Bi and Multilingualism In Stories

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Hey so I just wanted some of you guys’ thoughts on stories that go back and forth between languages, or even just words and names that are harder to pronounce.

For Example:

-One story I’m working on goes back and forth with English and Spanish, and the other goes between English, French and some Spanish, and I’ve made sure to add Translations every time a language besides English is shown.

-I also have a story that has names of characters and places that are kind of out there since it’s more futuristic and it’s main focus is aliens and things like that.

So, do you guys’ mind as readers when a story does any of these two things? Or have any feedback on how I can help the reader while doing this in my stories?

Thanks in advance for your feedback! :blush:

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Hi! I don’t have a problem with reading stories that switch between different languages. The translations are there and honestly, it spices up the story.
Like in a lot of Italian mafia stories there is Italian.
In the story I’m working on, the MC’s family has a mix of Russians, Sicilians, and Indians, so there will maybe be mutiple languages, but it’s not like super important to the story.
So, yeah. But I love how you are adding different languages to your story! It makes it even more fun to read :grin:

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Hi! I think adding multiple languages to your episode story would make it more interesting and make it stand out! I don’t see the harm in using different languages other than English as long as there are translations for those who only speak English. I personally love when writers use multiple languages to enhance their story! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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I love seeing more than one language in stories!

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I mean, as long as they’re not from any translation sites, yeah, it’s fine.

I speak English, French (I passed DELF, it is officially my second language), and a tiny bit of Spanish (yo no hablo espaniol).

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Some translation sites are good.

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Which ones?

I have a character who is Icelandic, and I can’t find anyone who speaks it.

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I think it’s fine to do this, and I like when authors do this. I think it adds personality to a story! I personally think that translation sites are completely fine, but probably not Google Translate because it’s not super reliable.

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I agree! I’m fluent in English and Spanish and know basic French (I’m still earning!). Personally I like to use the app “Say Hi” it’s probably the most accurate out of all the others I tried, and picks up on slang too!

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iTranslate is really good.

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I’m implementing the same concept in my stories. Just be aware that when adding translations, you allow for enough time for the readers to actually be able to read it. I’ve seen too many people add translations but the readers note is gone too quickly before you can even read it. Not everyone is fast reader. Especially with long explanations.

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