Detect Thoughts

[Ginger]

I have a question about the Detect Thoughts spell. The description makes no mention of any language issues, however it does describe the spell as reading the "surface thoughts."

Seeing as people and creatures think in their native language, would you (generic human bard) were to read the thoughts of an Orc, without knowing Orcish, would you be able to understand the thoughts??

So the orc and the bard both speak common, but the orc's native language is orcish, so his thoughts would also be orcish.

I guess the question is, are "surface thoughts" language dependent or are they just the abstract concepts, void of language?

[SilverLeaf167]

I have a question about the Detect Thoughts spell. The description makes no mention of any language issues, however it does describe the spell as reading the "surface thoughts."

Seeing as people and creatures think in their native language, would you (generic human bard) were to read the thoughts of an Orc, without knowing Orcish, would you be able to understand the thoughts??

So the orc and the bard both speak common, but the orc's native language is orcish, so his thoughts would also be orcish.

I guess the question is, are "surface thoughts" language dependent or are they just the abstract concepts, void of language?
Well, I think they ought to be "void of language" as one can read the thoughts of even animals. Worse than not sharing a language, they don't one at all, so if pme can read their thoughts I think the bard should be able to read the orc's thoughts just fine. He'd understand them just fine and probably wouldn't even notice that the orc is "thinking in orcish".

Also, there's no mention in the spell of being Language-Dependent or anything.

[Psyren]

The fact that you can pick up information from animals supports the "abstract concepts" interpretation. But if you do want some more guidance, Tome of Magic has a sidebar on this:

"Reading Thoughts

Reading a creature's surface thoughts reveals not only the immediate thought in its mind, but also some general information that it might know. If the target fails its saving throw, the mind reader should learn a brief description of its emotional state in broad terms, such as "bored and hungry," "nervous and alert," "angry and plotting," skeptical and cautious," and so on. The mind reader can also determine the target's awareness of other allies and enemies in the vicinity."

The "allies/enemies" one is key. If you pick up thoughts from a guard's mind, you should know that there's another guard around the corner, or one on the inside of the door that he's guarding.

[thethird]

As a bilingual speakers I cannot distinguish in which language I am thinking. Even when it comes to reading it takes me a conscious effort to differentiate between the two of them.

[Renen]

I think you dont "read" their thoughts. You just get pictures and emotions and such. You understand everything 100% which is even better than words, and it doesnt matter what language it is.

[Ginger]

Thank you!

Looks like the orc is going to go magneto on this and line his helmet with lead from now on.