Modern slang/dialogue in fantasy which is set in a medieval-type world?

[techbean@mstdn.social]

@ChrisJagged

I like the way A Knight's Tale incorporated modern rock music into the story, so, yeah, I think it can be done.

[cstamp@mastodon.social]

@ChrisJagged One of the most brilliant moments in Knight’s Tale was when the dance music morphed into Golden Years. Our old-fashioned is then’s modern, so speaking to an audience through the lens of our times is fair game.

[thegaffer@hobbitwhispers.social]

@TechBean I immediately thought of A Knight’s Tale too! I didn’t like it at first, but I think the anachronicity (is that a word?) was so well done it made for a delightful comedy.

@ChrisJagged

[lmurch@mas.to]

@ChrisJagged ok, hear me out. Lets assume the characters aren't speaking my language to begin with, because of course they aren't. But I can magically understand what they are saying. They are also using their own slang (in their own language) which is also translated to my language's slang. Tada!

[chrisjagged@mastodon.social]

@LMurch Solid reasoning!

[thegaffer@hobbitwhispers.social]

@ChrisJagged The author’s main purpose for a serious fantasy or Sci-fi work is, I think, to create and sustain a “willing suspension of disbelief” on the part of the reader or viewer. Anything that breaks that state, whether it’s gratuitous use of profanity or anachronistic elements, is usually not going to be a good idea.

@TechBean

[thegaffer@hobbitwhispers.social]

@ChrisJagged @TechBean One more thought and I’ll be quiet, I promise.

I really enjoy when an author invents their own in-world slang and informality. BSG’s “Frak!” or Galaxy Quest’s “By Grabthar’s hammer” come to mind. For medieval slang, there’s nothing better than “I’ll cut your heart out with a spoon…!”

[chrisjagged@mastodon.social]

@thegaffer Always entertaining!

[techbean@mstdn.social]

@ChrisJagged @thegaffer

So, "I'll gag you with a spoon"?

[jchaven@social.sdf.org]

@ChrisJagged

NO. Same with sci-fi
Looking at you "Starfleet Academy".

[kinsale42@mstdn.games]

@thegaffer @ChrisJagged @TechBean and your mother smelt of elderberries!

[techbean@mstdn.social]

@kinsale42 @thegaffer @ChrisJagged

Now leave or I shall taunt you a second time.

[techbean@mstdn.social]

@ChrisJagged @LMurch

I like it. That's the only way I've been able to get myself to accept every alien species in the history of the universe in every single sci-fi book, movie, and TV show (except the original BSG) counting years the same way we do.

[josh0@babka.social]

@LMurch @ChrisJagged @TechBean yeah, this is pretty much my thoughts on it. In most historical contexts, actually accurate language would be either unintelligible, nonsensical, or laughable to (most) modern audiences, which is going to detract from the viewing experience. Translation is as much about intent as literal meaning, and sometimes that means a little more interpretation for a different context.

[emmacox@writing.exchange]

@TechBean @ChrisJagged @thegaffer

“A turd in your teeth!” is a medieval insult which should make a comeback.

I prefer fantasy to either make up their own or use very old insults.

But it all comes down to world building. A lot of ours stem from religion, old beliefs of the four humours, and the status of men and woman (i.e you insult a man’s strength and intelligence and a woman’s attractiveness and sexual activities). If you use such insults, you have to ensure the world building marries up.

[emmacox@writing.exchange]

@TechBean @ChrisJagged @thegaffer

It’s the Americanisms which really jolt me from a medievalesq fantasy novel.

But there are a surprising number of words which seem timeless but are fairly modern; hello being one of them.