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/lit/ - Literature

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747014 No.747014 [Reply] [Original]

Hey, /lit/, I'm beginning to read Discworld. Read The Color of Magic and am almost done with The Light Fantastic.

Something's been bugging me though. In The Color of Magic, quite a big deal is made of the fact that Twoflower can't speak the language of the natives of Ankh-Morpork and, therefore, had to consult a traveler's booklet filled with Morporkean words and phrases, often incorrectly reading whole sections of the book when he hears a familiar word from it for added hilarity. He can't communicate with anyone until it's found that he and Rincewind both know a fairly obscure language, therefore Twoflower can pretty much only communicate with him.

However, almost the moment they leave Ankh-Morpork, it seems that the language barrier between Twoflower and the rest of the world is gone and he's able to speak with them without much problem.

Just wondering, was this explained and I just missed it? Did he learn the language off screen? Is this explained later on? Did a wizard do it? Am I just way over analyzing the novel?

>> No.747022

Why are you asking me, I've never read Discwork.

>> No.747023

>>747014
IT'S MAGIC I DON'T GOTTA EXPLAIN SHIT.

Other than the fact that Ankh-Morpork is supposed to be completely xenophobic, or something, and the chances of finding someone who speaks your language, no matter how different, is raised once leaving the city, I can't really think of a reason.

Cohen is an adventurer, so he must know things, The Lady is a God, I don't remember the Shrine Maiden directly speaking to him, and... Dragon Riders didn't really say anything to him, did they?

So it's just something you should realize already. No one has a fucking clue what he's saying.

>> No.747030

I think it's implied that Twoflower actually can speak the language, he just uses the phrase book because "that's what tourists do:" something that the admittedly crappy Sky One adaption picked up on.

That's my theory anyway. It could just be a plothole.

>> No.747145

>>747030
Well, in Ankh-Morpork, it doesn't seem that Twoflower can understand them either and is only able to communicate when he and Rincewind find that they both understand an obscure language. This points to Twoflower no knowing the language.

>> No.747158

>>747013

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>> No.747172

>>747158
That explains everything. Thank you, good sir.

>> No.747180

Pratchett was a rather shittier writer when writing color of magic, and got better later on.

>> No.747187

>>747172
lololol