New Tutor?

Oby · Post by **Oby** » Fri May 19, 2006 6:24 am

"Hmmm...Okay, so what we have then, are only a couple of issues. First, the changing nature of English." Oby scoffed "Not much we can do about that, short of revolutionizing hundreds of years of human history, and somehow, I don't think we have the ability to do that. The second one is the translator learning. Thinkin' what we need to do here is have you learn simple words without the translator. Then if the translator picks up words you can make associations with words you already know." Oby scrunched up his face a bit, seeing the confusion on Annie's face.

Crap, I'm going to wind up confusing her more than helping her. Antoine, don't screw this up.

"Let's see if I can give you an analogy." Oby held up a hand, making a calming motion. "I'm making some assumptions about the translator, here, so correct me if I'm wrong. I'm assuming that the translator for instance, when I say 'dog', gives you the definition of the four legged animal that runs around and barks." Oby looked around for a dog, not to be found on the grounds of SJS, and sighed, then looked down and laughed. Hell, maybe Bill's a genius afterall! Oby picked up 'Fun with Dick and Jane' and flipped till he found 'Spot'. "Like this." He pointed to the icon, now familiar to most every American youth. "Now, if I say, 'Man that guy's such a dog!' It's not literal, obviously he's not a dog. If we can have you learn dog on your own, without the translator, when it translates 'dog' to you, maybe you yourself can make the secondary translation." Oby scratched his head a bit. "Geeze, I hope I explained that right." He looks up at Annie. "Does that make any sense to you, I hope."

Annie Dromida · Post by **Annie Dromida** » Fri May 19, 2006 9:51 am

Annie had be all too familiar with how humans, especially human children, loved to rearrainge the language like that. She tried to guess what her classmates said half the time when they started saying things that didn't seem to fit, but most of the time she just smiled, hoping that further conversation whould show her what was being said.

"I've.... had the new totally awesome sayings explained to me, at least some of the ones I've heard. Others, when I ask, some of the students just stop talking and try and change the subject. But maybe I should learn some of your language, without the translator, so I can, like, understand some things being said, ya know like, important stuff! And then, maybe I... could teach you some of my words?"

Oby · Post by **Oby** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:05 am

Oby smiled at the girls words. "I think I'd like that." He chuckled and bumped her shoulder with his "I just hope my voice can handle it!"

Oby thought a moment, and picked up the books he'd brought. "Well, if we want to go over important words, we certainly won't need these." He stuffed them back into his bag. "Alright, where should we begin?" Oby brightened with an idea, and pulled out a notebook. "How are you with written words? Does the translator help with that too?"

Annie Dromida · Post by **Annie Dromida** » Tue May 23, 2006 1:22 pm

"Oh, silly, of course it wouldn't! But just because you wouldn't be able to speak my language doesn't mean you couldn't understand some of it! I guess it would have to be the same with me, though. I totally don't think that I would be able make my voice as harsh and flat as yours, not without my translator."

Looking down at the bundle of paper, Annie's eyes lit up again.

"Oh yes! But I see different symbols than what you put down. It's why I have so much difficulty.... there are entire areas of these books that look like scribbles to me."

Oby · Post by **Oby** » Tue May 23, 2006 1:30 pm

"Phew. Okay, that leaves us a lot to cover. I'll try drawing some stuff, and we'll work on what it would be in your language and mine. " Oby chuckled "I can't vouch for my artwork, so hopefully you'll be able to tell what things are."

Oby shifted to look at Annie "What kind of things do you think would be important to learn first?"

Annie Dromida · Post by **Annie Dromida** » Wed May 24, 2006 1:37 pm

"It's probably not important for me to know everything humans say, just enough to know what's going on and ways of telling me where to go...."

Fiddling with one of her pigtails, Annie once again wished that she had her father with her.

"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this. Earth is the first planet I've been to where translators weren't, like, everywhere!"

Oby · Post by **Oby** » Wed May 24, 2006 2:07 pm

Oby grinned, thinking they might finally be getting somewhere. "Okay, well that's a great start. Directions start out pretty simply. You know North, South, East and West? Left and Right? I think that makes the most sense to start there. You'll need to take off your translator in a minute, and we'll start with left and right. I'll raise a hand, I'll start with right, and I'll say the word right." Oby chuckled a bit "It's probably going to sound totally weird, but that'll be the word. You just try to repeat it." He thought about it for a second, "You might try to sing it. I think your voice is going to be more suited for that."

Annie Dromida · Post by **Annie Dromida** » Fri May 26, 2006 3:07 pm

Looking around, Annie saw the gargoyles placed around the school grounds. She had once been told that humans used the magnetic field of their planet to help in navigation, and that the directions along this orientation had gained significance in many of the ways they viewed things later. One of these was that the statues were supposed to represent wards of protection for the students, and that their alignment to North, South, East and West were important.

"I, uhmmmm, I think that should be Okay.... I just hope my words aren't too difficult......"

Taking off her translator again, Annie waited for her stoney friend to begin the lesson.

Oby · Post by **Oby** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:55 am

Oby watched as Annie took the translator off and found that he was nervous. He'd faced down War Wolves, and Vampyri, Doc Vahz, and Arakhn, but the simple act of trying to teach Annie how to speak, made him more nervous than any of that. He tried to force back feeling of 'What if?' and though about his first move.

He started by drawing a crude compass rose in the ground, using landmarks to make sure he got the cardinals correct. He made the rose big enough that they could stand at the center of it. He lifted Annie from where she was sitting, and brought her to the middle of the rose, and stood behind her as he lifted her arm with his to point to the north. Thinking that she might benefit from something more tonal than flat words, he sang the word in a moderately successful baritone. It'd work for this, but sure wouldn't get him a place on the glee club. "North" he sang, shooting a warning glare at a few students who saw what was going on and laughed at the duo. He stopped to look at Annie, indicating for her to try.

Annie Dromida · Post by **Annie Dromida** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 2:45 pm

Seraph sounded like a Frigtalik as he chanted the alien word. Annie loved humans so much, as a race they were constantly growing and adapting, which was what her friend was doing now.

"Neeeearoth"

Annie was so nervous, because she knew that her voice wanted to spread across a couple of different ranges, but she thought that maybe she was close.

Then after a pause, Annie tapped Seraph on the shoulder and then gestured to herself.

"Dallg'ithart"

Oby · Post by **Oby** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:46 am

"Neeeeeearoth"

Seraph grinned as Annie tried the first word, and held his hand up and made the "so - so" hand sign. She was damn close for someone that had never really spoken a word.

He was caught up in trying to figure out a way to correct things, that he didn't see the look on Annie's face, and didn't register anything till her light tap came on his shoulder.

He looked up at her, seeing her smile, and then point to herself. "Dallg'thart" Oby was confused at first, until she repeated the same motion and word. When he finally put two and two together, his face lit up. Well, I hope she means that's her name. The multitonal nature of her voice really made the word sound, well, alien. Which, of course, made perfect sense.

He took a moment to figure out exactly how he'd get this one across. 'North' was easy. One syllable long vowel sound, simple. His name however was going to be interesting. He also realized something else, before trying to 'sing' the word again. He really didn't care about getting embarassed by it. He was trying something that nobody else had thought to do. He took in a breath, Here goes. He pointed to himself and sing-songed the name.

"Antoine"

Then pointed back to her, and hoped to god he wouldn't mangle her name too badly.

"Daagl'thrak?" He winced a bit, knowing he hadn't gotten it quite right, and hoped he hadn't said something totally revolting instead.

Annie Dromida · Post by **Annie Dromida** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:10 pm

"Antoine."

Oh no! Annie thought to herself, Seraph thinks I'm telling him my name! Oh, stupid T'lisnia, you need to correct this! What do humans do when they disagree? Oh yes!

With a wobbling motion of her head, Annie almost looked like she was diagreeing with Seraph. Then, reaching out with her hands, the moved Oby's stony arm to point in the direction of "Neeeearoth".

"Dallg'ithart! Dallg'ithart!"

Wideyed and hoping desperatly that she was doing this right, Annie pointed to her face and uttered a strange sound that had so many multitones and reverberations that it would be almost impossible to portray in human writing. Then she pointed to Seraph's face and said, "Sheeraf! Aynt... Aynt..."

Oby · Post by **Oby** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:44 pm

"Sheeraf! Aynt... Aynt..."

Recognition dawned on Oby's face as Annie deparately tried to correct the mistake that he'd made. He covered his face with his hand with an embarassed laugh, looking out between his fingers. Hoping this would get the idea across that he'd recognized the mistake. He pulled his hand away, and rolled his eyes, knocking the heel of his hand against his temple.

He pointed to the north, and said "North....Dallg'thark" then nodded.

He then put his palm on his chest, intoning "Antoine", pointing to Annie he started to try to say her name, but stopped knowing he had no chance. Oby quirked his mouth to the side as he thought a second, then shrugged. Her adopted earth name would have to do. He really hoped she'd recognize it. He sing-songed the name, "Annie"

Annie Dromida · Post by **Annie Dromida** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:00 pm

Pointing to her own face, the Tau Cetian girl then asked, "Aynniee?"

She moved her finger then to point to Seraph. "Ayin... Ain.... Aoieee...."

growing frustereated, Annie then pointed in the direction of the bull-headed gargoyle. "Neroth"