cityarcade | MEME: Linguistics

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meme: misc.

MEME: Linguistics

Prompted by a conversation on Twitter, let's take a look at the linguistic choices behind the way our characters speak! NERDS. Here are a few prompts, but feel free to talk about anything you feel like with regards to language and your characters.

Where and when are they from originally?
What is their accent?
Do they curse? Under what circumstances?
What influences the way they speak?
Has their speech changed since arriving in Darrow? In what ways does it differ from canon?
Have they picked up any specific language/slang/vocal tics while in Darrow?
What slang do they use, if any?
Do you have anything specific you keep in mind when writing their dialogue?
What else should we know about how they speak?

Let's talk about talking.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

THIS IS FUN. :D

Where and when are they from originally?
Georgia, 2014.

What is their accent?
Beth has a bit of a Southern accent, not overly thick, but very noticeable.

Do they curse? Under what circumstances?
Rarely. When she curses, it's usually to make a point and she doesn't even say things like 'oh my god' very often. The word 'fuck' almost NEVER comes out of her, but she'll say things like 'bullshit' or 'asshole' if she's mad.

What influences the way they speak?
Religion in a way still has a hold on what she chooses to say (which is why there's very rarely mention of god in her dialogue) and she tends to keep in mind she spends a lot of time around a toddler who will probably be all too happy to repeat any bad words she decides to say. She's also still a little shy, so she has difficulty saying certain words, especially when it comes to anything sexual.

Has their speech changed since arriving in Darrow? In what ways does it differ from canon?
Hmm, I don't think it's changed a lot, no. She's a little more free with what she does say here. While she still doesn't curse a lot, she's not as conscious of things she might have once been, like which words might upset her parents. She's an adult now, she worries about that a lot less.

Do you have anything specific you keep in mind when writing their dialogue?
I try to keep in mind the way she drops the g at the end of a lot of words like 'doing' or 'something'. She also uses 'gotta' and 'wanna' rather than the separate words 'got to' and 'want to'. Beth doesn't pause or stumble over her words much in canon, so I try to stay away from that.

What else should we know about how they speak?
HER VOICE IS CUTE.