What languages do you speak? Answer in bullet points.

What was the last game that left an impression on you? Why? (1-2 sentences)

A stranger who shares no language with you holds up a cup of water and says a new word. How could you figure out whether the word means "water," "cup," or "drink"? Describe what you would do. (1-2 sentences)

How confident would you feel resolving the previous scenario?

How would you describe an unfamiliar scenario with only 4 words? (1-2 sentences)

Why might homophones exist in language? (1-2 sentences)

What necessitates the evolution of language? (1-2 sentences)

Sabrina’s game from last year, because I remember how close I got to winning but still lost. It was like a constructed narrative that just happened to occur within the rules of the game.

I would try different things to discern the precise meaning (like pouring the water out or specifically drinking it).

I would try to get as much meaning out of those words as possible, and potentially combine them in ways that produce new meanings.

I suppose it could be coincidence, but also maybe there aren’t enough short and easy to pronounce combinations of sounds.

Language is intimately tied with culture and society, so as these advance and change so too must our language to better fit our current situation.

The last game I remember playing was Secret Hitler. It made an impression on me because it is the only game everyone in my friend group consistently loves to play. They like it because it’s a social deduction game where most time is spent talking, which makes it social to play and a fun way to interact with others (who doesn’t like manipulating your friends?)

I think this is harder than it looks because of cultural practices and norms that change how we think about and communicate concepts. Like my language may not have a word for “drink” or “cup” at all, so at that point it becomes much harder. And, my culture may not have an equivalent to charades, the idea that you can act out words in order to describe what they mean. I would point into the cup and ask if that’s what it is, or gesture in a circle around to represent what it is to figure out whether it’s water or the cup.

Pick one verb, two nouns, and either a preposition like “with” or, if not needed, another noun.

Because context (the word around a word) determines which homophone is used. They could have developed from completely different sounds which over time merged into the same sound.

Nothing “necessitates” it, it just happens over time as cultures mix and technology develops.

Avalon. It left an impression on me because I got to see how people worked together and deceived each other.

I think you could repeat the word in different contexts. First holding up the cup by itself and saying the word, then another beverage and saying the word, and last pointing to a body of water and saying the word. When the stranger gives approval, then you know what they are trying to say.

Certain words may be easy to pronounce and used in different contexts so they don’t produce confusion.

Humans rely on each other to hunt, farm, and build shelter to survive.

Cross Bronx Expressway. It showed how urban decay and the decline of many American cities (especially the Bronx) occurred because of different interest groups.

I would gesture to each thing (the cup and then the water inside the cup) and I would also make a drinking motion. I would make the same word each time and see when they agree.

Unclear on what this question means? “An unfamiliar scenario” (3 words)

A variety of different etymological reasons. Sometimes words have their sound change. Sometimes multiple languages come together.

I would speak the language I understand back knowing they will also make a similar but slightly different gesture back to me. But somewhere inbetween those rounds of back-and-forth, something usually strikes and I will get to understand if they meant water, cup or drink

I'll say the 4 words and end with a sigh if its a negative experience. With a smile if it s a positive e.t.c My gesture after the 4 words would say more than the 4 words ever could.

The kinds of people in that generation. A generation that favours procedures might evolve a language into a longer one. While those that value speed would shunt many things while keeping the meaning.

I liked Scamboo from class. They had an interesting setup and the rules are easy to grasp.

I would practice an actual drinking behavior to ask if they want me to drink it. If they said no, I will double tap on the cup itself to confirm if they meant cup. If again no, then I will touch the water to confirm if they meant water.

I will use one noun to describe the actors in the scenario (eg. people/animal/men/women), one verb for the action that is carried out in the scenario (eg. fight, laugh), one adjective for emotion/state in the scenario (eg. scary/happy/nervous), one word for outcome (eg. die/thrive/finish)

BOTC left an impression on me because of the massive group playing and also the game's social deduction focus.

noun and adjective words that are important and relevant to the scenario and can make up a story

Blood on the Clocktower. It is very adaptable and there are many ways it can play out in a balanced manner.

Repeat the new word to them 3 times, pointing / gesturing the 3 different concepts

People got used to describing two things with the same sound in different groups, then when they merged different spelling could be the fix

Innovation and re-organization for logical purposes (eg. Swiss and Belgium French changed the numbering system from counting in 20s (4*20 for 80) to counting every 10, which most believe is much more logical)

Gesture at the cup and make the same sound with a rising tone to determine if it's a cup. Make a pouring motion and gesture at the "stuff" coming out of the "cup" and make the same sound with a rising tone. Make a drinking motion and make the same sound with a rising tone.

One or two words would need to cover the danger level. One word would need to describe what the dangerous/unfamiliar object is. One word would need to describe where the dangerous/unfamiliar object or scenario took place.

At least in English, some words might have an official meaning and a (possibly related) context-dependent second meaning (e.g. "fire" in the chemical reaction sense vs. "fire" as to remove one from an employment position)

Sometimes more complex ideas or items need to be expressed which cannot be expressed in an efficient way given the current state of the language.