Memorizing phrases in a different language

[Ravingdork]

Say I have an incredibly intelligent wizard (30+ intelligence). He is needed to solve a problem involving a strange race of sentient creatures.

He doesn't happen to know these creatures' language, despite his higher education, but wants to go in as prepared as he can (after all, he's a wizard, right?). So he studies up on the creatures' language and memorizes a couple dozen phrases that he intends to use and may receive in return. Should be easy right? After all, he's got 30 freakin' intelligence! Remembering things in the short term should be a piece of cake.

But the GM says no. To him, it's all or nothing. You know a language or you don't. There won't be any of this "trying to fenagal your way past the rules" business.

What do you think? What do the rules support? Could the above be done somehow?

[Xzaral]

Linguistics check? I believe that covers it, though I'd have to look it up to be sure.

[Saint Caleth]

I think that it is a textbook Linguistics check to reproduce the pronunciation correctly.

Of course the super genius wizard could just cast tongues or use some other sort of magic.

[Stikye]

perhaps even comprehend languages,

but linguistics would cover this situation.

Linguistics wrote:

You can decipher writing in an unfamiliar language or a message written in an incomplete or archaic form. The base DC is 20 for the simplest messages, 25 for standard texts, and 30 or higher for intricate, exotic, or very old writing. If the check succeeds, you understand the general content of a piece of writing about one page long (or the equivalent). If the check fails, make a DC 5 Wisdom check to see if you avoid drawing a false conclusion about the text. (Success means that you do not draw a false conclusion; failure means that you do.)

Both the Linguistics check and (if necessary) the Wisdom check are made secretly by the GM, so that you can't tell whether the conclusion you draw is true or false.

[blackbloodtroll]

Knowing a single phrase, is not a subversion of the rules. I know a number of phrases in other languages, but fluently speak none.
A fantastically intelligent hero should be able to remember a phrase or two.

[Michael Radagast]

Slight tangent, but I've never been satisfied with the all-or-nothing nature of RPG linguistics. I allow my PCs to break any "known" language into two "conversational" ones or three "broken" ones. Granted that this runs the risk of turning into a tedious mini-game, and nobody wants to roleplay a language barrier for long - fortunately, we haven't had that problem yet.

Er, back on track, Int was originally intended to be roughly representative of IQ/10. So you're talking 300 IQ - if you put any stock in IQ, anyrate - pretty much William James Sidis. As the Wiki will tell you, Sidis was rumored to speak forty languages or more. I'd imagine that after the first dozen, it's not so hard to pick up anything in the general vicinity - you know, Latin, Germanic, Cyrillic, Slavic, what have you. Same might hold true for fantasy tongues.

[Alitan]

I'd probably require a Linguistics check for phrase knowledge and a Bluff check for phrase delivery: you are, essentially, pretending to know this esoteric language. A verbal disguise, if you will -- which I think is best represented by a Bluff check. YMMV

[Selgard]

First: memorizing the lines. Int check.
second: recognizing when to say them: linguistics check.
third: making them think you actually know the language: bluff check.

I think it's be fairly easy for such a person to memorize a few phrases in another language. The truly difficult part would be using them to respond appropriately.

For example- I may know how to say "where is the bathroom" in spanish. I may know right, left, hallway.

But if into El Walmarto in Mexico and ask where the bathromo is- they may not say "down the hall to the right". They could say "across the store, three aisles over and against the far wall". (or "screw off gringo" or any other number of answers.)

Your entire concept is based on the ability to say something and hope you've correctly figured out what their reply will be. (otherwise you won't know what line to say next).

That, i think, would be the really hard part.
The Linguistics check would cover it- but if your super smart wizard isn't trained in the skill you'd be effectively hosed. (30 int or not the DC would be prohibitively high if you aren't trained in linguistics.)

At least- that'd be my .02 on it.

-S