Vulgar language in fantasy

[GSHamster]

To me, swearing falls into the same mental category as slang. Both of them just seem out of place.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I find that so many are complaining about 'modern' English swear words being translations from fantasy languages hilarious. They've been around pretty much since English was invented! There is nothing modern about them!

Yep. It's actually less anachronistic, if I'm not mistaken, to use "f---" than it is to use "hello."

(I'm assuming everyone involved in this discussion knows that the theory of that word as an abbreviation of the phrase "for unlawful carnal knowledge" is a load of hooey.)

 

[Mouseferatu]

I don't see the necessity of using the terms in any literature let along fantasy literature. Language is complex enough to say anything without resorting to vulgarity

On the other hand, the majority of people swear on occasion, and they don't often bother to be creative about it.

As both a reader and a writer, I prefer that my characters sound like real people, rather than sounding like an attempt at creating literature. As such, the dialogue needs to sound like something people would actually say.

And sometimes, even when the author might've had other options, that includes the occasional boring, uncreative profanity.

 

[Mouseferatu]

To me, swearing falls into the same mental category as slang. Both of them just seem out of place.

But have you given any thought as to why that is? Most slang is (relatively) modern. Most curse words, at least among the "classics," aren't.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I don't like my fiction to be sanitised. Perhaps if I was suggesting reading material for seven year olds, or what have you, then sure. But really, words are. . . just words. I can't see any use of them in fiction [for adults] as being "wrong" for such a reason. You either like/appreciate a story, or you don't.

And if you don't like it, there are most likely writers who cater more to your needs.

 

[Klaus]

Sometimes swear words sound out of place in a fantasy novel (mostly, I guess, because the genre rose from juvenile literature), but I like it when new swear words are created in-setting.

For instance, in the weekly comic series "52", the Apokolips-raised Power Boy uses the expletive "Darkseid's Testicles!". Gotta love that!

 

[Mouseferatu]

(mostly, I guess, because the genre rose from juvenile literature)

Bwah?

Neither Tolkien (from which, arguably, almost all modern fantasy evolved), nor his pulp-era precursors (Conan, etc.), nor his semi-modern successors (i.e. Moorcock), were aimed at children. The notion of fantasy being aimed at kids is a combination of misinterpretations (sometimes deliberate ones, made by the "high-brow elite" in response to Tolkien), and of authors then proceeding to build upon said misinterpretations.

 

[hong]

I find that so many are complaining about 'modern' English swear words being translations from fantasy languages hilarious. They've been around pretty much since English was invented! There is nothing modern about them!

Fo'shizzle.

 

[Pants]

Fo'shizzle.

I wanna hear Conan or Aragorn say that.

 

[Elephant]

As an aside, Thornir, I can understand your position, but it seems like the "protect the children!" stance is becoming over-used. I see so much about books, movies, video games, etc. all being maligned because kids might be exposed to them. In all honesty, I don't think that sort of thing is nearly as damaging as everyone seems to be afraid of, and also it just seems like a poor excuse to try and neuter things meant for adults (by which I mean people in their late teens onward) just because kids might happen to be exposed to them.

Also, kids will hear a fair amount of swearing at school. If your book contains the f-word, don't worry, she's already heard it from a classmate.