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Contemporary Swear Words in Fantasy

Wormtongue

Minstrel
Another aspect that I'm contemplating is the use of modern swear words vs. fantasy swear words.

Clearly there is no absolute answer to this, and some people will come down solidly on one side or the other while others (like myself) see the validity of both sides.

Does modern swearing break immersion? Do made up fantasy swears break immersion?
 

CupofJoe

Myth Weaver
Most swear words that I know [unless I have led a very sheltered life] tend to be based on * ahem * bodily functions of one sort or another and those are fairly universal. I reckon a Greek Hoplite has a similar set of swear words to an eighteenth century Royal Navy sailor or a twenty first century teen [sexual acts, sexual functions, intimate body parts and bodily functions...?].
I don't have a problem with modern forms of these words being used [as long as it was in the temper of the story].
For me that would clash/distraction would be less than reading Gadzooks! [or something similar] that has a real-world time and place and getting it wrong.
Most often I try to avoid extreme swear words and use something along the lines of By the gods... or Hell's Teeth... and if i need the,, keep the modern forms of the words for the more visceral moments.
 

BWFoster78

Myth Weaver
Another aspect that I'm contemplating is the use of modern swear words vs. fantasy swear words.

Clearly there is no absolute answer to this, and some people will come down solidly on one side or the other while others (like myself) see the validity of both sides.

Does modern swearing break immersion? Do made up fantasy swears break immersion?


I made the decision a long time ago to utilize modern language extensively in my fantasy writing as long as it doesn't introduce anachronisms. Some beta readers don't like it, and I do think it has the potential to provide a minor hindrance to some hardcare fantasy fans.

I made the decision because:

1. The use of archaic language isn't logical to me. Presumably, the people in my made-up world aren't speaking English anyway. If I'm translating what they say to English anyway, why does it need to be archaic English instead of modern English? There's no reason for me to use the King James version of the Bible over a modern edition.

2. It's freakin' easier. Writing fiction is hard enough without giving myself extra challenges.

3. I think it makes fantasy a little more accessible to a wider audience.
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
Use of archaic language can serve a purpose. You don't have to use it, obviously, but there is nothing illogical in employing it for effect.

Using modern swear words should be a non-issue. If your whole story is written in modern English, then what's the problem having the swear words in modern English as well?
 
C

Chessie

Guest
Hm, I'm not a fan. Not because I don't like colorful language, but because it disrupts the experience for me as a reader. Modern fantasy seems to have a lot of this. Its not keeping books from being sold, but when I read of a fantasy world (unless its urban), I'm expecting a world different to ours. So the swear words throw me off.

But this is your work. Does using modern swear words feel natural in your story world?
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
Modern swear words shouldn't be a problem. Colloquial language, which can include some swearing combinations, will be for many people, although you might still be able to find an audience.

BWF used the word freakin' in a post above, that's a good example of what I mean without posting a string of weird vulgarities.
 

Grandeur

Minstrel
For the longest time, I refrained from using swear words in my fantasy writing. At first, it was thanks to the overbearing dogma of my christian upbringing, but once that fell away, swearing still seemed to me like a very relative concept, insofar as the use of particular sounds that are considered vulgar. Obviously, as already stated, vulgarity comes primarily from the subject matter that the word is referring to, but there still leaves something to be said for how it phonetically hits the ear. I have chosen to use modern swear words AND my own creations.

Words like ****, shit, and ****, being rather 'top-shelf' swear words, are great (especially ****) because honestly, they kind of grab attention, especially in fantasy novels, which seem to have a history of imploring softer spoken vulgarity. However, throwing in your own original flavors of swear words helps add originality IMO, especially if you can pair them with well known ones to convey the severity and context.

An example of an expletive I made up for my world is 'blight and soulfire'.
 
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Noma Galway

Archmage
Making up the swear words only works if the words make sense to use as an expletive. Grandeur, yours works, but some others I've read just don't. I don't use a lot of swear words in my writing, but when I do I use modern ones. No one really minds among the people who read it.
 

Wormtongue

Minstrel
I do have made up swears in my world for a particular race. My main protagonist is fond of saying "pesht!" in situations where f**k! might be used, and "peshta" in place of f**king. But that's him speaking in his native language, not in the common tongue. What I'm trying to decide is if I should use made up words for common tongue swearing or use the genuine articles.

I'm leaning towards modern swears because my dialog is mostly modern. The way things are going I'll probably change it all to modern.
 
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Edankyn

Minstrel
I think a lot of this depends on your prospective audience which in turn depends on the nature of your story. If your story is already pretty dark or adult themed, I think the odds are good that your audience will be accepting of cursing, and modern curse words will be less likely to jar them from immersion in the story. Admittedly, I may be more of an exception than the rule, but I don't even notice when I read curse words. I still get the feeling that the author is trying to convey, but I'm not consciously aware that a specific word was used.

On the other hand, I am very aware when the author uses some made up word that I have to use context to understand. If the word makes me read the sentence or paragraph again, it degrades my reading experience. I've seen it done effectively before (most notably Hood's Breath from the Malazan series), but for every effective made up curse I've probably read fifteen that were pure nonsense.
 

Shreddies

Troubadour
I don't see an intrinsic problem with using modern swears in fantasy, provided they don't draw too heavily from events or people in the real world. The only real issue I have with them is that they lack any form of profanity. Instead they just rely on obscenity and vulgarity. :( (And they lack creativity. Usually resorting to simple four letter words)

I mean, if you've got a strong divine presence in the world (or just a strong religious one), then where's the profane oaths and stuff?

They don't even need to be long winded oaths or anything, like 'Snails (God's nails), or 'Strewth (God's truth).
 
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JamesTFHS

Scribe
i cannot help but think of two examples for this. A song of ice and fire(aka game of thrones) and the wheel of time.
ASOIAF uses real world curses. Pretty much ever single curse word we use in america appears in these books. I dont have a problem with this that much. there are times i feel the word does not fit in the story based solely on where it comes from. Damn is the most christian curse word ever as it comes from the word damnation which relates to hell. Hell is also distracting and does not belong in fantasy.

The wheel of time uses "made up" curse words which are acutally really silly. blood and bloody ashes. that is the curse most common in the series and i cannot take it seriously. its goofy. it sounds like kids pretending to curse with code words. They stand out too much. They do not feel natural or as if they come from a cultural background. when you really look at it every word we use has a back story to it. where it comes from what it means and what brought about its use and existance.
 

Philip Overby

Staff
Article Team
I think I've seen a thread like this before a while back, but I'm going to go in the camp that isn't a big fan of "made-up" swear words. They just jerk me out of the story more than modern ones do. I guess it really depends on the situation though. I don't mind damn or hell. I mean lots of fantasy uses hell in a different way, like "nine hells" or something like that.

As far as modern language goes, unless it's people saying "YOLO" or something, it's probably not too modern for me.
 

jasperjheart

Dreamer
Honestly, I don't think it would hurt. Some characters, the rougher ones especially are probably more prone to the archaic speech. As a reader and an adult who often hears and uses these words, I barely even notice it when I'm reading. But that's just me.

I guess it all really depends on who your target audience is.
 

Julian S Bartz

Minstrel
I've been reading Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy recently and he uses modern curse words perfectly. His style of writing is gritty so it works. I think if you are writing traditional epic fantasy in the same manner of your Feist's and Eddings it won't work as well. If your writing and themes are a little darker and your character's speech is a little less proper it can definitely work.

Check out the First law and you'll see what I mean.
 
It shouldn't matter, but....
If you go with made up ones they should reflect your world's culture or the culture of the characters. Our curse words are derived from bodily functions(which are seen as filthy private things) and blasphemy(because of the large influence of religious thought). In a society where sex and bodily emissions aren't a big deal you would have to find words that would reflect what they would be offended by. I.E. a society where family takes a high precedence would be using words that reflect outsider status like Uzzard(The bastard child of a bastard)
 

Trick

Auror
I tend to use the common 12yr old curse words (damn, hell, etc) while throwing in my own for more severe expletives. To each their own, obviously. I agree with Julian that Joe Abercrombie uses contemporary swear words perfectly and they fit. My main character starts out prideful and grows darker by the chapter after he falls in with a group of thieves. They teach him all sorts of swear words but I didn't want to repeat F*** and other examples of serious swearing (at least in America) because I thought it would be.. too much. So, I use things from the history of the world to create expletives. Gant is a devil-like figure and a common curse is 'Gant's Pisser.' Obviously it implies a body part of the devil one would rather avoid. There are thirteen totem animals in the history of the MC's people so a more tame curse is Totems! or Thirteen Totems! I figure, once I'm done with the intitial writing and begin a first edit, I'll be swapping and adding these as seems fitting.

Anyway, just my $0.02
 
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