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Language:
English
Series:
Part 3 of The TRC Gang Do Things
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Published:
2021-12-07
Words:
365
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1/1
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3
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The TRC Gang.. When Mokona's Translating Glitches

Summary:

How they all perceive the others use their mother languages and how they actually use their mother languages are very different.

Notes:

(AKA: The one where everyone (?) drops the F-bomb.)

This is based on the idea that Mokona isn't just translating, but also compensating for individual variations along the fomal/casual and wholesome/profane spectrums. Some people curse constantly in regular speech, but others hardly ever say damn, and so what each hears from the other is altered a bit to sound more natural to the listener. It's an "I talk this way, so it makes sense that those around me with similar feelings and relationships would talk the same way" idea. Mokona is the only one who realizes this.

That is, until that particular part of the feature fails.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Fai

It turns out he’s been speaking strangely formally the whole time when considering his language as a whole, but since the court routinely uses extremely, rigidly formal language, formal passes as casual for Fai. Doesn’t curse, but has a habit of using flowery metaphors in place of crude language.

It usually goes right over the childrens’ heads.

(“What he’s trying to say is that he’d like to row his longboat into that fjord.”

“But then, there are those that rather enjoy a honeysuckle of the bitter sort.”

“Ah, but I’m afraid I’m a little too old to be plucking tulips in every garden just to go frolicking in the reeds.”)


Syaoran

Speaks exactly as formally as you would expect, but says shit under his breath when he stubs his toe. Fai teases him relentlessly for it. Is the only other person in the group who has even heard the word fjord before meeting Fai.


Kurogane

Actually rarely curses except that he uses fuckin’ as a filler word, though you couldn’t exactly call him polite. Grew up in a society that prizes using colorful imagery in place of crude language in poetry and knows exactly what Fai is insinuating and you can’t say things like that in front of children and don’t leer at me when talking about honeysuckles you damn pervert!


Sakura

Even without all her memories, still speaks in the same strictly casual language that got her in trouble with her brother in Clow. Only uses please and thank you to get what she wants — every other time, the request and gratitude are implied. Can restrain herself around new company, but when it’s just the family, she’s got a terrible potty mouth, though she doesn’t mean anything by it.

Thinks tulips are pretty and one can never be too old to frolick, and tells Fai as much, only to be confused when Fai counters with “One can also be much too young for that sort of thing.”


Mokona

Employs the entire spectrum of spoken language for maximum comedic effect, so not much has really changed, though she reserves fuck so that when she does say it, she can get the biggest reaction possible.

Notes:

Sakura eventually manages to make Syaoran say "fuck", but he's red in the face and muttering when he finally manages.

Fuck doesn't even translate in Fai's language, so he couldn't say it even if he wanted to.

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