Happy Ent Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 About the language-learning skill. I think we need to assume by authorial fiat that Kellhus immediately grasps the grammar of a language. This can be rationalised. The Dûnyain are obsessed with methods of control, so naturally they know at least as much linguistics as, say, 10 Noam Chomskys. So you show Joe Dûnyain 100 sentences in French, and he’ll infer the grammatical structure of French. This is how languages work, children can do it up to the age of 6, a cognitive skill that is turned off in normal humans when they become older, but which we can assume Dûnayin retain into adulthood because of selective breeding. My point is that the idea that all languages follow the same rules (just with a few 100 parameters about phrase structure, case, etc. tweaked) is consistent with our modern understanding of linguistics, and super-human language acquisition is a skills are present in non-fictional children, so Kellhus’s skill is not inconceivable. We are children to the Dûnyain, but with respect to language learning, children are Dûnyain to us grown-ups, so Bakker just takes this one more step. (“Children are adults to the Dûnyain with respect to language acquisition.) Then there’s vocabulary, which I find completely plausible. 1500 words will get you very, very far, and a native speaker has 10000 words. In largely oral cultures I think you’ll be fine with a few thousand words. I assume Kellhus’s Sheyic abilities were well honed by the time he began writing books or solving the cryptic crosswords in the Momemn Times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Selig Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Considering the many times I've seen you attempt to defend/explain away the shortcomings in Brandon Sandererson's work, the above almost borders on performance art. It's fine if you don't personally care for the style but at least pretend like your are being objective as it relates to quality no? I've always said Sanderson's style is quite bad and I have never defended this aspect of his writing. Anyway, Bakker's style is not as bad as Sanderson's, sure, but at least Sanderson knows his limitations and keeps it simple unlike Bakker who goes for complicated and "literary" style, etc and fail utterly at it way too often in the parts I read. ""He could sense wild cause sweep around him in statistical tides." What kind of sentence is this? And if I am going to read a series which is unrelentlessly grim, lacking in humour, full of rapes and other atrocities, and having high literary aspirations, I require a lot more in terms of style to make it through than when I am reading Sanderson's much less ambitious and more entertaining stuff. Not that I plan to read any more Sanderson any time soon.... Sanderson also isn't a pompous ass with an enormous ego in his online interactions with fans and critics and he doesn't consider himself God's gift to fantasy literature (and neither do his fans). :cool4: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prince of Newcastle Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 So I'm now nearing the end of The Darkness that Comes before....It's awesome. Cnauir is probably my favourite character. I love his interactions with Kellhus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Ent Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 “The steppe is trackless, eh, Dûnain?” is indeed one of the most satisfying lines ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhom Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 So I'm now nearing the end of The Darkness that Comes before....It's awesome. Cnauir is probably my favourite character. I love his interactions with Kellhus.They make you love!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagga Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 IM SORRY HOW DO I REMOVE MY POST AAEEGGH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Ent Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 IM SORRY HOW DO I REMOVE MY POST AAEEGGH If this wasn’t on purpose it’s brilliant. TELL MEEEE… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sologdin Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 I MUST KNOW HOW TO CONFIGURE MY MACROS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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