What sign language does Gladium use?

[Dotveg.5108]

Alright, so. Been replaying SoTO, not in Janthir yet so I don't know if she's in there, but I've noticed Gladium occasionally using real life ASL signs (such as "with" when R'tchikk tells the Wayfinder she's scared before fighting Isgarren to tell her she's at her side, or signing "help" earlier on in a scenario when R'tchikk is introducing the duo to the Wayfinder to tell them she's at their service (I know there's more, like when we're tracking down Mabon's artefact, but I didn't catch it in time to try and figure out what she was saying)) which is a great touch although I wish she signed a bit more than just (gestures) with no custom animations at times (I mean come on, her just pointing for "Kryptis"? Would've been so cool if she called them "horns" or something, would've also justified the Wayfinder interpreting the sign and R'tchikk being impressed, come onnn :().

So my question is this: what sign language is she canonically speaking? Is that Tyrian Sign Language? Charr Sign Language? Does anyone know? Was that even discussed internally? I'm just so happy to see that effort went into actually making her sign at times, I'd like to know what to call it in-lore.

(Also if anybody is crazy enough to cross-reference and see if the sign language was localized to the other supported languages, let me know. Highly unlikely but that would blow my mind.)

@Bobby Stein.3612 (and Indigo, ofc, just don't know your forum tag)

Edited September 11 by Dotveg.5108

[Dean Calaway.9718]

2 hours ago, Dotveg.5108 said:

with no custom animations at times

Guild Wars 2 uses key framed animations (if I'm not mistaken, but I'm really pretty sure) it would be way too time consuming and expensive to have all dialog correctly done just so a tiny fraction of the user base could understand them.

[Dotveg.5108]

3 minutes ago, Dean Calaway.9718 said:

Guild Wars 2 uses key framed animations (if I'm not mistaken, but I'm really pretty sure) it would be way too time consuming and expensive to have all dialog correctly done just so a tiny fraction of the user base could understand them.

Well aware, thank you. Not my main point. I'm talking about the parts that actually are animated and asking how to call the sign language she does use during those parts canonically.

Edited September 11 by Dotveg.5108

[Dean Calaway.9718]

1 minute ago, Dotveg.5108 said:

how to call the sign language she does use during those parts canonically.

Well think about it this way...

You don't call what we have Earth Sign Language or Human Sign Language, so just roll with Krytan Sign Language and don't start thinking why everyone in Tyria speaks the same language across isolated continents.

[Dotveg.5108]

11 minutes ago, Dean Calaway.9718 said:

Well think about it this way...

You don't call what we have Earth Sign Language or Human Sign Language, so just roll with Krytan Sign Language and don't start thinking why everyone in Tyria speaks the same language across isolated continents.

I mean, there's such a thing as International Sign Language, French Sign Language, American Sign Language, Baby Sign Language, the list goes on. Tyria's language is called New Krytan or Common, unsurprisingly, but the main reason it exists has been explained — to simplify relations after the end of the Guild Wars and make it easier for everyone to communicate without the issue of language barrier. Cantha is a bit of an outlier but honestly, that's fantasy logic. Just pin it on the Emperors and Impresses, it was a fad, they followed it, done and done. Doesn't stop them from using the Canthan alphabet, if my memory serves me right.

Doesn't alter the fact that there's still different languages and typographies in Guild Wars. Charr writing is etch-based, with a focus on military intelligence. New Krytan is the common alphabet used by everyone, but some people still stick to their written language of origin (see the Norn Priory member complaining about all the curves and circles she has to train her wrist to write as opposed to Norn writing). So my question is not that far-fetched. Since this is the first instance we got of sign language, I'm just curious to see what the writers of the expansion make of it. Script and language have always been an important part of Tyria, I'd love to know if this is a case of "those two developed this specific type of sign language to communicate with eachother" (wouldn't be the first time characters make up a language for their own convenience, example of that is the two tech savvy Priory members contracting every other word because they think "too fast" and needed words to catch up with their thought process), a case of "that's just the universal sign language in Tyria", or a case of "that's the charr sign language for you."

Edited September 11 by Dotveg.5108

[Dean Calaway.9718]

2 minutes ago, Dotveg.5108 said:

to simplify relations after the end of the Guild Wars and make it easier for everyone to communicate without the issue of language barrier.

So when I walked into Cantha after 250 years they can all still speak the same one, and the Tengu, which has been kicked out by the humans, are still speaking their language... And the Charr that still have a beef with humans, and the Asura that walked out of the underground thinking they're so much better than humans... right...

[Dotveg.5108]

1 minute ago, Dean Calaway.9718 said:

So when I walked into Cantha after 250 years they can all still speak the same one, and the Tengu, which has been kicked out by the humans, are still speaking their language... And the Charr that still have a beef with humans, and the Asura that walked out of the underground thinking they're so much better than humans... right...

I'm not the one who wrote the games' lore, man. I'm just asking a question about sign language for fun, trying to ask the people who added it in how they think it fits into their established universe. If you find it so ridiculous, I mean, you're welcome to, y'know, not care in your own corner of the world.

[Dean Calaway.9718]

2 minutes ago, Dotveg.5108 said:

you're welcome to, y'know, not care in your own corner of the world

But this is more fun 😎🚬

[Kalavier.1097]

3 hours ago, Dotveg.5108 said:

I'm not the one who wrote the games' lore, man. I'm just asking a question about sign language for fun, trying to ask the people who added it in how they think it fits into their established universe. If you find it so ridiculous, I mean, you're welcome to, y'know, not care in your own corner of the world.

He's kinda done this stuff before.

Anyway, Guild wars two runs off the typical "Common" language. For example, there is references to Norn or Asura language specifics, or "old Canthan" languages. IIRC kurzick and Luxon as well. But they teach and share a basic common language across the board.  I'd assume sign language is a universal one, or that Charr have one for battle use when they must be silent and Gladium simply adapted that for general use?

Skritt we know the "Common" tongue is actually their second language and they have trouble with it due to their natural form of communication. Charr also at times are described as having trouble understanding humans because the tone frequencies can fall into a spot of their hearing that makes it hard to hear.

 

I figure it's an official/known sign language, but one we haven't had to deal with as we haven't run into mute or deaf characters before.

[Dotveg.5108]

1 hour ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

But they teach and share a basic common language across the board.  I'd assume sign language is a universal one, or that Charr have one for battle use when they must be silent and Gladium simply adapted that for general use? [...]

That is actually a really fun idea. Could even tie in to her history with the Legions: gets her first military sign classes in the Fahrar, Primus realizes she can't communicate in any other way, she gets treated horribly from then on. That could also explain why she doesn't sign precisely all the time as she could be making stuff up as she goes along, since she didn't get the entire, proper training. R'tchikk being both a skritt and exceptionally smart would definitely help her develop her own sign-slang.

Plus, the Astral Ward could definitely use someone with exceptional smell and sight and an ability to provide quick communications on the field as well as teach others in squads to communicate during operations quietly and effectively, with no one else but them able to understand what they're saying. Man, this just makes me want answers even more. Love it.

Edited September 11 by Dotveg.5108

[Kalavier.1097]

14 hours ago, Dotveg.5108 said:

That is actually a really fun idea. Could even tie in to her history with the Legions: gets her first military sign classes in the Fahrar, Primus realizes she can't communicate in any other way, she gets treated horribly from then on. That could also explain why she doesn't sign precisely all the time as she could be making stuff up as she goes along, since she didn't get the entire, proper training. R'tchikk being both a skritt and exceptionally smart would definitely help her develop her own sign-slang.

Plus, the Astral Ward could definitely use someone with exceptional smell and sight and an ability to provide quick communications on the field as well as teach others in squads to communicate during operations quietly and effectively, with no one else but them able to understand what they're saying. Man, this just makes me want answers even more. Love it.

Skritt are also used to "Non-verbal" communication, in a way, so it may be something they figured out together and benefits them both.