Author Topic: Gender specific terms for dwarfs  (Read 4001 times)

Malfini

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Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« on: December 14, 2006, 03:33:07 am »
Sometimes when I call a male dwarf a "man" they become offended and will say something like "I'm not a man! I'm a dwarf!". The problem is that it is annoying to have to say "male dwarf" or "female dwarf" instead of "man" or "woman". I was wondering if there are some gender specific nouns to use for dwarfs. If there aren't how does "mwarf" for a male dwarf and "fwarf" for a female dwarf sound? I have seen similar fictitious nouns like "fenki" and "menki" used for the Enkidukais.
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eldoth_terevan

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2006, 03:51:55 am »
If you call me a "mwarf" in game you might find a Silverweave at your throat very sudden like.  :D

Farren Kutter

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2006, 03:52:14 am »
Dwarves and Dwarfettes :)




Malfini

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2006, 03:56:08 am »
If you call me a "mwarf" in game you might find a Silverweave at your throat very sudden like.  :D

Dueling with Silverweaves with maxed or close to maxed characters is dumb IMO. I'd rather duel with 1 ruined short sword and a shield so that there won't be a one hit kill. Either way though I may call dwarf characters "mwarfs" or "fwarfs". ;)
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eldoth_terevan

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2006, 04:03:13 am »
Um... that was what was called a tongue-in-cheek response, Malfini. Dwarves tend to be a little sensitive, and their response to you calling them a "man" was probably all IC.

Malfini

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2006, 04:04:55 am »
Um... that was what was called a tongue-in-cheek response, Malfini. Dwarves tend to be a little sensitive, and their response to you calling them a "man" was probably all IC.

Yes, they're sensitive; which is why I think we should have gender specific nouns for them.
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bilbous

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2006, 04:45:50 am »
how about stumps and strump-ettes? :D

eldoth_terevan

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2006, 05:47:26 am »
Heh... Bilbous has the best ones yet... personally I like to call other dwarves "shorty"...

Nikodemus

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2006, 09:44:29 am »
I have nothig against if someone ICly call to me "hey man" In a world where are many inteligent races and we use language created ina world where is only one race, i treat words, which could be  race specific as words describing any race in general.
The only bad thing i see in "hey man" is that it sounds a  bit modern.



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Proglin

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2006, 11:02:25 am »
Brother dwarf

sis'

those two are used quite a bit I suppose.
yours, the entertainer

Malfini

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2006, 11:21:19 am »
Brother dwarf

sis'

those two are used quite a bit I suppose.

Primarily only fellow dwarfs use those terms with each other though. Also, "brother dwarf" is two words, I was looking for one word gender specific nouns for dwarfs which could make things much easier. Thank you though. :)
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Arka

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2006, 01:30:18 pm »
This interest in gender differences seems odd to me. I am a DWARF, not a 'dwarfette' or a 'fwarf'. While other races might want to put their females into a different class or give them stupid diminuitive names. like 'lassie' or 'girl' (I am 148 years old, for goodness' sake!), we are dwarfs - all dwarfs are equal in the great kinship. We all fight, we all work and we all drink in equal amounts. As I have said before on numerous occaisions the only discenrible difference between dwarf genders is that the females tend to be clean shaven.
* Arka checks her chin for stubble

For that reason, you will find few or no gender distictions in our speech - Stonebreaker has one word for the Race of dwarfs - 'Dverm' and an individual dwarf is 'Dwert' - male, female or indeterminate.

Other than that, I have no problem being refered to by my name. (I'll even let you call me 'Lady' Arka as a concession to your mannish obsession with titles and gender)

[OOC you might find this illuminating/humorous - not that I do! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf#Female_dwarves - on the other hand I do find this amusing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarfs_%28Discworld%29#Feminisation]

Arka Garam
« Last Edit: December 14, 2006, 01:34:18 pm by Arka »

emeraldfool

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2006, 10:02:50 pm »
When would you need to use a gender-specific noun?

"Greetings, dwarf."

"Wha' d'ya want, human?"

Female dwarves are still dwarves. Just like woman are still humans.

Eagel

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2006, 10:17:26 pm »
This brings another issue... at least for me...
Like said by Arka... " I'll even let you call me 'Lady' Arka as a concession to your mannish obsession with titles and gender "

Is it right to say 'Lady' 'Sir' or 'Lord' ?
Since this is a medieval-like RPG there are manners that we should observe.
Like be polite and use words like Lady, Sir, Lord.

What about the other races (except Kran) that have females... is it good to use those titles?

Nikodemus

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Re: Gender specific terms for dwarfs
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2006, 11:56:55 pm »
Eagel, Keep in mind that even if it looks like medieval setting, it is not the medieval we had 9 centuries ago. For example womans was taking a slightly different role in it^^ (put a proper word instead of "slightly" if you really feel so)
Also, will you call a random citizen on the road "a lord" ? This title is reserved for nobles i think. Although if you got beaten by some rogue this wont be that weird if you say" "please spare my life lord".
Like Arka don't feel well when someone call her "Lady", but won't argue, I feel similiar about someone calling me a "Lord"

I think these words are spoken a bit too freely ;)



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