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Using Real-World Words for Fantasy Concepts

Mindfire

Istar
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.
 
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.
 

Mindfire

Istar
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.
 
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...
 

shangrila

Inkling
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.
 

Mindfire

Istar
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.
 

SlimShady

Troubadour
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.
 

mbartelsm

Troubadour
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)
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
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. :cool:
 
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. :cool:

Except for it reminds me of a toilet...
 

Mindfire

Istar
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.
trollface-mini%5B1%5D.png

>_>

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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