A small add-on to this as I'm currently reading Babel. It's about how the characters are now constantly thinking of etymologies and the history of words and language as a whole. They can't speak without stopping to think about where their words came from.
Is this not completely absurd? I mean, they're linguistics students! Nay, they're language-raised. They were groomed to be linguists, and you're telling me only now they're going through this? Please.
I'm an engineer. I'm good at languages but not a brutal talent. I have gone through this. I've been like this for a decade now, ever since I realized words actually came from somewhere, they had histories that could be traced genealogies that could be mapped lineages that could be outlined, ever since I was a kid I've been stopping as I come across a word that rings a bell in some other language. And these translators, grown adults, highly educated individuals, are only now thinking like this? Ridiculous.
R. F. Kuang, I denounce you! Cursed be thy name, fiend!
Joking, of course, but I am actually mildly upset at this.