RE: Tina the Techwriter Reopens the Great Debate

[Lyn Worthen <Lyn -dot- Worthen -at- caselle -dot- com>]

I think using other languages or accents -can- be done both well and
convincingly, without branding the writer as a hack. But it takes
skill.(such as the Woodstock quote earlier!!!)

I'm reminded of a scene from "Shining Through" where the main character
(Linda) is being interviewed by the BBC about her experiences as a spy in
Nazi Germany. She'd told him about the events that led up to her going
undercover, then started telling him about actually going to Germany, when
he interrupted her.
   BBC: Excuse me, but were you aware that you were speaking in German?
   Linda: Was I? Well, I remember it in German.
   BBC: Well could you try remembering it in English.

And the interview continued (presumably in English).

At no point was the audience ever forced to try to flounder through German -
because it was all coming from Linda's point of view, and she knew what she
was remembering/telling, we had always gotten it in English. However, anyone
who has had very intense foreign-language experiences was likely to relate
to Linda's experience of remembering the situation in the foreign language
and having to actively translate it into their native language in order to
express it to someone else. I know I've had that happen to me.

L

-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Byfield
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 11:05 AM

...<snip>...

It's true that the cadence of speech often finds its way into 
thought, and that people might use dialect words in their thoughts. 
But very few people, if any, are aware of their own accent. So, 
to them, their thoughts won't have an accent.

...<snip>...

At the same time, a certain connection with reality is generally 
considered necessary for literary merit. Even if the work in question 
is a fantasy, there has to be some plausibility. So far as I'm 
concerned, having someone think in an accent is so unobservant that 
the writer is immediately revealed as being not worth my time.

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