[native english] Translations - Fantasy Language

[Thanee]

I had a "night elf" character during the WoW beta (I live like 1/2 mile from Blizzard's codeshop) who was called "Rimeswitbow" - it might be difficult to translate the silliness of that.

Heh. But you know... it actually rhymes with "cow".

Bye
Thanee

 

[tarchon]

Heh. But you know... it actually rhymes with "cow".

It's an old D&D newgroup joke - somebody always asks how to pronounce "drow" so somebody else has to answer "bow" or "row" (or even "sow"), since they go either way.

bau = sich beugen, Bug, oder Verbeugung; bo = Bogen
rau = (heuzutage ungewohnt in Amerika) Streit oder Unruhe; ro = Reihe oder rudern
sau = Sau; so = säen

 

[glass]

. So instead of finding my own translations - and confusing people who expect to be talking about a "Talent", I say the english word instead (Feat in that case)...When you read about a "Feat" every other sentence, the word sticks.

Interestingly, feat in (British) english referes to the act of doing something, rather than the ability to do it as it does in D&D. Talent would be a better word in English too.

Actually, there are a couple of words used in D&D where I wonder if american english differs from british english. Vermin, for instance, means rats & pigeons over here, rather than arthropods.

One of my pet peeves is the translation for lich. I know that lich is in fact an English word and nothing they made up for D&D or anything. But it's a really old word AFAIK, and I doubt that many non-D&D-players know the word, and almost noone uses it for a dead body. The German translation, "Leichnam", on the other hand, is still used along with "Leiche". So whenever a DM speaks of a Leichnam being in the chamber, my first reaction is not to flee or roll initiative (depending on level), but instead I wonder who killed the poor guy.

A lichgate is a roofed gate into a graveyard, so the original meaning of the word survives in compound form at least.


glass.

 

[Thanee]

It's an old D&D newgroup joke - somebody always asks how to pronounce "drow" so somebody else has to answer "bow" or "row" (or even "sow"), since they go either way.

Ah, I see. Well, then...

Bye
Thanee

 

[retan]

That's because real words don't often develop like this. We don't say "striped killer cat" we say tiger. Tiger doesn't mean anything at all other than that big, striped killer cat. We say wolf, not "feral pack-hunting canine." D&D has gone too often down the descriptive route, and it doesn't actually sound like a natural word.

Actually, a fair number of animal names in norwegian (my native language) are constructed in this fashion.

Example: Blekksprut "Squirts ink" is norwegian for octopus.
Example: Skilpadde, probably from older Skjellpadde "toad with a shell" is norwegian for turtle.

-- retan

 

[fuindordm]

Actually, a fair number of animal names in norwegian (my native language) are constructed in this fashion.

Example: Blekksprut "Squirts ink" is norwegian for octopus.
Example: Skilpadde, probably from older Skjellpadde "toad with a shell" is norwegian for turtle.

-- retan

I think it's really interesting that the Germans find English words flavorful, while Gez finds them jarring modernisms. I guess it all depends on how that language is used in everyday culture, but I think it helps foster an archaic atmosphere when the words draw on archaic sources of the dominant language.

Gez, do you find yourself attracted to Old French, or even Latin vocabulary when you play?

In answer to Thanee's original question, I find most of the latinate words (e.g. disintegrate, transmutation, incendiary cloud, simulacrum) too scientific in feel to support a fantasy game well. That's probably not true for everyone, though, since Latin is a language of education and it does do a good job of making wizards feel highly educated. I vastly prefer words and names with germanic, and especially Norse roots. Many of the words used in D&D do draw from archaic sources (like the aforementioned dwoemer), and those I find very atmospheric and flavorful. But maybe that's just becuase I cut my teeth on Gary Gygax's DMG.

Ben

 

[Gez]

I guess that'll depends on the language.

If your language is already full of agglutinated words like "Inksquirter" and "Shelltoad", then more words built in the same way will not sound weird.

On the other hand, a language whose words are no longer transparent, like "poulpe" and "tortue" (French for your two examples), then it'll be odd and clashes with real words.

French is an example of a language that's really not friendly to agglutinated words. They'll always be clunky and silly. That's why we have to look for greek and latin roots and create new names from those. In English, it's simple enough to turn "one who picks nits" into "nitpicker". This allows for names like "mind flayer" to sound somewhat OK.

 

[Desdichado]

Interestingly, feat in (British) english referes to the act of doing something, rather than the ability to do it as it does in D&D. Talent would be a better word in English too.

That's typically true in American English as well -- as in the feats of strength from Festivus (for the rest of us.)

Actually, there are a couple of words used in D&D where I wonder if american english differs from british english. Vermin, for instance, means rats & pigeons over here, rather than arthropods.

Vermin is any problematic animal that's a pain in the butt. Rats and mice are the primary example of vermin that in the usage of most non-D&D folks, but it could be pretty much any animal. Using it as giant scorpions or spiders or whatnot struck me was kinda weird too.

 

[Gez]

I think it's really interesting that the Germans find English words flavorful, while Gez finds them jarring modernisms. I guess it all depends on how that language is used in everyday culture, but I think it helps foster an archaic atmosphere when the words draw on archaic sources of the dominant language.

Gez, do you find yourself attracted to Old French, or even Latin vocabulary when you play?

Latin, not really (unless playing Ars Magica). It's a suspension of disbelief -- the characters are not supposed to speak French, but that's like watching a dubbed film. It's translated for the player's benefit. But if you start putting in words from another language that'll look as if that language actually exists, and it would be weird.

But using greek or latin roots to coin up a name is OK.

And yes, I like using a few antiquated or medieval words -- or sentence construction, as grammar evolved too -- from time to time. It helps making the setting more exotic. Since you're in Paris, maybe you've had the chance of stumbling upon François Bourgeon's excellent BD, Les Compagnons du Crépuscule. (Amazon.fr link) It's a perfect example of how careful use of language helps building the atmosphere of a setting. (And the story's top notch, and the art is perfect too. Love it very much.)

Vermin is any problematic animal that's a pain in the butt. Rats and mice are the primary example of vermin that in the usage of most non-D&D folks, but it could be pretty much any animal. Using it as giant scorpions or spiders or whatnot struck me was kinda weird too.

What about pest and critter?

Interestingly, it fits rather OK in French to use vermin for bugs and arthropods and assorted creepy-crawlies. Although it's also used for rodents, most of the time vermine is used for parasites like ticks and louse. To the point that softwares like AdAware, Spybot, and similar anti-malware are called dévermineurs ("de-verminators")...

 

[Thanee]

Two words, which I find especially hard to translate into german (and I don't really like the official translations either, tho they are ok-ish) are "Wight" and "Wraith".

In english these terms just sound fear inspiring and very fitting.

Bye
Thanee