we make ourselves well understood for an audience that is unfamiliar with research in a non-standard variety. One of the things that we tried explaining is this term that we use called “red-dot.” We have a current study going on called “Red-dot Baby-talk” where we have a list of words that we come up with based on what we know Singaporean parents use with their children, and we’re asking Singaporeans, “At what age do you think a child would know this word?” and “Would you use this word with a child?”

Gretchen: Just to back up for second. “Red-dot” is a term for Singapore, right, because if you look at a big map of the world, it’s a city state, effectively, it’s about the size of a red dot on a map. So, this is an affectionate way of referring to Singapore-specific words.

Fei Ting: Mm-hmm, yeah. One of the words would be “pom pom.” I might say it to a child after they’ve had a long day, and they’re sweaty, and I say, “Okay, now it’s time to pom-pom.”

Gretchen: Is this like “have a bath” or “a shower” or something?

Fei Ting: Yeah! That’s right. We don’t know – at least I have no idea – where that word came from. My guess is it’s from one of these Chinese varieties that we talked about just now, but I’m not 100% certain.

Gretchen: Right. Because it doesn’t have a clear etymology linked to any particular language. It’s just this is a word people use in Singapore with kids.

Fei Ting: Then we have “zut-zut,” which is the thing that you give to a crying child.

Gretchen: Like a candy or something, or a toy?

Fei Ting: Like a pacifier.

Gretchen: “Pacifier,” “binky,” “dummy” – I’ve heard a lot of words for it – “soother.”

Fei Ting: Then we also have the word “sayang.” “sayang” is – well, originated from Malay, but the use of it in Malay, it’s very different from the use of it in Singlish. In Malay, it can be used as a verb to mean, like, “love.” It can also be used as a term of affection. You can call someone your “sayang,” your “darling.” But in Singlish, it’s this action of stroking very gently. If you see a little cat, you might tell your child to “sayang” the cat.

Gretchen: “Make sure you do it gently and don’t pull the cat’s fur and their tail and make them scratch you.”

Fei Ting: If someone in that context is using the word “sayang,” I wouldn’t necessarily say that that person is code switching into Malay.

Gretchen: Right, because it has a different meaning in Malay, and they’re not using it with that meaning.

Fei Ting: And I’m not a Malay speaker, so when I use the word “sayang,” I can’t say that I’m code switching into Malay. I’ve just chosen a token in Singlish.

Gretchen: I can see how they’re used in a child-specific context, but there’re other parts of Singlish that are just part of the everyday vocabulary for adults and stuff as well.

Fei Ting: Yes, yes, yes, that’s right. So, you’ve been here a few days now, and food is a big thing in Singapore, and when food is good or when things are going well, in a good scenario, we can say, “shiok.”

Gretchen: I’ve seen this on some signs. It seems to be – I was walking in one of the streets, and they were saying, “shiok” because they were trying to say, “This food is good,” and it’s good in a Singaporean sort of way. I think the sign said, “Shiok lah,” which was maybe a little bit trying to be really heavy on the Singlish thing because “lah” is this famous word in Singlish that is used as a particle at the end of sentences for a lot of different purposes.

Fei Ting: For a lot of different purposes. We have a lot of these sentence-final, utterance-final particles. Origin of it is from Chinese varieties. We have “lah,” “leh,” “meh,” “hor,” “liao” – maybe lots of other ones that I’m missing right now.

Gretchen: There’s probably a whole list. I mean, we can link to some things about Singlish if people want to get a larger picture of what’s going on. This is not the teach-us-Singlish-in-half-an-hour episode. But yeah, the one that I’ve heard people say a fair bit is “lah” because it seems to be pretty common. It’s like a confirmation or question.

Fei Ting: Confirmation. It’s also sometimes used to make something sound final and definitive. Like if you ask me if I could do something, and I say, “Can lah.”

Gretchen: This gets us to another one that I’ve also heard people use which is “Can” by itself as sort of a response to questions or whether something can happen. I was in a cab, and the cab driver said, “Can?”, as in, “Can you get out okay?”, or “Are you doing this?”, and I guess I probably should’ve responded, “Can,” but I don’t have this naturally yet. Maybe if I’m here a little bit longer.

Fei Ting: You can say, “Can,” or “Can can.” “Can can” is to confirm that you can actually do something, or it can happen.

Gretchen: I think the closest thing that I have to that in my English is “Can do,” which still drops the subject or doesn’t have the subject there, but for some reason I want the “do” to be there – “Can do.” Or like, “I can,” “I think I can,” compared to, I heard someone say, “Think can,” where I would say, “I think I can.”

Fei Ting: Over here “Think can” or “I think can” is very well-formed. “I think I can” is –

Gretchen: Almost too much?

Fei Ting: Yeah, almost too much.

Gretchen: Or you’re being very emphatic about that it’s “I” think I can – may “you” don’t. This is probably Chinese influence, right?

Fei Ting: Yeah. If we think about Chinese as a language that determines the topic of the sentence first, and then you add comments to that topic, that’s why we can go about dropping the subject or dropping a lot of these modal verbs. One of the studies that we did previously was, well, one of our undergrads started this project. We ask people to look at different menus and order the same dish but to imagine themselves in three different settings. The first setting is the menu is printed on really nice, fancy paper, and fancy font, and it’s supposed to mimic a fancy restaurant. The second menu is in casual font, and the setting is a hip café. Then the last one, we didn’t have a menu, but it was just a picture of a hawker centre stall front.

Gretchen: The hawker centres have a whole bunch of little marketplaces but indoors. They have all these food stalls. You go around from each one and you sit – I think of them as cafeteria tables. You sit out at them. You have a tray, and you get food and drinks and desserts and stuff from different places. This is very informal.

Fei Ting: Yeah, very, very informal. We had undergrads come in and order the same dish which is the dish of laksa.

Gretchen: Which I’ve now had. It was very good. It’s kind of a spicy soup.

Fei Ting: Yeah. And then the instruction was that, when they ordered it, they have to ask for more chili, and they should ask to take it away.

Gretchen: Just to give them more things to say.

Fei Ting: Yeah. So, when people are imagining themselves in a very fancy restaurant, they might say, “Can I please have a bowl of laksa? Can you add more chili? And I would like to have it taken away.”

Gretchen: These very full sentences and trying to be polite and add this extra ornamentation around that.

Fei Ting: Mm-hmm. Then when you do a syntax analysis on it, I mean, we draw grammar trees, you end up with a very complex grammar tree or quite a number of grammar trees just to explain this one scenario. But when they’re given a picture of a hawker stall, and they’re supposed to imagine a very informal setting, they can say something like, “Aunty, one laksa, more chili, takeaway.”

Gretchen: “Aunty, one laksa, more chili, takeaway,” just saying each of the bits of information without, “Oh, please, if you don’t mind, can I have this.”

Fei Ting: You don’t need the “Can I have…” You don’t need the extra verbs or the extra sentence structure. It’s just the topic – “one laksa,” and then “more chili,” and then “takeaway.”

Gretchen: And this is not rude. This is polite. This is a normal thing you say. And you’ve said “Aunty” because you’re addressing the stall owner as “Aunty” or “Uncle,” based on who they are, which is polite.

Fei Ting: That’s also another thing about – I think you hear it here in Singapore. You also would hear it in Malaysia. This calling everyone “Aunty” and “Uncle” even though they’re not related to you if they are somewhere like the age your parents might be, and then you just – “Aunty,” “Uncle” – everyone is.

Gretchen: You have other words for people who are closer in age to you or younger?

Fei Ting: Not quite.

Gretchen: It’s more about elders.

Fei Ting: It’s more for elders. If I approach, like – or if I’m in a cab – the “Taxi Uncle” might address me as “Xiao Mei,” like “Little Girl” or “Young Girl.” Or if I’m ordering something, and they wanna be nice and polite, they might say, “Mei Nü,” which is “Pretty Girl.” Even though –

Gretchen: They’re not hitting on you. This is just a polite thing to say.

Fei Ting: Yeah. But usually you will hear them say “Xiao Mei,” which is “Little Girl,” to a female and then “Xiao Di” to a guy ordering something.

Gretchen: Because you have that age thing. In French, I’m used to people addressing me as “Madame” or “Mademoiselle.” There was a period when I was getting 50/50, and now it’s mostly “Madame,” so clearly people think I’ve gotten older. But there was a period when it depended on what on wore for which one I would get. How strangers address you in public is just –

Fei Ting: If my mom were to go to the market, for example, she might address someone working there as “Aunty,” and then they will also address her as “Aunty.”

Gretchen: We’re both at the right age where we could have nieces and nephews, so we’re both “Aunties” now.

Fei Ting: And that’s perfectly fine.

Gretchen: You’ve also been doing some interesting things with research methodology and how to get this audio data, apart from bringing parents into the lab and having them talk to kids.

Fei Ting: Well, with COVID, everything was interrupted. I think people who are doing research – everyone would commiserate over our lack of ability to reach out to parents with little kids. We did a years-long study on Zoom.

Gretchen: So, you get parents talking to their kids on Zoom. Kids aren’t always very good at interacting with a computer, with the technology.

Fei Ting: We had 8- to 36-month-olds. The task was for their parents to describe to them a wordless picture book on Zoom. Sometimes, like you said, some kids are clearly not interested.

Gretchen: But at least having a picture book to look at gives them something to do on camera and not just like, “C’mon, talk! Talk to the nice research aunty.”

Fei Ting: Exactly. Because the picture book is wordless, it’s up to them in what language they would like to do the task in. Some parents get very excited about describing every single thing on the screen instead of just following along the main storyline. Sometimes, they will break off to “Oh, you remember, we saw an elephant” – because in the book, there is an elephant – and then they might, “the other day” or “the other time, we went to the zoo. We saw an elephant. You remember.” And then they might go on talking about other things, which is a nice thing about wordless picture books, actually.

Gretchen: It just gives them some stimulus to talk about, rather than just being like, “Okay, here we are in front of a computer. All we can talk about is the computer.” Now, you’ve got the elephant as a topic of conversation.

Fei Ting: And I don’t know about kids growing up in this COVID period. Maybe they’ve gotten used to seeing another human onscreen. We didn’t have kids who were like, “Ah, this is so weird. I don’t wanna do this anymore.”

Gretchen: Because they’re already talking to, probably, other friends and family members and things using Zoom because they’re pandemic babies.

Fei Ting: Exactly. We had some funny things that happened. This brings back to the reality of doing research. Sometimes, I would have parents carry the laptop they were talking to me on, on Zoom, and chasing after their kid, or like, “Ah, just come back here. This nice lady is waiting for us to finish the story,” and things like that happened. Or because we’re recording them in their home, sometimes someone walks into the room that they’re in. These sort of unexpected scenarios do pop up from time to time, but we’re really happy with the data that we managed to collect.

Gretchen: Do you have results for that yet?

Fei Ting: We have a methods paper out because, as part of the study, we ran it as a micro-longitudinal intervention study.

Gretchen: What does that mean?

Fei Ting: The intervention that we ran was for the parents. We wanted to see if giving parents tips – concrete tips – on what they can do with their child to improve or to add on to the kind of talk they can have with their child, whether or not that would influence or change the way that they would communicate with their kids. The baseline was describing the wordless picture book the first time, and then they would go through an intervention for –

Gretchen: So, they would get text messages every day for 28 days that would say things like, “Have you considered singing songs with your kid?”, or “When you see pictures, talking about what’s in the pictures,” or something like that?

Fei Ting: Every day we gave them a tip. The tips start out really easy like doing some counting, and then the last we tell parents about concepts that might be a bit more advanced, things like mental state verbs – so verbs like “I think” or “I wonder.” There is literature to show that when you use mental state verbs with your child, 1). you’re helping them imagine scenarios they are not in, right, think about it from someone else’s perspective. So, this ties in with this thing called the “theory of mind.” Then when you use these words, especially in English, your sentences get a bit more complex.

Gretchen: Because if you’re saying, “I think this,” and then you have to have another sentence in there, which is not quite the same thing if you’re doing like, “Think can.”

Fei Ting: Exactly. After 28 days, we see them again on Zoom for the same video call picture book description. Then we ran it as an RTT – randomised control trial.

Gretchen: So, they’re randomly in one group that has these 28 tips in between, and then another group that has something less.

Fei Ting: The other group, we only gave them one email a week. There’re no concrete tips. It’s just emphasising on how important it is to talk to their child. But because the way we advertise it, we said, “You can sign up. We’ll give you some tips.”

Gretchen: Ah, so this was important to make parents wanna participate in the study because they think they’re doing something good for their child by getting some tips there. Because there’s lots of reasons people wanna participate in studies. Sometimes, you pay them. Sometimes, the kid gets a toy or something. But also, in this case they wanted to feel like they were getting some help with raising a kid.

Fei Ting: Yeah. After the first 28 days and then after we saw them for a second time point, we swapped both groups of parents around. If you had intervention, now you’re in the non-intervention group, and you only got one email per week. Then the parents who didn’t get the tips previously, they now got a message every day.

Gretchen: So, are you sitting there texting all the parents individually? Or do you have an automatic system?

Fei Ting: No, we don’t. Our research assistant, Shaza, she was doing all the texting. Because it was a rolling sign up programme –

Gretchen: You have some people who are on Day 2, and some people who’re on Day 20, and they each need to get a different message. It’s almost complicated to program.

Fei Ting: It’s difficult. She would text them at 10:00 in the morning and say, “Today’s tip is this.” And then with each tip, we would also give a link to our website where they can read more if they wanted to. In the evening, around 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., she would text them again and say, “Hi Parent, did you try our tip today? How did you find it?” That’s the other unique part of our intervention because a lot of the times when people are in an intervention, they’re left alone for the entirety, and then at the end they might be given a feedback survey.

Gretchen: It’s almost just as much about having the support for talking about what parenting was like and reflecting on using language with their child that they feel like they got some sort of emotional support out of it.

Fei Ting: Yeah. Or any kind of interaction. Because at that time, well, we started collecting data June of 2020.

Gretchen: This is lockdown.

Fei Ting: Lockdown, right. A lot of parents were working from home. People couldn’t see their family members. So, having a researcher to talk to might be nice.

Gretchen: [Laughs] Yeah, that’s kind of nice.

Fei Ting: Or a lot of children, if they were going to infant care or day care, all of that had stopped.

Gretchen: Of course.

Fei Ting: I guess for a lot of parents, it was like, “Oh, I’m given some kind of support!”

Gretchen: It would be interesting, I guess, to try to figure out how much of that was pandemic or lockdown specific, especially if the parent is becoming the child’s only or primary source of language input in a way that, if they’re going to child care or preschool or seeing their relatives and stuff like that, they wouldn’t be as much dependent on one or two people for talking with the child all the time as language input, they would have a broader community access.

Fei Ting: That’s right. I think that was one of the things that parents have told us, like, “Oh, yeah, language input has changed.” It’s not something that they actively thought about, but then they’re like, “Oh, yeah, my kid’s not getting that much Malay because, well, my mom speaks to them in Malay, but now we can’t visit grandma anymore.”

Gretchen: This changes the way that the language input goes.

Fei Ting: We have a methods paper out. We are still transcribing.

Gretchen: Transcribing takes so long.

Fei Ting: It does.

Gretchen: I think the estimate that I learned in grad school was, like, for every one minute of audio, it takes an hour to transcribe.

Fei Ting: That’s the pace that we’re going at. We have been very blessed with lots of great transcribers and student assistants who’ve come in and helped us, so we are almost there. We’re very happy that we have 142 parents and families that stayed with us through all three time points. I think it’s a little rare to see that for a longitudinal study involving children.

Gretchen: They had nothing else to do in lockdown, so they stayed in your study.

Fei Ting: Yeah, I like to think that. And I also like to think that we were nice, and they found it useful.

Gretchen: To have the supportive text messages every day.

Fei Ting: We’re going into the next stage where we will be doing some analysis. We’re counting number of turns taken. We’re counting number of words and the diversity of words being used and whether or not people swapped or changed or code switched in any way.

Gretchen: And then you end up with, also, this linguistic landscape of how people are talking in their homes, at least, when they have a kid around. And you can see which bits there. When you’re talking about code switching, you can say, “Okay, these words are in English. These words are specifically in Hokkien or Mandarin. These words are in Tamil or Malay,” but you also have the Singlish-specific words, the Red-dot words, that are hard to pin down for one particular language.

Fei Ting: We’ve essentially written our own little dictionary, actually.

Gretchen: That’s great!

Fei Ting: Along the way, we were like, ah, there’s this word that’s come up, but because a lot of Singlish hasn’t been codified or documented, there is no one way to spell it.

Gretchen: Of course. Because it’s mostly spoken.

Fei Ting: If we’ve decided to spell it one way, we always have to check with other Singlish speakers around us, and then – we don’t wanna say, “Oh, we’re spelling it this way, and this way must be right.” We’re saying, “We have to come up with something.”

Gretchen: You have to pick one because if you wanna say, “Okay, for every hundred words that this parent says, 30 of them are in Malay, 50 of them are in English, 23 of them are in Singlish/Red-dot words.” It’s hard to pin down exactly which of them are from where, but you need to be able to look through and say, “This one word, ‘shiok,’ is being used this many times in the whole corpus,” not “We spelled it 14 different ways, and so we have no idea how many times it’s being used,” just for your own internal purposes, which isn’t to say that someone else is wrong for using a different spelling.

Fei Ting: That’s right. We wanna be very open about it, so we have a Wiki page that’s open for anyone who wants to come and look at our transcription conventions. Our dictionary is also open access, so people can come in and take a look at that, at how we’ve decided to codify certain things just because we need it for our own, like you mentioned, counts and things like that. The other part of our project is working with speech engineers. I’m sure you’re familiar with Siri and Google, right.

Gretchen: I talk into the – they transcribe me, they understand me. But I notice even when I’m speaking French to them, which I don’t have a native French accent, they’re not very good at transcribing what I’m saying in a language that isn’t like the very Paris French that they’re trained on. I bet this happens with Singlish.

Fei Ting: It’s a challenge. It’s difficult in Singlish. It’s difficult when people switch between or among the languages so rapidly. We had a PhD student from the engineering department that was on this project, and he was looking at how do you do automatic language identification on the recordings that we collected because –

Gretchen: This could save you a lot of time if it works.

Fei Ting: If it works. But it’s also a really challenging problem. One, it’s that it’s not the standard variety and then the other thing is it’s child directed. They don’t have good solutions for child-directed speech yet.

Gretchen: Because people talk differently to children. They maybe use, depending on the language, like a broader range of pitches, or higher pitches, maybe they talk a bit slower, they have child-specific vocabulary, like this word for “pacifier” which has a lot of child-specific words in different languages or different varieties. This is not the kind of thing that language models are trained on. They’re training on journalists talking on the news in this very formal context.

Fei Ting: That’s right. Our PhD student has done really great work. We also work with our speech engineers at Johns Hopkins University. Whenever we have meetings with them, I tell them, “Oh, I’m so sorry for our” – our data set’s really problematic. I know that. I understand that. But they see it as a great challenge.

Gretchen: Right. And if all you’re doing is news stuff, it’s less interesting or relevant. Maybe it’s a problem, but maybe the algorithms that were not accounting for it are the problem.

Fei Ting: Exactly. Our language models are only as good as the data that we train them on. They all come with a certain set of biases.

Gretchen: Absolutely.

Fei Ting: Right now, the bias is non-child-directed language.

Gretchen: And non-Singaporean language.

Fei Ting: Non-Singaporean language. It’s been interesting just looking at our data from their point of view as well. There’s gonna be more and more reliance on AI in the future, for sure, not just for our line of work but just part of our day-to-day living. If AI is supposed to accommodate the natural languages of the world, then it should be able to do this.

Gretchen: And it should actually be trained on how people talk in multilingual environments. Fei Ting, thanks so much for coming on the podcast.

Fei Ting: Thanks for having me.

Gretchen: If you could leave people knowing one thing about linguistics, what would it be?

Fei Ting: I think it would be that there’s still a lot that we don’t know. I think the brain is a fascinating organ, and a lot of what we do know about what the brain does when it comes to language processing and language acquisition, we know it from a very monolingual English point of view. Most of the people around the world are non-monolingual speakers, and a lot of them don’t speak English, so if we wanna know how this organ that we have works when it comes to language acquisition and language processing, then we need more research on non-monolingual English-speaking populations.

[Music]

Gretchen: For more Lingthusiasm and links to all the things mentioned in this episode, go to lingthusiasm.com. You can listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, or wherever else you get your podcasts. You can follow @lingthusiasm on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr. You can get IPA scarves, “Not Judging Your Grammar, Just Analysing It” stickers, IPA posters, and other Lingthusiasm merch at lingthusiasm.com/merch. I can be found as @GretchenAMcC on Twitter, my blog is AllThingsLinguistic.com, and my book about internet language is called Because Internet. Lauren tweets and blogs as Superlinguo. And our guest, Woon Fei Ting, can be found as @FeitingW on Twitter, and the lab is Facebook.com/bliplabntu. Have you listened to all the Lingthusiasm episodes, and you wish there were more? You can get access to an extra Lingthusiasm episode to listen to every month plus our entire archive of bonus episodes to listen to right now at patreon.com/lingthusiasm or follow the links from our website. Have you gotten really into linguistics, and you wish you had more people to talk with about it? Patrons also get access to our Discord chatroom to talk with other linguistics fans. Plus, all patrons help keep the show ad-free. Can’t afford to pledge? That’s okay, too. We also really appreciate it if you can recommend Lingthusiasm to anyone in your life who’s curious about language. Lingthusiasm is created and produced by Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne. Our Senior Producer is Claire Gawne, our Editorial Producer is Sarah Dopierala, and our Production Assistant is Martha Tsutsui-Billins. Our music is “Ancient City” by The Triangles.

Fei Ting: Stay lingthusiastic!

[Music]

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

[rigelmejo]

FRIENDS HELP ME OUT (don’t worry it’s not a big deal). Can you guy please Honestly tell me around what level of japanese you knew when you became able to learn a decent amount of new words from consuming some japanese content without looking up words?

By this I mean you could of course have learned even more new words if you’d looked unknown words up. But even if you looked up no words at all, you understood enough of the main idea to guess the meaning of a decent amount of unknown words you saw. For japanese, I mean just guess the meaning of a new word - since for the kanji words if you had no audio or furigana the pronunciation may not have been guessable, but meaning might be. And by all this I mean not that you could do this with every single media, but you could start to do it with Some media: for example a simple manga or a particular show or video game. 

---

Example. I’m probably only N4ish, and can’t pass an N5 test because my vocabulary is all over the place. I know around 2000+ words and have read a grammar guide on everything up to N3 and a bit beyond. I am by no means N2 or N1 (which I’d consider similar to B1 or B2, which is when I would expect learning words only from immersion WITHOUT word lookup works perfectly fine).

If I open up Hikaru No Go, on the first page I see:

Dore - I know that word, mo ?, kore mo - this also, batto - bat?, shinainaa - shinai - if shimasu/suru is do then ‘not do’/’won’t do’ and naa? is probably just a way of saying it. - Maybe he’s saying “where is [it?] And this bat won’t do aahh” So he’s looking for something. I got the main idea, though I could be confused about doremo.

Actual translation from english manga: Hmm, its all junk.

ne - attitude sound. Mou - already, deyou - lets go out? (you for suggestion, de for leave?), Hikaru - boys name. kimi based on the hanzi i know I’m going to guess means atmosphere, warui - bad, so she’s saying “Lets go out Hikaru, this place has a bad vibe”

{oops I missed this bubble}

o - oh!?, kore nan ka - what is this, iinjanai ka - i’m going to guess this means “is this something good?” as iin - good, janai - not good. So he’s saying “oh?! This might be something good?”

Actual translation from english manga: Let’s get out of here Hikaru, I’m getting the creeps. / Oh, c’mon Akari, stop complaining/ Wooh, I found something!

So it looks like I grasped the main idea okay without grabbing a dictionary, despite not having N2 level japanese. So this material would be one I could learn new words from with context potentially, even if I looked no words up. 

--

For you, what was the threshold with either particular materials like a manga, or overall, for you to start being able to learn a decent number of words from context? 

For example your threshold is when you understand the main idea, or when you understand the main idea and 70% of details, etc? Or when you were N2 novels in slice of life settings became something you could guess (meaning of) new words only from context when you wanted? 

When I looked at the reddit forms people generally were answering at N2 or N1 level or never. I think the Reddit LearnJapanese users skew toward people who prefer to look up every unknown word though, who like to use anki for quicker memoriziation of new words, and who have low tolerance for ambiguity.

(Tolerance for ambiguity is how much you can tolerate engaging with media you don’t fully understand - most people can comfortably engage with material they comprehend 98% and that’s most media you consume in your native language, then many people can tolerate material they comprehend 95% of, and some people can tolerate material they comprehend 90% of. Below 90% most people feel ‘reading pain’ or drained if trying to read/watch something, and often material comprehended under 95% is used for intensive reading (or intensive watching) where everything unknown is looked up and the material is engaged with for a shorter period of time. This is true in your native language too when you learn to read in literature class - you get short excerpts in your textbook with lots of unknown words with definitions, and reading assignments of books are often books assumed to be 95% comprehensible for your class’s reading level.)

There are some ways to improve ‘comprehension’ without actually knowing 95% of words on the page. If you know english, and read a French technical paper on a psychology topic you are already familiar with? You will 1. already know background information about the topic so information in the article won’t be new to you, 2. you can rely on the shared latin-based cognates in scientific words to understand a large portion of the words, then rely on shared english-french cognates to understand another portion of the words (an english speaker can guess marcher has to do with moving - sounds like march, an english speaker can guess someil has to do with sleep). A person already familiar with recognizing grammar patterns or who already studied very basic french will recognize ‘la/le/les’ in front of nouns, will recognize the verbs by word endings, if a sentence is saying something positive or negative (n’ pas), and recognize the adjectives. So they will be able to focus on the necessary words for the main idea - usually the verb of what’s going on, the subject and object, and if any meaning is negated. From all that, there’s a good chance an A2 learner could read this psychology article and understand it well. I should know lol, I read a ton of science articles on wikipedia as an A1 and A2 learner in french because the materials were much easier to read even though I only had studied like 1000 words. This is also a benefit when reading spanish - I’ve only studied maybe 500 words of spanish and the A1 basics, but I have a book about linguistics in spanish so it uses a lot of technical language and I can read and use it for reference just fine. But a spanish novel? I have no idea what’s going on, I don’t have enough context from surrounding information OR vocabulary (since I have almost no spanish vocab I know). 

So like... you can say count 80% of the words on a page and know that many, but also depending on the content you may have additional resources providing more tools to comprehend it up to 95%. As I mentioned, if it’s French you can lean on english and latin cognates to comprehend more words than you’ve actually learned. With japanese, I can rely on my hanzi knowledge to make a bit more guesses about some word meanings than I could without hanzi knowledge. You can use your understanding of grammar to identify subject, object, tense, positive/negative, descriptions, verbs, time period, place. And if you already are familiar with the topic - like its a show, movie, book, you already experienced in a language you know - then you can use your memory of the content to help guess what the unknown words mean. If you are willing to tolerate ambiguity of knowing less than 95% of the words, and willing to use all surrounding context you have available (like reading a plot summary beforehand or watching something in english first, or looking for cognates and grammar clues) then you can sometimes handle engaging with stuff you know less than 95% of. 

@a-whump-muffin​ from talks we had I’m guessing you started learning some stuff from context only, when you were watching shows in Japanese around N3? I know you said you watched with english subs sometimes (so I guess the english translation helped you figure out the meaning of new words). But eventually you were also just watching in japanese and able to pick up new words. 

[graziadiocenterilpostino]

Student Spotlight: Mary Conte

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and what made you interested in studying at CSU Long Beach.

I was born in New York and moved to California because of my work. Actually–I moved to California twice because of my work, come to think of it. One time I was working at a music company in New York (which is also Capitol Records) and my boss wanted me to help work on a new computer system which would extract the most important information from contracts in a computer system to help pay royalties to the recording artists. This record company at the time had labels not only in New York City, but also in Toronto, Canada and also in Nashville and also Los Angeles as well as the UK.

Another place I worked at was as a legal consultant for Price Waterhouse Coopers. They also had many projects with various companies e.g. Universal Studios, SONY, and startups about how to make sure the various divisions could communicate. They needed to know how to distribute their products, and whether they could develop new ones.

I know this sounds simple but actually the sales people really need to know if they can sell a movie in Italy or Germany for example, and then the people who actually do the work of sending the 'elements' need to know the particularities of what each country requires. Also someone may be able to create a feature film from a script but NOT be able to create a TV show. Also music has its own dimension of complexity.

Regarding CSULB, two things happened. One: someone in one of my classes said that his wife was attending Cal State Long Beach, and they had an excellent Italian department and also an Italian club. Another: I met a gentleman over 40 who was taking classes in the theater department. He was a part-time actor but wanted to expand and enrich his skills, so he was attending Cal State Long Beach. One day I looked up the web site and left a message for Professor Vettore, Chair of the Graziadio Center, because I felt I could not find any way to deepen my Italian skills as an adult and I wanted to be able to speak Italian fluently. And he actually emailed me back and we spoke about what I was looking for and what might be required. I also learned that I might be eligible for Italian citizenship, so my paperwork is at the Italian Consulate. It's kind of a contest will they respond faster than I obtain a MA in Italian. We will see.

2.  In addition to Italian, you’ve also studied French. Can you tell us more about this and what led to your eventual switch to Italian?

I'm fortunate to have traveled a little and have met people of different cultures and have been a person studying in France or Italy and not knowing all the customs and that helps me have patience with others that don't necessarily know how we do things. We in the US, We in California, and We at this particular company. So I may be dealing with the artists, but also their managers, and their other musicians which are many times from all over the place. And there are so many layers with visas and embassies and money. All over the place in the US and all over the place in the world.

What I have found is any opportunity to speak someone else's language or to be curious about someone else's culture is always appreciated. I got an MA in French right out of college because I had participated in a cultural exchange program after high school, because I met a French exchange student in one of my French classes who was living with a family of one of the teachers) and was fortunate to have had 3 years when I lived in France.

But my family is Italian, all the grandparents. Sicily & Calabria and Ancona & not far from Naples (Castellammare di Stabia) just one-two train stops from Pompeii! They are always kind of overwhelming. My parents are first generation and they both went to college and we all (me and my three brothers went to college). Because that was a way to get ahead.

And I met someone at a conference who was organizing a trip to Italy, and I hadn't been there since college, and my spouse had never been there. So, we decided to sign up at the Italian Cultural center in Los Angeles, and take a class, because I would feel ashamed to not be able to say something to people because I was too lazy to learn some of the basics. And although we signed up for Italian, they put us in a class of 'Italian for Tourists". Well that was a disappointment. But as I wanted to learn more Italian I found that there were many classes that were like this for adults. Mostly geared to tourism only.

3. Do you have any recommendations for anyone interested in an MA in Italian Studies? 

Although at the time I wasn't excited about the pre-requisites I had to take, it was great to be able to meet undergraduates and graduate students, and to lay that foundation of grammar and literature. One of the things to definitely participate in is the program we have with Roma Tre students. And definitely take a translation class. Also, so far I've met two presidents of the Italian Club, and they work really hard to have interesting cultural programs.

4. Outside of school, you work as a lawyer. What do you enjoy about your job? Do your language skills tie into your career in any way?

Right now I work for an agency which signs artists from the US and all over the world and helps them tour. Our niche is folk or roots music. For example tonight at Cal State LA we have an artist Sonya Jobarteh (considered Africa's first female griot kora virtuoso) playing with Taj Mahal. I think we may have someone coming soon to the Carpenter Center. We did have an American artist (New York based Irish-American fiddler) play with the Long Beach Symphony orchestra.

5. Do you have a favorite city you’ve visited in Italy? If so, which one?

How do you pick a favorite city in Italy? I loved Torino because there aren't so many tourists, and at the big outdoor market I can also speak French! We got to rent bikes and ride in Abruzzo along the Trabocchi coast. I forgot about this but I think when I was single I went to Italy and got to do a tour with Davis Phinney and Connie Carpenter and Andy Hampstead and his wife. Andy Hampstead is the only American to ever win the Giro d'Italia. Yes I do own one of the best production bicycles ever made, it's Italian, a Calnago C-40. But that's another story…

Mary and il cane Marcus Aurelius