Writerly Ways
Nov. 2nd, 2014 11:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessKeeping it short so I can nano but I need a break (after having my flash break...only to work again hours later). Any writer loves language. And if you're a fantasy/SF geek, you probably have visions of coming up with your own language (hello, Klingon) or at least slang (Eastern slang, Mistborn trilogy for example). At the bare minimum you've probably at least wanted to come up with ONE word that the fans will embrace (Buffy's 'wiggins' or even more so BsG's 'frak').
I know I do. I also know I will fuck it up twelve ways to Sunday but that doesn't make me want to do it any less. Hell I have trouble enough making my less educated characters sound less educated and I have THREE Of them right now (really? What's UP with that?) It's not something I will attempt in nano I don't think but it IS something I would like to try.
It has to be easier than turning some of the dialog in Soldiers of the Sun to 1930s slang. That has to be correct because as sure as I'm sitting here someone will be there to point out that something didn't exist until 1942. (actually there's a great line in the last Mistborn book but it doesn't WORK in the book because it's a freaking hockey reference).
I tried that in Behind Blue Eyes but the word I came up with (sort of trying to come up with a swear like frak) just didn't work. I'll need to rethink it.
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evil_little_dog and I DID successfully come up with idioms for our Ties that Bind universe. But still that was in English.
I know I'm not skilled linguistically enough to come up with a new language (granted Roddenberry had plenty of help with Klingon). I was thinking more along the lines of Cockney rhyming slang. I have a new character in mind that would be perfect for something like that.
That said, I'm not looking to go all Clockwork Orange because as ELD said the other night, that can be SO annoying to try to figure it out and I figure if older readers feel that way (And I DID about Clockwork) then the younger readers who whine if you even use real words they don't know, that it could backfire.
Actually I think Sanderson had it done right in the Mistborn universe. Spook is a relatively minor character in the first two books and his slang, while meant to confuse the upper class, was used for effect. In book three where he has a larger role, he has modified his speech. Spookâs slang
I was thinking along those lines. A thief character, young, who has picked up the slang as a way of effectively communicating so the police (or whatever it is in this fantasy verse) can't figure it out. It would probably only be used in the beginning and at times of stress or even as code later on.
What do you think of things like this?
And apropos of nothing and because I am sad and needed a laugh have some wildly inappropriate vintage ads
Yearly count -
STILL haven't finished freaking Soldiers of the Sun
Nano -
I know I do. I also know I will fuck it up twelve ways to Sunday but that doesn't make me want to do it any less. Hell I have trouble enough making my less educated characters sound less educated and I have THREE Of them right now (really? What's UP with that?) It's not something I will attempt in nano I don't think but it IS something I would like to try.
It has to be easier than turning some of the dialog in Soldiers of the Sun to 1930s slang. That has to be correct because as sure as I'm sitting here someone will be there to point out that something didn't exist until 1942. (actually there's a great line in the last Mistborn book but it doesn't WORK in the book because it's a freaking hockey reference).
I tried that in Behind Blue Eyes but the word I came up with (sort of trying to come up with a swear like frak) just didn't work. I'll need to rethink it.
evil_little_dog and I DID successfully come up with idioms for our Ties that Bind universe. But still that was in English.I know I'm not skilled linguistically enough to come up with a new language (granted Roddenberry had plenty of help with Klingon). I was thinking more along the lines of Cockney rhyming slang. I have a new character in mind that would be perfect for something like that.
That said, I'm not looking to go all Clockwork Orange because as ELD said the other night, that can be SO annoying to try to figure it out and I figure if older readers feel that way (And I DID about Clockwork) then the younger readers who whine if you even use real words they don't know, that it could backfire.
Actually I think Sanderson had it done right in the Mistborn universe. Spook is a relatively minor character in the first two books and his slang, while meant to confuse the upper class, was used for effect. In book three where he has a larger role, he has modified his speech. Spookâs slang
I was thinking along those lines. A thief character, young, who has picked up the slang as a way of effectively communicating so the police (or whatever it is in this fantasy verse) can't figure it out. It would probably only be used in the beginning and at times of stress or even as code later on.
What do you think of things like this?
And apropos of nothing and because I am sad and needed a laugh have some wildly inappropriate vintage ads
Yearly count -
84316 / 125000
(67.45%)
(67.45%)
STILL haven't finished freaking Soldiers of the Sun
Nano -
6355 / 50000
(12.71%)
(12.71%)
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no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 07:40 am (UTC)The High Imperial slang sounds fun. Have you ever heard of Polari, a slang gays used in Britain? "Bona to vada your eek!"
Those ads are amazing. Especially the video game ads. Yike.
no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 08:40 pm (UTC)No I haven't. Interesting. I'll have to look that up. thanks.
I know. I mean that was only 20 years ago (how is the 1990s 20 years ago???) I'm shocked they got away with it then to be honest
The Horror
Date: 2014-11-04 05:36 am (UTC)Re: The Horror
Date: 2014-11-04 05:40 am (UTC)Re: The Horror
Date: 2014-11-04 06:39 am (UTC)The last 10 years have disappeared in a puff of smoke. 1994 seems like it wasn't that long ago. Jeez.
Re: The Horror
Date: 2014-11-04 03:14 pm (UTC)I agree with you
Re: The Horror
Date: 2014-11-05 05:26 am (UTC)Re: The Horror
Date: 2014-11-05 05:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 10:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 08:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 10:20 am (UTC)thanks for the ads
no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 08:20 pm (UTC)you're welcome
no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 10:42 am (UTC)I just came across this on yahoo:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fascinating-maps-show-origin-words-135610187.html
no subject
Date: 2014-11-05 05:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 04:58 pm (UTC)I always figured Tolkien either loved his job too much or had a few screws loose. Who creates a whole epic world with complete backstory to the moment of creation, just to provide a context for his made-up language, anyway? That's nuts (but I'm glad he did it, whatever his motives).
no subject
Date: 2014-11-03 08:02 pm (UTC)Yeah I was going to mention Tolkein but I wasn't planning on reaching that level of nuts.
speaking of him, did you ever read Children of hurin