Question: (I know, I already asked something in the last 24 hours, but I have a better reason for a question now.) What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
Personally, I get irritated by it. But I'm finding myself extremely tempted to do so with a new character coming up. In fact, the way it is now, the phonetically written accent is there, but I don't know if it looks st.u.p*d or annoying. So, I thought I'd ask.
Question: (I know, I already asked something in the last 24 hours, but I have a better reason for a question now.) What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
Personally, I get irritated by it. But I'm finding myself extremely tempted to do so with a new character coming up. In fact, the way it is now, the phonetically written accent is there, but I don't know if it looks st.u.p*d or annoying. So, I thought I'd ask.
If it's an accent I'm familiar with (like one that a relative or friend has) then it's not too bad but if I haven't heard it enough before I leave it out. If the accent is done well then it's not annoying at all. For me it adds to the character.
Ok I actually have one story question, l of my own. Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
I probably have a few, well at least one.
Also just realised it's the 26th. How could I not known that? I fell really bad for forgetting.
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
No. I try to make them very "normal" (or what I consider normal). That's due to reading a fantasy series that had names like Tika or Tanis or Kitiara or Raistlin. All cool names, but friends of mine that were also reading the books would mispronounce them (imho). Like Tinka, Tahnis (where I would say Taynis), Kitara. I would pronounce Raistlin like Rastlin, taking out that 'I.'
@mypalsim1 Did you have any trouble with the detective career? I can't find any of the options like take witness report or ask about suspect aren't in the pie menu...
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
I don't have names that are hard to pronounce, I do however use names that aren't that common because I think it adds character to the story and its characters.
What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
I haven't had to write in a different accent yet, and I'm not sure I'll be able too
@LillyDoves Is your cop low level? If I had a problem, it was typically fixed after a promotion. I think they ask more from their officers than they're able to give. It's been so long since Ethan was low level that I don't know what showed up when. Try disabling mods? Then, if that's the case, you have the "fun" task of trying to figure out which one is doing it.
@mypalsim1 Yeah, she just started work as a cadet. It works fine without mods, I guess I have to go through and figure out which CC things or Mod is messing it up....
Also my discussion Question: How many character point of views is too many?
Question: (I know, I already asked something in the last 24 hours, but I have a better reason for a question now.) What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
I honestly have no idea how to do something like it in English, but I'm curious to see you do it.
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
Funny question. For me as a Czech girl most English names are pronounced differently than how I would read them without knowing the language. For example the pronounciation of the name "Ian" was a big surprise to me when I first heard it.
(Forgot to answer this question) Favourite Pizza: Simple, Pepperoni.
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
Yep, although it's probably me pronouncing it wrong. Now that I think about it...yeah it's definitely me. How many character point of views is too many?
I guess it depends on the story. If it's a rotation story then it can be a lot more than maybe a legacy story. It depends on how many you're willing to take on without it getting too confusing.
I normally only have the POVs of my two main characters but there are a few exceptions to this:
-Something happens and I need another POV on the situation (or what happens involves one of my main characters)
-I need another POV for additional info that my main characters are unaware of at that time or are unwilling to reveal details
-I feel like it would work best from another characters' POV.
@Maladi777 I guess this means I'm going through with it. I'm not going to attach her to any specific real area. My sim world is a fictional planet. I honestly have no idea what accent I'm hearing in my head, but I write what I hear...or as close to it as I can.
How many character point of views is too many?
I don't limit myself on this. At all. I got a mediocre book review when I transcribed a sims story into a book, saying that they 'got whiplash from the pov changes.' Oh well! That's my style, and I think I know exactly what chapter she's talking about. I wrote it how it needed to be written.
If it does get too ridiculous even for me, though, I'll go third person for a chapter.
@Maladi777 I guess this means I'm going through with it. I'm not going to attach her to any specific real area. My sim world is a fictional planet. I honestly have no idea what accent I'm hearing in my head, but I write what I hear...or as close to it as I can.
And why not attach the accent to a specific area? I bet the sims from Oasis Springs speak much different than sims from San Myshuno for example. If I knew how to do different accents in my story I would do it, because it would definitely add more authenticity to the world.
Hmmm, I never asked myself this question. I remember it took some getting used to when I read the Game of Thrones books years ago for there were quite many characters and different POVs. Don't make it too many if you don't want to confuse the readers.
@mypalsim1 I read Tanis as Tah-nis as well. Don't know how to phonetically write my pronounciation of Raistlin. Different than yours though.
I just realised that I never did mention the connection between the colour of my chapter title banner and the tone/mood of the chapter. It's a fun something that no one has quite picked up yet. I guess I should share as it's been going on a while. Only exception to this is the one for 2.28:
Red-Anger/A Backstory with anger.
Black- Sadness/ Sad Backstory
Orange- Mix of Anger & Sadness
Green/Blue/Yellow- Happy
Pink-Love/Romance
White-Neutral
@Maladi777 I forgot to say that the first time I read Ian I was confused too. (eye-ann? no. ee-ann) (at least that's how it's pronounced here, but we typically pronounce things 'wrong.') Like in the parenthesis, we pronounce things wrong. Vienna= Vi(like eye)-anna. Cairo = Kayro (Caro syrup because of the mispronunciation.) Buchannan = buck-hannan. Albany = Al-bennie. Buena Vista = b'you-nah vista. Houston = how-ston. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
I don't do the towns like towns. It's all Eden with different metropolitan areas. I had to figure something out when Graham and Brielle moved, so it's all one huge city area with neighborhoods/quarters/zones/etc. So doing that wouldn't work. That's what Ethan meant when he said Tony was taking him to the desert area of town. Yeah, strange that a desert would be that close to a more lush area like Willow Creek is designed, but I make it work as best I can. There's old town and downtown, the shopping district, and home communities.
@Bugsie2016 LOL. I thought you just kept redoing the way your blog looked, didn't notice it was for that chapter only. That's good to know, though.
Edit (the following morning):
Inspired, I decided to work on my Duolingo too.
Thing is... I need it to be much better than that. But I'd say that's accurate.
@Sterretjeee I watched it together with my sister and yelled "He's a lil weenie!" I might be more of a cat person, but who can resist a corgi!?
@TheGeekGamez Lol!
I refuse to choose between dogs and cats...
@Maladi777 I think it's lovely that you're making an effort to learn another language nevertheless
I know a little French, and hope to improve that after uni! Might just check out that app
Your pizza sounds delicious @mypalsim1
Personally my favourite pizza is the 'light' pizza from Pizza Fresca, which is a bus that freshly makes the pizzas in front of your house
I like the light because I don't eat meat or fish and it's one of the few option left, not because I diet by the way
What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
Personally I would just write: "X talked with heavy X accent" rather then writing it phonetic, I would be afraid to insult someone.
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?@Bugsie2016
Mirjam and Margo, probably. Both would be pronounced like they are in Dutch, or at least in my head. You could let google translate say it out loud in Dutch to get a impression of how I would pronounce it. But I give everyone creative freedom of how they think the names should be pronounced
How many character point of views is too many?@LillyDoves
@Maladi777 already mentioned Game Of Thrones, so I add to that: None, it's never too many. As long as you sell a solid story
@lisabee2 The pic will be available for 7 days, let me know if you missed it
@Sterretjeee Both pizzas are delicious. I just like pizza. It's one of the few things I can stand to have onions on, even though I prefer not.
A pizza truck in front of your house?! /drool. I live in too rural a place to have food trucks, although they've started doing a thing I think they call 'food truck Mondays' in the downtown square, but I'm always busy on Mondays.
(about the accent thing) Really? I've figured out where I've picked up this accent, but I'm not going to say SO that I don't accidentally insult someone. It's possible people will guess and guess wrong--because I still don't know how effective it's going to be. But as far as the story goes, it doesn't take place on Earth. I can call it Simopia and just leave it at that. Eden, Simopia. And the other character is from somewhere else. Just ... somewhere. Her name won't even be a giveaway from where because she changes her name before she moves to Eden.
Though, honestly, I'm going to feel silly. Maybe it'll work. Maybe not. I'm not the first to try this, and I won't be the last. If it does turn out to be annoying, I'll fix it.
@mypalsim1 These 'trucks' are actually vans with a kitchen build inside. You simple call them and asks when they have a free spot to come visit you. They cross around town all evening.
Not actually binding the accent to a culture is a really good way to avoid making someone feel uncomfortable with it! I personally talked about, for example, writing a Chinese character without any r's. As there is a stereotype about that.
But if it is not bound to a culture, I don't think anyone would or should feel insulted In that case writing an accent is perfectly acceptable!
I'm sorry for being AWOL during the summer - I spent last month in the USA and there were so many things to do and see that I just didn't have time to come to the forums (or use the computer at all).
Please, please, please, do update me about what I missed. How are your summers going so far?
@Sterretjeee Yes. that's what I meant. pic of food truck Even if the ones you mean don't open on the side, it's the same principal, I believe.
I'm just going to wait and see if there is any backlash about the accent thing.
@CharmingMaruska I was pretty MIA myself, but I don't think you missed too much. We missed you though
@mypalsim1 I don't think the accent thing will backlash, it can be amazing. @VIRTUALEE Does an amazing job in both writing and talking a wild variety of them
The pizza van opens on the side, but it specifically makes pizza's for the persons whom hired them. Not for the entire neighbourhood of everyone present. I think that might be the difference
@Sterretjeee I missed you all, too! I often thought about the forums and the story, I just didn't have time to hang out. It's good to be back, though
And to add to the discussion: Accents are one of the things I would love to do in my stories, but I can't. I just don't know English that well - one English is challenging enough for me. But I think accents really enrich stories and characters and I would love to include them if I could. I also really love them as a reader, although it can get tricky at times - I remember reading Gone with the Wind in english when I was younger and the old southern dialect was too much for me, I had to switch to slovak version.
And to add to the discussion: Accents are one of the things I would love to do in my stories, but I can't. I just don't know English that well - one English is challenging enough for me. But I think accents really enrich stories and characters and I would love to include them if I could. I also really love them as a reader, although it can get tricky at times - I remember reading Gone with the Wind in english when I was younger and the old southern dialect was too much for me, I had to switch to slovak version.
I totally understand that, @CharmingMaruska ! I recently had to read something in Spanish that had colloquialisms (wow, I spelled that right the first try), stuff said locally to an area, and we were asked to identify them. Good grief! I'm doing well if I can understand the regular Spanish because it's all strange to me. I think my professora forgets that.
Oh, and I typically look for whatever-assigned story in English and then read it in Spanish, so I totally understand your wanting to find a translation. And Gone With the Wind is a huge book! I like it because it's about where I live, but society is vastly different now (good). And the dirt really is red.
Comments
What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
Personally, I get irritated by it. But I'm finding myself extremely tempted to do so with a new character coming up. In fact, the way it is now, the phonetically written accent is there, but I don't know if it looks st.u.p*d or annoying. So, I thought I'd ask.
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
If it's an accent I'm familiar with (like one that a relative or friend has) then it's not too bad but if I haven't heard it enough before I leave it out. If the accent is done well then it's not annoying at all. For me it adds to the character.
Ok I actually have one story question, l of my own.
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
I probably have a few, well at least one.
Also just realised it's the 26th. How could I not known that? I fell really bad for forgetting.
No. I try to make them very "normal" (or what I consider normal). That's due to reading a fantasy series that had names like Tika or Tanis or Kitiara or Raistlin. All cool names, but friends of mine that were also reading the books would mispronounce them (imho). Like Tinka, Tahnis (where I would say Taynis), Kitara. I would pronounce Raistlin like Rastlin, taking out that 'I.'
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
I don't have names that are hard to pronounce, I do however use names that aren't that common because I think it adds character to the story and its characters.
What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
I haven't had to write in a different accent yet, and I'm not sure I'll be able too
Of Myth and Magic
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
Also my discussion Question: How many character point of views is too many?
Of Myth and Magic
Funny question. For me as a Czech girl most English names are pronounced differently than how I would read them without knowing the language. For example the pronounciation of the name "Ian" was a big surprise to me when I first heard it.
HEFFNER LEGACY│Simblr│Heffner Legacy Discussion │ Origin ID: Maladi
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read?
Yep, although it's probably me pronouncing it wrong. Now that I think about it...yeah it's definitely me.
How many character point of views is too many?
I guess it depends on the story. If it's a rotation story then it can be a lot more than maybe a legacy story. It depends on how many you're willing to take on without it getting too confusing.
I normally only have the POVs of my two main characters but there are a few exceptions to this:
-Something happens and I need another POV on the situation (or what happens involves one of my main characters)
-I need another POV for additional info that my main characters are unaware of at that time or are unwilling to reveal details
-I feel like it would work best from another characters' POV.
How many character point of views is too many?
I don't limit myself on this. At all. I got a mediocre book review when I transcribed a sims story into a book, saying that they 'got whiplash from the pov changes.' Oh well! That's my style, and I think I know exactly what chapter she's talking about. I wrote it how it needed to be written.
If it does get too ridiculous even for me, though, I'll go third person for a chapter.
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
Hmmm, I never asked myself this question. I remember it took some getting used to when I read the Game of Thrones books years ago for there were quite many characters and different POVs. Don't make it too many if you don't want to confuse the readers.
@mypalsim1 I read Tanis as Tah-nis as well.
HEFFNER LEGACY│Simblr│Heffner Legacy Discussion │ Origin ID: Maladi
Red-Anger/A Backstory with anger.
Black- Sadness/ Sad Backstory
Orange- Mix of Anger & Sadness
Green/Blue/Yellow- Happy
Pink-Love/Romance
White-Neutral
I don't do the towns like towns. It's all Eden with different metropolitan areas. I had to figure something out when Graham and Brielle moved, so it's all one huge city area with neighborhoods/quarters/zones/etc. So doing that wouldn't work. That's what Ethan meant when he said Tony was taking him to the desert area of town. Yeah, strange that a desert would be that close to a more lush area like Willow Creek is designed, but I make it work as best I can. There's old town and downtown, the shopping district, and home communities.
@Bugsie2016 LOL. I thought you just kept redoing the way your blog looked, didn't notice it was for that chapter only. That's good to know, though.
Edit (the following morning):
Inspired, I decided to work on my Duolingo too.
Thing is... I need it to be much better than that. But I'd say that's accurate.
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
OH yes @Sterretjeee .. OHHH I would love to have seen that (you dressed as Snow White on a steed!)
I am enjoying them in RL indeed ... and we are training up our little the right way too
Horses are serious business even when you are two.
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
3.3: It'snot
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
Your pizza sounds delicious @mypalsim1
Personally my favourite pizza is the 'light' pizza from Pizza Fresca, which is a bus that freshly makes the pizzas in front of your house
I like the light because I don't eat meat or fish and it's one of the few option left, not because I diet by the way
What is your opinion on trying to write an accent in a character's dialogue?
Personally I would just write: "X talked with heavy X accent" rather then writing it phonetic, I would be afraid to insult someone.
Do you have a character where you pronounce their name different from how it might be read? @Bugsie2016
Mirjam and Margo, probably. Both would be pronounced like they are in Dutch, or at least in my head. You could let google translate say it out loud in Dutch to get a impression of how I would pronounce it. But I give everyone creative freedom of how they think the names should be pronounced
How many character point of views is too many? @LillyDoves
@Maladi777 already mentioned Game Of Thrones, so I add to that: None, it's never too many. As long as you sell a solid story
@lisabee2 The pic will be available for 7 days, let me know if you missed it
A pizza truck in front of your house?! /drool. I live in too rural a place to have food trucks, although they've started doing a thing I think they call 'food truck Mondays' in the downtown square, but I'm always busy on Mondays.
(about the accent thing) Really? I've figured out where I've picked up this accent, but I'm not going to say SO that I don't accidentally insult someone. It's possible people will guess and guess wrong--because I still don't know how effective it's going to be. But as far as the story goes, it doesn't take place on Earth. I can call it Simopia and just leave it at that. Eden, Simopia. And the other character is from somewhere else. Just ... somewhere. Her name won't even be a giveaway from where because she changes her name before she moves to Eden.
Though, honestly, I'm going to feel silly. Maybe it'll work. Maybe not. I'm not the first to try this, and I won't be the last. If it does turn out to be annoying, I'll fix it.
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
Not actually binding the accent to a culture is a really good way to avoid making someone feel uncomfortable with it! I personally talked about, for example, writing a Chinese character without any r's. As there is a stereotype about that.
But if it is not bound to a culture, I don't think anyone would or should feel insulted
I'm sorry for being AWOL during the summer - I spent last month in the USA and there were so many things to do and see that I just didn't have time to come to the forums (or use the computer at all).
Please, please, please, do update me about what I missed. How are your summers going so far?
The Rossini Legacy
I'm just going to wait and see if there is any backlash about the accent thing.
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd
HEFFNER LEGACY│Simblr│Heffner Legacy Discussion │ Origin ID: Maladi
@CharmingMaruska I was pretty MIA myself, but I don't think you missed too much. We missed you though
@mypalsim1 I don't think the accent thing will backlash, it can be amazing. @VIRTUALEE Does an amazing job in both writing and talking a wild variety of them
The pizza van opens on the side, but it specifically makes pizza's for the persons whom hired them. Not for the entire neighbourhood of everyone present. I think that might be the difference
@Sterretjeee I missed you all, too! I often thought about the forums and the story, I just didn't have time to hang out. It's good to be back, though
And to add to the discussion: Accents are one of the things I would love to do in my stories, but I can't. I just don't know English that well - one English is challenging enough for me. But I think accents really enrich stories and characters and I would love to include them if I could. I also really love them as a reader, although it can get tricky at times - I remember reading Gone with the Wind in english when I was younger and the old southern dialect was too much for me, I had to switch to slovak version.
The Rossini Legacy
I totally understand that, @CharmingMaruska ! I recently had to read something in Spanish that had colloquialisms (wow, I spelled that right the first try), stuff said locally to an area, and we were asked to identify them. Good grief! I'm doing well if I can understand the regular Spanish because it's all strange to me. I think my professora forgets that.
Oh, and I typically look for whatever-assigned story in English and then read it in Spanish, so I totally understand your wanting to find a translation. And Gone With the Wind is a huge book! I like it because it's about where I live, but society is vastly different now (good). And the dirt really is red.
Chain Reaction Legacy|After the End|Alicekai'd