# Using Real-World Words for Fantasy Concepts



## Mindfire (Sep 19, 2012)

At what point does it become distracting or lazy to appropriate real words for worldbuilding purposes? 

E.g., A race of sentient reptiles called the Komodo Empire, ruled by an elite class called "Dragons" or "Dragon Lords".

Discuss.


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## Zero Angel (Sep 19, 2012)

Hmm, I think that your example would be very distracting to me. I was thinking more along the lines of using modern English to describe things with words that have only existed for the last little while...for instance, saying OK instead of alright. 

I've thought about putting a disclaimer at the front of my book saying that although the book is presented in modern English, it is actually in some strange fantasy language and the result is the author's best attempt to translate it for public consumption.


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## Mindfire (Sep 19, 2012)

Zero Angel said:


> Hmm, I think that your example would be very distracting to me. I was thinking more along the lines of using modern English to describe things with words that have only existed for the last little while...for instance, saying OK instead of alright.
> 
> I've thought about putting a disclaimer at the front of my book saying that although the book is presented in modern English, it is actually in some strange fantasy language and the result is the author's best attempt to translate it for public consumption.



That's interesting. Personally, "okay" would be more distracting to me than ,"Komodo Empire", but yours is more a case of style than worldbuilding. I'd say as long as your reader (and your editor) are okay with it, you should be fine.


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## Zero Angel (Sep 19, 2012)

Oh I'm not using OK, but they kept popping up in the editing process -_- I was like, I really write like this? So much for any sense of gravity...


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## shangrila (Sep 20, 2012)

I think using modern language for dialogue is fine. In world building, probably not so much. Calling lizard people komodos as a slur or slang would be ok for me. Outright calling them the Komodo Empire and having them refer to their leaders as Dragon X or Y wouldn't. To me, that just seems uncreative.


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## Mindfire (Sep 20, 2012)

shangrila said:


> I think using modern language for dialogue is fine. In world building, probably not so much. Calling lizard people komodos as a slur or slang would be ok for me. Outright calling them the Komodo Empire and having them refer to their leaders as Dragon X or Y wouldn't. To me, that just seems uncreative.



In retrospect, the idea does seem to bank on the reader being too stupid to know what a komodo dragon is.


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## SlimShady (Sep 20, 2012)

I like the idea of rulers being nicknamed Dragons or Dragon Lords.  However, Komodo Empire just sounds too silly for me.  That would seriously pull me out of the book every time I read it.


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## mbartelsm (Sep 20, 2012)

Right now I'm just using what you would call "english equivalents", once I'm done with the main worldbuilding I think I will dive into building an universal language(s?) to use for the names and some dialog or inscriptions (think latin, greek, ancient norse or sanskrit in the real world)


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## Devor (Sep 20, 2012)

You could tweak the word a little, so that Komodo is just a root that subtly invokes images of the reptile.

For instance, you could drop the "O" at the end and just go with the "Komode Empire."

Komode . . . . Komode . . . . nope, nothing at all wrong with that word.


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## Zero Angel (Sep 20, 2012)

Devor said:


> You could tweak the word a little, so that Komodo is just a root that subtly invokes images of the reptile.
> 
> For instance, you could drop the "O" at the end and just go with the "Komode Empire."
> 
> Komode . . . . Komode . . . . nope, nothing at all wrong with that word.



Except for it reminds me of a toilet...


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## Mindfire (Sep 20, 2012)

Devor said:


> You could tweak the word a little, so that Komodo is just a root that subtly invokes images of the reptile.
> 
> For instance, you could drop the "O" at the end and just go with the "Komode Empire."
> 
> Komode . . . . Komode . . . . nope, nothing at all wrong with that word.



>_> 

How about these:

Kuman
Kumanto
Coman
Commodus
Varan
Varand
Varanus
Varannus
Monitor



That trollface needs to be an official smiley btw.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Sep 21, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> In retrospect, the idea does seem to bank on the reader being too stupid to know what a komodo dragon is.



s/stupid/ignorant


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## Mindfire (Sep 21, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> s/stupid/ignorant



What? 

10char


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## Devor (Sep 21, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> Kumanto



I'd go with this one.




Zero Angel said:


> Except for it reminds me of a toilet...



Komode reminds you of a toilet?  Huh.  No idea why that would be.  Nope, total news to me.


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## Zero Angel (Sep 21, 2012)

Devor said:


> Komode reminds you of a toilet?  Huh.  No idea why that would be.  Nope, total news to me.



Joking or was your original a joke? Komode = Commode = Toilet in case you were being serious.


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## Mindfire (Sep 21, 2012)

Zero Angel said:


> Joking or was your original a joke? Komode = Commode = Toilet in case you were being serious.



Don't feed the 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Sep 22, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> What?
> 
> 10char



Not knowing what a komodo dragon is doesn't mean you're stupid; it means you're ignorant.

"s/stupid/ignorant" means "replace 'stupid' with 'ignorant' in the previous line".


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## Mindfire (Sep 22, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> Not knowing what a komodo dragon is doesn't mean you're stupid; it means you're ignorant.
> 
> "s/stupid/ignorant" means "replace 'stupid' with 'ignorant' in the previous line".



Duly noted.


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## Svrtnsse (Sep 22, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> s/stupid/ignorant



Everyone stand back! I know regexp!


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Sep 22, 2012)

Svrtnsse said:


> Everyone stand back! I know regexp!



Technically that's just a substitution command; doesn't mandate regexp.


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## Steerpike (Sep 22, 2012)

mv stupid ignorant


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## Zero Angel (Sep 22, 2012)

So didn't know what regex or regexp stood for -_- thanks for the education though!

...Ooh! Cool! All sorts of math involved with this. 

-_- although as someone that teaches about "greedy" algorithms, I am slightly perturbed by their definition...even though it makes sense. I've always taught "greedy" algorithms as choosing the best option as soon as possible without mind for the future...they are calling this "lazy" algorithms and "greedy" algorithms are those that "eat" everything they can.


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## Devor (Sep 22, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> Don't feed the
> 
> 
> 
> ...



But I'm so hungry!


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## PrincessaMiranda (Sep 24, 2012)

Steering away from the land of technicality.... I think if your readers were meant to be children something like Komodo would be fitting. They read such titles as Captain Underpants.... So yes, for childrens fantasy it is ok to be odd or obvious. 

I don't know why adults have to be so judgmental! <---- Sarcasm? Not too sure myself.


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## Ghost (Sep 24, 2012)

Is it okay if I steal your ideas and write a story about a commode dragon?


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## Mindfire (Sep 24, 2012)

Ghost said:


> Is it okay if I steal your ideas and write a story about a commode dragon?



...what?
..


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## Ghost (Sep 24, 2012)

It was about all the talk of Komode dragons and the commode joke. I thought of a silly little story.

Nevermind.


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## FatCat (Sep 24, 2012)

*Sprays idea stealing ghost with WD-40*


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## Jess A (Sep 24, 2012)

I don't have a big issue with Komodo Empire...I would prefer to see it described as something else, but as a reader, I wouldn't jump up and down about it. If anything, it'd give me a great visual for the characters.


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## shangrila (Sep 29, 2012)

PrincessaMiranda said:


> Steering away from the land of technicality.... I think if your readers were meant to be children something like Komodo would be fitting. They read such titles as *Captain Underpants.... *So yes, for childrens fantasy it is ok to be odd or obvious.


Haha, I _loved_ those books when I was a kid.


Also, to add to the discussion, I think you can get away with using uncommon names and words. For example, in the Bas-Lag series you have the khepri (egyptian), vodyanoi (slavic) and garuda (hindu) races, all names of mythological creatures that end up feeling both familiar and yet new.


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