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Author Topic: Historical Settings & Names  (Read 1676 times)

Algolei

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Historical Settings & Names
« Reply #15 on: June 15, 2006, 03:27:12 AM »
Quote from: Algolei
Hmm, wish I could find the book so I could google the author for more info.

It was by Merritt Ruhlen, I remember that much.

Here's the exact book:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471159638/ref=pd_sim_b_4/002-8313599-2960861?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155

But my point was, Ruhlen discusses the idea that peoples could be tracked backward through prehistoric movement by examining the change in language and human genes.  The last chapter specifically looks at one North American tribe and where it seems to have originated and how it moved.  (See also Cavalli-Sforza, Menozzi, and Piazza's The History and Geography of Human Genes.)

Ruhlen's book copyrighted 1994.  Perhaps someone has done more research of this type since Ruhlen wrote it.
 

Algolei

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« Reply #16 on: June 15, 2006, 03:30:43 AM »
Quote from: Zalmoxis
Thanks for that link, but I don't think I'm going to go with language groups as a base. Rather, I am leaning towards using "culture areas", pinpointing groups based on location and cultural similarity.

:heh: You posted while I was still typing up my post.  Took me over an hour 'cause the TV was on.  Funney.
 

Bagpuss

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« Reply #17 on: June 24, 2006, 05:07:09 AM »
All of the above....

IE: Whatever sounds coolest.

Just make sure it is pronounable and doesn't sound like a bad pun.
 

flyingmice

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« Reply #18 on: October 03, 2006, 04:09:55 PM »
Quote from: Bagpuss
All of the above....

IE: Whatever sounds coolest.

Just make sure it is pronounable and doesn't sound like a bad pun.


Dagnabbit! There goes my contribution! :O

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fonkaygarry

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« Reply #19 on: October 03, 2006, 04:32:37 PM »
I'm all for someone doing research on a language/nation to give their setting the veneer of reality, but I'm in the "make it up" camp.

Just make sure you haven't named anyone "Deepthroat McEarfuck" and play the rest by ear.
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jhkim

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« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2006, 04:54:20 PM »
Quote from: Zalmoxis
Based on what I have gotten so far, I think I can work around it. The names will be fanciful but loosely based on real names, thus (hopefully) sounding authentic.


That sounds good to me.  I set a game in an alternate history New World in 1392, and I used "modern" Algonquian and Iroquoian names.  In a pre-literate society, it's pretty silly to get worked up over exact spellings and such.  Pick a native language family as your base for your people, and use names from that.  

Your language pick doesn't have to be a geographically local tribe like the Cahokia -- just decide which branch of the language tree that they're closest to and pick from there.

droog

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« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2006, 07:10:10 PM »
My take is that the basic purpose of attending to names in historical RPGs is twofold: you want to establish atmosphere, and you want to maintain consistency.

Bearing that in mind, my solution would be to make an extensive list of the earliest names on record and keep it on hand. I like the music of strange names – 'In the vale of Tawasentha' and all that.

I do also like the idea of everything being a translation. It gives a cool mythic feel when everyone is called 'Mist-on-the-Water' or 'Wounded Bull'. It's easier to be consistent, but maybe you lose a bit of the linguistic music.
The past lives on in your front room
The poor still weak the rich still rule
History lives in the books at home
The books at home

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mattormeg

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« Reply #22 on: October 03, 2006, 07:46:46 PM »
I'm leaning toward using the actual names, translated into English. It will mean more to your players, anyway, and it will be easier to establish an atmosphere.

I mean, if you tell me the guy over there in jet black armor is named "Zxjnuy moaBLuzk," I'm probably not going to attach any emotional or cognitive value to it. However, if you tell me his name means (or is) "Vladimir, Drinker of Heartsblood," I may have more of an "aha" moment.

mythusmage
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« Reply #23 on: October 03, 2006, 11:37:39 PM »
Way back when a fellow contributor to A&E was designing a Mythic Greece RPG. He'd been doing some research, and had learned what the Greek Gods were really called by their worshippers. He wanted to use the real names instead of the Anglified ones we use today.

Until, that is, another contributer pointed out that the players wouldn't know what he was talking about, and would use the names they knew. Besides which, it wouldn't make any damn difference in the game anyway.

Now if you're designing an alien world...
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blakkie

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« Reply #24 on: October 04, 2006, 02:34:31 AM »
Quote from: willpax
I think you've got a certain amount of creative license on this one. I know you'll probably base it on what data you have to the extent possible, but it's probably more important to use names to reinforce whatever themes you need to with the groups you describe. Making it work artistically is more important than striving for some impossible level of accuracy.

Absolutely. Given that we are still discovering the most basic of information about pre-1600AD. For example until just months ago that it was widely assumed that the NNA of the northern plains were living solely hand-to-mouth with no organization above nomatic extended family groups of about 20 people until europeans came. But new evidence has come to light that strongly suggests they had a much wider political and trading system in place, likely due to the pressure from the more organized tribes to the south and east.

Basically you are talking about trying to go up to and beyond what Phd specialists in related fields are willing to commit to as fact.

Please check out the "Realism™ sucks" thread around here somewhere. It seems highly relavent as I assume you don't want players to require a translator at their table?
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