language

[Oudeis he/him]

You must Awaken in your native tongue. Has the language of Halladren changed so little in three centuries that no one thinks Vasher talks funny when he Awakens?

Also interesting to note, Commands seem to work based on what you call a person, not their real name. Vivenna has no trouble Awakening a cloak to "Attack and grab Denth" despite that not being his original name. I wonder how much other leeway you have? Could it work on "that guy"?

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

Perhaps Vasher's speech changes as the language does. it is still his native tongue, but he has had three centuries to change right along with it...

 

Since intention has almost everything to do with magic in the Cosmere, the Commands should act on the intention of the Awakener. Just like how Vasher says "grab things" which is very broad, I think she could have said "grab him" or "grab that guy" and the Command would have worked just fine since Vivenna is visualizing the attack and the "victim" as she issues the Command and Breaths. 

[Curiosity he/him]

I think that "that guy" would work just as well as "Tonk Fah" because Commands are highly dependent on Cognitive aspects, that is, how the objects and actions involved in the Awakening are viewed by the Awakener. This leads me to believe that using one's native language is best for Awakening because it is most effective in evoking the right intent and view of the command, rather than using an older language or a second language, because they wouldn't bring the correct concepts to mind. 

 

This makes me wonder if a mute person could become an Awakener through writing or envisioning Commands… 

[Oudeis he/him]

Since intention has almost everything to do with magic in the Cosmere, ...

I gonna dispute this, largely because its one of the things I like most about the Cosmere. Intent is huge and important, but it is nothing like 'almost everything'.

The world's best Lurcher could Intend to pull metal to his chest with every well-trained fiber of his being; without iron, or indeed his innate sDNA, it would do nothing. Its not like Harry Potter which is your basic "wish for a thing and it happens", if you don't phrase your Command in the very specific and seemingly arbitrary way that will work, it won't work.

Vivenna even explains that _how_ you 'want' it is important. When she tried to untie the ropes, her Intent was pure, but she was "wishing too hard", basically. She had to step back in her own brain and let her mind do it subconsiously, like how she changed her hair.

Perhaps I read too much into how you phrased this. I get that realmatics are important, but what I love about the Arcana of the cosmere is, so are all of the concrete, specific details. Get one wrong, and all the 'intent' in the world will mean nothing.