The Campaign Builder's Guild

The first thing that caught my attention when I started reading some campaign settings here in this guild was the way in which people wrote, what I mean by this is the knowledge of the english language that most of you seem to have. I've noticed this not only on CSs but also in regular posts. I started to wonder why and figured the best way to know how you reached that level of experience was simply by asking so... It'd be nice to know also, what's your mother tongue (You use another term for this, but I forget) in case it isn't english.

Edit: Oh, btw... My mother tongue is spanish :)

I think this is an answer...  My mother tongue is English and I got to writing coolby reading too much and being a geek for most of my life.  It's as simple as that.

Reading. Far too much reading. That and the innate ability to understand Shakespearean language without translating.

Quote from: stargate525Reading. Far too much reading. That and the innate ability to understand Shakespearean language without translating.

Verily.

In any case, a number of the inspirations for campaign settings is made of dense writing; see pretty much anything by Tolkien, or many religious texts, or other fantasy novels. One can't base a setting entirely on a movie.

Well, one can, but it just wouldn't have that certain...feeling, of deep history and plausibility.

My Mother Tongue is English, and I had the benefit of an excellent education.  I was in high school and college in Tennesee in the early and mid eighties when that state was pouring obscene amounts of money into education.

My native language is German, though reading more than a thousand English-language books has helped my English skills...   ;)

*nods* Mine's english. Although I also know a bit of french.

I speak Dutch in daily life, and have done so all my life. But I've been reading and writing English for years now(mostly in places such as this one). Baldur's Gate taught me to read English, and forums taught me to write (roughly speaking). Of course, I also had about three hours of English a week for six years in secondary school, but meh. I remember playing Baldur's Gate, and when I got through it the second time, I actually understood what was being said. :D
Túrin

Another native English speaker here. I used to be semi-fluent in Spanish, but I fear I've lost most of that over the years, and I never had a really impressive Spanish vocabulary to begin with. I suppose a lot of my linguistics and naming issues have a bit of Spanish in them, in the sounds of the words and the syntax of phrases.

You're absolutely right about the speech on the boards here, although I hadn't noticed it specifically. Everybody speaks intelligently, even in casual conversation, which is not something I find on a lot of online communities. So, thanks.

Non-Native-English-Speakers: I really wouldn't have guessed. All of you speak English as well as or better than plenty of native speakers I've met. I am jealous of your bilingual skills!

My first language is English, and though they've tried to impose French on me, I've never been able to really learn it because it just doesn't interest me. I can understand some of what people write or say in it, but for the most part it might as well be Cthulhu talking to me.

Quote from: WitchHuntMy first language is English, and though they've tried to impose French on me, I've never been able to really learn it because it just doesn't interest me. I can understand some of what people write or say in it, but for the most part it might as well be Cthulhu talking to me.

im reminded of an old SNL skit, about a militant, abusive "french camp"....

(dan ackroyd?)"how big is the cat?!"
(bill murray) "its a little kitty...."
*slap!* "LE PETITE CHAT!"
"its a little kitty...."

anyways, english is my first tongue.... well, actually, its the first language i learned. my first tongue was many years later, but thats an other story for another time, in another place...
*back on topic*
anyways, the first language i learned was english, but i learned it in america, so im sure it could improve.
 believe it or not, i got to this level of "expertise" through a game i played with my mom when i was little; we would actually open the dictionary to random pages, looking for the hardest word we could on the two pages we had. upon finding the word, we would challenge each other to spelling and defining it. yea, lame, i know, but if i ever have a five year old child, i will pray to every god and goddess, real and imaginary, that s/he will be so easily pacified.

My native language - Swedish.

But I suppose after having being an expat in an English speaking country for a few years, I'm getting to the point where I can almost claim that I'm becoming fluent in English.

Quote from: geeklingMy native language - Swedish.

An interesting side note: in English a Swede may either be a person from Sweden or a yellow root vegetable.

I'm an leet haxor, with an uber discro. Leet, homeslice!

Native: English.

I figured most of your answers would end up being the same (reading). Unfortunately for me, I can't really concentrate when reading unless it's about sports, D&D, cars, or any other interests I have (I dislike this about myself, really, I'd love to be able to read novels but my mind just drifts somewhere else after a few lines).

I'm hoping, though, that my english improves from reading your posts. I haven't posted my setting yet and one of the main reasons I'm so slow at it is because I've seen the quality of the english spoken in this forum and I feel the need to turn in a product that's up to your level... Admittedly, I've taken it as a challenge...

Yeah, that's happened to me.  Perosnally, I think you write well enough in your posts.  So, as long as what you post is understandable, it doesn't need to be extroadinary grammatically.  Just post, and I promise I'll give you some feedback at least.  I can't do anything if your chosen topic bores me however, so continued feedback is a maybe.  Don't take this a a deterrent however, I have a short attention spans and many otherwise good settings bore me.  you can't please everyone.

I don't really know where my expertise in the english language came from. I liked to read as a kid, but I think I read my LotR 3-in-1 trilogy book just so I could say I had read a really big book really quickly for my age. I'm not a really big fan of reading, but I don't mind writing.

Three languages I've always wanted to learn: Norwegian, German, Arabic.

I applaud all of you that are not native English speakers/writers!!!!   From the posts and settings I have read I would not have guessed.  I am a native English speaker.

Quote from: HellraiserI haven't posted my setting yet and one of the main reasons I'm so slow at it is because I've seen the quality of the english spoken in this forum and I feel the need to turn in a product that's up to your level... Admittedly, I've taken it as a challenge...

It is always good to challenge yourself.  But from what I have seen from the members of this community, go ahead and post what you have.  

My native language is english, i'm learning Deutschen latinaque with as much French as one could learn in a one year class

My native language is American English.

I have a pretty good grasp on Latin (Latine).  If you have any questions about it, just ask.  I'm now beginning an undergraduate program in Japanese (æ'"¥æÅ"¬èªž).

I can understand bits and peices of German (Deutsch), Romanian (RomânÃ,,Æ'), Russian (РÃ'Æ'Ã'Ã'ÐºÐ¸Ð¹), Spanish (Español), and probably most other Germanic, Romance, and Slavic langauges.

I also tried to teach myself Armenian (Õ,¬Ã•Â¡Ã•ÂµÃ•Â¥Ã–,¬Ã•Â¥Ã•Â¶) and Farsi (ÁارسÛÅ'), but to no avail.

I would like to learn Irish (Gaeilge). (Please note: it is called "Irish" in English.  "Gaelic" refers to Scottish in the minds of many Irish people.)

I have taught myself a small portion of the Arabic, Armenian, Cyrillic, and Farsi alphabets, but almost none of the languages themselves.  Much to one of my friend's delight (and insistance), I am trying to learn the Korean alphabet.

My God, limetom! :whoa:

Native English, here. I took German years ago in highschool, but I don't remember much.  That's pretty much it.

As I said before, my mother tongue is spanish... Yet I didn't mention I know italian to some extent. English, obviously :P. I know a little of german, danish and russian mostly because of characters I've played in D&D :P (Danish was actually from an ex-gf). Knowing spanish leads me to at least get the idea or understand some latin, portuguese and french. Oh, I know some quechua too. :)

i know some japanese, some elven, flecks of german, and i can recognize (but not understand) a few other languages...

I speak english. I can read French perfectly... even old French, but can't write, speak, or understand on hearing. Just more proof that reading is my first language.

...not that it matters, considering that unlike everybody else here, I speak nonsense. Always.

And to answer your original question, I learned English from books and French in French class (and everybody's favorite prophet, Nostradamus). I READ... I even had to order a book from a college in New Mexico once... to put that in perspective, I lived in Delaware at the time! Imagine my shock and horror when I found out the only copy was transferred out of Miskatonic!

English is my first language, but i speak and write french as well and i can understand old English, but i can't speak it. I know elements of other languages including Italian, German and Latin, and some small amounts of Japanese. Soon, i will be starting my German course at University and then will have 3 languages.

First language I spoke was french, but I haven't spoken french since I moved out of Quebec. I think my french vocabulary has deteriated to about the level of an eight year old, but I can understand alot of whats being said since I've taken a couple of german and spannish courses, and the level of overlape is absolutely amazing. Aussie, j'n'ai pas un accent quans j'parle francais. (How's my spelling?)

For english, I was taught to speak in elnglish since I was about two, and learned to write english in grade 3. I annoyed my teacher by spelling 'the' 'de'. I also wasted alot of school time reading random books that I'd pilfer from the lybraries. My parents also read stuff aloud, all he time.

My first language is pure sight, pure sound, pure thought, no words.  No, seriously.  I'm not kidding.  I store information in the form of visual or auditory images, and my thoughts are more like a TV show or movie.  I only know English because people speak it around me: I spent 8 years trying to learn French, and still sucked at the end.  I was good at Greek and Latin until they started giving me real stuff to deal with.  I've forgotten it all now.  The rules of English spelling and grammar make not sense to me, and I cannot accurately express myself in them.  It's like I'm a telepath trapped in a world of closed minds.

Quote from: SilvercatMoonpawMy first language is pure sight, pure sound, pure thought, no words.  No, seriously.  I'm not kidding.  I store information in the form of visual or auditory images, and my thoughts are more like a TV show or movie.  I only know English because people speak it around me: I spent 8 years trying to learn French, and still sucked at the end.  I was good at Greek and Latin until they started giving me real stuff to deal with.  I've forgotten it all now.  The rules of English spelling and grammar make not sense to me, and I cannot accurately express myself in them.  It's like I'm a telepath trapped in a world of closed minds.

ditto.

Can anyone help me translate from German?

This:
Bushyasta ist ein iranischer Dämon. Er zeichnet sich durch lange Haare aus und gehört zu den Daevas. Als solcher steht er in den Diensten Ahrimans. Er verkörpert die Faulheit und Schlaffheit. Am morgen, wenn die Menschen aufstehen und arbeiten sollen, kämpft er gegen die guten arbeitsamen Menschen indem er versucht sie dazu zu überreden, im Bett zu bleiben.

Quote from: beejazzCan anyone help me translate from German?

This:
Bushyasta ist ein iranischer Dämon. Er zeichnet sich durch lange Haare aus und gehört zu den Daevas. Als solcher steht er in den Diensten Ahrimans. Er verkörpert die Faulheit und Schlaffheit. Am morgen, wenn die Menschen aufstehen und arbeiten sollen, kämpft er gegen die guten arbeitsamen Menschen indem er versucht sie dazu zu überreden, im Bett zu bleiben.

Let's see how well i can do here.
Bushyasta is an Iranian demon. it "zeichnet sich durch" long hair and "something about Devas?"
you know what, this isn't working. too many works i don't know yet.
go go gadget babelfish!

QuoteBushyasta is an Iranian Daemon. It is characterised by long hair and belongs to the Daevas. As such it stands in the services Ahrimans. It embodies the putridness and schlaffheit. To tomorrow, if humans are to rise and work, fighting against good industrious humans by it tries it in addition to persuade, in bed to remain.

schlaff means flabby.
grammar's all weird, but i guess the final bit is "it convinces any one that it tries to make good industious humans stay in bed".

hope this helps (1st year german students can only do so much, y'know?)

I compare your Babelfish to freetranslation.com
 

QuoteBushyasta is an iranian demon.  He prices himself through long hairs and belongs to the Daevas.  As such, it stands in the services Ahrimans.  It embodies the laziness and slackness.  At that tomorrow if the persons should rise and work, fights he against the good industrious persons in that he to persuade tried it in addition to remain in bed.  

Pretty much the same, except it replaces putridness and schlaffheit with laziness and slackness.

By the way, I am a native speaker of American English.  Reading definitely helps.  I can also read and write spanish well, but cannot speak or listen to it.  I also know a little bit of french, from traveling to Paris this summer.

Thanks for the help! It's so hard getting decent info on this guy!

at risk of derailment, I'm very curious as to why you are looking.

My very own translation (woohoo for translation German to English when your mother tongue is Dutch :)):

"Bushyasta is an Iranian Demon. It is characterised by long hair and belongs to the Devas. [I suppose that's a class of Demons?-Túrin] It embodies "faulheit" and "schlaffheit" [Not sure what those two mean, though I suppose the online translators have gotten those right-Túrin]. In the morning, when people should rise and go to work, he fights good industrious people by trying to convince them to stay in bed."

The free translators screwed up the grammar in the last sentence. I'm positive my version is better regarding the last sentence.

Túrin

Quote from: Seraphine_Harmoniumat risk of derailment, I'm very curious as to why you are looking.

Well, there's this horrible, bright yellow thing in my bed and...

Nah, just kidding. I was just looking up Persian demons and divinities on wikipedia, and there was very little info on this guy (it pretty much just mentioned that it was bright yellow, had long fingers, that it was a demon of sloth and tempted the devout away from their faith, and that it was an evil genius). So... I dunno.. I just looked in other places. May or may not use the guy in my campaign.

My first language learned was Arabic. I grew up in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but moved to the united states at 12. I started learning English before I moved here, but for the most part my English is self taught.

I'm a lot more proficient in English than I am in Arabic, with the exception of knowledge of formal grammar. It's difficult to develop a good vocabulary when you're not exposed to the language anymore, and my mother, who's first language is English, doesn't speak much Arabic around the house. But there's also the fact that I'm autistic, and my language development was severly sub-par before I hit the magic age of sixteen when a lot of different things finally clicked in my head. So despite having learned Arabic first, I'm not all that proficient in it.

I've studied French, Latin and Spanish in school as well. I don't remember much of them, but Latin stuck with me the most of them. I have a bad habit of sprinking my Spanish with Latin words. I've all but forgotten French.

My first language would be American English. I know enough German to get by in a basic conversation, as well as a decent grasp on Irish. Elements of understanding are present in Japanese, Latin, French, Spanish/Portuguese, Italian and Mandarin Chinese. I can recognize the language or at least language family of almost anything spoken or on paper around me. Go IB language study/epistemology courses.

Yet I am hardly fluent in anything after being up for 28 hours at 2 AM with no caffeine. "Guild newbie needs sleep badly," seems to be sounding from the sky.

My first language is english, followed by welsh (which I'm still not remarkably proficient in now, but I can get along). I speak some french and some ancient egyptian.

I speak english, a dwi'n siarad cymraeg, et je ne parles pas francais bien.

I was born speaking American English (though I wasn't born very fluent), I have grown up speaking American English, I ventured into French for two years, triumphantly learning to say 'Je ne peux pas parle francais' and nothing else, and am now loosely studying Spanish.  But American English speaker I am, and I'm an English major in college.  I like English (even though it is one of the most disturbed languages I have ever seen).

In addition to my original knowledge of languages (see page 1), I am now taking an Elementary German course in university as a distribution credit, and I plan to continue my study of the German language (and maybe some other ones I am particularily interested in, like Russian and Arabic) in the future, though not directly through the university. If I do take any other language-related courses in the future, they'll be from Linguistics.

I also am a little better at French than I was a few months ago, though I can't understand why.

I took for years of French, and I can still speak a smattering. My reading comprehension and written translation skills (from French to English) are my strong suit.

I'm going to be taking a very basic course in Mandarin this semester. If I enjoy it, I may pursue it whole-heartedly.