Need your opinon

[baronessekat]

So I'm starting to work on my Oath of Service for my elevation. No I'm not doing an Oath of Fealty. As a Cossack it wouldn't be period for me to do so.

My question is... what do you think of me doing it in Russian, provided I can find someone who can translate (then put it into western transliteration) for me?

Comments

[much-ado.livejournal.com]

while i like the idea personally, in principle it makes me question the point of taking a *publically-sworn* oath of any kind, if the ears hearing it can't speak the language in which it is uttered?

presumably the crown will receive the written (english) translation, but you're swearing the oath in front of the attending populace as well. if the nature of the oath is such that being heard in front of witnesses who can then help hold you to the oath and help you achieve the things you've sworn, doesn't it necessitate their ability to comprehend the oath?

my suggestion would be to offer the oath in both languages, if you're keen to do it in russian; swear it in russian, have the herald read the translation and ask you to confirm the translation as being true to the oath you offered. that way you can meet the desire to speak the language of your persona, AND offer the oath in a language that your witnesses can understand. otherwise, offering oaths in a language almost no-one there will speak is simply a door to "plausible deniability" somewhere down the line, in the "no, i never said THAT in my oath, honest" line of things.

... which may also be perfectly in keeping with a minxy Cossack persona; i can't help you on that one ;-)