How long to teach a Goblin to speak Common?

[Oramac]

Just what the title says. I messed up in one of my groups earliest sessions and forgot that Goblins already know common. So the goblin that my group captured and has kept around for a long time now has finally decided he wants to learn common.

The only player in the party that speaks Goblin conveniently wasn't able to make the last session, and three weeks of in-game time have passed before the other characters returned. Could she teach a goblin even halting Common in that time?

[Tanarii]

250 days of downtime, same as learning a Tool Proficiency.

Edit: That's for PCs of course. For an NPC to get to broken-language level for a language that is the lingua-franca for most campaigns, the answer is however long you need it to take.

[Oramac]

250 days of downtime, same as learning a Tool Proficiency.

Edit: That's for PCs of course. For an NPC to get to broken-language level for a language that is the lingua-franca for most campaigns, the answer is however long you need it to take.

Good deal. Thanks. I forgot learning a language is in the book. But I'm AFB at the moment anyway.

I think I'll give him a basic broken-Common understanding with the downtime they spent. He won't get advanced concepts or metaphors or anything, but the basics will [usually] work.

[Grey Watcher]

Just what the title says. I messed up in one of my groups earliest sessions and forgot that Goblins already know common. So the goblin that my group captured and has kept around for a long time now has finally decided he wants to learn common.

The only player in the party that speaks Goblin conveniently wasn't able to make the last session, and three weeks of in-game time have passed before the other characters returned. Could she teach a goblin even halting Common in that time?


250 days of downtime, same as learning a Tool Proficiency.

In your shoes, I might say 3 weeks was enough to teach him some broken Common. Basically, I'd rule that three weeks is enough time to teach him enough vocabulary that he can form a sentence in Goblin and word-substitute translate it into Common. Said vocabulary probably only extends to pretty basic stuff (types of food, basic directions, common (no pun intended) verbs and adjectives, feelings and sensations, possibly weather). To quote Blackadder III "Just don't ask [him] to teach an anatomy class or direct a light opera."

Actually, come to think of it, occasionally (mind you occasionally, it could get grating) have him missing a key word here and there would help underscore that he really doesn't know that language. (I'm thinking of a time I found myself talking to a Spanish-speaker and completely blanking on "air conditioner." I tried to say "for making air cold," only to discover I couldn't think of Spanish for "cold," either. I mostly just stammered about air until the other guy finally put it together.)

[Oramac]

Actually, come to think of it, occasionally (mind you occasionally, it could get grating) have him missing a key word here and there would help underscore that he really doesn't know that language. (I'm thinking of a time I found myself talking to a Spanish-speaker and completely blanking on "air conditioner." I tried to say "for making air cold," only to discover I couldn't think of Spanish for "cold," either. I mostly just stammered about air until the other guy finally put it together.)

That's a fantastic idea. I'll definitely do that.