[MUD-Dev] Internationalisation: The effect of Tongues in virtualsocietes

[Peter]

Immediately after posting my initial message went i to Munich,
Germany to one company internal worldwide conference, and I returned
right now.  The things that I felt in-game now showed up more
specifically, so i can formulate them better.

I will give an example from our conference. There has been quite
some part of world represented. Without doubt, the official language
is english, which we all can, more or less, speak. (except one uk
lady which we didn't understand <grin>). Now that was the official
part, which really wans't that linguistically challenging.

But then, at night, we went out, to have some dinner& obligatory
Munich beer. And then, it showed up - the group has broken
down. everybody was speeking their native language (if they had a
partner). because it is easier and more natural, and everybody was
tired.

Now, MMORPG (or whatever other name it has) is about fun. it's
mostly not about being 100% concentrated.

And because mine english is not my mother tongue, I'll never fully
get the share of social fun. (on mixed servers).

And so, with the new servers/games being more and more concentrated
on group/social life, my concern was - are we doomed to be separated
because of language even in virtual worlds? Or will the need to be
in virtual world be stronger?

btw, english is not the most wide used language on the
world. spanish is (counting heads). There has even been a try to
unite the world by a mean of neutral, artificaly created language
(Esperanto), but it was total flop.

Pietro
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