Dumbing of Age Book Eleven

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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BUFFER WATCH Comics are currently drawn and uploaded through:

September 20, 2023

Type

by David M Willis on July 13, 2019 at 12:01 am
  • 04 - Vote for Robin

└ Tags: marcie, sal

Discussion (163) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. butts
    butts
    July 13, 2019 at 12:02 am | #

    man it’s funny how that southern accent translates, eh

    • Doctor_Who
      Doctor_Who
      July 13, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

      Although the scar on her hand does give her a slight lisp.

      • Chronos
        Chronos
        July 13, 2019 at 12:25 am | #

        “If someone with one arm speaks with sign language is that a speech impediment or an accent?”

        Here might be your answer Krillin.

        • Spriteless Girl
          Spriteless Girl
          July 13, 2019 at 2:17 am | #

          It’s modified sign language. I mean, if you want a seperate word for everything wouldn’t a new word not on the spectrum of the words you said be even better?

        • Colineo
          Colineo
          July 13, 2019 at 7:39 am | #

          DBZ:A fan, I see.

    • butts
      butts
      July 13, 2019 at 12:05 am | #

      god do we all just have one brain cell between us or what

      • ValdVin
        ValdVin
        July 13, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

        It appears so.

      • Marsh Maryrose
        Marsh Maryrose
        July 13, 2019 at 1:03 am | #

        Dumbing of Age Book 10: Do We All Just Have One Brain Cell Between Us or What

        • Clif
          Clif
          July 13, 2019 at 1:16 am | #

          But for that to work, butts would have to become a DOA character.

          I would be okay with this.

          • Jamie
            Jamie
            July 13, 2019 at 1:21 am | #

            They’re not?

            • Zach
              Zach
              July 13, 2019 at 1:26 am | #

              They are the sole protagonist.

              • butts
                butts
                July 13, 2019 at 5:44 am | #

                heck sh’yeah i am

            • Deanatay
              Deanatay
              July 13, 2019 at 8:22 am | #

              No, Butts Disease is a recurring character in all of Willis’ works.

              Just because butts is Patient Zero, doesn’t make him a character.

          • Marsh Maryrose
            Marsh Maryrose
            July 13, 2019 at 1:56 am | #

            Sue has a tag. Cholma doesn’t have a tag but has made a cameo appearance. Willis has the power to reach across the fourth wall.

            • Clif
              Clif
              July 13, 2019 at 10:21 am | #

              Dumbing of Age Book 10: Willis has the power to reach across the fourth wall.

              • Clif
                Clif
                July 13, 2019 at 10:30 am | #

                What I said, but with Caps.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 13, 2019 at 2:33 am | #

      Here’s a thing that has kind of flummoxed me in reading the comments tonight.

      ASL has its own freaking grammar. Any translation you see of ASL into English sentences is just that: a translation. It could be translated into Danish, or Russian, or Yoruba, and it would still be a translation.

      Willis chose to make the English translation of Sal’s signing follow Sal’s spoken speech patterns, and somehow this is a big freaking deal, and I kinda doubt he ever expected that. I certainly didn’t.

      Marcie and Sal are not communicating in Signed Exact English. They are communicating in ASL. The words you are seeing on the page are a translation, not a transliteration. It’s not that big of a deal.

      • NelC
        NelC
        July 13, 2019 at 8:30 am | #

        It’s a big thing because most people don’t know anything about sign, it isn’t part of their daily experience and they’ve never had to process any thoughts about the idiosyncrasies of sign. It’s not freaking out, it’s genuine curiosity about what accent transliterates to in sign, if anything. They have no data to even guess, so they ask.

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        July 13, 2019 at 9:09 am | #

        It took me a second to realize Sal was signing. At first glance I assumed all of the blue dialogue was Marcie’s, then I noticed Sal’s hands were in signing-blue and the translation followed Sal’s speech patterns.

        What would a transliteration of this conversation look like?

        • Leorale
          Leorale
          July 13, 2019 at 2:15 pm | #

          My sign is very beginner, but from my rudimentary knowledge, maybe something like:

          You, me, with friends, future?
          Yeah, maybe, same as Malaya with me friends, future.
          Please, not say Malaya me same.
          Look, I like similar women, ok?
          All these parts of this conversation, I don’t like.

          Please chime in, people with more ASL knowledge.

          • Leorale
            Leorale
            July 13, 2019 at 2:21 pm | #

            What’s really cool with ASL grammar is that it’s *spatial*. So like, Marcie can set up that the space to her upper right will represent Malaya, and then that space represents Malaya for this conversation. Marcie can gesture to encompass herself and the Malaya-space to mean ‘Malaya and me’. And Marcie can sign ‘same’ between the Malaya-spot and Sal, to instantly say that Malaya and Sal are similar.

            • Leorale
              Leorale
              July 13, 2019 at 2:26 pm | #

              There would also be a ton of facial expression required, it does everything that your vocal inflection would do in a spoken language.

              • Leorale
                Leorale
                July 13, 2019 at 2:48 pm | #

                So on further thought, maybe it looks like:

                Sal signs the word “friends” between where she and Marcie are standing, and gestures forwards into the future. “Possible?”

                Marcie signs “Yes” and “maybe” with the facial expression shown to make it into “sure, possibly”. Marcie sets up where Malaya is in this conversation (by signing Malaya’s name in the air there). She encompasses herself and the Malaya-space to the sign “friends” over here, and encompasses herself and Sal to the sign “friends” over there, and signs “same” between those two friend-places.

                Sal: “One request. Not same”.

                ….I don’t know enough slang to have any idea how to say “I have a type”. I could say “Women similar to you and Malaya, I like them” which would work, but ASL slang probably has something more specific.

                Sal could put “this conversation” over here, sign “many parts”, collect all the parts and say “I don’t like these”.

                ….I *think*. Again, kind of a beginner over here, could be wrong and would welcome correction. But I do think this illustrates why it’s hard to directly translate ASL into English.

                • Needfuldoer
                  Needfuldoer
                  July 13, 2019 at 5:58 pm | #

                  Thanks! Most of what I learned about signing was from Linda on Sesame Street, so take that as you may.

                  It’s not really easy to find written ASL lessons, probably at least in part because it’s so reliant on context and space.

            • Marsh Maryrose
              Marsh Maryrose
              July 13, 2019 at 10:07 pm | #

              This is so cool! Thank you for explaining this in such detail.

              The idea of a spatially-based language was a mind-blown moment for me.

          • Jhon
            Jhon
            July 13, 2019 at 6:01 pm | #

            This is excellent! Thumbs up!

      • Elsendor
        Elsendor
        July 13, 2019 at 4:08 pm | #

        i had no idea about any of this! this has been a great learning experience, thanks!

    • Ophidiophile
      Ophidiophile
      July 13, 2019 at 4:37 am | #

      Marcie is mute not deaf. She knows what Sal sounds like when speaking. The part of the brain that processes hearing speech also processes reading sign. Marcie literally hears Sal sign with Sal’s voice.

  2. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    July 13, 2019 at 12:02 am | #

    oh dang I didn’t know ASL had Southern twang

    TheMoreYouKnow.gif

    (granted, that might be what Malaya was doing)

    • Ana Chronistic
      Ana Chronistic
      July 13, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

      [inb4: late bc Firefox is refreshing for some reason and Chrome wasn’t set up]

      (also idgaf)

      • butts
        butts
        July 13, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

        yall just got BUTTSNIPED

        (nobody cares)

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          July 13, 2019 at 12:40 am | #

          better than buttwiped?

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          July 13, 2019 at 9:10 am | #

          “Butts niped”?

          • BarerMender
            BarerMender
            July 13, 2019 at 10:55 am | #

            Nips butted?

  3. ValdVin
    ValdVin
    July 13, 2019 at 12:03 am | #

    I don’t know anything of ASL. Is Sal really signing “If Ah got one request”?

    • He Who Abides
      He Who Abides
      July 13, 2019 at 1:09 am | #

      I suspect that Marcie’s just seeing it that way, since Sal usually speaks with that accent.

      • David
        David
        July 13, 2019 at 2:45 am | #

        Why is Sal signing anyway? It’s not like Marcie’s deaf.

        • Nymphie
          Nymphie
          July 13, 2019 at 2:54 am | #

          I think it got too emotionally heavy for her to say the words out loud.

          • Axel
            Axel
            July 13, 2019 at 3:17 pm | #

            Yes, especially as she also moved into signing when she had an argument with Marcie (don’t know the page but it started with her saying aloud ‘what do you mean you already did all the stuff’

        • Owlmirror
          Owlmirror
          July 13, 2019 at 9:44 am | #

          In addition to emotional heaviness, there’s also the point of being semi-private by speaking a language most people don’t know.

          Of course, that leaves the possibility of those who do know accidentally listening (or in this case, watching).

        • Amias
          Amias
          July 13, 2019 at 11:40 pm | #

          ASL is its own language, with its own grammar. It’s probably easier to hold a conversation if both people are speaking one language, rather than two with different grammatical structures.

        • Romanticide
          Romanticide
          July 15, 2019 at 2:08 am | #

          walls have ears and even if they are at the outside there is a lower chance to for nearby people to know about what is being talked if Sal also signs what she wants to say.

    • NatNatNat
      NatNatNat
      July 13, 2019 at 11:13 am | #

      Unless she’s fingerspelling or signing English (which would be hard to understand by Marcie might get it based on signing with Sal a lot) no. My understanding is accents within ASL have more to do with minor sign variations and regional signs (things one region would spell out whereas another has invented a sign for it because it’s common, like a regional food).

  4. shadowcell
    shadowcell
    July 13, 2019 at 12:04 am | #

    i really hope it’s possible to have an accent in ASL, that would be unironically awesome

    • Mydnyt
      Mydnyt
      July 13, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

      I know drunk slurring is possible. It’s also incredibly hilarious.

    • dethtoll
      dethtoll
      July 13, 2019 at 12:10 am | #

      Only inasmuch as there are some minor regional differences in certain signs.

      • Terry
        Terry
        July 13, 2019 at 12:20 am | #

        That’s a yes. What is an accent if not “regional differences” in how you say things in the same language. Some signs are significantly different, so the difference between “you (plural)”, “Y’all”, and “yinz.” Then you have the ones that just differ in the angle of the hand or the direction of the movement, which would be more like what most people would think of as an accent.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 13, 2019 at 1:18 am | #

      ASL is a language. Ergo, it has accents.

  5. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    July 13, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

    Playlist…

  6. Kyrik Michalowski
    Kyrik Michalowski
    July 13, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

    I’m so happy that they are communicating and that this won’t affect their friendship in a major way. Now the questions are, is Marcie going to continue pursuing Malaya and how will that go? And will Sal and Malaya ever be anything other than 100% hostile to each other?

    • Kinoko
      Kinoko
      July 13, 2019 at 11:47 am | #

      Seems like it will affect their friendship in a major way. I think that’s the point Marcie’s making when she says “probably in the same way I’m going to be friends with Malaya”. It’s difficult for a friendship to be balanced when one side wants something the other doesn’t. Doesn’t mean Sal isn’t going to try her best to stay friends anyway, of course!

  7. William Leonard Reese Jr.
    William Leonard Reese Jr.
    July 13, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    I do not think that there could have been a more insulting thing she could have said to Sal.

    Also what is her type? Brash girls?

    • Yumi
      Yumi
      July 13, 2019 at 12:11 am | #

      People who only see her as a friend?

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 13, 2019 at 1:04 am | #

      Kick-ass girls.

    • GoblinScribe
      GoblinScribe
      July 13, 2019 at 1:29 am | #

      People who aren’t into her.

      • woobie
        woobie
        July 13, 2019 at 12:37 pm | #

        ouch

    • Mr. Bulmbin
      Mr. Bulmbin
      July 13, 2019 at 5:05 am | #

      Dark-skinned, outwardly kinda rude, definitely kickass.

  8. butts
    butts
    July 13, 2019 at 12:07 am | #

    …

    wait this is tagged “malaya”

    • butts
      butts
      July 13, 2019 at 12:08 am | #

      also is marcie just a buffer version of the marcie from peanuts and am i the last person to notice

      • John
        John
        July 13, 2019 at 12:12 am | #

        It’s more obvious when you go back to the Walkyverse version.

      • Lingo
        Lingo
        July 13, 2019 at 12:27 am | #

        It’s come up before.

      • Kyoulkoa
        Kyoulkoa
        July 13, 2019 at 12:40 am | #

        Buffer?

        • David M Willis
          David M Willis
          July 13, 2019 at 12:48 am | #

          *runs up*
          what about a buffer

          • Marsh Maryrose
            Marsh Maryrose
            July 13, 2019 at 1:08 am | #

            Still eleven weeks, not that anyone’s perserverating or anything.

            • Clif
              Clif
              July 13, 2019 at 1:50 am | #

              Perserverating?

              Hold on while I consult Google…

              Perseveration according to psychology, psychiatry, and speech-language pathology, is the repetition of a particular response (such as a word, phrase, or gesture) regardless of the absence or cessation of a stimulus. It is usually caused by a brain injury or other organic disorder. Symptoms include “lacking ability to transition or switch ideas appropriately with the social context, as evidenced by the repetition of words or gestures after they have ceased to be socially relevant or appropriate”,

              Okay. Now I’m officially confused. Large buffers and buffer Marcies are always socially appropriate and any brain damage I may have accumulated from reading Lovecraft as a youngster is completely irrelevant.

              • Marsh Maryrose
                Marsh Maryrose
                July 13, 2019 at 2:16 am | #

                This is in reference to the Buffer Watch, in the leftmost column, near the top, right under the HiveWorks logo, and also to the semantic ambiguity between “buffer” as “more buff,” and “buffer” as an actual buffer. I suppose I was trying (and apparently failing) to humorously imply that either Willis is somewhat obsessive about his buffer, or that I am, or perhaps both.

                None of this matters, since the King in Yellow has already driven you insane.

                • vlademir1
                  vlademir1
                  July 13, 2019 at 7:19 am | #

                  Please, I’m not usually one to explore forbidden Chambers nor to name he who should not be names, but driving one insane is far less Hastur’s bag than his half brother’s.

                • Clif
                  Clif
                  July 13, 2019 at 9:38 am | #

                  Pedant. There is enough insanity for everyone.

                • StClair
                  StClair
                  July 13, 2019 at 1:14 pm | #

                  You get a mania, and you get a mania, and…

                • He Who Abides
                  He Who Abides
                  July 13, 2019 at 7:56 pm | #

                  ^Worst. Oprah giveaway. EVER.

              • BarerMender
                BarerMender
                July 13, 2019 at 10:59 am | #

                Maybe a misspelling. There’s a word “perseverating,” but I don’t remember what it means.

                • Clif
                  Clif
                  July 13, 2019 at 11:29 am | #

                  Abdul Alhazred would know. You might consult his works.

                • Leorale
                  Leorale
                  July 13, 2019 at 2:56 pm | #

                  Perseverating is to think excessively about the same thing over and over. Ruminating is another handy word for it, like the way a sheep (which is a ruminant) chews her cud over and over all day.
                  I ♡ words

                • Marsh Maryrose
                  Marsh Maryrose
                  July 13, 2019 at 10:11 pm | #

                  “Perserverating” is a word that means “I shouldn’t try to type long words when I’m three-quarters asleep.”

      • woobie
        woobie
        July 13, 2019 at 12:38 pm | #

        More buff.

    • James
      James
      July 13, 2019 at 12:09 am | #

      Marcie is just now realizing she has some very deep-seated identity issues.

  9. Mra
    Mra
    July 13, 2019 at 12:09 am | #

    So is it a personality type? tough tomboy? or an aesthetic type she is referring to? dark hair tan skin, taller than marcie?

    • ValdVin
      ValdVin
      July 13, 2019 at 12:13 am | #

      “Why not both?”

    • BarerMender
      BarerMender
      July 13, 2019 at 12:16 am | #

      Tall, dark, and beautiful.

      • Mordecai
        Mordecai
        July 13, 2019 at 2:17 am | #

        Long… tan… and handsome!

        • Deanatay
          Deanatay
          July 13, 2019 at 8:31 am | #

          Tall, dark, and short-tempered.

    • Dana
      Dana
      July 13, 2019 at 12:35 am | #

      People who hate everyone else who is her type.

  10. KingMabel
    KingMabel
    July 13, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

    Ah yes, emotional Sal. We see you so rarely. We miss you dearl- and she’s gone.

  11. BBCC
    BBCC
    July 13, 2019 at 12:15 am | #

    Ooh, let’s see if I can count them all

    1) Learning Marcie wants to bang her.

    2) She doesn’t want Marcie back

    3) She’s gotta be wondering whether or not that’s why Marcie did things like accompany her to school and Marcie doesn’t know the answer to them

    4) Marcie keeps comparing her to Malaya

    5) Marcie just said they’d still be friends the same way she’ll be friends with Malaya. I think Marcie meant ‘We’ll be friends despite my feelings’ but I’m worried Sal will take that as ‘We’ll be friends in the same amount of contact as I have with Malaya’ (i.e. less intimate than Sal and Marcie’s friendship was).

    • Kyrik Michalowski
      Kyrik Michalowski
      July 13, 2019 at 12:35 am | #

      It certainly is a lot for Sal to process, but I think them talking it out will dispel any confusion before it starts. Although as people remind me, the title of this comic means I shouldn’t get my hopes up.

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        July 13, 2019 at 1:03 am | #

        They’re doing alright so far!

      • CJ
        CJ
        July 13, 2019 at 4:19 am | #

        Talking doesn’t dispel confusion in this case. It’s a natural result of wanting feelings to be different from what they are.

        Talking helps to minimize trust issues which is a great help in staying friends.

        Just starting to wonder if it’s easier to be friends with people you’ve been in love with/ had a strong crush on when you are demi. I often noticed that there are people who find it normal to stay friends and others who think that’s impossible and just start to wonder if that might be part of the equation.

        • Achallenger
          Achallenger
          July 13, 2019 at 10:34 am | #

          Remind me what demi is, cause I might have opinions here

          • BarerMender
            BarerMender
            July 13, 2019 at 11:05 am | #

            I believe it’s short for demisexual. I’m not ready with a definition, but it’s easier to look up if you have the whole word.

          • BBCC
            BBCC
            July 13, 2019 at 12:51 pm | #

            Only experiencing attraction once an emotional connection’s been formed.

          • Sam
            Sam
            July 13, 2019 at 2:40 pm | #

            Demisexual/demiromantic. It is on the asexual/aromantic spectrum of sexualities. It essentially means you can *only* be sexually/romantically attracted to people you have a close emotional bond with (like for other sexualities, there is no guarantee you will feel attraction though even if you do reach that criteria).

            If every person in the world is like a door to others, I’m a locked door. Attraction is behind the door. Everyone in the world can create keys and can open other doors, but the chance of the key working on any individual locked door is very very slim and the door will not open without the right key. I have had two crushes in my entire life because of this.

            Allo (just means not aro/not ace) people could become attracted to more people than I ever have been, in a single day. In a single year, they could be attracted to 1000x more people than I ever have or more. They can develop crushes and lust after people from a first meeting.

            I can’t. Without a close emotional bond, attraction… does not happen. In any form. I might visually be able to tell someone is supposed to be a 10 but it does nothing for me and I can’t tell apart 9s from 10s or 8s from 9s or 7s from 8s because I am not basing it off a feeling of attraction or a level of attraction.

        • vivid grim
          vivid grim
          July 13, 2019 at 7:29 pm | #

          …i can’t figure out why generally only forming attraction to close friends would make things easier

          • Sam
            Sam
            July 14, 2019 at 1:11 am | #

            The few possibilities I can think of are:
            1) You are guaranteed to have been close friends first with no attraction so there is already a steady dynamic which you can just go back to if rejected.
            2) You will get plenty of time between crushes because what’s a rebound alllowing all feelings to settle in between.
            3) The attraction can and will legitimately go away if presented with a reason to no longer be attracted like with normal people. RIP feelings for my first crush but 5 year old me did not like your lying habits.

            • Carms
              Carms
              July 14, 2019 at 3:34 am | #

              Re point 1 though, shit, when it does go south it feels like a betrayal of the pre-existing relationship. I’ve had that- I need to stay friends, you’re more important to me than just your role as romantic/sexual partner- but turns out that feeling wasn’t ACTUALLY reciprocated. And now I’m stuck questioning the motivations behind that initial close friendship. Was that real or was it just a prologue??

        • CJ
          CJ
          July 14, 2019 at 10:23 am | #

          Actually my reasoning behind the question was: If sexual attraction is something that is less important than emotional connection, than lack of reprociation of sexual attraction might be less of an issue. There are loads of assumptions in that idea that, given your responses, might be very wrong.

  12. Pocky
    Pocky
    July 13, 2019 at 12:17 am | #

    But this conversation is so much fun; lets point out all the ways you and her are alike~

    • Clif
      Clif
      July 13, 2019 at 1:53 am | #

      Appropriate gravitar etc,

  13. AlexanderHammil
    AlexanderHammil
    July 13, 2019 at 12:20 am | #

    Well, this is a heck of a way to celebrate Gay Wrath month.

  14. Pickacard
    Pickacard
    July 13, 2019 at 12:24 am | #

    God they both look so sad it’s heartbreaking

  15. Sirksome
    Sirksome
    July 13, 2019 at 12:25 am | #

    Sal and Malaya are the same.That’s why they hate each other.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      July 13, 2019 at 12:34 am | #

      You take that back.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      July 13, 2019 at 12:38 am | #

      They have similarities, and both have misjudged people before, but Sal is wayyyy more open to re-evaluating people than Malaya is, among other differences.

    • Foxhack
      Foxhack
      July 13, 2019 at 12:57 am | #

      Sal doesn’t go out of her way to antagonize EVERYONE.

  16. ShinyNeen
    ShinyNeen
    July 13, 2019 at 12:26 am | #

    Geez, this is rough. Those panel 3 feels especially. Sal’s probably terrified she’s gonna lose Marcie over this, but also worried that she’s going to cause Marcie pain just by being around. And of course Marcie’s probably been struggling with these feelings for ages. It’s hard for both of them : (

    I hope they can find a way forward.

  17. fire_daws
    fire_daws
    July 13, 2019 at 12:27 am | #

    Awwww, Twu Fwiends

    • Lokitsu
      Lokitsu
      July 13, 2019 at 2:35 am | #

      Your avatar makes your post 1000% better.

      • Bagge
        Bagge
        July 13, 2019 at 7:46 am | #

        It does, it truely does

        • Clif
          Clif
          July 13, 2019 at 9:42 am | #

          Agreed.

  18. Yotomoe
    Yotomoe
    July 13, 2019 at 12:36 am | #

    Really impressive she can sign the accent.

  19. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    July 13, 2019 at 12:39 am | #

    I hope they can work this out. Being so close to kissing did definitely re-ignite things Marcie thought had gone dormant, but I hope that she can properly evolve those feelings into something else, now that it is out in the open.

  20. abysswatcher1993
    abysswatcher1993
    July 13, 2019 at 12:43 am | #

    Finally Sal is pointing out important stuff. Marcie now has to do plan B, which we all what it is.

  21. Bagge
    Bagge
    July 13, 2019 at 12:47 am | #

    “Wanted: My best friend not changing so much so quickly.”

    • Kat
      Kat
      July 13, 2019 at 1:05 am | #

      If it makes you feel any better, your best friend isn’t changing. You’re just noticing their suffering for the first time in years because you are a bad friend. See? Isn’t that much better? *Delivered in the helpful Hyperion voice from the Borderlands 2 New-U station*

      • rustfire
        rustfire
        July 13, 2019 at 1:36 am | #

        Read it in GLaDOS’s voice, followed up with a wry insult like “It is fortunate for everyone that you don’t have any friends left to disappoint”

        • Kat
          Kat
          July 13, 2019 at 6:00 am | #

          Anything suitably passive aggressive works. Hyperion is in my head cause of the recent replaying of Borderlands 2’s DLC.

          • Schpoonman
            Schpoonman
            July 13, 2019 at 12:12 pm | #

            Replaying and tackling DLC for the first time, but when you said Hyperion I thought of the Hyperion sniper rifle that you get from a quest that belittles and mocks you whenever you get a kill, reload, and other things you’ll do during gameplay.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 13, 2019 at 1:13 am | #

      “Wanted: My best friend not having feelings I didn’t know they had, that I don’t know how to process.”

  22. Reltzik
    Reltzik
    July 13, 2019 at 1:07 am | #

    Am I the only one wondering how Sal’s g-dropping accent translates into ASL? How do you sign comparin’ instead of comparing? Does she mostly go through the motion for compare but not quite finish it? Google tells me that sign is like a football ref signalling a field goal while twisting both hands in a waggling manner. Or maybe she’s signalling present tense with the sign for now, which are kinda rocker-horns on both hands, horns forward, wrists up, moving down with a sudden stop at the end, and she’s abbreviating the end of that motion by… not stopping? Stopping early?

    Seriously, how is that accent translating into ASL?

    …. oh, wait, there’s drama and feels happening? Eh, not important, I’ve got a technical nitpick to focus on.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 13, 2019 at 1:10 am | #

      Dumbing of Age Book 10: Drama’s Not Important, I’ve Got a Technical Nitpick to Focus On.

    • He Who Abides
      He Who Abides
      July 13, 2019 at 1:12 am | #

      I think that’s just Marcie translating the accent, not a specific sign.

    • Reltzik
      Reltzik
      July 13, 2019 at 1:22 am | #

      Oh, hey, maybe I’d know if I was the only one wondering that if I’d READ THE OTHER COMMENTS before posting. Doy.

      • Elsendor
        Elsendor
        July 13, 2019 at 4:22 pm | #

        gravatar-appropriate

    • Vulcanodon
      Vulcanodon
      July 13, 2019 at 6:56 am | #

      I wondered the same thing, then realized the translation is a direct feed from her thoughts…

  23. Tacos
    Tacos
    July 13, 2019 at 1:19 am | #

    Hmm… can one have an accent in sign language?

    • bleh
      bleh
      July 13, 2019 at 1:25 am | #

      there’s “hearing” accent which just means comically slow and sometimes the correct signs are placed at the wrong location of your body or something.

    • Marsh Maryrose
      Marsh Maryrose
      July 13, 2019 at 1:51 am | #

      It’s a language used by human beings. It has accents. I don’t know what the accents of ASL are, and I wouldn’t assume a priori that they have any correspondence with the regional accents of (spoken) American English, but if it’s a language and it’s spoken by more than a handful of people, then it’s got accents.

  24. Clif
    Clif
    July 13, 2019 at 1:27 am | #

    Can we just assume, after so many years around Sal, that the accent is what Marcie hears in her head when Sal signs.

    • Delicious Taffy
      Delicious Taffy
      July 13, 2019 at 1:58 am | #

      That’s about what I was figuring. Kinda like how you can read a text message or post in a person’s voice if it’s familiar enough.

      • StClair
        StClair
        July 13, 2019 at 1:19 pm | #

        or as an image I saw once put it:

        Prof. Farnsworth: “GOOD NEWS, everyone! I’ve invented a machine that makes you read everything in my voice!”

        • Michelle J. Caboose
          Michelle J. Caboose
          July 13, 2019 at 10:19 pm | #

          Damn you. As soon as I saw “GOOD NEWS, everyone!” I had his voice stuck in my head. :/

    • Michelle J. Caboose
      Michelle J. Caboose
      July 13, 2019 at 10:22 pm | #

      Eh, I’m used to just assuming the accent whenever I read Sal’s dialogue. I don’t even notice it anymore, unless someone points it out. FI, I didn’t notice the accent until everyone turned it into a talking point.

      It’s Sal. Sal has an accent. Sal’s talking, so she’s talking with an accent. I assume it would be even more so, if one is actually used to hearing her talk.

  25. SmartAlec105
    SmartAlec105
    July 13, 2019 at 1:39 am | #

    Sal’s sign language also has a southern accent?

  26. BenRG
    BenRG
    July 13, 2019 at 2:21 am | #

    I’ve got a horrible feeling that panel 4 translates as: “No, probably not. Even if we do, it won’t be in the same way and with the same ease we used to have.”

    FWIW, Sal, Marcie is saying that she’s into strong, assesrtive bad-girl personalities. That isn’t so bad.

    • Shane Wegner
      Shane Wegner
      July 13, 2019 at 11:17 am | #

      If they can get through having their throats and hands sliced and still be OK, I think “You feel attracted to me but I’m really straight” isn’t gonna break it. Sal wants Marcie to be happy, even if it is a little weird in the short term, it can be OK.

      It’s probably the kind of thing they’ll chuckle about in thirty years.

  27. Nyak
    Nyak
    July 13, 2019 at 2:23 am | #

    For those wondering, sign can definitely have regional accents, and in fact there is a distinct “southern” accent. (having to do with chin and chest touching, I think? I can’t identify this one myself)

  28. Keulen
    Keulen
    July 13, 2019 at 3:10 am | #

    Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be compared to someone like Malaya either.

  29. Keulen
    Keulen
    July 13, 2019 at 3:12 am | #

    DoA Book 9: There’re Multiple Aspects Of This Conversation That Ah Do Not Enjoy

  30. Darkoneko
    Darkoneko
    July 13, 2019 at 3:25 am | #

    So, who else in the cast could be her type ?

    • BenRG
      BenRG
      July 13, 2019 at 3:53 am | #

      Carla and possibly Sydney.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      July 13, 2019 at 4:05 am | #

      Amazi-Girl/Amber when asserting herself, possibly. Probably the closest to Malaya in build out of most of the cast, throws a good punch and talks some mean sass.

    • Nono
      Nono
      July 13, 2019 at 4:58 am | #

      Troubling thought: Asher.

      • DailyBrad
        DailyBrad
        July 13, 2019 at 6:35 am | #

        That’s…. hmm. Hadn’t considered that.

    • King Daniel
      King Daniel
      July 13, 2019 at 7:52 pm | #

      We’ve also seen Marcie express an interest in Sayid.

  31. Shane
    Shane
    July 13, 2019 at 4:30 am | #

    Same-

    -Black hair.
    -Feisty.
    -Can throw a punch.
    -Have boned at least one dude canonically because they thought it would be fun, without much regard for their well-being.

    Different
    -Sal has been shown to have genuine concern for others
    -Malaya is quick to disdain people she sees as frauds, which seems like a lot of people
    -Sal owns a motorcycle, Malaya seems weirdly obsessed that the only reason Sal could do this is to show off. If Mal wants one so bad she could just buy one.
    -Sal is very straight, Malaya has hinted that she has some kind of body dysmorphia.
    -One owns an iguana named Fuckface.

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      July 13, 2019 at 12:49 pm | #

      Sal’s hair is brown. Hence all the comments Joyce makes about it looking like chocolate.

  32. Willoughby Chase
    Willoughby Chase
    July 13, 2019 at 6:27 am | #

    Brown Eyed Girl by ‘Smiler’ van Morrison

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfmkgQRmmeE

  33. Rabisch
    Rabisch
    July 13, 2019 at 7:16 am | #

    Marcie, please stop comparing your best friend (and secret love) since forever with the very rude girl you’ve meet three months ago and you’ve always said to just feel a physical attraction for her. It’s really annoying and offensive

    • Bunny
      Bunny
      July 14, 2019 at 12:24 am | #

      THANK YOU.

  34. Guest42
    Guest42
    July 13, 2019 at 8:05 am | #

    How does Sal sign with a southern accent?

  35. Deanatay
    Deanatay
    July 13, 2019 at 8:40 am | #

    Sal’s mouth in frames 1, 3, 5, 7 – Parabola Of Scorn

  36. Samantha Johnson
    Samantha Johnson
    July 13, 2019 at 10:36 am | #

    I like that they are talking about it and that Marcie realizes she has a thing for Punk hardass black girls. I hope Sal is understanding and still loves her friend even if she isn’t attracted to her in that way

    • BBCC
      BBCC
      July 13, 2019 at 12:49 pm | #

      Malaya’s Filipina, not black.

      • Samantha Johnson
        Samantha Johnson
        July 13, 2019 at 11:13 pm | #

        Shrug then Punk Hardass Dark skinned girls then I Suppose.

  37. Clif
    Clif
    July 13, 2019 at 11:47 am | #

    Sal. This is Marcie who has always born the brunt of the fallout of your aggressive tendencies. This is Marcie who has always stuck with you no matter what and whom you have repeatedly failed. This is Marcie for who you would do anything and Marcie who you owe. Now that you understand, you could put your own strong feelings of distaste aside and let Marcie know that in private you will do whatever she wants for as long as she wants. Of your own free will you could make Marcie, who you love, happy for awhile.

    Is this a good idea? No, not at all!!! But do it for Science.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      July 13, 2019 at 12:13 pm | #

      Seriously? No. Just no.
      Sex out of obligation with someone you have no sexual interest in and even physical distaste for is just creepy. And since Marcie’s a decent person she’ll care that Sal’s grossed out by it. It won’t make her happy. If anything will, this would poison their friendship.

    • Mel
      Mel
      July 13, 2019 at 6:33 pm | #

      What the frick man

    • Corey
      Corey
      July 13, 2019 at 11:45 pm | #

      Yea uhhhhhh……..thats kinda gross ngl

    • NerdHerder
      NerdHerder
      July 14, 2019 at 12:05 am | #

      That’s a yikes from me dawg.

    • DailyBrad
      DailyBrad
      July 14, 2019 at 12:05 am | #

      Yeeeeah, that’s a really awful idea on multiple levels.

  38. Cardinal Country
    Cardinal Country
    July 13, 2019 at 3:24 pm | #

    I love that her accent carries over in ASL. It’s adorable.

  39. Megan
    Megan
    July 13, 2019 at 7:41 pm | #

    A “physical” type sure, but I don’t see a personality resemblance at all Marcie.

    • JetstreamGW
      JetstreamGW
      July 14, 2019 at 12:06 am | #

      Standoffish, aggressive women who have no clue that Marcie is into them.

  40. Dutch
    Dutch
    July 14, 2019 at 2:11 pm | #

    How does one sign “Ah” instead of “I”

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