Quote Originally Posted by Keltest View Post
Sure, but... like I said, they do talk. To each other. If the surprise is at it deigning to vocalize at them, then I would argue them being surprised about it using common makes little sense. What other language would it use if it were deliberately trying to communicate with people who speak common?

ETA: I can break down the exact reason why I think the specific wording used does not work for what you think it does if you'd like.
I mean, people react in the moment in all sorts of ways; being surprised MitD is talking at all, and to them in their language, instead of, not talking or, I dunno, muttering to itself in its own language, makes enough sense to me. Like I don't think whatever pause in between the sentences there is going to give SBGH time to think, in this example, "Wow, a Protean is deigning to talk to us! But I guess it makes sense it would be talking in Common if it was communicating to us."

You're welcome to break it down, but I think since we're getting to the point of how we parse a handful of words, it might just be an element we don't agree on. (Especially since, as you well know, I think the Protean is the best fit overall and for a number of other scenes, so as long as a scene like this fits a standard of "Would it be plausible for them to react like this to a Protean?" and not necessarily "Is this exactly what I'd expect them to say about a Protean?", it's fine with me.)