IC Swearing

Thought this might be fun?

So I'm interested as to how the crowd-stopping, head-turning shock factor of a rl curse word (okay, I guess there's only one left, if we're honest) can be conveyed within the boundaries of Achaea's language rules.  There are many times that what you(r character) would like to say to somebody else('s character) in Achaea would possibly have OOC repercussions; so how can you tell somebody to go do that thing to themselves without breaching the bounds of fourth-wall etiquette?

Perhaps you good people could help me to create a list of IC things that, when said in the wrong company, would be utterly inappropriate for an adventurer in Sapience.  I am not for a moment looking for phrase fusions of rude words with Achaean terms, rather where the meaning of the word or its connotations would be unwelcome.

A few ideas to get started (not terribly good ones!):

Sylvance stubs her toe, and shouts "Babel's return!"
Sylvance stares at you and says from between grit teeth, "Taug take your mother."

Let's also think 'factions'; telling a Cyrenian that they're 'Sartan's spawn' is going to be a great deal more offensive than saying it to a Mhaldorian.
Tvistor: If that was a troll, it was masterful.
I take my hat off to you.
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Comments

  • I guess there are more creative ways to do it but I just use commonly understood vulgarity.
  • edited September 2012
    Apparently "Holy Inferno" is a very distinctively-Cinya phrase, although technically I think Sothantos said it once when I was a novice and then I just took it from him. I also use phrases such as "what in Inferno were you thinking?" etc. It's obviously the Achaean equivalent of Hell.

    I also use "gods dammit" (noting the plural) for obvious reasons. 

    I think that's about it - Cinya uses a lot of 'normal' curses as well, though anything involving Inferno is her favorite (because I think it's fun to say/type, and I like subtly marking my curses as IC). I'm sure they're both inappropriate in certain circles, but Cinya rarely watches her language around anyone except Divine. 
    Mathonwy said:
    dactylic hexameter is
    way more interesting than the inside of anyone's vagina.
  • Jiraishin doesn't swear much, and it's generally pretty mild. Generally I just say 'Lords' or occasionally 'Twin Lords' where IRL 'Lord' would be an appropriate oath. I use 'gods' more occasionally, but I prefer 'goddamned' to 'gods-damned' just because it sounds better to me.

    I always thought using Inferno as a curse word was a little funny ICly, because Jiraishin has -been- to Inferno, though admittedly only the part Apostates are allowed into.'The hell' rings better to me anyway.
    ________________________
    The soul of Ashmond says, "Always with the sniping."

    (Clan): Ictinus says, "Stop it Jiraishin, you're making me like you."
  • Nell just cusses up a storm.  Seriously, she's like a drunken sailor when she gets into a mood.
    image
  • Hell exists IC. That's what hellsight does. I think demons too, maybe?

  • @Silas: Not saying it doesn't, just that Inferno does also! And it's more fun to say. :D
    Mathonwy said:
    dactylic hexameter is
    way more interesting than the inside of anyone's vagina.
  • There's a bollocks emote for a very good reason.

    That said, I think it's a nice touch when folks have their own commonly used curses. Cinya's sound good. I think it might be a matter of just sitting down for a few minutes and figuring out what your character could/would say instead of hell/damn/shit. And then make sure it doesn't sound cheesy or stupid. Or if it must sound cheesy, make it sound cheesy in a distinctly Achaean way (see OP)
  • MelodieMelodie Port Saint Lucie, Florida
    I remember Aerek will often use "Mother Maya", though usually as an exclamation of surprise or frustration.

    I'm with Crathen, though. Although for Mel, really, other than the occasional damn, she really doesn't curse publically. If she did, I'd bet it'd involve necromancy-wielding grook Nihilists or something.
    And I love too                                                                          Be still, my indelible friend
    That love soon might end                                                         You are unbreaking
    And be known in its aching                                                      Though quaking
    Shown in this shaking                                                             Though crazy
    Lately of my wasteland, baby                                                 That's just wasteland, baby
  • edited September 2012
    I just say -, -, -, - and sometimes say go - a -.
  • AmunetAmunet Spokane, Washington, USA
    edited September 2012
    IRL, I tend to take the name of the Judeo-Christian God in vain almost constantly. I've adapted this blasphemy for Achaea. For example:

    OOC                                                                    Achaean

    Oh, God!                                                             Oh, Gods!

    Goddamn it!                                                        Gods damn it!

    Goddamned                                                        Gods-damned, or godsbedamned

    Sweet God!                                                         Sweet Gods! (occasionally, "Sweet Shaitan!", as I came across "Sweet                                                                                               Satan!" in a book a few months back, and really took to it.)

    God in Heaven!                                                   Gods in the Garden!


    I haven't found a good analogue for "Jesus Christ!" quite yet, but I'll settle on something eventually. Aside from these, Amu uses a lot of creative, often excessively vulgar expressions or profanity, but nothing specifically Achaean. Admittedly, I probably drop more f-bombs IC than is considered sane or reasonable, but I do try to keep it off of public channels and only in the company of people I'm certain won't be offended by it. I curse like a sailor IRL, and it's a difficult habit to break!


    My avatar is an image created by this very talented gentleman, of whose work I am extremely jealous. It was not originally a picture of Amunet, but it certainly looks a great deal like how I envision her!
  • MishgulMishgul Trondheim, Norway
    Ayar be Damned

    -

    One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important

    As drawn by Shayde
    hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae
  • JonathinJonathin Retired in a hole.
    I only go as far as to say 'damn it' or 'damn it all' when I'm trying to portray disappointment or frustration from Mosr. OOC, the f-bomb is part of my regular vocabulary, but Mosr is slightly more refined than going around cussing up a storm over trivial issues or for no reason at all. 
    I am retired and log into the forums maybe once every 2 months. It was a good 20 years, live your best lives, friends.
  • AerekAerek East Tennessee, USA
    Melodie said: I remember Aerek will often use "Mother Maya", though usually as an exclamation of surprise or frustration.
    The alliteration is key.

    I generally keep my cursing to a PG-rated level, so I've rarely had any issues in this arena. Part of that's OOC courtesy for whomever is around, but most of it is just that Aerek's enough of a gentleman not to be caught spouting real vulgarities. That said, when I do feel it's appropriate for Aerek to lose his cool, I make an effort to offend the offender's race, profession, or nationality instead of using RL vulgarities. Base cursing, to me, is a wasted opportunity to let fly with some Shakespearean-style irreverence in what becomes its own little RP event:  who can come up with the best Achaean slur? "Mother F---er" sounds woefully uncreative when compared to  "impudent, blasphemous little fogsucker."

    I also think substituting IC material for serious vulgarity helps make clear that I am, in fact, still roleplaying, not just losing my sh-- on the other end of the computer.
    -- Grounded in but one perspective, what we perceive is an exaggeration of the truth.
  • holy codex!
    And as he slept he dreamed a dream, and this was his dream.
  • AerekAerek East Tennessee, USA
    No, no, the Codex of Light offended waaaaay more people. Use that one.
    -- Grounded in but one perspective, what we perceive is an exaggeration of the truth.
  • Silas said:
    Hell exists IC. That's what hellsight does. I think demons too, maybe?
    I just think about when @Phaestus shouted something about all levels of hell. I think it was to do with someone's beefy newspost.
  • edited September 2012
    Aerek said: Base cursing, to me, is a wasted opportunity to let fly with some Shakespearean-style irreverence...

    ...I also think substituting IC material for serious vulgarity helps make clear that I am, in fact, still roleplaying, not just losing my sh-- on the other end of the computer.

    @Aerek Two excellent points, and entirely the point of this thread.
    Tvistor: If that was a troll, it was masterful.
    I take my hat off to you.
  • Hell is like, a suburb in the Inferno. JFYI.
  • Luhar doesn't swear, except occasionally the Damn emote when I forget myself a bit. More often, if something bad happens, he doesn't react because I've taken my hands away from the keyboard while I compose myself. I like to pretend that Luhar is carefully considering his options/response, rather than that the man in his head has lost control of all the levers, wheels and gizmos.
  • Iocun doesn't really swear, and even if he did, I probably wouldn't manage to come up with something very distinctly Achaean on the spot. But it would be a great thing to do, really.

    "By Severian's beard!"

    "By Lupus! May the wild beasts devour your flesh!"

    "May Kortoxian treat your maladies!"

    "Tzantza onto you, you demented hallucinating idiot!"

    "Get out of my sight, lycopod fodder!"

    "Hey, bubonis-face!"
  • Most of my swearing is pretty uncreative, though I've taken a liking to "by the Gods" and "great grim Gods", because alliteration is lovely. If I really want to offend someone, I just say "have a nice day, and Hail Babel". :D
  • scruffy-looking goblin herder?


    image
  • RuthRuth Singapore
    The only consistent swear phrase I use is variations of the pit of Golgotha as an alternative to hell.

    "What in the Pit!"
    ".. the Pit is this?"
    etc.
    "Mummy, I'm hungry, but there's no one to eat! :C"

     

  • oooh....kraken fodder. hmn. or scruffy looking kraken herder. Bahaha. 


    image
  • Oceana does not swear, but I love the creativeness of some of those above.
  • KresslackKresslack Florida, United States
    I think swearing IC'ly is a good form of verbal release; the more creative, the better. 

    Maybe some others:

    Thoth's breath!

    By the horned god!

    Lupus' hairy arse!

    Maya fend!




  • I just drop a F-bomb and move on.

    What? I'm not going to try and create swears, my normal swearing is incomprehensible gibberish as is. (This is actually how I normally swear... usually in response to stubbing my toe.)
    image
    When Canada rules the world,
    things will be... nii~ice.
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