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This is actually a question I hadn't thought through about. Literacy in the realms of Eorzea appeared to be pretty reasonable, what with the signage all over the damned place, so I just sort of assumed that reading was a thing that was taught as part of regular living and moved on with my digital life.

Huh...

I honestly don't have an answer. I guess the easy one is "She was taught" with regards to both of my characters and just...kinda call it a day.

Uninspired, but there it is.

Nathan, for his part, learned his letters from the performance troupe among which he was raised. While most people the troupe met saw only the rough hedonists that came to perform, in truth, the coordination needed to play and learn their music, dances and skits would have been nearly impossible without the ability to read letters and music, and thus it was that each day, a cluster of bored children would listen to one of the elders of the troupe, and practice reading and writing. While they were wilder than most city students might have been, the necessity of these lessons to maintain the troupe's abilities to perform provided sufficient motivation to learn.

Honestly, despite authoritative comments otherwise, I don't feel like common illiteracy meshes with the prevalence of written text in the world.  I do not think this was well thought through on the design end, and I wouldn't worry myself about treating it as cannon.

That said, Aya was taught by her parents.

Lili's parents were both very talented and gifted botanists. They wrote papers, theories, maps, charts, and more! Seeing that Lili also shared a similar aptitude, they taught her as well.

(01-12-2015, 11:31 AM)Aya Wrote: Honestly, despite authoritative comments otherwise, I don't feel like common illiteracy meshes with the prevalence of written text in the world.  I do not think this was well thought through on the design end, and I wouldn't worry myself about treating it as cannon.

That said, Aya was taught by her parents.

I found it kind of odd too, considering that there's apparently three different papers in circulation according to the lore - one for each city (they were all fighting over... Lightning or something in one of the holiday events). Of course, that could simply be attributed to the fact that the distances are vast enough to the point that a single paper is unfeasible (which in and of itself makes perfect sense, considering)... but it also means there's enough readers in each city to make running a paper profitable.

I'm not sure what the numbers need to be in such a case - adjusted, of course, for whatever alternate fantasy method they use for mass production - but that amount of lettered folk seems off considering what was presented unless the newspapers are rather expensive. Really, the only one of the three cities I could see readily having or even making newspapers is Ul'dah - mass production of paper products sounds like something dangerous to try in the Twelveswood, and the pirate history to Limsa makes me think news there is more likely to pass by word of mouth. Possibly in a slurred manner over a drink or three.

And then, again, it's Ul'dah. That means it has to be profitable enough for someone to want to do it. Unless it's merely being bankrolled by some powerful figure who has the money and likes having a method to control the flow of information to the more learned folk. Which... is again, something I can certainly see happening in the Jewel.

(01-12-2015, 12:28 PM)Gegenji Wrote:

(01-12-2015, 11:31 AM)Aya Wrote: Honestly, despite authoritative comments otherwise, I don't feel like common illiteracy meshes with the prevalence of written text in the world.  I do not think this was well thought through on the design end, and I wouldn't worry myself about treating it as cannon.

That said, Aya was taught by her parents.

I found it kind of odd too, considering that there's apparently three different papers in circulation according to the lore - one for each city (they were all fighting over... Lightning or something in one of the holiday events). Of course, that could simply be attributed to the fact that the distances are vast enough to the point that a single paper is unfeasible (which in and of itself makes perfect sense, considering)... but it also means there's enough readers in each city to make running a paper profitable.

I'm not sure what the numbers need to be in such a case - adjusted, of course, for whatever alternate fantasy method they use for mass production - but that amount of lettered folk seems off considering what was presented unless the newspapers are rather expensive. Really, the only one of the three cities I could see readily having or even making newspapers is Ul'dah - mass production of paper products sounds like something dangerous to try in the Twelveswood, and the pirate history to Limsa makes me think news there is more likely to pass by word of mouth. Possibly in a slurred manner over a drink or three.

And then, again, it's Ul'dah. That means it has to be profitable enough for someone to want to do it. Unless it's merely being bankrolled by some powerful figure who has the money and likes having a method to control the flow of information to the more learned folk. Which... is again, something I can certainly see happening in the Jewel.

What we need to remember here is that people exist outside the main cities of the realm. The cities may simply house a concentration of those folk who are able to read or write. Not to mention, people can have others read for them! 

Think about out in Quarrymill, or the Golden Bazaar, or Swiftperch. It's likely that these places hold a lot of illiterate Eorzeans -- not to mention all the places in-between! Also, the amount of written signs, books and otherwise are just as well there for the benefit of the few who CAN read. The majority of the population being illiterate won't stop the provisions all over the world for the people who can read and/or write.

(01-12-2015, 12:39 PM)Berrod Armstrong Wrote:

(01-12-2015, 12:28 PM)Gegenji Wrote:

(01-12-2015, 11:31 AM)Aya Wrote: Honestly, despite authoritative comments otherwise, I don't feel like common illiteracy meshes with the prevalence of written text in the world.  I do not think this was well thought through on the design end, and I wouldn't worry myself about treating it as cannon.

That said, Aya was taught by her parents.

I found it kind of odd too, considering that there's apparently three different papers in circulation according to the lore - one for each city (they were all fighting over... Lightning or something in one of the holiday events). Of course, that could simply be attributed to the fact that the distances are vast enough to the point that a single paper is unfeasible (which in and of itself makes perfect sense, considering)... but it also means there's enough readers in each city to make running a paper profitable.

I'm not sure what the numbers need to be in such a case - adjusted, of course, for whatever alternate fantasy method they use for mass production - but that amount of lettered folk seems off considering what was presented unless the newspapers are rather expensive. Really, the only one of the three cities I could see readily having or even making newspapers is Ul'dah - mass production of paper products sounds like something dangerous to try in the Twelveswood, and the pirate history to Limsa makes me think news there is more likely to pass by word of mouth. Possibly in a slurred manner over a drink or three.

And then, again, it's Ul'dah. That means it has to be profitable enough for someone to want to do it. Unless it's merely being bankrolled by some powerful figure who has the money and likes having a method to control the flow of information to the more learned folk. Which... is again, something I can certainly see happening in the Jewel.

What we need to remember here is that people exist outside the main cities of the realm. The cities may simply house a concentration of those folk who are able to read or write. Not to mention, people can have others read for them! 

Think about out in Quarrymill, or the Golden Bazaar, or Swiftperch. It's likely that these places hold a lot of illiterate Eorzeans -- not to mention all the places in-between! Also, the amount of written signs, books and otherwise are just as well there for the benefit of the few who CAN read. The majority of the population being illiterate won't stop the provisions all over the world for the people who can read and/or write.

^this.

I doubt the farmers and shepherds and standard hunters of animals really need to be able to read to survive. Likely, people living in the cities probably have a higher literacy rate, as they'd need more money to own property there.

(01-12-2015, 12:39 PM)Berrod Armstrong Wrote: What we need to remember here is that people exist outside the main cities of the realm. The cities may simply house a concentration of those folk who are able to read or write. Not to mention, people can have others read for them! 

Think about out in Quarrymill, or the Golden Bazaar, or Swiftperch. It's likely that these places hold a lot of illiterate Eorzeans -- not to mention all the places in-between! Also, the amount of written signs, books and otherwise are just as well there for the benefit of the few who CAN read. The majority of the population being illiterate won't stop the provisions all over the world for the people who can read and/or write.

Right, I'm reminded of the courtesan thread of all things at the moment. In many cultures, they were meant to be learned and carry conversation, so it's not completely out there for there to be folks who make a business (or are required to know how) to read for their employers.

Also, I find the signs thing a bit odd. Sure, there's the keep out signs... but a lot of the other signs seem to focus more on pictures than words - I mean, just going to the Marauder's guild shows a symbol of an axe and a pistol (which has been there for a while now, and I'm assuming where the Machinist job trainer is going to be stationed). Then again, it's quite possible I've been missing a lot of the other written signs. It just doesn't seem as predominant as it does in our modern culture, with electronic tickers and billboards and names in lights.

(01-12-2015, 12:28 PM)Gegenji Wrote: Unless it's merely being bankrolled by some powerful figure who has the money and likes having a method to control the flow of information to the more learned folk.

I smell a Manderville. Damnit Godbert.


Also have to agree. Inside the city-states there's likely a high(er) literacy rate, while the surrounding areas and settlements probably have a considerably lower literacy rate. If for no other reason than exposure to reading materials.

When Sable was young, she was taught basic reading and writing from a band of Hyur travellers (where she came from brawn and survival was more important than brains). Because of them, she found a love of reading and grew from that.

Her writing could be generally improved since she spends more time reading, but that is changing due to her recent studies as an Arcanist.

When Fern said adventurers have a higher literacy rate in general, he really should have elaborated on where they actually come from...

(01-12-2015, 04:16 PM)Zyrusticae Wrote: When Fern said adventurers have a higher literacy rate in general, he really should have elaborated on where they actually come from...

Maybe they just came from well-off families who could afford an education. Or some other unnamed cities? Or a land of people who have an education system.

As shown the thread, we don't need to work that hard to figure out how our characters are literate. Likely, adventurers have similar backgrounds.

(01-12-2015, 08:37 AM)Kellach Woods Wrote: Which actually works btw - plenty illiterate folks are able to perform their duties if they have someone to read for them.

This is true. My grandfather didn't learn to read until he was in his late 60's, and he ran a successful business for years. I actually didn't know he had been illiterate for most of his life until just before he died.