Sci-fi that focuses on understanding (or lack thereof) between species and language limitations
Every year I reread one or more of the Foreigner series, also by Cherryh, for the same reason. As a translator and interpreter myself, NAIL-BITINGLY TENSE interpretation scenes soothe my very soul. Even between human languages, you don't put one utterance in and get an exact match out! The interpreter has to be guessing and juggling all the time. (On my first or second read of Foreigner, when I eventually figured out that despite all his whining Bren is a stone-cold adrenaline junkie, his choice of job and choice of leisure started to make sense.)
no subject
Every year I reread one or more of the Foreigner series, also by Cherryh, for the same reason. As a translator and interpreter myself, NAIL-BITINGLY TENSE interpretation scenes soothe my very soul. Even between human languages, you don't put one utterance in and get an exact match out! The interpreter has to be guessing and juggling all the time. (On my first or second read of Foreigner, when I eventually figured out that despite all his whining Bren is a stone-cold adrenaline junkie, his choice of job and choice of leisure started to make sense.)