Level Six Transfourmati.n: Potions and Enchantments and more Incantations

Sometimes we mimic another who doesn’t speak like we do. We can take on gestures of others or inflections in language and transform how we sense our self in the world. Usually I take on the vocal inflection of the people around me. In foreign languages this gives me a chance to try and learn to speak more comfortably. Regionally it lets me blend in. Some accents get stronger, and some lessen. We unofficially become method actors. Most of us take on roles and try and play them in all sorts of settings. We can play with sounds.

Transformation Exercise: #3 Gibberish

Welcome yourself back to the world of made up language. The rules begin with the simple invitation to speak a made up language. There are wonderful made up sounds just waiting to be spoken. There are wordless sounds near at hand or mouth. Speak or sing the sounds. Speak them with enthusiasm and charm. We can delight that another can get the gist of our meaning and can respond.

Some people can make up language transformation rules and speak new ones or a slightly altered form of our own language. Gales of laughter followed a language created by altering each word, using the same initial sound. It seemed too simple. Det Dit Das Dursprisingly Duccessful Dand De Dunderstood Derfectly. Din Dact De Doticed Dat Din Da Dertain Day Dat Dis Danguage Dartss Do Dake Dense.

At a campfire some friends spoke gibberish between refrains of laughter. I once offended a friend during a hike by singing made up songs. Actually he just wanted to sing along, and I didn’t have the playful-mindedness to let him know my song rules, i.e. the words. Almost all of us can sing along with a made up song as soon as we’re invited. When we drop into a setting where we truly don’t speak the language, we immediately begin to rely on nonverbal aspects of communication. Sometimes we forget our own ability to play at understanding. Speaking English louder and louder keeps us from our playful side. How few words do we actually need to understand and to successfully communicate on a basic level? Almost every child knows inherently how few. Most adults can remember.