The Legacy of Dominic Deegan: The Unending Snark

[halfeye]

I want to say it's racist for all mongrelfolk to, apparently, have literacy issues, but I'm just not sure who it'd be racist against. Can a writer be racist against their own fictional race?

Against those of mixed race? The very name mongrel-folk suggests something like that, except that it doesn't exactly say that they are worse. There are plenty of real world "mongrel" people, the F1 generation tend to be better than average, the second not so much, but no worse than average.

[Traab]

It could also be that english is a foreign language to them. Im sure if I tried to name something "The Library" in spanish, if I didnt have a handy translator La Biblioteka would be my best guess at spelling it. And for my final or, or it could be a phonetic variant of the language. Like how england is obsessed with the letter u in words where it does not belong. Freaky buggers. Its fairly clearly pronounced correctly, just spelled differently. As for why he is here when this library wasnt on his list, why not? They are right here, in town, there is a book store, why not take a half hour and check? The list he has doesnt have to be literally the only places in existence the books can be found, just a few known locations, and even then its only known, at that time they were there. Who knows how long its been since the list was updated?

[Vinyadan]

They could follow no standard, or a local standard, or various local standards. Each teacher could have his ideas concerning how you should write. Book Store is actually written in a way that makes sense: two u could represent a long u (a long version of the sound in "rule"), and the little line above the o in store means a long vowel, which as far as I understand is the same meaning of the unspoken final -e in "store" (that the previous syllable has a long vowel).

[Celestia]

It could also be that english is a foreign language to them. Im sure if I tried to name something "The Library" in spanish, if I didnt have a handy translator La Biblioteka would be my best guess at spelling it. And for my final or, or it could be a phonetic variant of the language. Like how england is obsessed with the letter u in words where it does not belong. Freaky buggers. Its fairly clearly pronounced correctly, just spelled differently. As for why he is here when this library wasnt on his list, why not? They are right here, in town, there is a book store, why not take a half hour and check? The list he has doesnt have to be literally the only places in existence the books can be found, just a few known locations, and even then its only known, at that time they were there. Who knows how long its been since the list was updated?

If English isn't their first language, then why is everything written exclusively in it? You don't go to Germany and find all their signs written in poorly spelled English; they're written in German.

[Vinyadan]

If English isn't their first language, then why is everything written exclusively in it? You don't go to Germany and find all their signs written in poorly spelled English; they're written in German.

Sure, but which spelling would the Germans use?

[Celestia]

Sure, but which spelling would the Germans use?

I'd assume they'd get someone who knows English to give them the correct spelling so they don't look like idiots.

[Welf]

I'd assume they'd get someone who knows English to give them the correct spelling so they don't look like idiots.

I think he means the differences in German dialects. Standard German is based on the dialects in middle and north Germany. Spelling and pronunciation are almost identical. In the south that is not the case. The standard German sentence "Ich habe ein Geschenk für Dich" would be written as "I hob a G'schenk fia di" if they used the same principles. Here is a long video about it.
English spelling rules are a train wreck. Without a school system or a administration enforcing its rules it's likely that people would revert to a more phonetic system.

[Vinyadan]

What I meant is that German spelling underwent a reform in 1996, so you get different versions of the same word.

This having been said, bad English is pretty common everywhere. You don't always care enough to spend money to get a qualified speaker.

[random11]

We're not exactly talking about a work by Tolkein here...
It's just another "planet of the hats".
Burt (I think that was his name?) used to write in broken English, so everyone writes the same way.

But I guess we all know it already, and it's just another thought exercise.
So might as well add another:

I tried to imagine how a culture of "Snouts" would develop in a place like the wild zone.
Imagine an entire race that the zone they live in provides everything they need.
Hungry? Just go to a random direction and you'll find an edible plant.
Tired? You will find shelter by looking for 5 seconds when you need it.

The wild zone will never make you rich or powerful, but it will provide the basic necessities and protection for survival.

So what will happen?
I'm guessing a culture like this will be less advanced in technology simply because there was never a need for it.
Farming for example, why bother if there is never a need for food?
Weapons are not needed when even the wild beasts of the land cannot harm you and will die from a random accident if they try.
Magic does not work properly, so obviously no one will bother learning any type of it.

[Traab]

Well an adult book store still counts as a book store... right?

[random11]

Update

Okay, have to admit, kind of a weird update but I laughed a bit here.

[Celestia]

How many brothels does one city need to justify a (what looks like) several hundred page hardcover book about only the best ones? >__>

[Kantaki]

How many brothels does one city need to justify a (what looks like) several hundred page hardcover book about only the best ones? >__>

The entries are very detailed.

[Celestia]

Also, is that a reference to Interspecies Reviewers or just a coincidence?

[Traab]

Because he's deaf you see, thats the joke

[random11]

It looks like it took time, isn't the witch in the same room? (maybe it's a blessing considering his "formal wear")
Also, as far as I know deaf people will notice you when you spit on the back of their necks, unless he is really into the book.

[Celestia]

It looks like it took time, isn't the witch in the same room? (maybe it's a blessing considering his "formal wear")
Also, as far as I know deaf people will notice you when you spit on the back of their necks, unless he is really into the book.

Well, considering the kinds of books at this store, he might be quite distracted by one of them.

[random11]

Because he's deaf you see, thats the joke

You can even say... It's the butt of the joke

[Vinyadan]

No "Altered Bodies", or whatever it was called?

[random11]

Update

Second joke in a row that doesn't work if you remember the witch is right there in the same room.

[Celestia]

Update

Second joke in a row that doesn't work if you remember the witch is right there in the same room.

Really? I was about to compliment him for this one. Sure, it's not funny, but that's only because it's a tired cliché that has been done countless times before. It's still a decently constructed joke, at least. I'm not sure how the witch's presence or lack thereof is relevant.

[random11]

Really? I was about to compliment him for this one. Sure, it's not funny, but that's only because it's a tired cliché that has been done countless times before. It's still a decently constructed joke, at least. I'm not sure how the witch's presence or lack thereof is relevant.

When he is alone, as a clueless person that never left his house and has no idea what money even is, it works.
When there is a person right behind him that can explain things for him, it works less.

At least it's better than the last joke, since it was fast and not long actions right next to her.

[Welf]

When he is alone, as a clueless person that never left his house and has no idea what money even is, it works.
When there is a person right behind him that can explain things for him, it works less.

In that specific case it works. Since he is deaf and mute he neither can casually tell her what he plans to do, or listen what she says. He would have to write down to tell her something he assumes is a given.

[Celestia]

My favorite problems are the ones that are immediately solved on the very same page.

[random11]

My favorite problems are the ones that are immediately solved on the very same page.

It took 5 panels, so it's slightly higher than the average problem solving time

Remember the good old times when we complained about problem solving times in single digit PAGES and not panels?

[Traab]

What is an ink drip reading, and why does it seem like they are incredibly popular? Im assuming she can dominic deegan scry through ink blots rather than crystal balls and write the truth, possibly read the truth. Seriously though, "Hi, im a random person who obviously doesnt live here and has done nothing to establish myself as someone with a gift that can be trusted. Pay me money and I will use this obscure method to tell the future!" If she is capable of scrying things through her ink powers, why are they wandering instead of getting the answers via magic? I forget if DD ever explained how the guy able to see the future with casual ease and scry long distances, including across dimensions, still had to physically go out and do stuff to solve mysteries.

[Kantaki]

What are ink drippings?
Rorschach-Tarot from the looks of it.

Also, there's no way those were made by dripping ink.
She clearly drew those.
Rip-off. Con-woman.
Burn the witch!

[Celestia]

What is an ink drip reading, and why does it seem like they are incredibly popular? Im assuming she can dominic deegan scry through ink blots rather than crystal balls and write the truth, possibly read the truth. Seriously though, "Hi, im a random person who obviously doesnt live here and has done nothing to establish myself as someone with a gift that can be trusted. Pay me money and I will use this obscure method to tell the future!" If she is capable of scrying things through her ink powers, why are they wandering instead of getting the answers via magic? I forget if DD ever explained how the guy able to see the future with casual ease and scry long distances, including across dimensions, still had to physically go out and do stuff to solve mysteries.

Based on the real world, I 100% believe that there are plenty of people more than willing to buy into ambiguous, unsubstantiated pseudoscience nonsense that claims to tell the future with remarkably vague results.

[random11]

On a positive note (no idea why I'm positive in the current real life situation), it's the first time a reasonable coincidence was used to connect to another event.

So in his dream he is the force of order, surrounded by mystery, controlling renewal, while the witch is expression? (whatever that means)

[Kornaki]

That's actually clever. I didn't notice the connection to the dream.