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Old 06-25-2006, 01:35 PM   #36
littlemanpoet
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: The Edge of Faerie
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littlemanpoet is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.littlemanpoet is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
About Language

I broached this in the original Tapestry discussion thread, so I'll do it here now too.

The use of language is a critical element in LotR. I tried to encourage us, in our attempt to be canonical, to use language that was as simple as possible, as a way of being true to Tolkien who used almost all Anglo-Saxon based word choice in LotR.

That was two years ago (I think). My view has changed a bit, based on other rpgs I've been in.

The general practice seems to follow a pattern of using Anglo-Saxon based vocabulary if your character is from Rohan or from the North, whether the Shire, Bree, the Carrock, or Dale. Dwarves tend to use an even harder English, based in Nordic, which is not easy to pull off, but not impossible. Gondorian humans use Latinate, and even Greek-based English vocabulary, to reflect the (sort of) Roman civilization of Gondor by contrast to the relatively "barbarian" Rohirrim, etc.

Please don't take what follows as criticism so much as observation.

Liornung and Ravion were both given to a lot of Latinate expression. Aeron and Gwyllion, Mellonin, Mellondu, and Amroth, worked with a much more archaic vocabulary, probably because Imladris and Helen took their cues from my examples with Raefindan especially, but Ędegard too. Leafa sounded Rohirric. Bellyn used a good deal of Latinate English. Nethwador obviously used a very limited vocabulary, appropriate to his character. The Elves used a rather Tolkienian vocabulary to my (admittedly poor) recollection.

Obviously, I think Immy and I have every intention of continuing to have fun with the interchange between Raefindan and Aeron. But I don't want to assume anything.

Latinate: any word ending in "tion", "ize", for example; most words beginning in "pre", "re", "com", "con", et cetera.

Do we want to attempt a canonical vocabulary, depending on our characters' origins? Do we feel capable? If desiring and wanting to learn, are you willing to put up with Elempi offering revision advice? The teacher in me is itching to offer insights, but I'll steer clear if everybody prefers.

Wouldn't it be great to have other Downs'ers say that Tapestry was one of the best rpgs on the Downs? (I always shoot for that goal, can't help myself...)

Let me know.....
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