The Look For Me series has a smattering of foreign
language. I use other languages to add depth and color to some of my
characters. So far in the series I have included Dutch, French, Chinese
and German.
Realizing that most English speaking readers will not be
fluent in other languages, I use a technique that I think keeps the color but
allows the reader to sail through the passages without running to the
dictionary.
The trick is to say what you want to say in the foreign
language and then paraphrase it within the context of the passage. Here
is an example from Knew You Before:
As she approached, Clemmens heard
her coming and stood up. He held a stein high into the air.
“Meta!”
Meta kicked Mope gently and she speeded up a little hill where Clemmons had
built his fire.
“Wie geht es Dir?”
“Jetzt, da ich bei Dir bin, geht es mir sehr gut,” he replied with a smile.
Meta loved to be flattered. Now that she was there he was very well, he
told her. But she was nervous, too. She felt her heart beating wildly in
her chest.
“Lass mich Dir runter helfen,” said Clemmens as he reached up to help Meta down
off the horse.
LookForMeIWillFindYou.com
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