Disabilities for Ponies · 10:29pm Apr 28th, 2014
Yes, that's what I'm interested in discussing today.
All right, we've had Derpy (or Ditzy, for some) since season 1, and she has a "disability." It's one that's quite blatantly there whenever we see her now, and is something that almost everyone in the fandom is aware of.
More recently, we've had that dude with the wheels to help him walk (or trot, if you insist) in Trade Ya.
His name is Stellar Eclipse, and according to my roommate, he was in the show because of the Make a Wish Foundation. I think it's awesome that something like this be included in our show because it's filled with meaning.
Right now--like, I'm taking time out of writing the chapter to make this blog post--I'm writing a pony with logorrhea. To those not interested in clicking on the link, it's a disability that causes someone to word things in what seem like nonsensical ways, often using completely irrelevant words, perhaps words in the wrong context, and outright offensive words. The character that I'm writing in my case is being patterned after a guy I saw in a documentary about logorrhea; his speech patterns will be somewhat similar to hers.
Now, my question is, when is it okay to include things like this? I'm making my character's disability kind of a big thing, to the point where even normal speech is impacted; her thoughts are all there, but her talking to other characters in a normal sense is next to impossible.
I know what my reasons are for choosing to give my character logorrhea, but I'm curious how you guys, as readers, will handle something like this mentally. I'll give you an excerpt of the story, when she talks for the first time:
The pony looks at me with some confusion. “Wot? Dey change the language, too? Can ya unnerstand me, sea-pony?”
Finally, something I know how to reply to. “Acknowledge.”
His face screws up in confusion. “Acka-what now? You tryinn’a make fun o’ me in fron’o’ me boys’r summat?”
No, no, that’s not what I’m trying to say. “It’s a pony Aquastria found. Lost Equestria in a bottle and sea-ponies ponies. Ropes and Equestria sea-ponies sail ships. War Equestrians and lungs?”
Well, that could have come out a little more straightforward. The pony has a look of absolute shock on his face. One of the other ponies, one wearing a tight-fitted bandana made out of what looks like a sail, nudges his fellow pony in the ribs and asks, “Dis one stupid, Cap?”
“Well, I can’t make heads’r tails o’ wot dis one’s sayin. She’s gotta be broke’r summat.” He shrugs to his crew. “Keep ‘er on the deck fer now. We’ll see if it’s just shock’r summat.” He leans in close to me, breathing all over my face again and making me gag. “Ye’re an int’restin’ one, fer sure. We ain’t seen a sea-pony outside o’ Aquastrian waters in a real long time now. I aim t’ find out wot ye’re doin’ out ‘ere.”
I give one last attempt to explain myself. “Bottled Aquastrian ships confuse. National borders make no sense. Fishes and water and Aquastria. Acknowledge.”
Cap shakes his head and turns away. “Jus’ make sure she don’t slip over the rail’r nuffin’, will ya?”
Coming into this completely blind, with no explanation that she has a disability, and seeing her garble her words in what seems a nonsensical fashion... how would you handle such a thing as a reader? I can include the author's note with a link to the disability at the beginning, but I want to include it at the end. It adds to my fascination with the character, personally, to wonder why they talk in such a strange manner, but I want to at least give an explanation at the end so my readers aren't walking away completely confused with why she talks like that.
Basically, what I'm asking is, when do you guys think it would be best to explain something like logorrhea? Before or after you see the disability?
I take disabilities very seriously, and this was written very seriously. I don't think the disability is funny, nor am I using it for comedic value. This is strictly me asking you, as readers, how best the information can be delivered so as to not anger a large number of readers.
Derpy may have a disability, but she's still adorable! That, you can not deny...
Derpy: D'aww, thanks...
2058131
Derpy is actually my sixth-favorite pony overall. She's pretty amazing.
Did you read my whole blog post? What are your thoughts on character disabilities?
2058214 I think that it's what makes watchers know the characters aren't gonna be perfect, so that they can relate.
Cool! That sounds really awesome.
What story will this be in?
I think at the end would be best.
2058220
Yeah, I certainly agree! My question is, should I tell the readers upfront, "This is a disability she has," or after they see her having trouble talking, at the end of the chapter, I tell them, "This is a disabiity she has?" Should I tell them what the character's disability is before or after they see it?
2058227
This will be in the first chapter of an as-yet unpublished fanfic that I will likely be publishing within the next week or so, called North by Northwest. I'm not sure what your interests are, but it's tagged dark/adventure/alternate universe, and marked teen - gore. The gore is something that I can't exactly avoid in some cases, but I absolutely hate detailed gore, so it'll be pretty watered down when it does happen.
Also, emphasis on the dark tag. As happy-go-lucky as I like to think myself to be, my mind goes to some really scary places. This is covered quite well in the prologue of the story.
2058321 After, most likely. This way, they can understand why a certain character does something.
2058321 Well, I'll be fine. I'm twelve, after all
I'll be sure to read it!
2058308
2058328
All right, at the end it is! Thank you both for your input.
2058330
All right. You've been warned.
2058387 Okay......
In truth I had a harder time understanding the Sea Ponies. I got to say, what I read about logorrhea, in the link you gave, it sort of sounds like a speaking form of dyslexia. A person has the words stuck inside their head and can not get them out.
This is from someone that get a lot of dislikes because he is not a very good writer. If reader know your past works, then they will stick with you to the end of the story. But, if they are new and they don't want to understand, will dump on you real bad.
Maybe, you could hint at the disability some how?
Uesless
You should read this one.
2058530
I was considering that, but I think the sudden garbled speech amongst well-written speech is certainly something questionable. Seems like you think the explanation fits better at the end of the chapter as well.
2058556
*clicks link*
I think I've read this story before. Can't be sure, though.
2058606 okay, so I like stories more than what people say about stories.
Definitely save the explanation for later: if you give it away early on, you've given somepony (though probably not me) an excuse to stop reading.
I read this one story where Derpy had this. Can't remember the name, but it was a great read, and almost horrifying with how realistic intolerance to her not making sense added to the suspense.
2058840
Will do!
All right, so you're with the others.
2058973
Any chance you could find it again?
This certainly sounds like a story I want to read.
2059835 Yeah, I wish... If it was in my favorites, I would've found it by now, but if it was as good as I'm remembering it, then it would've been in my favorites, unless it wasn't on this site.
I remember her saying something along the lines of "Bird crash is wagon!" near the beginning, meaning "Breakfast is ready!" Dinky, of course, could understand the nuances some of the time, and had a deep enough connection with her mother to be able to understand her more through body motion, worldly context, and the like, but... yeah. I can't remember the name of the fic.
2059835 Oh, hey, nevermind. I think I found the fic (or at least one fic) where Derpy has logorrhea.
And it's one I think most people have read, though I might be wrong, there. Anyways, in chapter 5, GLaDOS is tormenting Derpy, and she says both "Monkey Wrench" and "Wagon Wheel" within a short span of each other, each time meaning to say something more along the lines of "Shut up!"
This still isn't the fic I think I'm thinking of, but the "Wagon" wheel part came up in the Google search I did.
for me in having multiple mental disabilities has made it very hard to communicate what i am feeling on that subject. so I think it would be best to describe that she has a disability before hand. just ask me if you need a disabled persons perspective.
I'd read it. Seems like an interesting concept. I would love to read what you will come up with dude.
~Adjier
2060144
As it is, it seems like readers would prefer it at the end of the chapter. Sorry, but you need to add more to your army. 
Well... you're the first one to want a beforehand explanation.
2060957
It made the story more interesting for me to write, so I think it'll be more interesting for my readers to read. 
I didn't even realize my character was going to have this issue until I was writing the chapter; it seemed to fit the story I was trying to tell perfectly, so I went in almost a completely different direction than what I was initially planning.