The Educated Goblin.

Jaraal

Something I noticed while fighting a group of goblins in Vvardenfell.

During the battle, I hear something along the lines of "Rabarabbarrrarhh glarbbrhar hrabarabararr," immediately followed by (in a precise American accent) "Move to flank!" And then one goblin tries to get in behind me to attack.

My questions are:

1) Where did the educated goblin learn to speak English? The College of Winterhold, perhaps? He seemed to have a reasonable grasp of magical knowledge, so this is a possibility.

2) At least one other goblin understands English commands, so why does he not also speak English? Goblinese seems somewhat crude, although I'm sure there are linguistical nuances that they know that I'm not aware of.

Nestor

That was the Goblin Master hiding in the bushes telling his Goblin Minions how to fight.

elias.stormneb18_ESO

Jaraal wrote: »

Something I noticed while fighting a group of goblins in Vvardenfell.

During the battle, I hear something along the lines of "Rabarabbarrrarhh glarbbrhar hrabarabararr," immediately followed by (in a precise American accent) "Move to flank!" And then one goblin tries to get in behind me to attack.

My questions are:

1) Where did the educated goblin learn to speak English? The College of Winterhold, perhaps? He seemed to have a reasonable grasp of magical knowledge, so this is a possibility.

2) At least one other goblin understands English commands, so why does he not also speak English? Goblinese seems somewhat crude, although I'm sure there are linguistical nuances that they know that I'm not aware of.

While what you encountered was obviously a bug, there are a few Cyrodiilic (English) speaking goblins in the game. One of them learned it from being a slave in an Altmeri household. If educated properly, any goblin could probably learn Cyrodiilic. Also, understanding a language is not the same as being able to speak it. You may learn how to read and understand a language, but if you never learn how to speak it properly you will have a hard time communicating vocally using it.

Jaraal

Nestor wrote: »

That was the Goblin Master hiding in the bushes telling his Goblin Minions how to fight.

An interesting possibility. And, if he's smart enough to learn English as well as avoid combat, then he may have also been wise enough to remove that Buoyant Armiger motif from the treasure chest before I got there. This could explain a lot of things!

elias.stormneb18_ESO wrote: »

While what you encountered was obviously a bug, there are a few Cyrodiilic (English) speaking goblins in the game. One of them learned it from being a slave in an Altmeri household. If educated properly, any goblin could probably learn Cyrodiilic. Also, understanding a language is not the same as being able to speak it. You may learn how to read and understand a language, but if you never learn how to speak it properly you will have a hard time communicating vocally using it.

Sounds reasonable.

I believe the next time I encounter a group of goblins, I shall ask them, "Cyrodiilic, milk drinker! Do you speak it!?" And then have a bite of their tasty horker burger before slaying them all.

Ratzkifal

Perhaps it was the same Goblin I saw earlier today, riding on a Dwemer construct, thinking on the meaning of life and the solution to all problems in the world

Sawzallz

There's a quest I did that turned me into a goblin so it might just be a human turned to goblin by a shaman it something

WhiteCoatSyndrome

You. Fa. Low. Me.