06-11-2024, 08:49 AM
Windos - I'd like to present:
Pokekitty2's Ideas on Pokemon Speech and Cross-Species Communication!
(Please edit any of this you see fit - I'd like to present this as a huge "?" and a suggestion, but working that throughout the post is difficult so I'm putting this here
)
--all that follows, even if stated as fact, should be taken as a question and open for discussion--
Methods of communication:
There are three major parts to communication, used in different ratios by different species:
Gesture - The most common. This includes subtle gestures like facial expressions, all the way up to large gestures like body language or positioning in space.
Vocalization - The most used by Humans. This includes any number of sounds an individual can make - for example, a pokemon can vocalize their name, either in whole or in part, and also use a range of grunts, hisses, chirps, song, etc. depending on their species.
Other (Scent, Signatures, etc.) - This includes pheromones and scent markers, psychic signatures, territory markings, and anything else a species may use to communicate.
Cross-Species communication:
Communication between species is difficult sometimes. Different animals have various ways of presenting their ideas, feelings, and intents, so not everything is translatable. That said, I posit there are four different levels of understanding:
Understanding of Intent
This level of understanding is the easiest to reach, and is for the most part universal. It covers ideas such as, "I'm curious," "I want to fight," "I'm being defensive," and "I want to be left alone."
Understanding of Emotion
This is the next level, and often requires some level of similarity between species to understand - for example, an Ursaring may understand a Sableye's emotions (both humanoid mammal-like species) but not a Combee's or Flababe's (insect and plant-like species). This covers simple emotions like attraction, sadness, anger, or confusion, but may not cover more complex or subtle emotions.
Understanding of Meaning
This is the level that most very similar species come to. This level enables complex communication, and can be achieved by similar species (Two different Eeveelutions, for example), or by highly intelligent individuals who can "translate" for another species (Telepathic pokemon, or Legendaries).
Understanding of Thought
This is the most complex level, only attainable by individuals who are greatly in tune with each other or have trained. This includes Pokemon under the influence of Synchronize, twins, and mind readers. This can also be situational - for example, two high-level chess players may reach this level during a game, but barely reach and understanding of meaning outside of it.
These levels of understanding can be one-sided, or even faked or falsified - or just lucked into. It's all variable.
All of that said, Sylvia is a telepath - she has practice translating her thoughts for other individuals, and particularly for humans, which allows her to communicate in the human world. She also has an uncanny ability to speak to other 'mons, but (so far) our mon-to-mon communication has been going through another level of translation - from the in-game speech to a form that we readers can understand.
For example:
When an Eeveelution greets another pokemon, there are two elements:
-Verbal: the pokemon utters their name (eg. "Espeon" or "Sylveon")
-Physical: The pokemon tilts their head slightly, cocks one ear, and waves their tail slightly.
And it may look like this:
To in-world characters, they have the same meaning. But we see them as such:
"Greetings."
"Hello!"
(That Sylveon is a little cursed, my bad lol)
...so that's something that can be played with.
One final thought I've had:
Names
We've discussed, kinda, that pokemon don't have names like humans do - this was seen with the Murkrow. That said, pokemon sometimes do have personally identifying call signs - They're just not exactly what we expect. Again, the 'mon-to-reader translation is messing with us here - Sylvia's call sign was [UNTRANSLATABLE], for example. But Sylvia's parteners are still referred to by her as Sir and Slash, which are simplified versions of their call signs. Depending on the species, a 'mon's call sign may or may not have meaning - Sylvia's doesn't, for example, but a Pidgey may be called born-on-the-highest-wire, or flew-first. These signs may also change throughout a 'mon's life, or depending on who is using them - an Eevee may be called littlest-one by their siblings, fifth-egg by their mother, and seventh-child by their mother, for example.
Thoughts?
Pokekitty2's Ideas on Pokemon Speech and Cross-Species Communication!
(Please edit any of this you see fit - I'd like to present this as a huge "?" and a suggestion, but working that throughout the post is difficult so I'm putting this here
)--all that follows, even if stated as fact, should be taken as a question and open for discussion--
Methods of communication:
There are three major parts to communication, used in different ratios by different species:
Gesture - The most common. This includes subtle gestures like facial expressions, all the way up to large gestures like body language or positioning in space.
Vocalization - The most used by Humans. This includes any number of sounds an individual can make - for example, a pokemon can vocalize their name, either in whole or in part, and also use a range of grunts, hisses, chirps, song, etc. depending on their species.
Other (Scent, Signatures, etc.) - This includes pheromones and scent markers, psychic signatures, territory markings, and anything else a species may use to communicate.
Cross-Species communication:
Communication between species is difficult sometimes. Different animals have various ways of presenting their ideas, feelings, and intents, so not everything is translatable. That said, I posit there are four different levels of understanding:
Understanding of Intent
This level of understanding is the easiest to reach, and is for the most part universal. It covers ideas such as, "I'm curious," "I want to fight," "I'm being defensive," and "I want to be left alone."
Understanding of Emotion
This is the next level, and often requires some level of similarity between species to understand - for example, an Ursaring may understand a Sableye's emotions (both humanoid mammal-like species) but not a Combee's or Flababe's (insect and plant-like species). This covers simple emotions like attraction, sadness, anger, or confusion, but may not cover more complex or subtle emotions.
Understanding of Meaning
This is the level that most very similar species come to. This level enables complex communication, and can be achieved by similar species (Two different Eeveelutions, for example), or by highly intelligent individuals who can "translate" for another species (Telepathic pokemon, or Legendaries).
Understanding of Thought
This is the most complex level, only attainable by individuals who are greatly in tune with each other or have trained. This includes Pokemon under the influence of Synchronize, twins, and mind readers. This can also be situational - for example, two high-level chess players may reach this level during a game, but barely reach and understanding of meaning outside of it.
These levels of understanding can be one-sided, or even faked or falsified - or just lucked into. It's all variable.
All of that said, Sylvia is a telepath - she has practice translating her thoughts for other individuals, and particularly for humans, which allows her to communicate in the human world. She also has an uncanny ability to speak to other 'mons, but (so far) our mon-to-mon communication has been going through another level of translation - from the in-game speech to a form that we readers can understand.
For example:
When an Eeveelution greets another pokemon, there are two elements:
-Verbal: the pokemon utters their name (eg. "Espeon" or "Sylveon")
-Physical: The pokemon tilts their head slightly, cocks one ear, and waves their tail slightly.
And it may look like this:
To in-world characters, they have the same meaning. But we see them as such:
"Greetings."
"Hello!"
(That Sylveon is a little cursed, my bad lol)
...so that's something that can be played with.
One final thought I've had:
Names
We've discussed, kinda, that pokemon don't have names like humans do - this was seen with the Murkrow. That said, pokemon sometimes do have personally identifying call signs - They're just not exactly what we expect. Again, the 'mon-to-reader translation is messing with us here - Sylvia's call sign was [UNTRANSLATABLE], for example. But Sylvia's parteners are still referred to by her as Sir and Slash, which are simplified versions of their call signs. Depending on the species, a 'mon's call sign may or may not have meaning - Sylvia's doesn't, for example, but a Pidgey may be called born-on-the-highest-wire, or flew-first. These signs may also change throughout a 'mon's life, or depending on who is using them - an Eevee may be called littlest-one by their siblings, fifth-egg by their mother, and seventh-child by their mother, for example.
Thoughts?
Just a lil' Eevee, learning to draw...
Check my "About Me" for more info!
Check my "About Me" for more info!
