Writers’ Resource: Sci Fi World Building Templates

From the blog to the YouTube channel, World Workings discusses a lot of sci fi world building ideas. In conjunction with these discussions, we share a monthly template to help get you started on your sci fi writer journey.

Worldbuilding Considerations for Writing Alien Translation

Most science fiction fans are familiar with the idea of universal translators. But when you’re interested in adding narrative color to an interaction, you may want to think twice about this sci-fi shortcut. Here are some thoughts on showing the uniqueness of a culture through language.

Basic Building Blocks for Differentiating Alien Translation

Which words make sense to translate into direct equivalents?
What phonology does not exist in other languages?
How does the universal translator translate unique phonologies?
Does the biology or physiology of a speaker affect what they hear or understand?

Internalized Cultural Markers’ Effect on Alien Translation

Is precise language important enough that mispronunciation is offensive?
How important is oral tradition or verbalization when considering social or legal rules?
How precisely does a universal translator / AI understand social meanings behind language?
How quickly can a universal translator translate? Quicker than a speaker can react to an incorrect translation?

Environmental Differences that can Affect Alien Translation

Do the speakers have shared knowledge of technology (e.g. wheels, computers, artificial intelligence, unobtanium)
Do the speakers have shared knowledge of climate (e.g. snow, tsunami, haboob, virga)
Do the speakers have shared knowledge of vegetation that is inherently known to have a specific quality (e.g. nutritious, poisonous, commonly allergy inducing, hydrating)?
Do the speakers have shared knowledge of elemental properties (e.g. periodic table properties, thickness of air, gravity, soil structure)?

Idiomatic Language and Literal Phrasing in Alien Translation

Does a universal translator handle an idiom literally the first time the phrase is encounters?
How do characters understand the idioms they use? How do they explain idioms to outsiders?
What is the purpose of an idiomatic misunderstanding (e.g. comic relief, explanation of a cultural value)?
What do the idioms used reveal about cultural values and beliefs?

Navigating Sentiment and Subtext in Alien Translation

How does tone of voice affect the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g. “fine” could mean “unwell” or “great” depending on tone)?
Does a language use tones to differentiate between words with the same consonant and vowel sequence (e.g. Chữ Quốc ngữ language construction)?
Does inflection denote sentence type (e.g. statement vs. question)?
Can an individual speak more than one tone at a time–allowing them to have more than one conversation simultaneously?