Words are the basis of Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence (VL). And words are the basis of every role-playing game. Players and game masters work together using words to create worlds and the characters that happened to those worlds. As this is the case I assume that nearly everyone at the table has at least some modicum of ability when it comes to Verbal-linguistic intelligence. So how can we key off that ability to make our role-playing games even better?
Game masters can take advantage of the Verbal-Linguistic intelligence talents at their table by looking for ways to use words in their adventures. They can also use materials and toys that will help maintain the attention of VL players.
What does Verbal-linguistic Intelligence look like?
Howard Gardner coined the term Verbal-linguistic Intelligence as part of his ideas on Multiple Intelligences. This group describes those who have a proclivity toward words, communication, and language. They play with words and pronunciation. They enjoy wordplay and some of them even enjoy puns.
VL skills include many of the skills we use in roleplaying. VL Players enjoy telling stories and so game masters can ask them questions that will permit them to share. As part of those stories or while interacting with NPCs, you might also find that these players enjoy speaking in character or that they tie in their character’s backstory into the way they play. Another way to identify VL players is that backstory. These players might be excited to tell you all about their character’s story and show off the intricacies and cleverness of this background.
However, VL is not limited to spoken language. It also relates to written communication. In fact, VL Players might enjoy the chance to slow down in their word choice so they can get it just right. These players might enjoy finding just the right words and writing them in a journal or as a session re-cap.
On top of that, many VL players enjoy reading. You can capitalize on this strength by learning about the ideas that they have read in both fiction and non-fiction books. And speaking of non-fiction, their ability with words might make them just the people to help you with rules adjudication. The next time you run into a rule you do not know, you can send them to find the rule as you continue the game.
Verbal-linguistic Activities in RPGs
Here is a list of activities that your VL players might enjoy:
- Writing background and backstories for their characters
- You might provide a few prompts to spur their imaginations
- Word games utilized in the adventure
- Scrabble or Bananagrams
- Crosswords
- Word puzzles
- Public Speaking in front of NPCs
- Character journals
- NPC journals
- Debates with NPCs
- Learning languages or specific words in a new language
- Tongue-twisters
- Create thieves’ cant
- Creating names for books
- Writing poems
- Handouts
- Letters from or to NPCs
- Newspapers
- Get them to read the block test from the adventure aloud
- Record a story and then play it during the adventure
- Rules lawyering
- Get them to describe
- Their character
- Their character’s culture
- Their equipment
- Create a catchphrase
As the game master, you might look at this list for activities or encounters you could add to your next game.
Toys & Materials
RPG sessions can be long and attention can flag. Sometimes it can be helpful to have items that will help VL characters to stay focused on the game.
We do need to be careful that these things do not become a distraction to the player or to those around them. Of all of the MI categories, the toys and materials that stimulate this group are the most likely to distract them from the game. This is because the same attention and abilities that are needed to play the game are triggered by these toys. So, more than any other group, VL players should be careful to not get carried away into doing something else. They might identify another MI toy to help them pay attention.
- Journals or notebooks for game notes
- Rulebooks
- A variety of writing implements
- Game magazines
- Thesaurus
- Game handouts
- List of game language or customized cuss words
Conclusion
The more I look at Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, I can see how it is the foundation of our RPGs. It includes verbal skills such as interaction with PCs and NPCs. VL players also enjoy verbal descriptions. They also enjoy reading and writing and playing with words. As Game Masters, we can look at the activities that these players enjoy and make sure to put them in our games.
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