Lúthien Tinúviel (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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gondolindrim2013-04-04 12:55 pm
luthien_tinuviel) wrote in gondolindrim2013-04-04 12:55 pm
Entry tags:
I speak whale!
Celegorm: *sits on a bench in the park, Huan napping underneath*
Luthien: *approaches with Melui at her side, long skirts sweeping behind*
Melui: *zips ahead and barks at Huan, urging him to get up and play*
Huan: Woof! [Hi! Let's play!] *rushes up to Luthien and sniffs her skirt before chasing after Melui*
Celegorm: *stands and bows slightly* Good morning. You look lovely today.
Luthien: *curtsies* And you seem well. I'd like to thank you again for your willingness to share your knowledge with me. It will be a great boon, I'm certain.
Celegorm: It's my pleasure, really. Not many Elves want to learn. *gestures to the seat on the bench* Have a seat. There are lots of animals around that are eager to talk. Any preferences?
Luthien: I think dogs would be an easy place to start, or perhaps birds. Those are common enough.
Celegorm: Let's start with the dogs, then. *whistles for Huan*
Huan: *runs up, eager, tail wagging*
Melui: *follows after and sits in front of them*
Celegorm: It's really not as hard as it seems. Half of it is intention, the other half language. Let's focus on a greeting. *looks into Huan's eyes and makes a yipping sound.* [Hello!]
Huan: Woof! [Hi! Why are you saying hello?]
Celegorm: [Just go with it. We're teaching Luthien]
Celegorm: Now you try it. *repeats the sound* Make sure you enunciate your hard Y, and picture a greeting in your mind when you address Huan. Dogs communicate with images and words.
Luthien: *thinks she's going to sound silly but she banishes the thought and imagines a friendly greeting instead and emulates the sound* [Hello!]
Huan: *repeats the sound back to her, tail wagging* [Hi!!]
Celegorm: Nicely done. Did you notice he replied in the same manner?
Luthien: I did. *grins* He was saying hello to me.
Celegorm: Exactly. Let's try something else. Questions are complicated, so let's ask him for an object. *spots a stick nearby* I'll ask him to bring the stick back to us. *makes a series of short staccato noises*
Huan: Woof! [oh boy! Fetch!] *goes to get the stick*
Celegorm: *turns to Luthien* Did you notice the way I clicked my tongue? That was the term for "stick" but it also works for most straight objects. Dogs don't know complicated words, so you have to picture the object when you speak.
Luthien: *nods, absorbing the information* So a stick, or a pencil, or any item like that can be described with that sound.
Celegorm: *nods* Yes, and the language is similar for most mammals. Birds are a bit different. Fish can be a real pain in the ass.
Luthien: Have you much cause to speak with fish? *genuinely curious*
Celegorm: You'd be surprised. If you drop something in the bottom of the river, asking a fish to retrieve it saves a LOT of time.
Luthien: *grins* And the fish oblige you if you ask politely?
Celegorm: It helps if you have some food. *grins back* Or a smaller fish.
Luthien: *shakes her head with a smile* I'll have to keep that in mind.
Celegorm: Indeed, because you just never know. Is there any common phrase or word you'd like to try?
Luthien: *considers for a moment* Well, if Melui were to fall ill or feel some discomfort, I'd very much like to understand her. So perhaps, 'how are you feeling?'
Celegorm: *nods* It helps if you specify...for example, 'are you sick?' or 'are you sad?' and then picture a sick dog or a sad dog when you ask. Open ended questions require a lot of practice.
Luthien: *nods* I see...
Celegorm: *makes a series of noises to Huan, who barks in response* He said he is feeling well, thank you for asking. *grins and repeats the sounds again* Try that with Melui.
Luthien: *listens carefully before repeating the sounds to Melui*
Melui: *perks up at being addressed directly and barks in reply* [I'm well!]
Celegorm: *to melui* [You do look quite well, my dear] She said she is feeling well.
Luthien: I'm glad to hear it. *reaches out and scratches behind Melui's ear* How do you tell them they've done well? Praise them?
Celegorm: Honestly, they like affection...so a scratch is a great way. But if you want to say "well done" in their language it is *makes a higher pitched yipping sound*
Luthien: *nods and repeats*
Melui: *joy!*
Celegorm: *chuckles* You're quite good at this. You must have a natural empathic ability.
Luthien: *pleased smile* It helps to have a capable tutor.
Celegorm: *eyebrows raised* If I didn't know better, I'd swear...*looks at Huan* Was that a compliment? I think it was!
Huan: Woof! [sounded like one to me!]
Luthien: I think you've earned this one.
Celegorm: *grins* Thanks...
Luthien: You're welcome. *smile* But tell me, what are some other phrases you've found useful? Are dogs who aren't trained to follow commands more likely to do so if you speak in their tongue?
Celegorm: Most dogs are eager to please, so yes. They want to communicate with us, and any attempt to do so is met with tail-wagging enthusiasm. *works through a few phrases like 'what is your name' and 'who is your owner'*
Celegorm: Open ended questions take some work, so you might not understand their replies right away, but they will know what you are trying to ask.
Luthien: Do dogs have their own names, or only the ones we give them?
Celegorm: It depends. If they are raised by humans or elves from puppies, they use the names we give them. Otherwise, they tend to name themselves.
Luthien: That is fascinating. What sort of name would a dog give itself, I wonder.
Celegorm: Something that suits their personality or something they love. I met a dog who named himself Mudpuddle. He looked like he lived in one.
Luthien: *laughs in surprise* That is delightful.
Celegorm: *chuckles* He was a character, that is for certain. *hands Luthien a short list of some phrases spelled out phonetically* Here. For practice.
Luthien: *accepts it and reads over them* Thank you. I'm sure Melui will help me practice these between now and our next lesson.
Celegorm: *stands and offers her his hand* Until next time, my lady.
Luthien: *takes his hand and stands as well, inclining her head* Until then, my lord.
Luthien: *approaches with Melui at her side, long skirts sweeping behind*
Melui: *zips ahead and barks at Huan, urging him to get up and play*
Huan: Woof! [Hi! Let's play!] *rushes up to Luthien and sniffs her skirt before chasing after Melui*
Celegorm: *stands and bows slightly* Good morning. You look lovely today.
Luthien: *curtsies* And you seem well. I'd like to thank you again for your willingness to share your knowledge with me. It will be a great boon, I'm certain.
Celegorm: It's my pleasure, really. Not many Elves want to learn. *gestures to the seat on the bench* Have a seat. There are lots of animals around that are eager to talk. Any preferences?
Luthien: I think dogs would be an easy place to start, or perhaps birds. Those are common enough.
Celegorm: Let's start with the dogs, then. *whistles for Huan*
Huan: *runs up, eager, tail wagging*
Melui: *follows after and sits in front of them*
Celegorm: It's really not as hard as it seems. Half of it is intention, the other half language. Let's focus on a greeting. *looks into Huan's eyes and makes a yipping sound.* [Hello!]
Huan: Woof! [Hi! Why are you saying hello?]
Celegorm: [Just go with it. We're teaching Luthien]
Celegorm: Now you try it. *repeats the sound* Make sure you enunciate your hard Y, and picture a greeting in your mind when you address Huan. Dogs communicate with images and words.
Luthien: *thinks she's going to sound silly but she banishes the thought and imagines a friendly greeting instead and emulates the sound* [Hello!]
Huan: *repeats the sound back to her, tail wagging* [Hi!!]
Celegorm: Nicely done. Did you notice he replied in the same manner?
Luthien: I did. *grins* He was saying hello to me.
Celegorm: Exactly. Let's try something else. Questions are complicated, so let's ask him for an object. *spots a stick nearby* I'll ask him to bring the stick back to us. *makes a series of short staccato noises*
Huan: Woof! [oh boy! Fetch!] *goes to get the stick*
Celegorm: *turns to Luthien* Did you notice the way I clicked my tongue? That was the term for "stick" but it also works for most straight objects. Dogs don't know complicated words, so you have to picture the object when you speak.
Luthien: *nods, absorbing the information* So a stick, or a pencil, or any item like that can be described with that sound.
Celegorm: *nods* Yes, and the language is similar for most mammals. Birds are a bit different. Fish can be a real pain in the ass.
Luthien: Have you much cause to speak with fish? *genuinely curious*
Celegorm: You'd be surprised. If you drop something in the bottom of the river, asking a fish to retrieve it saves a LOT of time.
Luthien: *grins* And the fish oblige you if you ask politely?
Celegorm: It helps if you have some food. *grins back* Or a smaller fish.
Luthien: *shakes her head with a smile* I'll have to keep that in mind.
Celegorm: Indeed, because you just never know. Is there any common phrase or word you'd like to try?
Luthien: *considers for a moment* Well, if Melui were to fall ill or feel some discomfort, I'd very much like to understand her. So perhaps, 'how are you feeling?'
Celegorm: *nods* It helps if you specify...for example, 'are you sick?' or 'are you sad?' and then picture a sick dog or a sad dog when you ask. Open ended questions require a lot of practice.
Luthien: *nods* I see...
Celegorm: *makes a series of noises to Huan, who barks in response* He said he is feeling well, thank you for asking. *grins and repeats the sounds again* Try that with Melui.
Luthien: *listens carefully before repeating the sounds to Melui*
Melui: *perks up at being addressed directly and barks in reply* [I'm well!]
Celegorm: *to melui* [You do look quite well, my dear] She said she is feeling well.
Luthien: I'm glad to hear it. *reaches out and scratches behind Melui's ear* How do you tell them they've done well? Praise them?
Celegorm: Honestly, they like affection...so a scratch is a great way. But if you want to say "well done" in their language it is *makes a higher pitched yipping sound*
Luthien: *nods and repeats*
Melui: *joy!*
Celegorm: *chuckles* You're quite good at this. You must have a natural empathic ability.
Luthien: *pleased smile* It helps to have a capable tutor.
Celegorm: *eyebrows raised* If I didn't know better, I'd swear...*looks at Huan* Was that a compliment? I think it was!
Huan: Woof! [sounded like one to me!]
Luthien: I think you've earned this one.
Celegorm: *grins* Thanks...
Luthien: You're welcome. *smile* But tell me, what are some other phrases you've found useful? Are dogs who aren't trained to follow commands more likely to do so if you speak in their tongue?
Celegorm: Most dogs are eager to please, so yes. They want to communicate with us, and any attempt to do so is met with tail-wagging enthusiasm. *works through a few phrases like 'what is your name' and 'who is your owner'*
Celegorm: Open ended questions take some work, so you might not understand their replies right away, but they will know what you are trying to ask.
Luthien: Do dogs have their own names, or only the ones we give them?
Celegorm: It depends. If they are raised by humans or elves from puppies, they use the names we give them. Otherwise, they tend to name themselves.
Luthien: That is fascinating. What sort of name would a dog give itself, I wonder.
Celegorm: Something that suits their personality or something they love. I met a dog who named himself Mudpuddle. He looked like he lived in one.
Luthien: *laughs in surprise* That is delightful.
Celegorm: *chuckles* He was a character, that is for certain. *hands Luthien a short list of some phrases spelled out phonetically* Here. For practice.
Luthien: *accepts it and reads over them* Thank you. I'm sure Melui will help me practice these between now and our next lesson.
Celegorm: *stands and offers her his hand* Until next time, my lady.
Luthien: *takes his hand and stands as well, inclining her head* Until then, my lord.