Monthly Musings: swearing!

[Feralan]

Even a ten-thousand-year-old, dignified and wise elder isn't always dignified. Be it due to a hippogryph stomping on her foot, a bowstring snapping at the worst time, the sudden appearance of a hated enemy, or another unpleasant or painful surprise: sometimes it feels good to vent! How do you think Kaldorei swear? How do your characters swear, if they do?

[Malon and Turtle]

I know that Malon has some insults, but nothing as crude as swearwords. More a case of suggesting that people are dumb, or that their ears do not work. They must have some words or curses they'd use in the heat of the moment.

[Silathin Starseeker]

I have several found myself in moments where I wished that I had some swear words that would fit a kaldorei.

"Elune be damned!" has at times popped into my head but I can just imagine the angry Sisterhood mob lining up at the mention of that.

Insults aren't as hard to make up but that's not what we're going for here either, actual swear words are tricky. Hmm.

[lorriena]

I've yet to vent with Lorri in that way, but it's definitely an interesting concept to mull over.

I'd possibly suggest the odd "For Elune's sake!" or "What a load of 'gryph/saber dung!". A beastial roar of outrage would probably be my choice of expression in a time of extreme frustration, while being more inclined to silently seethe at smaller irritations.

[Miluiel]

Thinking this over a bit now and I do wonder if there is such a thing as swearing amongst us older Kaldorei.

Sure the younger generations may have picked a few words up over the last 10 or so years since the end of the last war and they came in contact with humans (this subject is a completley different can of worms this Human vs Kaldorei).

I don't think there is a particular set of "swear" words as such, but there has to be a way that words can be pointed like a weapon.

I think a good example of this is the interactions between Yen and Milu, they don't have swear words but do use words that "barb" each other causing no end of verbal discourse.

[Silathin Starseeker]

Swearing is something that has been common in pretty much all cultures, not just modern ones. I do not think that in WoW terms, swearing would be something only restricted to certain races.

In technical terms, swearing is an exclamation of frustration, anger or similar. Used to emphasise emotion or a point/depth with what is expressed. Some people do use it to sound tough or cool as well though, like overusing the F word and similar.

Some people do not swear at all either, due to upbringing, social circle or similar. They might just even have a profound distaste for it.

However, I do not think that broad categories of either a race or age group of a race could be singled out and said: These do not ever swear. I think that swearing likely would be in different ways from broad category group to broad category group, and the individuals there in, or even smaller groupings there in, could be said to not swear in any way, but not the whole category as old vs. young night elves. That would likely be down to the type of swearing instead.

[Feralan]

Maybe we should extend this beyond "basic swearing" and include "creative insults" and "common curses" as well?

One word that would not work, I think, is "hell" because as far as I'm aware, WarCraft in general and the Kaldorei in particular has/have no such concept. Depending on the context, good replacement words could be "fel" or "demons" or "the Legion". For example: "The fel take you, traitor!" I imagine that many Kaldorei would not use these words lightly, since they hate the demons so much. Calling someone you simply don't like a "fel-slave" when that person has nothing to do with demons is bound to result in an immediate challenge or attack.

Fera uses some strong words now and then to express her distaste, but mainly she just snorts, growls, or roars. Simple and direct.

[Silathin Starseeker]

Hell is being used on occasion in NPC dialogue, even though it's not in the same religious context the meaning is the same.

I do not think this should be extended to cursing and insulting others as that's a pretty different topic even though it also concerns foul language. And it is much easier being creative with curses and insults.

[Malon and Turtle]

Sil has made some good points. Shakespeare used some very crude terms, but we it's difficult to spot them out of context, and the same is found in the Old Testament. Hell is an expletive in Warcraft, but written with a lowercase h.

[Silathin Starseeker]

From ancient latin there's "Felis Etiam!" too, for example.

[Caelith]

I have borrowed some swear words for Caelith actually from our "own world" actually. Bloody works in some occasions, though it should not be used as much as some english people do For example "It was a bloody hard fight!" would fit into Caelith's mouth. Caelith uses words like "cursed" or "damned" in the occasions she is frustrated with someone/something, if that can be counted as swearing. Like "You cursed humans don't understand a thing!"

I think in finnish, "Perkele" (old finnish pagan god) is most likely the oldest swear word. "Sargeras" would be most likely the closest WoW equivalent of this, but I don't think the kaldorei would really use it, even as a swear word.

Fel might be used in contects like "What the hell do you know about that?"="What the fel...", but I'm not sure how much kaldorei would use that kind of language, or would it be more human style.

I don't know if kaldorei would use Elune in swearing words... part of why using God in swearing words in christian society is because of you should not say the name of your God without a purpose, and I don't know if that sort of thing would relate to the kaldorei society. "For Elune's/Cenarius' sake!" does sound fitting to my ear, though.

[Feralan]

"For Elune's sake!" is a good examation of exaperation, yes. I think several of us have used it or a related one before.

And I agree that involving Elune or the Ancients in swear words would be considered very crass and rude, yeah -- especially among the oldest Kaldorei who may have seen the Ancients fight and die for them. Besides, it could be quite embarrassing to yell "Cenarius' ARSE!", hear a rustle behind your back, and turn around to find him standing there.

About using the enemies' names as curses ... hmm. I think it'd be much more likely (and "acceptable"), but I can't see either Feralan or Astera do it. Thorra might, but she is a dwarf!

[Alrinthiel]

Hmm come to think of it, none of my Nelfies curse on a regular basis, but when they do it is mostly the standard ones Cae brought up, personaly I think that the curses are more a sign of frustration among my characters rather than real anger, if they do become angry it is more a quiet seething sort of anger, not the yell and curse sort, altough one of my warriors did utter the words "By Elune's dirty feet!" it earnt him an earpulling from a nearby priestess.

[Silathin Starseeker]

More thoughts and more opinions! We can't discuss and spar if people stop talking after one jab, and ideally this could last all month, or just half of it.

And related to this I feel sorely tempted to link to Oxhorn's "inventing swearwords" videos

[Miluiel]

Thinking this over some more... I suppose Milu has been creative in her swearing abilities. I can't find words that are particularly nasty in terms of hard core swears, but there are a few things that she has said in the past when refering to people or situations.

Like when something frustrates her she can be heard saying "For the love of Elune!"

It does roughly translate into a frustrated cry of something in RL as well.

If someone has annoyed her she can use a few other words to express her displeasure as well that are just snipes or references to their lineage, animal refernces like a mindless Jackal or in some cases a festering pile of Kodo dung.

I suppose it really is subjective on what is said and in what context.