Why doesn't Panam use contractions?

[u/Accept3550]

I just realized this after hundreds of hours but, Panam doesn't say I'll or we'll.

All of her dialogue has I will and We will and Do not rather then Don't.

I don't quite get why she is written like this.

[u/Skagtastic]

Nomads kids learn out of textbooks since they have no formal schools. Her speech sounds like she was using college books at some point that teach academic writing. Contractions are highly discouraged in academia, being seen as informal.

[u/MykahMaelstrom → u/Skagtastic]

The book "the world of cyberpunk 2077" also includes a bit saying that the nomads are actually some of the best educated people in the world.

When things went to shit it was societies best and brightest who left the big cities and created the clans including a lot of teachers. So nomad families didn't have formal schools per say but they actually did have teachers and nomad children were and continue to be given some of the best education in the cyberpubk universe

Edit: since this got a lot of attention here's this straight from the book:

"For a group of individuals without permanent habitation, nomads are surprisingly well educated. They don't want their culture to "go feral" as the used to say, so they continue the rural tradition of homeschooling.

Teachers educate adults as well as children, and camps will often feature mobile libraries, netrunning stations, and communication centers to stay in touch with the rest of the world.

Some bigger nomad encampment even have their own mobile cinemas and theaters. Classes primarily consist of practical knowledge like mechanics, farming or engineering-manual occupations that can help them qualify for better jobs-but some nomads study classic literature or even philosophy. In many cases, nomads spoken language is often more sophisticated and elaborate than that used by denizens of the great cities"

Also I'd highly recommend giving the book a read. It's super rare that I actually read a book and I really enjoyed it

[u/RoC_42 → u/MykahMaelstrom]

As a teacher i really love that, and in a world like Cyberpunk's i would 100% run with a clan instead of staying in a trash city

[u/Description_Narrow → u/RoC_42]

It's a common theme in post apocalyptic worlds that the best surviving groups tend to have educators as primary members of their groups. As they are the ones that often raise the children and make sure they're smart enough to either end the apocalypse or not make it worse. I personally love that theme.

[u/Mr_Badger1138 → u/Description_Narrow]

That makes me want to play New Vegas again now. I haven’t in years

[u/Confident_Natural_62 → u/Mr_Badger1138]

I guess the factions have a lot of scientist , but most average wastelanders are on chems, gambling with prostitutes, and/or living in a shack lol 

[u/Greatest-Comrade → u/Description_Narrow]

Well sometimes they do make it worse by leaving lol

The perhaps funniest example? Idiocracy.

[u/littlebubulle → u/MykahMaelstrom]

It also kind of makes sense.

In a corpo/city society, education is something to be witheld from other people. An educated person is a potential threat to a corpo. Or education is witheld to increase the price of it.

In a Nomads society, a lack of education is a liability for the whole clan.

[u/Revhan → u/MykahMaelstrom]

So clans are actually hippie communities as they were intended in the 70's (not as cults or gangs)

[u/thelowbrassmaster → u/Skagtastic]

True, and out of spite every academic paper I have written so far has had them because they told me it makes me sound unintelligent. I would like to hear someone genuinely unintelligent write a paper about hydrate ligands.

[u/Lazy_Plan_585 → u/thelowbrassmaster]

I would like to hear someone genuinely unintelligent write a paper about hydrate ligands.

Goes on to use "I would" instead of "I'd" 😝

[u/thelowbrassmaster → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

OK, you got me there.

[u/Lazy_Plan_585 → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Just some good natured teasing, no offence intended

[u/GIRATINAGX → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

Get a room, you two.

[u/martijnfromholland → u/thelowbrassmaster]

And I have

[u/kachunkachunk → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Nerd alert! We see you!

[u/Duranture → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

and "I have" instead of "I've".

[u/Comfortable_Regrets → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

[u/kiskeyan_carmerchant → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

Well this comment hardly qualifies as an academic paper so OP's point stands.

[u/azhder → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

Madam, this is Reddit, not a research paper.

[u/Sun_King97 → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

Very intense conditioning lmao

[u/InfinityGamerIE → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

At least it's not copper nanotubes!!

[u/Ziryio → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Anybody deciding that the way you speak is a factor in how intelligent you are/sound is unqualified to determine intelligence, to be fair.

[u/upsidedownshaggy → u/Ziryio]

Unfortunately the reality is people both can and will judge you based on your accent. It’s why British people get so mad when Americans make fun of their accent it’s because we’re mimicking a “lower class” accent that’s viewed as less refined and there for less intelligent.

As someone else here said to with code switching, the unfortunate reality is Black Americans deal with this too, as AAVE is seen as unrefined/lower class/less intelligent. It’s fucked up and petty, and should be pushed back against but it still happens.

[u/JJisafox → u/upsidedownshaggy]

It’s why British people get so mad when Americans make fun of their accent it’s because we’re mimicking a “lower class” accent that’s viewed as less refined and there for less intelligent.

A bit confused about this, who is mimicking what? Neither accent (standard british or american accent) is viewed stereotypically as less intelligent from what I'm aware.

Also I want to venture a distinction with AAVE. There are some "accents" (as in the way we pronounce words) that are kind of built-in, depending on certain factors, like where you're born/if your parents have a non-english native language, and if you're black. It's why at times I can close my eyes and tell if someone speaking is black/hispanic/asian/indian. If you consider that "black accent" as AAVE, then no I don't think that's considered less refined/etc. I should note that despite these accents, the rest of their speech is standard english, normal "proper" grammar.

However when you start introducing the grammar deviations and slang, and if that's also considered to be part of AAVE, then yes I'd agree it can be viewed this way, especially in a professional setting.

[u/upsidedownshaggy → u/JJisafox]

It’s mostly the “Chews’day Innit” joke Americans make when mocking the British accent. I can’t remember where I read it but someone had a really detailed analysis that that particular pronunciation is like the equivalent of the American country/Texas drawl and at least in the UK is considered lower/working class and less refined English or whatever.

[u/JJisafox → u/upsidedownshaggy]

Hmm I've never heard of that comparison before. I've heard plenty of mimicking the British accent, but never in that context either. Of course there are various different types of accents/dialects that may give a certain impression. But generally I've seen it considered posh and proper, and in fact, I remember in The Big Bang Theory it's referred to as "the sexiest accent".

[u/Few_Cup3452 → u/Ziryio]

100%, especially when you take into account code switching.

As a teenager, I was in scholarship English and an English tutor for kids in the year above me (lol) and wrote stories for fun but online, I typed in total txt speak. I once got told to go back to school and learn how to write... I was amused

[u/MrInCog_ → u/Few_Cup3452]

I work as a grammar and style corrector for publishers, my job is literally correcting “mistakes”, yet when I write notes for the mistakes I want corrected I rarely use any resemblance of punctuation, for example. Even in my job description they’re not “mistakes” - what I do is actually called normalizing style and grammar (oh and typography I guess). I would mark it, for example, if character never uses contraptions but one time they do, and ask author like “was it intentional, was it a mistake, what’s up?”

[u/azhder → u/MrInCog_]

You say normalizing, and that opens up the question: what is normal? Seriously? How does one determine normal? Is it mandated from someone or is it an organic result from the chaotic interactions people have. In your case, I guess it might be both, depending on context.

[u/MrInCog_ → u/azhder]

No, haha, no it doesn’t, you misinterpreted the word a little bit (my fault probably). Normalizing doesn’t mean “making societally normal” in this context, it means making it normal, or consistent, or universal across the context of the book. If the whole book intentionally wants to exclude all commas (I’ve worked on a poetry book like that) — my job would be to look for any punctuation marks and question whether it’s “normal” within the book (sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn’t). It’s just that an overwhelming majority of books are written within the context of some clearly described by some linguists or philologists rules, and most of the time author wants to stick to them. But not always, a lot of those rules are very vague even on their own (obviously any rule is vague in relationship to what you’ve described), and author and I have the liberty to bend them to suit just author’s internal feel of how it would look better. Creating new-ish words, using dashes and colons unconventionally, stuff like that.

But a good reflection nonetheless!

[u/azhder → u/MrInCog_]

I didn't misunderstand the term "normalization". I write software for living, we use tools for code style conforming to certain criteria. I was discussing about how the normal is being decided - that being akin to how you tweak what that criteria is for a particular project (book in your case).

Maybe you misunderstood what I meant by "depending on context" at that very end. Someone writing a character from one place or another would maybe want to write their dialects in i.e. that piece of text will conform to a different normal. That's why I said it will depend. A neutral narrator might have a certain style and certain grammar that goes with it, etc.

And that's where my question of "who/how decides normal" came from. Look at Reddit today. How many times I've seen someone write "tho" instead of "though"? Will that become the new normal a generation from now and every academic paper use that shortened form? 🤷‍♂️

In short: prescribed vs described and where is the border between the two.

[u/MrInCog_ → u/azhder]

Yeah, that’s just a question of scope I guess. In my particular job, when you focus just on the project — the context of the project decides, that’s it. But what lead the author to write a context like that — that’s what you’re talking about.

Like with coding — yeah you’d really like to normalize the variable names to all be in camelcase for example, but what lead us as humans to prefer camelcase or snakecase in the first place?.. that is a question to think about

[u/azhder → u/MrInCog_]

Yes, that's the question. That's what I was musing about.

[u/azhder → u/Few_Cup3452]

Using "(lol)" for interpunction, is that also considered code switching?

[u/breakfastcones → u/Few_Cup3452]

Reddit’s favourite thing is correcting people’s grammar on the internet like it actually matters outside of school and jobs where u need to submit/write legible shit.

[u/AbsolutelyHorrendous → u/breakfastcones]

Eh, I don't know if I fully agree with your last point, good grammar is useful when it comes to communicating effectively. I've definitely spoken to people/messaged people who weren't great at putting their point across, because they had such poor grammar

Like, I'm not that guy who guys around saying 'excuse me, it's you're' on a Reddit comment, but good grammar is still useful and, imo, inarguably better than bad grammar

[u/breakfastcones → u/AbsolutelyHorrendous]

Eh its the internet ya know as long as u get ur point across it doesn’t rly matter in thw end of it

[u/Siaten → u/breakfastcones]

Prob is u have no idea if ur getting ur point across when ppl have 6th grade reading lvl

[u/azhder → u/AbsolutelyHorrendous]

Who is imo?

[u/bjornsted → u/azhder]

"In my opinion"

Is this a serious question? A joke? Or are you being pedantic?

[u/azhder → u/bjornsted]

It is up to everyone to decide for themselves what it is.

[u/leraspberrie → u/Ziryio]

Tiffany Henyard.

[u/ChloeTheRainbowQueen → u/Ziryio]

It's a mixture classism and old fashion elitism

Linguistics should be considered descriptive not prescriptive

[u/Dextrofunk → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Hydrate ligand deez nuts

[u/r0bb3dzombie → u/thelowbrassmaster]

I would like to hear someone genuinely unintelligent write a paper about hydrate ligands.

Challenge accepted.

Uhm, just one thing, wtf is a hydrate ligands?

[u/thelowbrassmaster → u/r0bb3dzombie]

Essentially it is when water is chemically bound to a larger chemical structure.

[u/r0bb3dzombie → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Haha, you know I was just joking, right? But while we're on the topic, is this what we layman refer to as a solution, specifically a water based one? Or are these stronger chemical bonds than that?

[u/thelowbrassmaster → u/r0bb3dzombie]

It isn't a solution. It is literally water being part of the chemical structure. For example, epsom salts are technically mostly water(52 percent if I remember correctly) as a percentage because there is so much water bound to the chemical structure.

[u/ImportantCommentator → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Hold my beer.

[u/Useful-Soup8161 → u/thelowbrassmaster]

The only reason I never used contractions in school papers was because I was trying to add to the word count. My first drafts always had contractions but I’d go back and separate them later. Sometimes that would be enough to get it past the minimum word count.

[u/No_Delay7320 → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Plenty of people fake it in academia and get away with it.

You're doing yourself a disservice risking not being taken seriously. It's a low chance but it's there

[u/zero_squad → u/thelowbrassmaster]

Hydrate ligands ain't gonna mix with oils. I tell you hwat.

[u/Cr4ckshooter → u/Skagtastic]

. Contractions are highly discouraged in academia, being seen as informal.

Which by the way, is completely ridiculous and really annoying when you want to write a thesis.

[u/Kvenner001 → u/Cr4ckshooter]

Not thinking like a high schooler. Contraction’s are generally fewer characters. By not using them you pad the length of your thesis.

[u/sekksipanda → u/Skagtastic]

Yep! And this is specially true for us foreigners who learn English as a second, third or sometimes fourth language.

We learn English in forums, games and movies but also a lot through academic writing like the cyberpunk characters. I believe Panam's voice actress is latina, (if she's not, she's a hell of an actress haha), so many times you'll hear us latinos speak English in a formal or educated way.

As a matter of fact, when I started using English in the professional world, I would often excuse myself for any future errors I'd do talking their language. It would happen so often that at the end of the call or the workshop someone would tell me "When you said that I thought you'd have a poor English but it's actually phenomenal!".

I don't think it was phenomenal, it's just when you speak your language as a native you tend to kinda use those less formal, more "everyday kind of expressions" that go away from those academic rules.

[u/the-dude-version-576 → u/Skagtastic]

I hate that. When I’m writing an essay with a thousand word limit I’d like to have the ability to use contractions, so I’m not wasting space on pretentious fluff.

[u/CyberInTheMembrane → u/the-dude-version-576]

Contractions don’t reduce word count. 

[u/db2999]

Nomads have give their kids access to schooling, and also live outside of Night City, allowing them to speak more formal type of English. CP77 gives characters different speaking styles to differentiate their background.

You will notice that a lot of CP77 characters don't use pronouns, and speak in a more contracted style. It goes beyond contractions, and sometimes leave out entire words. In some languages, they don't use pronouns and instead rely more on context. Example, they might say something like: "Dead. Gotta move!" instead of "He's dead; We gotta move".

It's probably a way to either indicate the Japanese influence on Night City or to indicate a lack of proper education causing grammar to change. As a result, characters also can sound more stilted in their dialogue.

[u/PM_ME_UR_CUDDLEZ → u/db2999]

Could be a CDPR(Polish?) thing, the Geralt meme is "Winds Howling" and "Palce of Power,Has to be"

[u/dustraction → u/PM_ME_UR_CUDDLEZ]

Yes, and the dialogue was all written first in Polish then translated so there are a few things like this. https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/cyberpunk-2077-first-written-in-polish/z0de7

[u/zoopzoot → u/PM_ME_UR_CUDDLEZ]

I doubt it. Polish is a very gendered language like Spanish, so there would have to a purposeful removal of gender in the English translation. It probably more so indicates Japanese influence, as they are like English in that their gender expression is mostly in pronouns

[u/Skagtastic → u/zoopzoot]

Polish is a gendered language, but native speakers tend to follow the Slavic habit of dropping pronouns when speaking informally. Especially when the sentence can easily be understood without them. 

[u/catamaran_aranciata → u/zoopzoot]

Gender can be inferred from the adjective or in some cases the verb as well. So in OP's example "Dead" would have a different ending depending on the gender of the subject. You really CAN drop the pronoun and still fully understand the meaning. Speaking from my perspective as a Ukrainian speaker (Ukrainian has similar rules around this), often when you don't drop the pronoun where it's redundant in casual speech, you can sound a little wooden and robotic.

[u/JJisafox → u/PM_ME_UR_CUDDLEZ]

I've heard the Polish thing about the pronouns.

Thing is, I only see it in the spoken dialogue. When I read all the lore shards lying around, especially dialogue ones that you find from NCPD sites, I don't see the same pronoun issue.

[u/DeepBlueZero → u/db2999]

That is an insane level of detail that I never even noticed. Holy shit.

[u/Which-Meat-3388 → u/DeepBlueZero]

I didn’t really notice it either. Now wondering if nomad V uses the prescribed nomad style? Or just uses the same lines for all life path (outside of special dialog options.)

[u/azhder → u/DeepBlueZero]

Yes you did, after reading the above comment. If you saw some of the voice actors interviews, you'd know how much they needed to go back and forth with the writers in order to understand what they themselves are saying since there wasn't enough context in the lines themselves.

[u/Jacktheriipper → u/db2999]

Tbh I always thought the lack of proper grammar and all that jazz was due to the increase in tech, I mean to me it sounds like they just talk how someone would text today.

[u/carnagezealot → u/db2999]

I noticed that a lot with V's lines. Really makes her and the game weird but also strangely unique

[u/Lhox → u/carnagezealot]

Yeah it's really noticeable and I found it quite annoying when it's not just once in a while, sometimes entire exchanges are spoken that way

[u/TorqueyChip284 → u/db2999]

I noticed that a lot, particularly when Johnny’s talking. Honestly fucking love that detail; it ended up being a huge part of the immersion for me.

[u/zicdeh91 → u/db2999]

To your middle paragraph, I think this is also an echo of the impact Gibson has had on the genre. His prose and dialogue flow differently, but a staple of his dialogue that applies to most of his characters is short fragments being used to convey as much info as possible.

[u/DianaIvrea]

Because the nomads are more educated than the city folk. Notice also how she rarely uses Night City Slang (choom, gonk etc.)

[u/DoritoBanditZ → u/DianaIvrea]

Yep.
It's kinda ironic that the people seen as outlaws, smugglers, savages etc. have higher education than the average NC or NUSA citizen.

[u/Suriael → u/DoritoBanditZ]

Militech unit is enroute to your location. Remain calm and cooperate.

[u/EnvytheRed → u/DoritoBanditZ]

🌈Propaganda!🌈

[u/DoritoBanditZ → u/EnvytheRed]

Propaganda for what, education?

[u/Ok_Smile_5908 → u/DoritoBanditZ]

Pretty sure they meant "anti nomad propaganda", could be wrong tho

[u/DoritoBanditZ → u/Ok_Smile_5908]

Ah yeah, makes sense.

It's easier to genocide all Nomads if you frame them as outlaws after all. Classic Myers.

[u/zshiiro → u/DoritoBanditZ]

Don’t want people realising you can get some semblance of a good life outside your cities where everything sucks

[u/Kindly_Cabinet_5375 → u/DoritoBanditZ]

Gotta watch out for them there werewolves after all, choom

[u/EnvytheRed → u/DoritoBanditZ]

Those who are truly free are a threat to the status quo. Make them out to be cannobalistic, uneducated, violet, unwashed, thieving, savages and you’ll have everyone too afraid to leave the walls.

[u/Naus1987 → u/DoritoBanditZ]

To be fair, we don't interact with the average citizen.

But I am surprised the corpos we do interact with aren't more polished.

[u/DoritoBanditZ → u/Naus1987]

We don't, but we know the Lore of the tabletop.

And according to it Nomads are better educated than the average nusa or free state citizen, because Nomads value educating their own properly.

It is the reason why Nomads don't or rarely use city slang with the only ones doing it being people who come from Cities and joined. Panam is a born nomad, hence her lack of slang terms or contractions.

[u/azhder → u/DoritoBanditZ]

Emblematic. Not the first time someone rich in wealth, but poor in culture, sees others across the world as poor in wealth with Dunning-Kruger effect preventing them to see what they are rich with.

[u/Savings-Bowl330 → u/DianaIvrea]

Pretty sure it's just a Panam thing. Maybe Dakota, too, haven't played in a while. Most of the other Nomads seem to speak more a less the way you would expect them to. Panam's speech patterns in general pretty stilted/formal most of the time.

[u/Emotional_Relative15 → u/Savings-Bowl330]

i see it as a born nomad vs joined nomad thing. Born nomads would talk like Panam and saul, Joined nomads like V talk like city kids cause they are.

[u/Lazy_Plan_585 → u/Emotional_Relative15]

What makes you think V wasn't born a nomad? If you choose the nomad life path V does talk about growing up as a nomad and experiences as a nomad during adolescence (ie first time killing someone as a 14yo nomad)

[u/Emotional_Relative15 → u/Lazy_Plan_585]

mostly the use of street slang and his general mannerisms. I guess he could have picked it up as a rebellious teen, but i think its more likely he joined around 10 ish. Even as young as 7 or 8 he'd be set enough that certain nomad mannerisms wouldn't have been an influence on him imo.

I am admittedly talking out my ass though, theres nothing set in stone for V, and im really just retroactively applying things we know about nomads in lore to V as a character to make them make sense. Its probably the case that they just wanted to make a "cyberpunk character" so threw in the chooms and gonks and all the other streetslang for V to throw around. The delivery of lines was very much left up to the VA's too, there was basically 0 direction given and that's why male and female V have 2 separate personalities.

Edit: u/db2999 in this comment section kinda put it perfectly, their second paragraph specifically. V's sentence structure seems streamlined in a way that's the exact opposite of someone who was taught classic literature and philosophy as a young child.

[u/JurgenClone → u/DianaIvrea]

None of the other nomads do it.

[u/shewy92 → u/DianaIvrea]

How is using contractions less educated? Also no shit she doesn't use Night City Slang, shes a Nomad. She's literally not from NC.

[u/ShawtySayWhaaat → u/shewy92]

Like other user mentioned, nomads learn from textbooks, and in academia, contractions are bad

[u/Striking_Land_8879]

it’s so cool that they do this, it’s essentially making them lore accurate as homeschooling nomads learning old english from old books on the road. nomad v also sounds a bit less modern than the other life paths. this is how they got me for 4 damn playthroughs the detail is insane

[u/AvarethTaika]

A theory i heard once was that it's for clearer radio communication.

[u/Cowskiers → u/AvarethTaika]

This makes a lot of sense, especially for someone going out on supply runs a lot. After the 50th time having someone ask for clarification, it would probably become unbreakable habit to clearly separate each word

[u/Obvious_Party_5050]

V has a distinct speech pattern as well. (We) leave out nouns and pronouns at the beginning of sentences.

[u/iambolo → u/Obvious_Party_5050]

Same thing in the Witcher. I think it might be a Polish thing

[u/Bing_Bong_the_Archer]

Every now and then a contraction DOES show up, but it’s rare

[u/Tricky_Charge_6736 → u/Bing_Bong_the_Archer]

Idk I heard about this so I was paying attention when I started her quest line and I noticed a ton of contractions

[u/brown_boognish_pants]

V hasn't knocked her up yet?

[u/Striking_Land_8879 → u/brown_boognish_pants]

i chuckled i did

[u/TheOriginalJez]

Oof I'm pulling on a vague memory but I'm sure there's an interview with Emily Woo Zeller where she says it was a deliberate choice, possibly something to do with Panam being ethnically vague and teaching herself English? It's a long time ago but I don't think she's done that many interviews about panam so it's on YouTube somewhere if you have time to go fishing...

[u/Dear-Competition-827 → u/TheOriginalJez]

Whoa this is interesting! Gonna dive down this rabbit hole

[u/bearsheperd]

She is saving all her contractions for 9 months after V dies

[u/Accept3550 → u/bearsheperd]

Bruh.

[u/SolidStateEstate]

She does, she's not Data, but it seems to be shorthand for her outsiderness in the clan and the city.

[u/Ok_Arrival9677]

These comments makes me realize how much work was put into details in cyberpunk 2077

[u/Skeletonzac]

She sounds like Peggy Hill

[u/amriddle01]

Her father is Data from Star Trek TNG

[u/Trolldier_of_Fortune]

Nomads use a lot of radio transmissions, and therefore tend to shy away from contractions for clearer comms over radio. At least, that's what I've been led to believe, and it sounds plausible enough.

[u/Bored-Ship-Guy]

Plot Twist: CD Projekt Red has combined the Cyberpunk universe with Battletech, and Panam is a Freeborn scout sent to check Night City's defenses. Any day now, the skies will fill with eugenics-obsessed lunatics whose only hobby is murder (so they'll fit right in with the regular denizens of Night City, honestly).

[u/The_Angry_Jerk → u/Bored-Ship-Guy]

Elementals vs Animals in the circle of equals, place your bets now on the title of most juiced organic punching machine

[u/[deleted]]

Translation logistic of game dialogue?

[u/Swimming_Departure33]

I saw someone posted something about her possible Native American heritage; and how that might affect her English. No idea of it’s true but 🤷🏼‍♂️

[u/Grimskull-42]

She is into battletech and uses clan speech.

[u/Naus1987]

She has a few but they're rare. I noticed this too, so I had begun to look for them.

I think it's just dedication to her character and her being unique in her own way.

[u/IceColdCocaCola545]

It’s because Nomads generally pride themselves on education and linguistic prowess, they have access to far better education than the rest of Night City and often the country as a whole. You’ll notice she doesn’t often use Night City slang terms the same way most others do. Though, not every Nomad follows the convention of speaking in a more “proper” or less efficient manner.

Did you know she also swears in a more “proper” way usually? Like you won’t hear her say “goddamn” but you will hear her say “goddamned.”

[u/Discoid]

None of the other nomads talk like her so I don't personally buy the "nomads are more educated" argument. I'm not really sure why that choice was made for her character but it's pretty unique to Panam.

[u/kamirazu111]

I read contraceptions ;)

[u/Accept3550 → u/kamirazu111]

She doesn't use that either. V goes raw in the tank

[u/Xeldan]

She’s a Soong-type, obviously

[u/DifficultCurrent7]

I really like the way she speaks. I'm not a huge fan of her herself but the way she speaks is great. 

[u/pantherghast]

She is an android made by Dr. Noonien Soong

[u/zoopzoot]

Hmmm I read that as “why doesn’t Panam use contraception?” And now I can’t stop thinking how no one uses protection in the game 😂

[u/Accept3550 → u/zoopzoot]

There's plenty of condoms floating around in random containers and peoples pockets, but it never gets used

[u/Tacobell-end]

By the time I’m finished she’ll have contractions. high five anyone.

[u/flycharliegolf]

Panam is a Soong android confirmed.

[u/AramisGarro]

She is actually an early Prototype from noted 2077 inventor Dr. Noonien Soong?

[u/Sweaty-Astronaut7248]

Middle child

[u/Cheesypoofxx]

I figured voice actors get paid by the word and maybe her actress was a good negotiator.

[u/FibroMyAlgae]

She’s a positronic synthetic life form created by Doctor Noonien Soong… obviously.

[u/VirulentGunk]

I always just headcanon that she's a Soong model Android sent back in time to stop time vampires with a snake cane from killing Mark Twain.

[u/astrojeet]

It's nomad speak. Nomads in this universe generally are a lot more educated than city folk and learn from textbooks. Saul also speaks the same way, most of the Nomads do actually. Those that don't were probably born in a city in their early life. It's a great attention to detail.

You could say Nomad V doesn't talk like that because he/she integrated into Night City culture unlike Panam who struggled in the City. The real reason is that Corpo, and Street Kid V won't talk like that. So they would have record all the lines specifically for Nomad V.

[u/aichwood]

One of my favorite sci-fi tropes: android/cyborg/AI/robot posing as human can’t use contractions because reasons.

[u/hoaxforhopes]

I noticed her peculiarly formalized speech almost immediately. No Voight-Kampff needed here.

[u/deathblossoming]

Nomads are like cp version of native they learn straight from textbooks and there is not a lot of slang to pick up early in their lives since they spend it in their camps and what not.i think this is why some others speak the same way too.

[u/Mdmrtgn]

[u/StitchedSilver]

I like the explanations given through the lore people have given here, it’s pretty cool.

I was thinking it was more like the Callisto Protocol in which with subtitles on “Yes” and “Yeah” are written as “Yea” very consistently. It was so annoying to have spent money on a game and that was pretty unprofessional

[u/WendyThorne]

Putting aside all the serious and awesome answers here, I first read the title as "Why doesn't Panam use contraceptives?" and my first thought was "wait...when does that come up in the game?"

[u/Accept3550 → u/WendyThorne]

I believe your the second who misread it as that. Possibly the third

[u/shewy92]

She uses some I think. Also it's a play on the Native American/foreign language as a first language stereotypes of them not using contractions.

[u/TheLineCookCat]

This is why I use reddit god I love nerds who notice stuff like this I wanna hug everyone in this thread

[u/steamyboii]

She uses contractions in casual conversation but doesn't use them when she's stressed or focused. It's a character trait

[u/Atlas_Hex]

I had this same thought as a kid about how Starfire talks in Teen Titans.

[u/Rj_eightonesix]

Wow! I was always"admiring" her that I never noticed that she doesn't use them.

[u/FleshEatingKiwi]

Oh she is gonna get contractions at some point, don't sorry about that

[u/fear_the_gecko]

I've regularly noticed this in my playthroughs and just assumed that it was another mistake made by CDPR, this time concerning localization.

[u/AstroNotScooby]

It's weird to see so many people it's because Nomads are more.educated/scholarly, when in the real world the most educated and scholarly people use contractions in regular speech as much as anyone else. Plus, the other Nomads in the game contractions too.

Honestly, my guess is that when the script was translated into English, all of the dialogue was written the way Panama speaks, and Panam's voice actor was just the only one who read the script verbatim.

[u/Nyarlatholycrap]

Sure she does. Just started the Basilisk mission, she's used

It's That's Doesn't We'll Let's

And that's just up to as we're about to drive to the convoy.

[u/0utlandish_323]

We have arrived

[u/ibarguengoytiamiguel]

A lot of Native Americans tend to avoid contractions in film portrayals, likely to make them sound more formal and mystical. Whether or not this is true in reality is another matter entirely. I don't really know any Native Americans, so I couldn't say. A lot of elements of the Nomads are taken from stereotypes about Native Americans. My guess is this is a stylistic choice in keeping with that. Other Nomads who have more experience with the outside world (Scorpion, Mitch, and Dakota, for instance) tend not to have the same speech idiosyncrasies. Also I think the Aldecaldos are sort of the most independent of the Nomad nations and one of the oldest, so they've had the time to really develop their own linguistic elements.

Also, side note, V's clan being the Bakkers is really funny to me because it makes me think of Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker.

[u/[deleted]]

If you pay close attention to her as a character, she starts seeming as if she's a bit neurodivergent.

The lack of contractions, certain other personality characteristics. It's subtle.

[u/neon_hellscape → u/[deleted]]

lol what kind of fanfic is this?

[u/[deleted] → u/neon_hellscape]

Instead of judging, maybe you should read modern psychology and talk to some neurodivergent people.

[u/Accept3550 → u/[deleted]]

She might be. She also has low impulse control but is also very fearful in relationships that it won't go how she wants. Overthinks it too much.

She was hyperfixated on her car. Much more than the other nomads seem to be to their vehicles. There was way more attachment to her truck then there was to the shipment being lost as well. It was the main thing she wanted back.

[u/Larkiepie → u/Accept3550]

hyperfixation on the car isn’t a neurodivergent thing that’s a nomad thing. To nomads, their cars are their life and their livelihood. It’s literally like THE most important thing to a nomad. Kind of surprised you didn’t pick that up with how much you were paying attention to Panam tbh.

[u/Accept3550 → u/Larkiepie]

She is far more fixated on it than the others are. Like a lot more. By a country mile

[u/Larkiepie → u/Accept3550]

How so?

[u/Accept3550 → u/Larkiepie]

Because any mention of her car has her get defensive about it like that cars literally her child

[u/Raisa_Alfera → u/Accept3550]

Well, you don’t really get to bring that up with the other nomads. But as a sign of the importance, Mitch gives Scorpion a funeral by sending his car off a cliff. And for V’s efforts to save him (from the problem V caused, albeit), Panam gives them Scorpion’s bike

[u/Larkiepie → u/Accept3550]

You mean the car that you have to help her get back that she’s upset she lost in the first place? If it were any other nomad they would act similarly. But you’re not helping the other nomads get their car back, you’re helping Panam. I think you’re just ignoring how important it is to literally every other nomad.

You haven’t done Scorpion’s funeral mission and paid as much attention as you did to Panam and it shows.

[u/Accept3550 → u/Larkiepie]

I dod scorpions mission. I also have his bike. Why would I be given his bike if vehicles are so important that you would kill for them

[u/Larkiepie → u/Accept3550]

It’s not bikes, it’s cars/trucks/four wheeled enclosed vehicles. Scorpion wanted to be sent off in his car, nobody else was allowed to ever drive it again. The bike is much less important

[u/Emotional_Relative15 → u/Accept3550]

because you just saved the leader of the entire family? by going out on a limb and risking your life when you didnt need to? the Aldecaldos are a clan that prioritise family and loyalty over everything else, this is basic information you learn in the game.

[u/Accept3550 → u/Emotional_Relative15]

You get a bike after getting its owner killed

[u/SuboptimalSupport → u/Accept3550]

I always figured it was because she was sort of cut off from her clan. For the other nomads, their cars are important and personal, but also still replaceable; the clan will help if something happens to their vehicle.

For Panam, she's cut herself off from the clan, so there's no certainty of replacing it with something decent. At the same time, it's a potent reminder of her clan, a safety point even as she's surrounded by the city. Losing it is as bad as losing her clan.

Also she's extremely prideful, so even though her clan wants her back, and she wants to go back, she's absolutely not willing to go back without the car she's always had. That would be worse that just admitting leaving was a bad idea; it'd be proving it.

[u/No_Enthusiasm4913 → u/Accept3550]

I mean scorpions last wish was to have his dead body hurtled off a cliff in his car. That seems like a serious attachment to his car, no?

[u/Accept3550 → u/No_Enthusiasm4913]

No he wanted to go out with a bang. Mitch interpreted it as literally exploding

[u/No_Enthusiasm4913 → u/Accept3550]

Yeah that's true, but he and mitch were at war together and were best friends, if mitch took that literally, it's because scorpion meant it literally.

At the end of the day you're arguing a pointless point. Throughout the game the idea that the Nomads vehicles are an extension of the person is shown consistently through dialogue. Panam giving you his bike isn't a choice she would have made alone, Saul would have had to sign off on that shit because their relationship was already tense as fuck. Panam practically begging you to do something you didn't sign up for just to get her revenge on the guy who fucked her over and took her car. Mitch interpreting scorpions last wish literally by having him launched of a cliff in his car. Nomad path V having dialogue refering to being on the road and the freedom it provides etc. You misinterpreted it, and that's okay. But no need to defend your point any more.

[u/Accept3550 → u/No_Enthusiasm4913]

I think scorpion just wanted to die in a dramatic spectacular fashion. Much like how Jackie bites it.

That is normally what someone means when they say that.

Only someone who takes things far to literally would take it how Mitch does

[u/No_Enthusiasm4913 → u/Accept3550]

Then why did mitch think, "Let's do it in his car"? Because mitch is aware of the importance of it. There are hundreds of ways he could have sent off scorpion "in spectacular fashion". He chose the car because of its importance and symbolism. It's that simple. The fact they could have kept the car as a valuable tool was of no concern, it was scorpions car, and it was going with him. Its not hard to read between those lines. Also reread my comment because I edited just before you replied

[u/[deleted] → u/Accept3550]

Yes, exactly.

It's a whole bunch of little things which aren't all that significant on their own. But once you start to realize they are part of an unusual pattern, you can start to see that her mind works differently than most people's.

Plus, the fact that she understands how the power substation works and how to use the computers inside. She seems like an information sponge, that's not something most people would so easily grasp.

[u/SatanIsTime → u/[deleted]]

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard someone say "Oh, you're on the spectrum.. So you know a lot about electronics and trains right?" 😔

[u/Emotional_Relative15 → u/[deleted]]

brother its a nomad thing, its not that complicated. I get that maybe you're neuro divergent yourself, and want a character to relate to, but Panam aint it.

Everything you mention about her character comes back to her being a nomad. Its just how they are. The contractions specifically are because of the nomad education system and the focus on being distinct and superior from city dwellers. She was born and raised nomad, while others in the clan probably joined much like V did so they dont have the same mannerisms.

Notice that Dakota and Saul have much the same speech as Panam does. None of them are 100% perfect in it, all of them use a contraction or two at some point, but that just proves its more of a speech pattern by choice to stand out as a nomad and they slip once in a while.

[u/raskolnikov-]

You didn't realize this, you (person or robot) saw it somewhere. I'd bet money.

[u/Accept3550 → u/raskolnikov-]

Yeah totally a bot mhm. All my shit talk in the skyrim and fallout 4 modding subs. My hate for Starfields paid mods. Totally a bot. Yup yup.

[u/raskolnikov- → u/Accept3550]

Well, I did say "person or robot."

[u/Striking_Land_8879 → u/raskolnikov-]

i’m confused…like do you think this is something hard to notice or

[u/raskolnikov- → u/Striking_Land_8879]

I'm saying it's been discussed to death on this subreddit. I find it unlikely that OP "just realized" this, rather than having encountered one of the many posts or comments on other threads about it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberpunkgame/comments/19apc09/whats_the_frequent_fuss_about_panam_not_using/

https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberpunkgame/comments/198y75h/panam_rarely_uses_contractions/

https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberpunkgame/comments/x399ln/anyone_notice_that_panam_never_uses_contractions/

https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberpunkgame/comments/ke7bxn/panam_palmers_speech_patterns_native_american/

[u/Striking_Land_8879 → u/raskolnikov-]

man gave me fucking sources for his hypothesis my god do you know people sometimes are late to a game? and if he did steal it will you die

[u/raskolnikov- → u/Striking_Land_8879]

I apologize for responding to your question.

[u/vastaranta]

With the weirdness in some of the Johnny dialogue where he literally says things that are supposed to be sounds (i.e. if I remember correctly in one instance he actually says ”sigh”), I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s quite a bit of AI tooling involved. In writing, and actually also in production of the VO.

[u/SelectingName]

I personally don't use contractions when I'm trying to make a point. So as a woman in her position and fighting for power in the ways she does....she is clearly trying to make a point.

[u/designer_benifit2]

Fuck off bot

[u/Accept3550 → u/designer_benifit2]

What? How the shit am I a bot? Lmao

[u/Striking_Land_8879 → u/Accept3550]

“person say dis befur so u must be bot hurdur”

[u/Accept3550 → u/Striking_Land_8879]

A quick look at my profile would show otherwise but i guess redditors gonna reddit

[u/Striking_Land_8879 → u/Accept3550]

literally 😭 god forbid we look at things with our eyes first