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Miscommunication
A Thursday Prompt story
© 2025 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
technicolorpie, color by 
marmelmm
Prompt: stress
“What happened?” Meredith asked as she stepped back into the conference room. She had left the room on the Kashlanin side of Downtime Station for a moment to confer with one of Transcosm’s directors, leaving a representative from another Terran corporation alone in the room with the Kashlanin representative for an Imperial mining consortium. “Where did she go, Makkoi-jih?” she asked the camel.
Makkoi Anastas raised his paws. “I have no idea,” he protested. “You walked out, and I tried to speak to k’Aan-jih in her native language.”
The golden palomino’s ears swiveled. “Her native language? What did you say?”
“I asked her if there was anything else her company required.” Meredith looked concerned and Makkoi asked, “What’s wrong?”
“You used the Kashlanin word for anything?”
“Yes.”
“Can you repeat it for me?”
The camel shrugged. “I said eālān,” he said, putting an emphasis on the third syllable. Meredith sat down at the chair she’d used and Makkoi asked, “What?”
“You should have used ēalan,” Meredith said patiently, emphasizing the second syllable. “It’s a very old word, and depending on the vowel and syllable stress it can have a wide range of meanings.” She met the camel’s gaze. “The form you used is the most obscene one.”
Makkoi’s eyes widened. “But – but I didn’t – “
“I agree, you probably didn’t know,” Meredith said. “Makkoi-jih, I must ask you to return to the Terran side of the station and get something to eat, while I try to smooth down k’Aan-jih’s ruffled fur.” The mare sighed. “It might take a while.”
“Fine,” and the camel gathered up his padd.
“Oh, and Makkoi-jih?”
He paused. “Yes, d’Estcourt-jih?”
“Next time, use the translator, or let me do the talking.”
A Thursday Prompt story
© 2025 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
technicolorpie, color by 
marmelmmPrompt: stress
“What happened?” Meredith asked as she stepped back into the conference room. She had left the room on the Kashlanin side of Downtime Station for a moment to confer with one of Transcosm’s directors, leaving a representative from another Terran corporation alone in the room with the Kashlanin representative for an Imperial mining consortium. “Where did she go, Makkoi-jih?” she asked the camel.
Makkoi Anastas raised his paws. “I have no idea,” he protested. “You walked out, and I tried to speak to k’Aan-jih in her native language.”
The golden palomino’s ears swiveled. “Her native language? What did you say?”
“I asked her if there was anything else her company required.” Meredith looked concerned and Makkoi asked, “What’s wrong?”
“You used the Kashlanin word for anything?”
“Yes.”
“Can you repeat it for me?”
The camel shrugged. “I said eālān,” he said, putting an emphasis on the third syllable. Meredith sat down at the chair she’d used and Makkoi asked, “What?”
“You should have used ēalan,” Meredith said patiently, emphasizing the second syllable. “It’s a very old word, and depending on the vowel and syllable stress it can have a wide range of meanings.” She met the camel’s gaze. “The form you used is the most obscene one.”
Makkoi’s eyes widened. “But – but I didn’t – “
“I agree, you probably didn’t know,” Meredith said. “Makkoi-jih, I must ask you to return to the Terran side of the station and get something to eat, while I try to smooth down k’Aan-jih’s ruffled fur.” The mare sighed. “It might take a while.”
“Fine,” and the camel gathered up his padd.
“Oh, and Makkoi-jih?”
He paused. “Yes, d’Estcourt-jih?”
“Next time, use the translator, or let me do the talking.”
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Horse
Size 120 x 120px
File Size 52.2 kB
Such a good idea I had to add it to my silly tale ...
A Caitian male was walking past their enclosure and hissed something at them.
Without waiting for the translation, he hissed something back.
The ambassador frowned as the delayed translations of ‘Showoff!’ and “Always’ reached his ears. “Just how well do you understand and speak their language?” he asked.
“A few hundred of the more often used words and phrases,” he admitted. “Though I only try to speak a few dozen, it’s way too easy to say things just off enough to turn a compliment into an insult.”
A Caitian male was walking past their enclosure and hissed something at them.
Without waiting for the translation, he hissed something back.
The ambassador frowned as the delayed translations of ‘Showoff!’ and “Always’ reached his ears. “Just how well do you understand and speak their language?” he asked.
“A few hundred of the more often used words and phrases,” he admitted. “Though I only try to speak a few dozen, it’s way too easy to say things just off enough to turn a compliment into an insult.”
I have a personal story from years ago of a similar nature. I was working in Miami and there was a Cuban waitress who was a lovely lady and a good sport, so I always tried hard for her. My working partner was an old Cuban mechanic, and he was trying to teach me Spanish. I asked him how to say, 'You have beautiful eyes.' He did so, and smiling, I told the waitress in her mother tongue that she had beautiful holes.
Another old Cuban fellow sitting a few seats down from us almost fell off his stool he was laughing so hard.
She was wonderful, and laughed too.
Vix
Another old Cuban fellow sitting a few seats down from us almost fell off his stool he was laughing so hard.
She was wonderful, and laughed too.
Vix
This was great! It’s relatable as anyone who is learning a language or think they know a language may encounter this scenario. Nuance, dialects, regional colloquialisms, and regional differences do change the meaning of words. This short piece demonstrates an example of lack of situational and audience awareness on behalf of the speaker.
Well done!
Well done!
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