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Peculiar uses for Baldur's Gate?

Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
edited August 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
A while ago I decided that I wanted to learn French and I wondered what would be the best way to go about it. I then hit on the idea of buying a French version of Baldur's Gate, thinking I might be able to expand my vocabulary while playing. To be honest I didn't get that far (and anyway I'm not sure how useful phrases like "My hotel's as clean as an elven arse" and "Butt-kicking! For goodness!" are going to be when trying to order a cafe au lait in Paris). Still, it seemed like a good idea at the time, and at some point I do intend to play La Porte de Baldur en Francais.

Anyone else tried to learn a new language while defeating Sarevok?

Comments

  • JolanthusJolanthus Member Posts: 292
    Permidion_Stark said:

    To be honest I didn't get that far (and anyway I'm not sure how useful phrases like "My hotel's as clean as an elven arse" and "Butt-kicking! For goodness!" are going to be when trying to order a cafe au lait in Paris).

    Well when you check into the hotel, you can tell the bellhop or receptionist that you have a hotel as clean as an elven arse. They don't have to know you don't have a hotel.
  • DrugarDrugar Member Posts: 1,566
    And when the gendarme arrests you for beating a mime with his invisible golfclub, you know how to say you were "Buttkicking for goodness!"
  • CheesebellyCheesebelly Member Posts: 1,727
    Interestingly enough, I learned a great deal of English thanks to Baldur's Gate. Had to memorize most dialogue options by heart or I would screw the game up very badly. And when NPCs talked, I actually emulated their "noises", as in, I said "Listen carefully, if we ever become separated it is imperative that you make your way to the Friendly Arm Inn, there you will meet Khalid and Jaheira, they have long been my friends and you can trust them!" without actually knowing what a single word meant.

    Eventually I got an Italian version, that being my second mother tongue, I could actually understand it. And waving around between Italian and English, I started understanding the game's words! Then I went to the advanced course of English, also known as the "Fallout" games... where I mostly got to know swearwords and stuff like that. I remember being 10 and I was like "Piss.... What's that?" XD

    I've been thinking about teaching myself Spanish that way as well. Maybe with BGEE, that will be a great option for me!
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    I never realised Baldur's Gate was such a useful educational tool. Maybe the developers should try to get it added to the school curriculum. Wednesday morning maths and geography, Wednesday afternoon double Baldur's Gate.
  • sphexussphexus Member Posts: 11
    When I first got into BG through an older friend of mine and his brand new PC I think I was 10 years old. Not a native english speaker so I didn't have a clue what I was doing at the time. Still the game made a huge impact and the world sucked me into it pretty thoroughly (had been an avid reader of Salvatore & Eddings) even though I was trying to play a fighter char with like 12 strength and wondered why I can't carry anything.

    Not sure how much of my english skills I'm in debt to Black Isle Studios but it's a lot. BG was a huge inspiration for me in learning languages. Before I had played games like Keen, Doom & Hexen 2 with my worn out 486 PC but then came something that laid out in front of my eyes just that fantasy fiction that I had been drowning myself into for a couple of years already. Just had to learn how to make out what all those long lines of strange talk kept hidden. I could even say that games in total have been a huge help for a generation of nerdy kids when it comes to speaking english.
  • AnduineAnduine Member Posts: 416
    edited August 2012
    While Baldur's Gate is not the primary reason, I am in the process of learning how to sprechen Deutsch.

    "Ich kann nicht nachgeben, Bruder. Sie sind böse und würden Sie sehen, diese Welt für Ihre eigenen persönlichen Gewinn zu leiden. Es ist mit der Ehre in meinem Herzen und Tapferkeit in meiner Klinge, muss ich Sie vernichten. FÜR Rechtschaffenheit! FÜR TYR!"

    I cannot tell you all how much I look forward to giving Sarevok his last words in yet another language.

    "I can not yield, brother. You are evil and you would see this world suffer for your own personal gain. It is with honour in my heart and valour in my blade that I must vanquish you. FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS! FOR TYR!!"

    Yes, I'm sure I got some words wrong, but again, I am learning.
    Post edited by Anduine on
  • sphexussphexus Member Posts: 11
    Haha, realised just now how cool BG would be in german. Such a strong language that it would be pretty much perfect for proclaiming righteous doom to your enemies.
  • SilverstarSilverstar Member Posts: 2,207
    edited August 2012
    I owe pretty much all my knowledge of English to games, cartoons and, to a lesser extent, the internet. I only ever learned a single word at school, and that turned out to be inaccurate even. People learn things differently, but learning from practical use is better for most people I should think; video games are a good choice for learning languages.

    Read and spoke English quite well by the time Baldur's Gate appeared, but a game with as much writing as it has, especially if you read the books in the game (and I've read quite a few of them), probably has helped a bit too. I can never bring myself to hear movies dubbed or games with non-original voice acting, but I do remember using X-Com: Enemy Unknown on the good old Playstation a bit when I had German for 3 years at school since it had lots of text but not messed up VA.
  • Twilight_FoxTwilight_Fox Member Posts: 448
    This is possible, I am a french canadian and when I was 13 I learned most of what I know in english by playing baldur's gate and icewind dale OV. In canada 99.99% of our games are in english, its was necessary for me but also a good investment. So here I am, working for an hosting company and providing services in french and in english for our customers.

    Games are definitely a nice way to learn other languages. My nephew is using 'Fable' in english to learn, he made ​​good progress.
  • La_VoixLa_Voix Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 772
    Permidion_Stark said:

    (and anyway I'm not sure how useful phrases like "My hotel's as clean as an elven arse" and "Butt-kicking! For goodness!" are going to be when trying to order a cafe au lait in Paris).

    I'll let you know how to say these in French. Just in case you'd still like to try ordering a café au lait in Paris with Minsc's voice :
    "Mon hôtel est aussi propre qu'un derrière d'elfe." (that was Winthrop's line ^^)
    and "Bottage de derrières pour le bien !!!"
    French Minsc is not nearly as much classy as in english, though...

    As far as I'm concerned, video games (and tv series) were the best english teachers I ever had !
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    @La_Voix

    Merci bien monsieur. I shall make good use of both phrases and let you know how I get on.
  • SirickSirick Member Posts: 94
    Most people seem to have used the game to aid in learning another language, I used it to better understand my own.

    I have never been a strong reader or writer, but playing games like Baldur’s Gate when I was young forced me to become better because I really wanted to know what my character was saying and what others were saying to me.

    Without games swimming in text I highly doubt I would be as literate as I am now.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    edited August 2012
    Not gonna lie.

    When I saw the title of this thread, "learning a new language" was definitely not the first thing that came to mind.

    Glad to be surprised. Carry on!
  • ScooterScooter Member Posts: 182
    Aosaw said:

    Not gonna lie.

    When I saw the title of this thread, "learning a new language" was definitely not the first thing that came to mind.

    Glad to be surprised. Carry on!

    Hahahahaha! Have to admit I was thinking similar...
  • MoiraMoira Member Posts: 173
    La_Voix said:

    As far as I'm concerned, video games (and tv series) were the best english teachers I ever had !

    This, so true for me too. As for peculiar uses, I thought myself pretty clever when I incorporated BG2 into my studies. As a downside, I had to take a break of the game for several years to fully enjoy it again after all that analysis :-P
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    I came to understand the English language better than average people of my day and age by studying the D&D and later Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay and Runequest games' rulebooks (I'm a native dutch speaker).
  • TalvraeTalvrae Member Posts: 315
    I did learn some english by playing Baldur's gate... Since i first played the game in french back in the days (I'm french-Canadian)
  • SallparadiseSallparadise Member Posts: 94
    I'm debating giving the german version a shot, though God knows how hard the fantasy aspects are going to be via translation.
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