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WontFixMySwypeErrors t1_j9umtwe wrote

Reply to comment by Writteninsanity in [WP] The aliens, it seems, do not consider us a sentient species because we are unable to 'keeneetaa'. We still haven't figured out what that means. by limbodog

Love it! And I hope I'm not spoiling anything, but I was expecting our Keeneetaa to be music! And the other species just hadn't realized it.

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valdus t1_j9uw9bw wrote

Personally I expected this (being unfamiliar with u/Writteninsanity 's linked story) to continue into arguing that our non-verbal 'language' is our keeneetaa. Without language, and basically from birth, almost every Human understands a smile, a snarl, a laugh (despite the language variances therein), a grimace, suspicion, a chuckle, a snub, surprise, fear, etc. That is our shared language - except those of us with ASD mess that up...

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ShittDickk t1_j9x1u71 wrote

The chuckle, the nod and the explanations. The glared eyes from the producer. Humans have one and it's def nonverbal language / facial expressions.

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valdus t1_j9xazzt wrote

The nod is not innate. It it taught - which is why in some countries a nod means no.

The twisting head shake, however, is universally a 'no' - think of trying to feed a 2 year old!

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Firm_Singer_9142 t1_j9x85zx wrote

>the nod

Except in Bulgaria the not means "no".

Big part of nonverbal language is also taught rather than innate.

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Ultra980 t1_j9vroy2 wrote

I'm thinking of keeneetaa sort of like how all guys can "speak" bro lol

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Redcole111 t1_j9vtka4 wrote

As a guy, I definitely do not know how to "speak bro" innately, and have definitely had to learn a lot over the years from people who seem to.

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thoughtsthoughtof t1_j9wy3n2 wrote

A unified language that your species inherently understands."

"Like a universal language?" Janet asked.

"Not quite, my species has two main languages alongside our keeneeta," she explained, "but it seems like there are many humans who, without a shared language, have no way of understanding one another."

"So if everyone learned the same language?"

"No because you would need to learn it," Dalia pointed out, "a keeneeta is an inherent thing to the birth of a sapient species," Initially reading this seemed like them communicating internally almost in head &

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valdus t1_j9x4llr wrote

But if they had something resembling telepathy, they likely wouldn't have had to develop oral languages.

Perhaps we are weird in having external emotional expression. Perhaps a Xenkathi or Rrpktgnh cannot have an entire conversation with just facial expressions like Humans can. Maybe all the other aliens use something like purring at different frequencies as a shared language, and don't recognize our facial movements as one.

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The-1st-One t1_j9y438i wrote

Humans do have this innate language that's understandable among all Humans! I read through some of the comments posted to this excellent writing. And non of them mentioned body language. The majority of our language, like 60% of our language is expressed in body language!

This was an excellent story!

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MattrixK t1_j9yhn51 wrote

Which is unfortunate for many neurodivergent folks that have trouble with it.

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Writteninsanity t1_j9un3pq wrote

As beautiful as that is (And I might end up stealing it lol) in the story it's more a brought up thing that humans having tons of living languages and needing universal translators between one another is WEIRD.

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xylophonesRus t1_j9vgb13 wrote

So, to "keeneetaa" basically means to easily communicate?

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Writteninsanity t1_j9vgjgu wrote

Think DND “common”

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Akasto_ t1_j9vod17 wrote

That would be more of a lingua franca that needs to be learned

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Writteninsanity t1_j9vplie wrote

I don’t know, I’ve definitely talked to grass that speaks common with speak with plants before 🤣

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Mitchelltrt t1_j9yfjqu wrote

Common is a learned language, though. It is explicitly developed from a mixture of Dwarven and Human languages, originating as a pidgin trade-tongue. This is why there is the completely separate "undercommon", which developed from Dwarvish and Elvish languages (specifically the language of Dark Elves).

There are a few languages in D&D that this does qualify, though, specifically Draconic and Primordial. Dragons (and kobolds, and other dragon-related sentients) innately understand and can speak Draconic. All elemental creatures from the Inner Planes are mutually intelligible, even if they are technically divided into four varieties. Celestial and Infernal are natively understood by beings of the Higher and Lower planes, though can be learned by others (usually clerics and warlocks respectively).

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shotsallover t1_j9xswz1 wrote

I kind of took it as an urLanguage. A basic or prototype language that we're supposed to be born understanding before we learn the language of our family/people/country.

It's also what people are supposed to be talking in when you hear of "speaking in tongues." But if it were a true urLanguage we'd understand what they're saying.

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Writteninsanity t1_j9ygoah wrote

That’s a better description than the thing I’ve been doing

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shotsallover t1_ja00niq wrote

Take it. UrLanguage isn't a new concept. It's been around since at least Biblical times.

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