The Fictional Linguistic Dilemma

[dr_tectonic]

So, a question for y'all what read SF:

We have a (human) character from a fairly ordinary background who gets dragged off to strange and interesting places. Logically, the (also human) people in the strange and interesting places would not speak the same language. But these characters need to be able to communicate -- have conversations, even -- because otherwise it's all very boring.

[Poll #1003564]

Comments

[toosuto.livejournal.com]

Actually I will pretty much accept any 'explanation' so long as it is consistent with the rest of the writing, which of course should be good.

[eto-theipi.livejournal.com]

Same here.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

Yeah. (For example, one that you don't give is that in fact the aliens speak Our Heroes' language because they've been monitoring Our Heroes' planet for centuries. I tend to like those, but that's because they amuse me.)