language fail

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede is lounging by the fireplace with several things around or on the table by him: two hollowed, carved bones, each long as his forearm, and with several holes drilled in. There are also small bits of glass, glazed in different colors, and slivers of wood stained dark. He's already gouged out the spaces to put them in, and is slowly, meticulously epoxying them into place.

Later it will be polished to a gleam and bound together, but that's later. For now he's singing to himself in an old, old language, close to Hittite and Mycenaean but not quite either.

[ ooc: Ganymede speaks....a lot of languages. His mun does not, sadly. Currently he's speaking in his mother tongue. ]

Comments

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric is drawn to the music, by the song in a language he doesn't recognise. He sits to listen, smiling softly.

[the_cupbearer]

The song is slow and thoughtful, meandering across the border from that to melancholy several times in both directions. Ganymede's voice is pleasant enough, light and capable of the quarter-tone distinctions so popular in the music of that area, but very clearly not professional. He likes just singing to himself in the shower or when alone.

He quirks a one-sided smile at Sinric for a moment when he notices.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric returns the smile. He dips his head, as if asking permission before lifting his own voice. He doesn't recognise the language so he offers wordless harmonies, complementing Ganymede's song.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede quietens, and murmurs something in the same language that he assumes the field will pick up: it's just a quiet compliment to his voice.

"You weren't singing."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric frowns and cocks his head, answering in his usual Greek. "[Forgive me, my friend. I don't understand.]"

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede blinks, and answers in Greek, though his is old, as if speaking to a great-grandfather who uses words slightly differently.

"[Can you understand me in Greek?]" he asks curiously.

[thewidewideworld]

"[That I understand. It would seem the Bar has become the fallen tower of Babel. Where were you living in my time? Perhaps that language would be easier?]"

[the_cupbearer]

"[Greek is easy enough for me,]" he says. "[But if you would like to change...by all means.]"

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric changes again, rather enjoying the challenge. "[My Hebrew needs practice. What language was that you were singing? It was very beautiful."

[the_cupbearer]

"[Your Hebrew is likely better than mine,]" he says, pushing back his hair and changing again to Spanish, flowing and easy. "[It's my mother tongue. That's what it sounds like. Occasionally a word or two will slip through when there is no direct translation.]"

[thewidewideworld]

"[I found it an easy language to learn. It's purity of form, much unchanged over time.]"

He shakes his head when Ganymede switches to Spanish, staying with Hebrew. "[Beautiful but I fear I don't understand it. There are parts of Latin in it, that I recognise but can't follow.]"

[the_cupbearer]

"[Spanish,]" he says, following Sinric back through the language tree. "[It was my mother language. Somewhere between and before Hittite and Mycenaean, a precursor to Turkish. It's long dead and mostly forgotten about now.]"

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric goes back to English. "[It's beautiful. Will you teach me some? The song perhaps?]"

[the_cupbearer]

"I can try, though the song's meaning may be slightly lost in translation to and from," he says hesitantly. "It...it's a song about being left, dealing with the end of a romantic entanglement."

[thewidewideworld]

"Sing it in your native tongue. I'll try to learn it as it's sung, rather than a translation."

[the_cupbearer]

"Alright. Understand I have no great voice," he cautions, and begins to sing. The song is formulaic in melody after a while, slow but moving as he sings.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric listens intensely, his smile dreamy. He sways softly, able to join in here and there, his voice sweet.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede keeps going, though at a point in the song he falls quiet; he doesn't sing it much and the words ring back to something hard to remember.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric picks up where Ganymede fades, having the trick of the song now. He reaches the end and smiles. "Thank you. I shall remember that."