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Author: WeAreAllKosh

Dec 8th 2012 at 2:52:34 AM

^ Well, at least I think there should be two separate tropes covering this, as there are two ways of "speaking loudly and slowly" in language-barrier situations:

1) Respectfully, in a sincere effort to be understood
2) Disrespectfully and condescendingly, out of contempt for the person who doesn't happen to speak your language

...Usually accompanying facial expressions or body language, or the tone of the "louder and slower" speech, will give you a clue as to whether it's (1) or (2).

I think they deserve two tropes because they have very different meanings: (1) is generally meant well, where the speaker's main motive is to facilitate actual communication; (2) is meant to show mockery or contempt for someone who can't understand the speaker's language (or understand it well enough to suit the speaker). Since the function of (1) is mainly mundane utility, it's at least somewhat like "sitting on chairs" since that's probably what most people would do in that situation (if they can't at least attempt to say the thing in the other's language)--the literal act of sitting on a chair is (most commonly) pure utility without any real tropable "meaning" or storytelling device, and I would say that is for the most part true for (1). (2) on the other hand tells you some things (unfortunate things) about the one doing it, and demonstrates something that has more chance of being significant to the story or one of its characters. ''But'' if both (1) and (2) are to be deemed tropeworthy, they're still different enough that they probably shouldn't make up the same trope. I'd call (2) something like ConDeeSCENDingggSlowSpeech (and would apply it to all condescending or belittling uses of slow speech, not just language-barrier-related). (1) I'm not sure what to call, maybe simply SpeakingMoreSlowlyAndClearly.

I do also recognize that someone (like a somewhat ignorant or unseasoned tourist) might really think they're doing the loud-and-slow thing for reason (1), but it still comes across as (2) to people receiving or observing it. I'd throw that in with the trope for (2), since that's the impression given (and therefore part of the story, in how the character is perceived by other characters), even though in those cases it's a false one.