The Echo and languages

[CyrilLucifer]

I've two rather simple clarification questions that I'm sure were answered before in-game and I missed it.

First: Does the Echo allow us to read the scripts and symbols of any language?

Second: Can we just understand other languages, or do we actually speak them?

I always assumed it was the latter, since speaking and understanding are both necessary for communication, however, the Ascians are throwing me for a loop here and I'm not sure how this works.

I'm assuming that, when your Echo-translation is on it's automatically translating the words as you hear them into your character's native tongue. Assuming you can speak any language, it should work the same way and you sort of auto-translate it before it leaves you.

Yet the Ascians speak, er, Ascian (Ascianish?) when not inside a host. Which leads me to believe you can't actually speak the languages and can only understand them. Either that, or the Ascians can somehow turn off their auto-translate. Which is it?

[fm_fenrir]

I think the only time you see Ascians using their "native tongue" is in cutscenes where the WOL or Minfilia aren't involved. Both characters can understand Ascians through the Echo, and the cutscene "text boxes" refer to the change between "You're not supposed to understand this" and "The player is understanding what's being said". If you recall, the cutscenes in the Rising Stones with Nabriales and Elidibus looks like an Ascian standing in silence looking at Minfilia and the WOL to the rest of the Scions, but they're just soliloquizing away to the two characters that can understand them.

[CyrilLucifer]

I think the only time you see Ascians using their "native tongue" is in cutscenes where the WOL or Minfilia aren't involved. Both characters can understand Ascians through the Echo, and the cutscene "text boxes" refer to the change between "You're not supposed to understand this" and "The player is understanding what's being said". If you recall, the cutscenes in the Rising Stones with Nabriales and Elidibus looks like an Ascian standing in silence looking at Minfilia and the WOL to the rest of the Scions, but they're just soliloquizing away to the two characters that can understand them.

Edit: I misread, sorry. That's exactly why I ask. It's like they turn off speaking Echo-translate sometimes - if it exists at all, which is what I'm asking. Either the Echo only allows for understanding and not speaking the languages, or you can turn the speaking translate off. Somehow.

[Cilia]

1. It's never been stated anywhere that we can read foreign languages thanks to the Echo. Since the Echo basically works by auto-translating spoken words, I don't think it applies to text. Could be wrong, but until we get clarification on that detail (if ever), I have to assume that text translation is not a feature of the Echo package.

2. Since the Echo auto-translates any spoken words, whether or not it allows us to speak other languages is a bit redundant in regards to the Ascians. (We might not be able to imitate their black speech, but since they also have the Echo they understand what we're saying anyway.) I don't think it does, but until a situation comes up where that could be an issue, I don't think we'll get an official explanation. With enough exposure the Warrior of Light could probably imitate any language, but...

[CyrilLucifer]

snip

Well, Moenbryda is in those two scenes, so it's not entirely redundant. Nabriales does not seem to care that he's not understood, he just shrugs it off. Judging from that alone, it seems like we can't actually use the Echo to speak the languages. I think you bring up an interesting point in that, given enough time and exposure, we might be able to mimic a language however, but. . .again, Nabriales. No doubt he's had a ton of exposure to Eorzean languages and, if he wanted to, he could have been understood.

So my assumption would be the Ascians speak in modern languages because of their hosts and the Echo is limited to understanding only.

Edit: But oh man, The Rising event. Now, assuming this is even partially canon (big assumption there), our clearly Japanese-speaking devs seemed to be able to understand us.

[Cilia]

The only time we've seen an Ascian speaking Common (for lack of a better term) is when Lahabrea was possessing Thancred... and that was probably for Gaius' sake, since until he was defeated Lahabrea was using Gaius as a pawn. It's not that the Ascians can't speak Common - they probably all can - they just don't see the need to, since +99% of the population can neither see nor hear them. Even then, what we've seen of the Ascians (except Elidibus) suggests they're overwhelmingly arrogant. They think they're the most awesome beings in existence behind Zodiark; why would they bother deigning to speak Common, the tongue of us mongels?

The only problem there is that Pope Thordan was able to understand Lahabrea, I think, despite nothing suggesting he ever had the Echo. Then again, a lot of what went on with the Heavens' Ward and their Super Sai- er, Primal Modes is a bit of a plot hole. Sort of.

Pretty sure The Rising isn't canon. Or at least, our journey to the Eighteenth Floor isn't canon. Aside from the fourth wall shattering, the "Quest" and the FATE related to it is one big programming / development joke.

[CyrilLucifer]

Elidibus speaks "common" to you (but not Minfilia, which is really odd and I'm going to chalk it up as an inconsistency) when you speak with him during 2.1, and to Urianger, but as you said, he's a bit of an outlier and I'm not sure if we can judge the rest from him.

Igeyorhm speaks "common" to you after Bismarck, but reverts back to Ascian in the Research Facility. I can't really tell if they're speaking "common" or "Ascian" before the battle in the facility, since it's a cutscene, but they're definitely speaking Ascian after you defeat them.

And you're right, he definitely understands Lahabrea and the Ascian language. Before he becomes a Primal. How strange. There's really no reason for him to be able to do that.

[Kaiser-Ace]

The Omnilingualism that the Echo grants us is due to it connecting our souls with the soul of the being that is speaking. Thus while they are actually speaking another language we understand the intent and it is translated into words in our mind using the information the Echo is picking up from the speaker's soul.

So by that situation I'd imagine text and other writings would not be applied the same way unless some how said book or document has a soul of it's own. (not impossible in this world actually, just doesn't seem very likely )

[Belhi]

Apparently our ability to communicate so freely with the beast tribes is due to the echo so I think that its likely we can actually use it to speak as well as hear. It could be the echo translates what we want to say for them directly in the same way that it translates what they say into something we understand.

[Ayuhra]

And you're right, he definitely understands Lahabrea and the Ascian language. Before he becomes a Primal. How strange. There's really no reason for him to be able to do that.

I wonder sometimes if Ascians operate like the dragons. Dragons speak Draconic to us but people can understand them regardless. Alphinaud comments on being able to comprehend Hraesvelgr despite the language obviously not being a common tongue and Alphinaud does not have the Echo. Nor does Estinien, who can also understand Dragons.

By the Twelve... Mine ears hear the tongue of dragons, yet the meaning rings clear within my mind... How can that be...? - Alphinaud

Maybe Ascians speaking in their dark tongue are talking directly into the minds of people and when they speak the language of their hosts they speak common?