@bookstodon @linguistics A question prompted by a post I saw: what are the best #ScienceFiction #scifi books where #languages play an important part?

There’s 1984, obviously. Even more obviously, The Languages of Pao by Jack Vance. The Imperial Radch series by Ann Leckie has some interesting language features in terms of gender identity, power and mutual intelligibility.

I’m sure there are loads more - this is ‘off the top of my head’ - what others would you recommend?

@paraic @bookstodon @linguistics

It always bothered me that universal translators on TV could just handle cultural context and puns and jokes. The ST:TNG Darmok episode resonated strongly with me.

In fact, I just couldn't let it go and so my own Starship Teapot series (beginning with The Left Hand of Dog) plays with all these ideas.

@clacksee @linguistics @paraic @bookstodon The literal translator is a cracking concept - love what you did with it!