Words are cursed in non-earth settings.

[Deleted member 63478]

Allow me to ruin your expletive shouts of anger;

Only the most basic ass of curse words, and then basic grammar, make any sense in fantasy settings, of any kind. In fact, their shallow nature is what makes them viable.

Fuck. Shit. Ass. Bastard. Etc.

These all have very direct meanings, and you know exactly how the people know the words and use them. Its vulgar and direct, 'fuck you'. It's easy to see why uneducated peasants could lean on it- because if there is one thing the poor can't be denied? Brief reprieves from the injustices of life, in a fantasy setting, via sex.

But the more creative your wording becomes, the more the reader might get thrown off. Or rather you will.

"Nice seeing you, have a good evening!" "Thanks, goodbye!"

*LOUD BUZZER NOISE* - WRONG.

Good Bye finds its origin in an abbreviated version of 'God be with ye'. Basically every setting has multiple deities, if its a fantasy story, and this wording would never exist because nobody in their right mind says 'God be with ye' in fantasy. Which is he referring to? Is that offensive if he did? It's always like 'X deity bless you' etc etc.

Or fine, what about just casually hanging out in a tavern? Sure beer exists - wheat barley honey liver killing shit sure.

But those fancy nobles always sipping wine? If you the writer dare all it champagne? EHHHH- PSYCH BITCH THEY DON'T HAVE FRANCE HERE.

*Word rant over, share my pain.

EDIT:
This was a joke people. Satire. I took a shot at the 3 pointer - and the joke did not make it through the hoop. My b.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

What?

 

[Deleted member 63478]

What?

This was just me expunging about the curse of etymology - if I lost you it's fine, don't worry about it. XD

 

[Snusmumriken]

The issue is the fine line between authenticity and readability. I`ve seen novels that would go full speed into a different language, only to end up with glossary a multiple pages long explaining every other word in every sentence.

Can it be done - yes as long as you establish these words and make sure they are mentioned often enough to become commonplace. Which is a bit easier in books or in novels that are updated at least daily (so readers don't forget)
But daily novels don't have that much time to worldbuild so intricately either. So it ends up mostly viable for books that can be read all in one piece.

 

[Biggest-Kusa-Out-There]

You're factually wrong.
Why don't you first question, then, why the people speak english at all? There was no british empire to colonize the entire planet, so why english? Let me guess, magical translation? Pf lmao, then GOODBYE is ok since it's the english translation of whatever the people are saying.
In a polyteist setting "Goodbye" can be used perfectly fine, and be further abreviated from 'GodS be with ye', smh.
So I assume you don't use half of the english vocabulary when writing fantasy since it's basically an amalgamation of different words from other languages, just like today's languages on Earth?
Then write your fantasy novel with a completely unreadable, unspeakable, unknown, new language you came up with, and see how it goes.
There's a limit to how different a language can be while simultaneously being understandable for those that know it.
Does every fantasy world have latin or greek from which the languages originated from? Maybe, and that's for the Author to decide.
Why is magic called magic in a fantasy world? Magic has a meaning, and a very 'earthling' meaning. Sure, you can come up with weird shit and call it E'er like I did, or Majik, or Mah'geek, or something. There's a certain freedom when it comes to languages.
Why can't it be called champagne? Just have the person who discovered be called champagne and be done with it. Why can't fantasy people drink beer? Our world was fucking slow in making shit happen BECAUSE we didn't have magic, if you want to see it that way. We depended on tools to survive, not flinging fire out of our asses.
SMH.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I would also like to add that not every reader would comprehend and understand the amount of work you put into working with etymology. Most readers are casual readers. They don't watch Shadiversity and look for medieval misconceptions in novels. They don't watch Skallagrim and study HEMA for sword-fighting tutorials. They don't know the said history behind the words. Why spend your time on things almost no one will understand?

 

[Deleted member 63478]

...

So I'm gonna point out that this was a satire post now. I don't actually dig into the meaning of everything, I just thought it would be funny. Split second decision to post about 'lamenting my woes'.

Though there are some genuinely interesting points divulging the idea even deeper^ Hmmm...

 

[Snusmumriken]

I would also like to add that not every reader would comprehend and understand the amount of work you put into working with etymology. Most readers are casual readers. They don't watch Shadiversity and look for medieval misconceptions in novels. They don't watch Skallagrim and study HEMA for sword-fighting tutorials. They don't know the said history behind the words. Why spend your time on things almost no one will understand?

I personally do a lot of this for myself. While yes 90% of the information that I had to research/insert will either never be even published or would fly over readers heads - it allows me to establish a more consistent world to explore. A framework that I could easily rely on in the future.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I personally do a lot of this for myself. While yes 90% of the information that I had to research/insert will either never be even published or would fly over readers heads - it allows me to establish a more consistent world to explore. A framework that I could easily rely on in the future.

You enjoy it, and it helps you, so you do it. Everyone else doesn't need to do the same that was my point. If an author wants to grow, he should start researching things it's true. But you shouldn't spend all your time on this, or else who would write your story? You should find a balance point. You don't have enough time to research everything, history, politics, etymology, so on, AND come up with a great plot. Cause you have work, you have real-life, other hobbies and other stuff like that.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

Basically every setting has multiple deities, if its a fantasy story, and this wording would never exist because nobody in their right mind says 'God be with ye' in fantasy. Which is he referring to? Is that offensive if he did? It's always like 'X deity bless you' etc etc.

...are you dumb? WE have multiple deities too and these words still exist. Cultures mix, pal.

 

[Snusmumriken]

Why spend your time on things almost no one will understand?

I misunderstood that sentence of yours then - for me it felt too general. But yes it is a balance point - which is exactly what I mentioned in my 1st post - something like this is impossible to do for a daily webnovel. And that is the reason I had to drop my chapters to only once per week.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

I would also like to add that not every reader would comprehend and understand the amount of work you put into working with etymology. Most readers are casual readers. They don't watch Shadiversity and look for medieval misconceptions in novels. They don't watch Skallagrim and study HEMA for sword-fighting tutorials. They don't know the said history behind the words. Why spend your time on things almost no one will understand?

Ah, I watch those guys a lot. Personally, i like to use things that I learn. It doesnt matter if my readers dont know about any of it, I do. I'll appreciate it.

I wont bother with etymology but practical things I like. For example, I may include how to build a fire in a chapter. Or set a trap. Or I'll passingly mention how my character is using a condensed chunk of broth to make a quick soup, like how they used to do it in the middle ages.

Just weird little things like that. I may even describe the correct way to skin an animal and let the blood drip out.

I dont often get to use this kind of knowledge I learn from Skall, Shad or Townsends (YouTube channel that explores how life was during the middle ages.) But when I CAN use them, I do.

I dunno, it's kinda fun to me. I really should just drop one of my MC into a forest or island and leave them stranded for a bit, so I can flex my survival skill knowledge.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

If a reader were to tell me that, I would laugh and tell em to imagine the story in an entirely different language with entirely different idioms and jokes.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

If a reader were to tell me that, I would laugh and tell em to imagine the story in an entirely different language with entirely different idioms and jokes.

Lol exactly. Who do they think we are, Tolkien?

 

[Biggest-Kusa-Out-There]

Lol exactly. Who do they think we are, Tolkien?

No, they think you're CupcakeNinja, so they expect the best comedy <3

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I just imagine that the narrator has already translated the phrases of the fantasy world into terms the reader can understand.