GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Words of the 'Verse

POSTED BY: GRIMLOCK
UPDATED: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 04:57
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Saturday, April 15, 2006 5:11 PM

GRIMLOCK


One of the coolest things about Firefly was the language, and I don't mean the Chinese. I mean the unique spin they put on common terms. Most terms were interesting, yet they were intuitive enough to not distract from the story.

I imagine fic writers sometimes find it odd using common terms in when writing Firelfy.

Two that I'm struggling with right now are "magazine" as in journal, and flashlight.

Any suggestions?

BTW, I'm opening this thread, because I suspect there are other writers out there with the same problem.

I hereby invoke Linus's Law.


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Saturday, April 15, 2006 6:03 PM

RYCE


How about torch for flashlight?

No power in the 'verse can stop me!

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 6:23 PM

SIGMANUNKI


Perhaps:

magazine = periodical

----
"We're in a giant car heading into a brick wall at 100 miles/hr and everybody's arguing about where they want to sit."
-David Suzuki

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 7:07 PM

AZHEA


Torch is a great suggestion for flashlight.

What about zine for a mag?

*************************************************
I look out for me and mine... that don't include you 'less I conjure it does.

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 8:02 PM

KAYNA

I love my captain


How about broadside for magazine? Isn't that some old term for a newspaper or something? I could be wrong. I read a lot and sometimes mix up terms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 8:12 PM

MECTURTLE


I think the newspaper term was broadsheet. Actually, it still is. A broadsheet is the large "normal" sized papers most of us read versus the tabloids, which refers to the smaller size rather than the generally junky content.


-------------------------------
WASH: Psychic though? That sounds like something out of science fiction.
ZOE: You live on a spaceship dear.
WASH: So?

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Sunday, April 16, 2006 6:24 AM

KAYNA

I love my captain


Thanks Turtle, I knew something wasn't right there. It was late and my brain wasn't working properly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006 1:09 PM

GRIMLOCK


Looking for 'verse words for "refrigerator" and a 26th century equivilant to Kevlar.

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006 1:19 PM

PDCHARLES

What happened? He see your face?


Quote:

Originally posted by Grimlock:
Looking for 'verse words for "refrigerator" and a 26th century equivilant to Kevlar.



refrigerator
icebox
icer
sealer (i dunno)

Kevlar
Carbo-Mesh
war leather
C Skin


Wha?!?... *sniff sniff* OH.... IM ON FIRE!!!

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006 2:44 PM

SHINYALORA


according to the items information in the serenity rpg book the equivalent of kevlar would be "ballistic mesh" for just bullets and a "plate vest" would protect against bullets and other things like knives and sharp instruments of destruction. the aliance also uses full "riot gear" which is a mix of ballistic mesh with ceramic plates sewn in that protects from and reduces damage of any kind. dunno if those are the things you want to use in your story but just thought id pass along the info for some of the verse gear, if you want any more info on items from there let me know and id be happy to look it up for you.
good luck with your story,
keep flying,
aubrey (aka alora)

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006 8:46 PM

FLORALBUNNY


For refrigerator I've been using "cooler."

For flashlight, how about hand-light? (It's a sorta-translation from Spanish "luz del mano")
Though the British "torch" works nicely, too.

I'm thinking magazines might go through a transformation between now and then -- possibly first from hard-copy to electronic form and then, in low-tech applications, back to hard-copy. The ultimate terminology might make use of something from the intermediate electronic stage, unless the "magazine" designation never goes away.

If the magazine is like People or one of those, you might call it a "tab." If Hustler-esque, a "peep?"

Calls for thinking in context. How are you using it?

bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Thursday, May 25, 2006 1:14 AM

HAWKMOTH


How about "magazine" for magazine? That's what they used in the series, as heard in "The Train Job:"

WASH
(sarcastic and firm)
Let 'em read a magazine. We don't make the sale
until Mal and Zoe are back on the boat.


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Thursday, May 25, 2006 5:15 AM

GRIMLOCK


The context in a line by Kalyee commenting about an article she read in an OC's law enforcement/security periodical.

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Thursday, May 25, 2006 1:59 PM

FLORALBUNNY


If you're following canon, you should follow Joss-speak, so I'm with HawkMoth. If it's "magazine" in the show, I'd use it in fic.
(Can't believe I watched that ep since the question was asked, and missed the word! Sheesh! -- Though I was looking for something else, I should have picked up on it.)

If you're off-canon, that opens up other possibilities.

bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Thursday, May 25, 2006 2:15 PM

SHINYDS


Well, I think it depends on who's using it. What I'm about to suggest gets us into dangerous territory, but creative territory, nonetheless. If these people live on different planets and moons, even though they all speak that kind of slang English, dialects might form. In the show (I'll have to watch it again) there does seem to be some (VERY SLIGHT) dialects on differ rim worlds (and of course a huge difference betweeen core and rim worlds). Just a thought.
*also can't belive that I missed the magazine line, but has no excuse for it*

"If I hear the words 'that's final' coming out of your mouth again, they truely will be."

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Thursday, May 25, 2006 4:06 PM

FLORALBUNNY


Exactly, ShinyDS.

The more isolated a settlement, and the longer the isolation, the more likely you'll find an odd combination of "drift" and "archaisms," no matter what the inhabitants' exposure to the Broadwave.

This has played out right here in Earth-That-Is in more than one country.



bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Friday, May 26, 2006 8:12 AM

MORWEN112


Yeah, I agree with ShinyDS's idea about the dialects, it makes sense. I'd use torch for the flashlight too, or maybe just a "hand light."

I, too, love the linguistic creativity of Joss with Firefly. It's part of what makes it so believable. And it makes fanfic writing that much more fun! *runs off to get back to work on her own 'verse story*



Mine is an evil sugar high laugh! Bwahahahaha!

Morwen

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Friday, May 26, 2006 8:23 AM

MSG


um torch is the British word for flashlight

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Friday, May 26, 2006 9:29 AM

GIXXER


And I carried such a flashlight.

Hmmm... maybe not.

G



You may have invented it sir, but we invented the language, and the lift is still behind you.

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Friday, May 26, 2006 9:32 AM

MSG


Gixxer- I must know where that quote is from. It's fabulous!

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Friday, May 26, 2006 9:43 AM

GIXXER


Just an old joke.


American tourist arrives at a British Hotel reception desk, checks in, and the receptionist advises him that his room is on the second floor and directs him to the lift.

The American gets a bit arsey and stands on his dignity, demanding that it be called an elevator, since an American invented it.

Cue devastating put-down in cut-glass English accent.

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Friday, May 26, 2006 9:46 AM

MSG


That is marvelous:)

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Friday, May 26, 2006 9:47 AM

GIXXER


You're welcome.

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Friday, May 26, 2006 11:50 AM

MORWEN112


That really is great, Gixxer! I prefer British English and spelling to the American version myself but my (American) teachers don't exactly sympathise...

I would also like to note that not all Americans are that rude when abroad.

Mine is an evil sugar high laugh! Bwahahahaha!

Morwen

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Friday, May 26, 2006 2:34 PM

GIXXER


That's OK. Just keep sneaking the letter "u" in here and there. I'm sure it'll find favour with someone somewhere. Or get you sent to Special Ed...

I'd also like to say that I've never met a rude American yet. Meet a few over here at work, spend holidays whenever possible in New England, and only use Ralph Morgan mouthpieces.

However, I have no time for that Bush fellow. He seems a thoroughly bad sort. He and the horrendous Blairs deserve each other.

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Friday, May 26, 2006 6:31 PM

FLORALBUNNY


msg wrote:
Friday, May 26, 2006 08:23
um torch is the British word for flashlight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We didn't know that already? We weren't knowing that?
(Ack. Me and my foolish assumptions.)

Lift and elevator trivia: In US, one may wear "elevator shoes" which are built up, or one may insert "lifts" into the heel portions of the shoes to similar effect. I suppose one could do both. And pitch forward onto one's nose...

What's UK terminology for these?


bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Saturday, May 27, 2006 1:39 PM

GIXXER


Status shoes (a term I must confess I've never ever heard used.)

Or you could go with the more prosaic "Height Increasing Shoes." While undeniably descriptive, I can't see a tagline like that causing many ad executives' hair to catch fire.

http://www.taylormadeshoes.co.uk/ReadyMade/StatusShoes/index.htm

(Be more handsome, eh? With my luck, I would be just as ugly as before, but just a bit taller...)

I've always had a problem understanding this sort of thing. First time wearers, how do you cope? Do you suddenly turn up at work / school looking like you're on cunningly concealed stilts, or what?

Then there's the removal problem, which puts them squarely in the same problem area as padded bras and toupees (you'll have to imagine the accent).

If you do have to consider removing them, they presumably have worked, and you've pulled. Unless you are a strictly "lights off" kinda guy / gal, the next few moments are likely to be interesting.

Define...well, you know the rest.

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Saturday, May 27, 2006 4:30 PM

FLORALBUNNY


ROFL, Gixxer, at the images both of suddenly tall and then the taking off.
One could possibly market a series of taller-makers which could be used in sequence until the proper stiltedness was achieved.
Then, for the taking off, careful planning might result in doing it at the last minute (may one politely say "at the edge of the bed?")should there be any ambient light which might reveal the subterfuge.
Dual showering would be out, of course, and other activities I'll not mention -- such as brushing teeth together.

I've a tale of false eyelashes...not mine...but that's for another day.

bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Saturday, May 27, 2006 4:37 PM

MORWEN112


False eyelashes, bun? Oh, do tell.
And as for status shoes, women have had them for awhile. We call them heels. I don't really wear them much...they have the nasty tendency of making me fall flat on my face. Not fun. Any one else have that problem?



Mine is an evil sugar high laugh! Bwahahahaha!

Morwen

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Saturday, May 27, 2006 8:21 PM

FLORALBUNNY


Oh, I've paid my high-heel dues many times over.
No falling, however.
One learns to stalk along right smartly in the things.
Standing up to work in them all day was another matter.
Feh.

I'm trying to think of a way to condense the eyelash story properly...

bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Sunday, May 28, 2006 4:15 PM

MORWEN112


Don't condense! I love long stories! Or is it so long that will your fingers fall off typing it?



Mine is an evil sugar high laugh! Bwahahahaha!

Morwen

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Sunday, May 28, 2006 7:38 PM

FLORALBUNNY


In its richest, juiciest details it would be far too long, not to mention getting too personal about someone who might not deserve it.

Briefishly, it's about a girl I worked with who used to arrive looking like Inara in full maquillage at a time when the rest of us were striving to look perfect with no make-up (a hell of an effort!).

One morning she straggled in late, looking as if she'd been dragged backward through a knot-hole. We all had a good whisper about it, then asked if she were all right.

She and her husband had had a lengthy argument the night before, she said. Tears had loosened the lashes, which she had then put on his night table. She felt so *naked* without her lashes, she said.

"We'll cover for you, just run and go get them," someone offered. "How long could it take?"

"Couple of hours," she said, naming the town where the soon-to-be-ex-DH was now living, "It wasn't *his* table by *our* bed; it was *his* bed, and I don't have a key anyway."

(I think it needs the details....oh, well)




bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Monday, May 29, 2006 6:34 PM

FLORALBUNNY


Oh, yes, platform shoes -- but they're tall all the way from toe to heel and are considered a ladies' style. I didn't like them very much.

As for trading comfortable temperatures for height, you have the right idea.

We are not penguins.

Well, most of us aren't...

bun
~6/23~Serenity/Firefly Summer~9/30~
----- why's the rum gone? 7706 -----

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Tuesday, May 30, 2006 4:57 AM

MSG


OK the eyelash story was lovely. I will say that as a short person ( 5'2") I wear high heels almost constantly, but I will also say that I've seen many an actor use lifts. They aren't really convincing. looks as if you've got serious foot deformity.

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