Laurence, faced with his embarrassing inability to fully – or even partially – comprehend the language Temeraire has picked up so easily, bows briefly to hide his discomfort.
"Forgive me," he says. "I have never had an ear or eye for languages." Even his French is just short of abysmal, but he finds Chinese, and especially the characters, nothing short of wholly confusing. "I regret to say I must further apply myself to study of the language, but am at present unable to specify the character itself; however, I believe it is pronounced Xiáng, if that is of some assistance."
He does his best to recreate the rising tone in which Temeraire had patiently coached him, but his ear is not the most precise.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-11-17 03:41 pm (UTC)"Forgive me," he says. "I have never had an ear or eye for languages." Even his French is just short of abysmal, but he finds Chinese, and especially the characters, nothing short of wholly confusing. "I regret to say I must further apply myself to study of the language, but am at present unable to specify the character itself; however, I believe it is pronounced Xiáng, if that is of some assistance."
He does his best to recreate the rising tone in which Temeraire had patiently coached him, but his ear is not the most precise.