Quirks of reality in WoT compared to our world

[b9anders]

I am not talking about the obvious differences such as the true power, wolfkin etc. but small details that seem to set randland apart from our world. Such as

 

Capital letters are audible

 

Women have an unsual propensity for visibly blushing to signal emotion.

 

People who are absorbed in thought have a tendency to speak their contemplations out loud around other people without realising they are working their mouths. This is such a regular thing people even fear they might have accidentally done it at times (and of course, don't know if they have).

 

Sniffing and snorting and other non-vocalised sounds are commonplace means of communication.

 

Any other such quirks that people can think of?

[sketching sedai]

Tuon is a skinhead fascist.

Nice calves? Who looks at a guys calves?

Capital letters are audible

Hahaha! that was Sweet.

 

[mb]

Characters speaking their thoughts; that can happen in real life.

 

Capital letters can indicate shouting and/or a loud voice; which is not uncommon in real life.

 

Women have an unsual propensity for visibly blushing to signal emotion.

The reason for blushing I take to be embarrassment (which is not uncommon in real life); not necessarily to 'signal emotion'.

 

Sniffing and snorting and other non-vocalised sounds are commonplace means of communication.

Snorting/Sniffing seems to be used to express disbelief; which can happen in real life.

non-vocalized sounds, real life people can use those.

 

 

wolfkin, I guess you mean the wolfbrothers.  People can speak with various animals in real life.

 

Other things that might seem different, they might actually be considered similar after some time of thinking.

 

[b9anders]

Characters speaking their thoughts; that can happen in real life.

 

Not to be point that you don't realise you have done it. Elayne at one point actually wonders to herself if she just spoke that last thought out loud due to a peculiar reaction and genuinely doesn't know.

 

Capital letters can indicate shouting and/or a loud voice; which is not uncommon in real life.

 

I should have been more specific: starting capital letters are audible. Ie, people can hear the difference between Travelling and travelling.

 

Women have an unsual propensity for visibly blushing to signal emotion.

The reason for blushing I take to be embarrassment (which is not uncommon in real life); not necessarily to 'signal emotion'.

 

IT is the degree and frequency of it I call a quirk of reality. All women in randland seem to do it, even hardcore ones like Sorilea and Siuan.

 

Sniffing and snorting and other non-vocalised sounds are commonplace means of communication.

Snorting/Sniffing seems to be used to express disbelief; which can happen in real life.

non-vocalized sounds, real life people can use those.

 

It is fairly rare though. Again, degree and frequency. randland people just seem to have variant instinctive social responses.

 

wolfkin, I guess you mean the wolfbrothers.  People can speak with various animals in real life.

 

Other things that might seem different, they might actually be considered similar after some time of thinking.

 

 

Next you'll be telling me channeling can happen too. ???

[Samuel]

...You can hear the capital in a word. It's a certain emphasis, you can't miss it. You actually CAN hear the difference between "kin" and "Kin", the person emphasis a word more if it's capitalised. You just come across the expression more in literature than day-to-day conversation.

 

:) Hope that cleared it up.

[ed2funy]

*agrees with guy above*

It is all in the emphasis.

 

Just because it happens more in WoT doesn't necessarily make it a quirk in my book. RJ just took qualities from our world and made them bigger (happens more often).

[NetSlider]

To me it was always eyes. I mean how the hell can u express so many different emotions through eyes (without actually widening them or anything). I mean we have ice, and fire, and needles, and winder's fury, and darkest storms, and AS eyes (spooky-spooky), and many MANY more. I'm thinking that at this point they would invent not just a hand talk but also "eye-talk."

[Taura-Tierno]

To me it was always eyes. I mean how the hell can u express so many different emotions through eyes (without actually widening them or anything). I mean we have ice, and fire, and needles, and winder's fury, and darkest storms, and AS eyes (spooky-spooky), and many MANY more. I'm thinking that at this point they would invent not just a hand talk but also "eye-talk."

 

That's not a Jordan-quirk, it's similes and metaphors :P Jordan is not the only author who does that. Although I do agree that he's got a plethora of different ways of looking at someone. But it's not unique for him.

 

[Anoxanmore]

To me it was always eyes. I mean how the hell can u express so many different emotions through eyes (without actually widening them or anything). I mean we have ice, and fire, and needles, and winder's fury, and darkest storms, and AS eyes (spooky-spooky), and many MANY more. I'm thinking that at this point they would invent not just a hand talk but also "eye-talk."

 

That's not a Jordan-quirk, it's similes and metaphors :P Jordan is not the only author who does that. Although I do agree that he's got a plethora of different ways of looking at someone. But it's not unique for him.

 

Its also very true in actual life as well.  Learning to read how someone feels by looking at their eyes is incredibly useful and tis fun. There are other little sub-conscious gestures that would illustrate this.

[Majsju]

To me it was always eyes. I mean how the hell can u express so many different emotions through eyes (without actually widening them or anything). I mean we have ice, and fire, and needles, and winder's fury, and darkest storms, and AS eyes (spooky-spooky), and many MANY more. I'm thinking that at this point they would invent not just a hand talk but also "eye-talk."

 

That's not a Jordan-quirk, it's similes and metaphors :P Jordan is not the only author who does that. Although I do agree that he's got a plethora of different ways of looking at someone. But it's not unique for him.

 

Its also very true in actual life as well.  Learning to read how someone feels by looking at their eyes is incredibly useful and tis fun. There are other little sub-conscious gestures that would illustrate this.

 

It is even more fun to learn how to lie with your eyes  ;D

[mb]

Next you'll be telling me channeling can happen too. ???

I did comment about that long ago in other threads.

Channeling could be considered similar to various phenomenon.

Though undoing actions someone else either caused or done would be an exception of that.

 

[Samuel]

mb:

 

Huh? What do you mean by that?

[Myyrth]

I think it's ridiculous dangerous to assume you can read someone from their eyes, or even from their facial expressions all the time.  Just setting yourself up for manipulation IMO.  Maybe i'm a soul-less monster who sees his skin and face as a mask for a much darker and much less empathetic internal self but i believe that an infinite gap separates us from other people.

 

Eyes can't say much, they are just fluid filled orbs filled with nerves and blood.  It's involuntary things your facial muscles do that can be key.

[Taura-Tierno]

I think it's ridiculous dangerous to assume you can read someone from their eyes, or even from their facial expressions all the time.  Just setting yourself up for manipulation IMO.  Maybe i'm a soul-less monster who sees his skin and face as a mask for a much darker and much less empathetic internal self but i believe that an infinite gap separates us from other people.

 

Eyes can't say much, they are just fluid filled orbs filled with nerves and blood.  It's involuntary things your facial muscles do that can be key.

 

Isn't it as ridiculous to assume that we can read someone from what they say? Depending on how good poker face someone has, of course they can lie "through the eyes" or whatever. Doesn't mean that it's ridiculous to assume you can. You assume you can trust what people tell you, don't you (generelly, anyway)?

[Myyrth]

It's more dangerous to assume we can read truth from what people say.  Words are a rather clumsy and blunt instrument we use to translate the complex emotional and intellectual concepts our brain handles.  Just look at any politician, they are practically paid to manipulate their constituency and their speech writers spend a lot of time crafting very compelling misinformation.

 

I assume what people are telling me is generally not a deliberate manipulation of reality.  Though everyone in general speaks with their own self-interest at heart.  People can be trusted to look to their own best interest.  That's what I trust.  In general I don't assume that people are deliberately trying to harm me.

[sketching sedai]

Capital letters are audible

I thought you were taking the piss out of the DO. I’m gonna shut up now.

 

 

[Anoxanmore]

I think it's ridiculous dangerous to assume you can read someone from their eyes, or even from their facial expressions all the time.  Just setting yourself up for manipulation IMO.  Maybe i'm a soul-less monster who sees his skin and face as a mask for a much darker and much less empathetic internal self but i believe that an infinite gap separates us from other people.

 

Eyes can't say much, they are just fluid filled orbs filled with nerves and blood.  It's involuntary things your facial muscles do that can be key.

 

Actually eyes convey almost as much emotion, (unless they are dead or known how to fake), as the rest of the body language that most people pick up naturally.

 

When you're genuinelly shocked by something, you'll show it with your eyes, as will you when you are confused, as you may have a distant or squinty look with your eyes and the surrounding skin.

 

This is also why couples value eye contact much more in their relationship than do others who do not share the same relationship. Typically, if a partner is afraid, or is experiencing some other strong emotion, they can and often is comforted by the sound of their partner's voice and especially their eyes, as they can mirror their emotions.

 

It is incredibly easy to learn how to read someone using only their eyes. Its also virtually universal in the human race.

[mb]

mb:  Huh? What do you mean by that?

Not sure which part/parts of the post you are asking about.

 

[Anoxanmore]

mb:  Huh? What do you mean by that?

Not sure which part/parts of the post you are asking about.

 

They are talking about the channeling... which isn't possible, nor is the talking with animals. (Actually talking to them versus them learning english words and general knowledge)

[mb]

mb:  Huh? What do you mean by that?

Not sure which part/parts of the post you are asking about.

They are talking about the channeling... which isn't possible, nor is the talking with animals. (Actually talking to them versus them learning english words and general knowledge)

My comment was directed toward Samuel.

 

[Anoxanmore]

mb:  Huh? What do you mean by that?

Not sure which part/parts of the post you are asking about.

They are talking about the channeling... which isn't possible, nor is the talking with animals. (Actually talking to them versus them learning english words and general knowledge)

My comment was directed toward Samuel.

 

I'm aware of that, and I was clarifying what he was confused about... but that is fine, ignore me.

[ed2funy]

*ignores Anox*

 

It really is the best thing to do.

:D :P

[Knightfall]

It's more dangerous to assume we can read truth from what people say.  Words are a rather clumsy and blunt instrument we use to translate the complex emotional and intellectual concepts our brain handles.  Just look at any politician, they are practically paid to manipulate their constituency and their speech writers spend a lot of time crafting very compelling misinformation.

 

I assume what people are telling me is generally not a deliberate manipulation of reality.  Though everyone in general speaks with their own self-interest at heart.  People can be trusted to look to their own best interest.  That's what I trust.  In general I don't assume that people are deliberately trying to harm me.

 

I'll be short and sweet here, or at least try.  I agree with mostly everything you say, but at the same time you can take into account the other things you mentioned such as the fact that people are ultimately self serving when you 'diagnose' someone through reading them and using their eyes as -one- part of how you read them.

 

If that's too convoluted for you, just save us both time and frustration and watch and episode of 'Lie to Me'; it's the basic premise of the series.  Basically take your thoughts just a step further; yes, people can try to manipulate you, but in general run of the mill everyday life, people are too self-centered/concerned only with themselves to either do it or do a very good job of it.

 

Regardless of whether or not it actually works like this at all is ultimately almost a moot point; even if it doesn't make sense that characters can read so much from another characters eyes, it provides good flavor for the reader and insight into the emotional state of the character.

 

Cheers to writers who use variations of the third person and limited omniscient points of view.

[SheaththeSword]

A. Capital letters are audible

 

B. Women have an unsual propensity for visibly blushing to signal emotion.

 

C. Sniffing and snorting and other non-vocalised sounds are commonplace means of communication.

 

A. Alot of authors have used the capital letter 'audability' phenomenon (though generally not in thrillers or anything else fast-paced that looks like a movie script).

 

B. Yes, at first i thought the blusing very odd, but it more a quirk of culture rather than 'reality', per-say. But for the first few books when a women was insulted and it said that her face turned crimson or whatever, i was very confused - i thought why are u getting embarrassed, 'he just insulted you, and now ur pausing to hand him the argument'. XD

 

C. I think we do alot more of this than we realise, it's simply the penning of it every single time RJ saw it as a likely occurence made it stand out alot. And perhaps again, just a quirk of culture.

 

 

[Myyrth]

I guess I overstepped myself before.  I do agree that it's possible to read someone, I just think that the general understanding we gain from our natural empathy can be misleading.  I am not a pro at reading faces or body language, I get the idea, but if somebody was trying to mislead me or lying I wouldn't necessarily pick up on it.  To some extent I believe we are all practiced liars, it's part of our nature.

 

I also believe that some people are better at reading people than others, and some people are better at deceiving people than others.  I didn't mean to come off so black and white.