| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Portuguese D. Ace |
Posted - 04 Sep 2015 : 13:10:58
Fellow scribes,
Numerous scrolls about RAS's works have aroused my curiosity:
The majority of us complains about the names of many beloved characters.
As a non native English speaker, I don't get the majority of these references or "inside jokes".
Could you help me creating a list?
For example :
I get Pikel Bouldershoulder but I don't get what's wrong with Berg'inyon Baenre.
Is it a reference to Bourguignonne fondue?
Could you help me? |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 08 Sep 2018 : 04:30:50
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
He's R A Salvatore. He can name his characters anything he freaking wants.
-- George Krashos
Damn straight. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 08 Sep 2018 : 04:29:56
He's R A Salvatore. He can name his characters anything he freaking wants.
-- George Krashos
|
| TBeholder |
Posted - 07 Sep 2018 : 19:25:56
Let's not forget [Matron Mother] Malice.
quote:
Originally posted by Mortuane
Dagnabit - American pseudo-curse word, "Dagnabbit," which is the sort of thing a stereotypical Old West gold prospector would say.
A profanym. 
|
| Starshade |
Posted - 07 Sep 2018 : 13:39:46
When I was a teenager, I did not catch anything funny. Now, though…
The "Viking" names of the barbarians seems mostly ok. Wulfgar? It's composed of "Wulf", meaning wolf, element in "Rudolph" or "Adolph". And "Geir", meaning spear. Wolf-spear. Sounds ok, considering the Norse names usually got something to do with fighting. Or did I miss some strange reference among those too? |
| sno4wy |
Posted - 06 Sep 2018 : 21:13:21
Don't forget the family of Dagnabbit dwarves with numerous spelling variations of that word! How many are there anyway? I've lost count. Current queen of Mithril Hall is Dagna, right? |
| Cards77 |
Posted - 06 Sep 2018 : 20:56:28
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
quote:
Originally posted by Tanthalas
Another one of these topics.
Like I've said in the others, I don't really understand why people complain so much. It's just nitpicking to me.
I don’t really see this thread as complaining, though. It poses a legitimate query. Some of the names that people complain about don't make sense unless you're an English speaker.
A friendly explanation could be amusing and profitable.
I, for one, didn't getBerg'inyon Baenre.
Exactly. It's not only lazy, but it breaks immersion. It sounds like garbage from a kids comic book. That's saying something for a pulp fiction novel.
|
| Mortuane |
Posted - 07 Sep 2015 : 00:31:24
I, too, am bothered by Bob Salvatore's naming conventions. Spoils a good story like spoiled milk ruins a good recipe. Not to mention your game gets derailed pretty easily if every time you mention an NPC your players burst into uncontrolled fits of the giggles.
And, lest Tanthalas continue to scold us, Salvatore himself has the nerve to criticize other authors' naming conventions. Pot, kettle, and all that.
Here are some examples I've found that grated on me:
Cadderly Bonaduce - I like the name Cadderly - it has a good Welsh sound to it and calls to mind a medieval Catholic monk, like Brother Cadfael - but I'm guessing Salvatore got Bonaduce from Danny Bonaduce.
Dagnabit - American pseudo-curse word, "Dagnabbit," which is the sort of thing a stereotypical Old West gold prospector would say. Also a word-play, because his father is named Dagna. A "bit" is a small piece of something. Dagna-bit.
Khazid'hea - AKA "Cutter," a sentient sword. Pronounced "Quesadilla," a popular and easy-to-make Mexican food.
Pikel Bouldershoulder - Pikel = "Pickle." Boulder and shoulder rhyme, making it particularly obnoxious to some ears.
Tred McKnuckles - Tred isn't bad, really, though it sounds like "tread," meaning to walk upon. But "McKnuckles"? REALLY? Mc- being the Gaelic surname prefix meaning "son of," and...knuckles.
EDIT: Took out the names that weren't some kind of pun or in-joke, but merely terrible names.
|
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 06 Sep 2015 : 15:59:33
At least his name isn't as bad as a player in a game I was DMing once naming her damn dog "Pesci Joe Pesci." Man she was annoying, also happens to be one of my closest friends...but I refuse to game with her anymore. |
| Tanthalas |
Posted - 06 Sep 2015 : 12:08:42
quote:
Originally posted by Artemas Entreri
Sounds like you are complaining about people complaining.
Pretty much. |
| Scimitars of Drizzt |
Posted - 06 Sep 2015 : 05:00:36
quote:
Originally posted by Cards77
he has said in previous interviews that he hates coming up with names, and will just use whatever pops into his head. I guess we're lucky there hasn't yet been "Blanket" or "Sofa".
But coming up with names is like the best part of writing!
I still haven't really had any issues with the names of his characters. Actually, some of the names are kind of annoying. I agree that a silly name makes things harder to take seriously. But something like Berg'inyon is cool I think. Not really silly, just unique. It's the silly ones that get you frowning. |
| BenN |
Posted - 06 Sep 2015 : 04:50:45
quote:
Originally posted by Tanthalas
Another one of these topics.
Like I've said in the others, I don't really understand why people complain so much. It's just nitpicking to me.
It may be nitpicking, but for me, characters with names like Bungalow Thump take me out of the story. IMHO, a good story teller should aim to immerse the readers in his/her fictional world, not the opposite.
|
| Artemas Entreri |
Posted - 05 Sep 2015 : 19:07:18
quote:
Originally posted by Tanthalas
Another one of these topics.
Like I've said in the others, I don't really understand why people complain so much. It's just nitpicking to me.
Sounds like you are complaining about people complaining. |
| Delwa |
Posted - 05 Sep 2015 : 18:47:53
quote:
Originally posted by Tanthalas
Another one of these topics.
Like I've said in the others, I don't really understand why people complain so much. It's just nitpicking to me.
I don’t really see this thread as complaining, though. It poses a legitimate query. Some of the names that people complain about don't make sense unless you're an English speaker.
A friendly explanation could be amusing and profitable.
I, for one, didn't getBerg'inyon Baenre. |
| Tanthalas |
Posted - 05 Sep 2015 : 18:12:21
Another one of these topics.
Like I've said in the others, I don't really understand why people complain so much. It's just nitpicking to me. |
| Cards77 |
Posted - 05 Sep 2015 : 16:53:13
he has said in previous interviews that he hates coming up with names, and will just use whatever pops into his head. I guess we're lucky there hasn't yet been "Blanket" or "Sofa". |
| BenN |
Posted - 04 Sep 2015 : 14:20:49
quote:
Originally posted by Portuguese D. Ace
I don't get what's wrong with Berg'inyon Baenre.
Is it a reference to Bourguignonne fondue?
Beef Bourguignon immediately leapt to my mind:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_bourguignon
It's like RAS took a real-world name or word, changed the spelling a bit, and went with it. Is he working his way through the dictionary? |
| Markustay |
Posted - 04 Sep 2015 : 13:43:49
'Regis and Cattie Brie' (Kathie Lee)
'Nuff said. |
