tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764159777348916628.post1572162487061205724..comments2024-02-18T00:11:11.490-08:00Comments on Heroines of Fantasy: Guest Post: Let's Talk About LanguageHeroines of Fantasyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07169664399606524540noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764159777348916628.post-493772186076300702014-05-28T05:22:46.662-07:002014-05-28T05:22:46.662-07:00Kim...really? I had no idea! In my obsession with ...Kim...really? I had no idea! In my obsession with the English language, I often overlook the fact that all languages have amazingly interesting histories to them.<br /><br />So Dante was the Italian version of Shakespeare...sort of. Cool!Terri-Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468004163467894720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764159777348916628.post-13479529449025884622014-05-27T20:30:21.882-07:002014-05-27T20:30:21.882-07:00Italian itself is a bit of a fudged language. Dant...Italian itself is a bit of a fudged language. Dante Alighieri had a huge influence on modern Italian, adding in many of the word endings simply so he could rhyme them. He is also credited with standardization of modern Italian.writerknvhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13606954840446684938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764159777348916628.post-2856407072312890462014-05-26T19:09:08.139-07:002014-05-26T19:09:08.139-07:00Here's the thing about language in fantasy fic...Here's the thing about language in fantasy fiction--no matter how careful we are, no matter what scenario we set up, it's all fudged, and here's why-- Take, for instance, Italy. Within that relatively small area, there are a myriad of dialects that aren't necessarily mutually understandable, but are--outside of the most remote areas--generally passable. Several centuries ago, they'd almost be separate languages complete with varying grammar systems. (That's how Spanish, French and Italian separated from Latin to begin with--but that's a whole OTHER story!) Language, as we see and hear it today, is nothing like language a few centuries ago--which is where most fantasy is set, in a primative society. There would be no "common" language, because even if there were, it would vary so greatly and STAY that way because of distances, and the fact that outside of traders and soldiers, most people stayed put.<br /><br />Because of radio, Tv, Internet, whatever, languages have...homogeonized a bit. Americans can usually understand one another, wherever they're from. The UK, Italy, France. There are still dialects, but they're nothing like they were back when most fantasy story equivalents would be.<br /><br />So, though language and how it's understood/spoken/evolved would be vastly different in the time-periods we write, we fudge it for our fiction. We make it accessible for modern readers with conquest or evil overloard insisting upon everyone speaking his language scenarios that probably would not have made a difference if in ACTUAL primitive societies, and that's fine. What else is there to do? This "suspension of believe" (aka--handwavery) is what fantasy fiction is about. "Oh, child, I know everyone will not speak the same language, but we're going to make it a magical thing that allows it, so hush and read on and enjoy."<br />That's what we say, and that's what most readers accept.<br /><br />HOWEVER!<br />The words/names/places within a fantasy world have to make sense. If you're borrowing from Italian culture, or British, or German--stay consistent. You can't have an "English" feel to your story and then name your characters Xu Wan--not unless you want to imply conquest or trade on a vast scale.<br /><br />In A Time Never Lived, I invented a language because I could NOT reconcile any sort of scenario that would allow people separated for thousands of years to speak the same language. I used language, and folklore, to show a migration of a people out of the mountains and into the desert. It was HARD! But I pulled it off well enough that no one has called shenanigans. Of course, I do have less-than-believeable-once-you-really-look-hard ways for my characters to be able to learn the mountain language, but--as I said--handwavery is our friend!<br /><br />Wow...I went on and on there. You happened upon one of my passions. Thanks, Cara!Terri-Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468004163467894720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764159777348916628.post-73901063021482884152014-05-26T10:20:51.967-07:002014-05-26T10:20:51.967-07:00Great post, Cara. Very thought provoking for the ...Great post, Cara. Very thought provoking for the historical fiction author, too!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06614407068699582907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3764159777348916628.post-39617602507837948822014-05-26T07:36:55.250-07:002014-05-26T07:36:55.250-07:00Cara, welcome to Heroines of Fantasy! This is a gr...Cara, welcome to Heroines of Fantasy! This is a great post; it really helped to put into perspective some of the things I try to do with my own work. Thank you!Karin Rita Gastreichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13788750258292938903noreply@blogger.com