Swearing

[mirrorshades]

Something that I've been wondering... do you think Parson is at the point yet where he is actually saying "boop" instead of whatever the "real" word is that he would say, or is he still saying what he means and being "booped" out?

Doesn't matter one way or the other, just idle curiosity. :)

[SteveMB]

Something that I've been wondering... do you think Parson is at the point yet where he is actually saying "boop" instead of whatever the "real" word is that he would say, or is he still saying what he means and being "booped" out?

If his headache is caused by attempting to swear (implied by the fact that he seems merely disoriented in 18/1, tries to swear in 18/4, and cries in pain in 18/5), he presumably learned to avoid it. If not, there's no particular reason why he'd change his habits in that regard.

[Scientivore]

If his headache is caused by attempting to swear (implied by the fact that he seems merely disoriented in 18/1, tries to swear in 18/4, and cries in pain in 18/5), he presumably learned to avoid it. If not, there's no particular reason why he'd change his habits in that regard.

I've already conditioned myself to say -- even think -- "boop" instead of whatever I'm substituting it for...and I'm not being forced by physics.

[Imrahil]

I think it's the same situation as a person going to another country where they speak a different language. Though one might learn the language perfectly, do they still think in the original language they were born with, or has their mind changed to think in their new language?

Please note, I don't have an answer for this, it's just something I've always pondered.

[Ultimatum479]

If his headache is caused by attempting to swear

It's not. Read all the comics right afterward and that never happens. "What the boop? That joke booped." Etc. The confusion just hit before the headache, that's all.

[jindra34]

I think it's the same situation as a person going to another country where they speak a different language. Though one might learn the language perfectly, do they still think in the original language they were born with, or has their mind changed to think in their new language?

Please note, I don't have an answer for this, it's just something I've always pondered.

they start to think in a meld of both... i have not even mastered another langauge and it has happened to me...

[Demented]

The meanings are more important than the words.
You think in whatever language you're currently speaking. It's more efficient that way, than having to translate from your mother language to the new language before you open your mouth to speak.

However, Parson isn't willingly saying 'boop'; that's just how it ends up sounding... So there's probably a different mechanic at work.

[Methix]

As a native English speaker that is living abroad, my opinion is that you generally still think in your native language until your second language skills are very good (admittedly, my Japanese is still very basic). With the possible exception of certain phrases that are used all the time, I still think in English, then try to translate (usually unsuccessfully...). Even with common phrases, I think my brain has simply gotten used to thinking it in English, translating it, and speaking it more and less unconsciously. I don't ever feel like I'm thinking in Japanese.

I've had this conversation with my mother (native Japanese, but perfectly fluent English and Japanese) and she apparently thinks more in English because she's been living in the United States so long. However, even after 20+ years, certain things are much more natural for her to do in Japanese such as counting and reactionary words like "Ow!"

With as short a time as Parson has been in Erfworld, I would believe he's still saying <insert 4-letter word> and has just gotten used it coming out as "boop."

[Bilgore]

I still can't help but wonder:
Would Betty Boop be considered obscene in Erfworld?

[Demented]

Why do you think she was called Betty Boop? ;)

[Flying Elephant]

I think it's the same situation as a person going to another country where they speak a different language. Though one might learn the language perfectly, do they still think in the original language they were born with, or has their mind changed to think in their new language?

Please note, I don't have an answer for this, it's just something I've always pondered.

I have a magazine article about polyglotism (sp? I can't even think in English!) that there was some guy who claimed to speak, think, and even dream in multiple languages. I'll look for it.

[Ben_the_dragon]

I think it's the same situation as a person going to another country where they speak a different language. Though one might learn the language perfectly, do they still think in the original language they were born with, or has their mind changed to think in their new language?

Please note, I don't have an answer for this, it's just something I've always pondered.

my old german teacher could speak 5 different lang. perfectly, and i remember asking her 2 years in a row the same question< what lang. do you think in" and she was nice enough not to get mad at me and reply, "after using a lang. for about 6 months as my primary lang. i started to think in that lang. as well."

but this doesn't only happen with verbal communications as well, if you wear heavly coloured glasses, lets say red, for about 6 months, you will also start to deam in that colour too.

same works for smell, lived in a city where there is a pulp paper mill, i could smell it every day for about 6 months and then i faded away.

and touch, same city regulary got up to the high 30's C low 40's C in temp. in the summer, moved to a new city and i had to wear a sweeter becasue i found it so cold...although everyone else was wearing shorts and t-shirts, and sweeting like mad.

i hope people can understand what i am saying here, i may have gone off the deep end

[Radar]

my old german teacher could speak 5 different lang. perfectly, and i remember asking her 2 years in a row the same question< what lang. do you think in" and she was nice enough not to get mad at me and reply, "after using a lang. for about 6 months as my primary lang. i started to think in that lang. as well."
(...)

Sometimes it comes even faster, for example when you are forced to talk only in a foreign language (cause there is nobody native around). I ended up thinking in german only in about a week or so after arriving in Germany, but it's probably just me, because i tend to think in english if i just read a lot of english texts (to clarify: english is definetly not my native language).

[Everto]

People think in languages? I think in growls and yelps.

[Dihan]

I think in Welsh.

[Eladrinstar]

I think in English, my native language. However, I have dreamed in Spanish, but it is very bad Spanish. Its is like Spanglish. Pidgin Spanglish. Drunk Pidgin English.