What's in a Medium-Appropriate Title Derived from Historical Sources?
This last week has been a major test of my sanity. I've been writing a socially conscious fantasy trilogy for about two years now (I'm struggling with labels here - post-fantasy fantasy? Fantastical dystopia? Marxist high fantasy?), and I keep coming up against mental roadblocks. These have less to do with the story at hand, and more to do with facets of the research process that I never considered. Let me make this plain: research is rewarding in every way, but sometimes getting to the point of actually doing the research is like prying out a sore tooth with a rusty melon baller.
My most recent roadblock is the proper pronunciation of names. Particularly working in extremes of fantasy, naming can seem like a harsh yoke; currently, I've structured the world on a three-culture system (the servants, peons, peddlers, and various rustics all have Germanic names, the higher and more lordly merchant class derives from the French, and the inscrutable magician class pulls directly from Old Welsh). I make a habit of reading all my new material out loud to my significant other, and was surprised at my own tone-deafitude. The French-derived Aceline sounded like a mangled version of 'vaseline,' and the magisterial Gallord sounded like gaylord. I've halted writing to do some research into language pronunciation, at least for the moment - that same significant other has assured me that knowing how to correctly pronounce names (and I mean CORRECTLY, with no obdurate flourishes or mildly clipped syllables), is as important to understanding my characters as my knowing their favorite flower, color or deep fried ice cream dish. Of course, I raised my Hackles of Laziness (yes, that should be capitalized), but I've ultimately found the research rewarding. Like, you know, most research is.
Looking for other opinions on this. How do y'all work around naming sensibilities? I'm curious about opinions of Name - Tolkien demonstrated that the proper identifier for a character is as vital as plot or conceit or metaphor. Even if every fanboy I've ever met thinks Celeborn is pronounced Seleborn.
My most recent roadblock is the proper pronunciation of names. Particularly working in extremes of fantasy, naming can seem like a harsh yoke; currently, I've structured the world on a three-culture system (the servants, peons, peddlers, and various rustics all have Germanic names, the higher and more lordly merchant class derives from the French, and the inscrutable magician class pulls directly from Old Welsh). I make a habit of reading all my new material out loud to my significant other, and was surprised at my own tone-deafitude. The French-derived Aceline sounded like a mangled version of 'vaseline,' and the magisterial Gallord sounded like gaylord. I've halted writing to do some research into language pronunciation, at least for the moment - that same significant other has assured me that knowing how to correctly pronounce names (and I mean CORRECTLY, with no obdurate flourishes or mildly clipped syllables), is as important to understanding my characters as my knowing their favorite flower, color or deep fried ice cream dish. Of course, I raised my Hackles of Laziness (yes, that should be capitalized), but I've ultimately found the research rewarding. Like, you know, most research is.
Looking for other opinions on this. How do y'all work around naming sensibilities? I'm curious about opinions of Name - Tolkien demonstrated that the proper identifier for a character is as vital as plot or conceit or metaphor. Even if every fanboy I've ever met thinks Celeborn is pronounced Seleborn.