User:Bear Eagleson

Username Explanation
Bear Eagleson is short for Bear son of Eagle, the translation of my name.

Contributions
Most of my contributions to Wikipedia are in articles on anime or role playing games. That said, as Wikipedia is supposed to be encyclopedic, I also clean up grammar and spelling on articles that interest me, especially unnecessary apostrophes, improper gender pronouns and adjectives where pronouns belong.

Languages
I know textbook German as it was my most frequently studied language, and I can speak, write in kana and some kanji in Japanese. French, Italian, Spanish, and Korean are necessary for activities either past or present. As former member of a theatrical combat troup that shall remain namless, I needed to know commands, and names of weapon parts in French, Italian, and Spanish. For Argentine Tango, I mostly need to know the names of my "vocabulary" in Spanish. Since I am an assistant instructor in my Choi Kwang Do school, I need to know how to count in Korean, as well as the Korean names for the moves and patterns.

Grammar Policing
The purpose of language is to ensure that one's meaning is understood. I understand that language is adaptable and I feel that adaptability does not mean that all changes are for the best. Now I question old constructions that were perfectly acceptable when they were common, because they were redundant even then (and redundancy is the worst of all grammar sins), they use unnecessary descriptors ("mental telepathy", there's another kind?), or are just strange constructions to my American ears (e.g. "has got"). Silent and devoiced letters (i.e letters that you're supposed to pronounce and don't, e.g. the "a" in "diaper") are another issue with me. I feel that if a silent letter does not differentiate between words then it is a waste of space. Words with devoiced letters should probably have their spellings changed to reflect current usage, e.g. d-y-p-e-r instead of d-i-a-p-e-r. How you speak and write directly affects other people's perceptions of your intelligence.

I don't really like any of the consolidated grammar typing userboxes, but I'm more willing to call myself anal than I am to call myself a grammar nazi. Either that, or someone needs to make the "schwa schwa" userbox.

Role-playing
I have played role-playing games (RPGs) for nearly two decades. During that time, I have played three incarnations of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as many other games including some that aren't class-based. As my personal development as a role-player unfolded, I have become more fond of skill-based game systems. It's not that I "hate" class-based systems, and I do still play them. What I don't like about class-based systems is "being handed your abilities on a silver platter".

Despite what Internet boards would have one believe, in my own personal experience, the d20 System is not nearly as popular as the messageboard culture would have us believe.

That said, my favorite games do include very few d20 System products, only two "games" by Wizards of the Coast. I buy the games that I would like to play in.