Jedi Council Forums - 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives

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Author	Topic: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
solojones Registered: Sep '00	Date Posted: 5/2/04 7:04am Subject: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Have you ever found yourself reading a fic and suddenly a word or phrase jumps out at you and screams 'Reality!' and pulls you out of the story? Many authors, myself included, have struggled with getting around phrases and slangs that we're so used to saying we don't realise they only make sense in an 'Earth' setting, not a GFFA setting. I thought it would be helpful for us to try to compile a list of these 'Earthisms' to remind ourselves what not to write, as well as offering some helpful alternatives. I've come up with a few off the top of my head... Who/What/When/Where/Why/How on Earth?: This is probably the most obvious one I've noticed I find myself wanting to have characters say this and then immediately realising it would make no sense. You could use '...in the galaxy', as long as it doesn't sound too silly to you. Off the bat: I hadn't even considered how much I use this phrase until I said it at a ballgame recently. I suddenly realised the origin of it. I've since made it a point not to use it in SW fics, because, barring them having a sport that also uses bats (likely, but probably not as galaxy-wide), it might sound a little odd for someone in the GFFA to use this phrase. Perhaps simply immediately would work. Ticked (off): Now I don't even know the origin of this phrase, but it sounds decisively un-SW to me. I was trying to find a GFFA equivalent for a fic once and I just couldn't do it. Anyone have any ideas? Please add any ones that come to mind, or any other alternatives you can think of -sj loves kevin spacey -----signature----- 6 x 9 = 42 Proud member of the Colbert Nation My short films: http://www.youtube.com/solojones1138
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anakin_girl Title: Founding Member & Retired FF CR Charlotte , NC Registered: Oct '00	Date Posted: 5/2/04 7:39am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Earth names irritate the bejesus out of me. Luke and Han are fairly "earthy" but please, don't name one of your characters "Billy" or "Susie". There are sites out there that will help you generate more SW-ish names: The Star Wars Random Name Generator is one of them. -----signature----- Room 225, the Geriatric Ward Alternate ending to ROTS: "Chancellor, you're full of crap. This opera sucks. I'm going home to my wife."
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spiritgurl Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 5/2/04 7:40am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	"hell" and "angel" seem a little too Earthy to use but... ehhh... what can you do? lol sg -----signature----- My fics: http://zalibethe.com/kenobi/storylisting.htm (update 6/29) Master of Solo-Evenstar ~ August Epic of the Month - Spirit Warriors of Angharad by Ophelia http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/15836193/p1
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DarthBreezy Title: Retired Mos Everett Cantina Founder & JMPR Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 5/2/04 8:02am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Han says Hell, Padme is an Angel... don't get too nit picky or you'll go overboard trying to avoid euphanisms. I've seen fics that are so desperate to avoid ANY possible 'earth isms' and end up being more convoluted for it. Bit of trivia for you... You've seen it on Star Trek, Scotty: Captain! The Irrideum crystal flux capasitor that drives the warp field generators is runing at 4.9867 percent above the danger zone! If it goes, we won't have the ability to regenate the yesily warp field at full capacity!! Capt Kirk: Do what you can! Scotty: I'm doing the best I can Captain! But the enee-meenie drive is degrading fast! In the script; Scotty: Captain! Tech Capt Kirk: Do what you can! Scotty: I'm doing the Best I can Captain! Tech -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29640754/p1 Dear Tam - an AU post ROTJ story told through the eyes of a child "It's hard, being a Jedi..." - Pem Skywalker Anywhere Is Possible
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anakin_girl Title: Founding Member & Retired FF CR Charlotte , NC Registered: Oct '00	Date Posted: 5/2/04 8:05am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Yeah, really--I'm pretty sure every universe has a "hell" in it somewhere, and Anakin explained that "angels" live on the moons of Iego. -----signature----- Room 225, the Geriatric Ward Alternate ending to ROTS: "Chancellor, you're full of crap. This opera sucks. I'm going home to my wife."
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spiritgurl Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 5/2/04 9:03am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives - Date Edited: 5/2/04 9:05am (1 edits total) Edited By: spiritgurl
	I was kidding, just so you know. I know it was already used in the saga, just pointing that out that even the saga has "earthisms". Wasn't there something about "sitting ducks" in PM too? sg -----signature----- My fics: http://zalibethe.com/kenobi/storylisting.htm (update 6/29) Master of Solo-Evenstar ~ August Epic of the Month - Spirit Warriors of Angharad by Ophelia http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/15836193/p1
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EmilieDarklighter Registered: Jan '02	Date Posted: 5/2/04 10:47am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	There are ducks in the Star Wars universe, though. In the novelization of A New Hope, Ben says "Even a duck must be taught to swim." and Luke says "What's a duck?" Things also to be avoided are "wristwatch" (replaced by "chrono") and "glass" (replaced by "transparisteel"). -----signature----- Master of Jedi_Emeritus Former Padawan of Gabri_Jade Little sister to Gabri_Jade and LadyPadme 25 Rules for Successful Writing http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/28400222/p1/?2
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Dev_Binks Registered: Aug '03	Date Posted: 5/2/04 10:59am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Or 'paper' when it'd be flimsiplast, or elevator when it's turbo-lift. One thing that really pulls me out is when a character uses Earth actions. Like flicking someone off, sure the GFFA would have such and signs, but the middle finger meaning F*** you probably wouldn't mean that there. Personally I think Han's finger in Leia's face was supposed to be an insult from how she acted. -----signature----- "There will be pages. Lots and lots of pages. Most of them will have letters on them, and the vast majority of those letters will be in the roman alphabet." -Aaron Allston
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NarundiJedi Title: FF Chapter Rep Albany, NY Registered: Oct '01	Date Posted: 5/2/04 11:12am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives - Date Edited: 5/2/04 11:14am (1 edits total) Edited By: NarundiJedi
	Whenever someone is giving a vulgar gesture to someone else I usually just represent it as a 'vulgar gesture' because the middle finger wouldn't mean anything in the GFFA, I'm sure. I'm also pretty sure that each planet has their own vulgar gestures, which is why I specify that curses or gestures are from certain planets, like a Corellian swear or gesture for example. Jae Angel ED: Oh, and the middle finger means "up yours", not "**** you" -----signature----- Kill Brodey: Vol 1 - http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=17015774&replies=0 Helané, Handmaiden of the Crest Leli's Blonde Twin! I'm now Mrs. NJ! w00t!
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zaphod_beeblebrox Registered: Aug '01	Date Posted: 5/2/04 11:17am Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	For Star Wars names you could go to The Star Wars Name Gazetteer & Compendium -----signature----- Anadûnê zîrân... hikallaba. Êphal êphalak îdôn hi-Akallabêth... Kadô zâira nênud.
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dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 5/2/04 12:00pm Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Narundi... Dev_Binks is right on the finger thing - at least when I grew up. It may have morphed into something else (just like a lot of gestures and words) depending on age of the person doing it and the location the person grew up in. And you might think about what "Up yours" used to mean... LOL. Some gestures appear to be almost universal whereas others are strictly cultural. Same with words. Things that kick me right out of fan fic are everyday Earth names (Luke is an obvious exception but Han is not a everyday English-speaking name, at least in my neck of the woods). Even names that aren't English but are recognizable as from other languages can make me pause. However, it is easy enough to make Earth names into GFFA names using apostophes or dividing them up with spaces.... Smith could be Sm'i Th for example. Also, newer expressions such as "D'oh" or swear words from tv shows like Farscape or Battlestar Galactica (frell, frak) shouldn't really be used - unless it's a cross-over. They just don't seem to fit in the SW universe. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 11/2/09 jedidas3's Master Merlin - Diplomatic Immunity - http://boards.theforce.net/nswff/b10808/30459852
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solojones Registered: Sep '00	Date Posted: 5/2/04 12:07pm Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	One thing I really dislike is when a character mutters "damn" under their breath. For some reason, this particular thing just seems very American to me. The word is used in the GFFA ('damned fool idealistic crusade', 'cloners, damn good ones'), but when I see it used as a simple explitive, it pulls me out of the SW mode. -sj loves kevin spacey -----signature----- 6 x 9 = 42 Proud member of the Colbert Nation My short films: http://www.youtube.com/solojones1138
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NarundiJedi Title: FF Chapter Rep Albany, NY Registered: Oct '01	Date Posted: 5/2/04 12:10pm Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Diane, I was pretty certain that the '**** you' connotation came just because it was a very harsh gesture that was used when people were pissed off. Also, in my case, I do tend to combine the gesture with those words when another driver does something so outrageous that it warrants it. But to say that it doesn't also mean "up your rear end"? Why else would people start using the finger in the first place if you weren't supposed to stick it somewhere? In New York City, they tend to alternate between the finger and flicking all four fingers at a person from under the chin. Don't ask me about this one, because I don't know. But I still assert that gestures vary from place to place, and so do their meanings. Therefore, we're both right, depending on your point of view (location). Jae Angel -----signature----- Kill Brodey: Vol 1 - http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=17015774&replies=0 Helané, Handmaiden of the Crest Leli's Blonde Twin! I'm now Mrs. NJ! w00t!
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Vampi_Digitalwytch Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 5/2/04 12:59pm Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	In New York City, they tend to alternate between the finger and flicking all four fingers at a person from under the chin The fingers under the chin flick I thought was an Italian thing along with the thumb flicked out from the teeth. Both meaning you've had enough of the comments or situation. From what I've picked up with Star Wars is that there's no plain tools like wrenches and such, they're hydrospanners and so on. -----signature----- I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. Bloopers RR- http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=15762005&start=15774240 Supporting the fight for the survival of fanfic.
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Dev_Binks Registered: Aug '03	Date Posted: 5/2/04 4:47pm Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	NJ, 'Up yours' means pretty much F* You, if you think about what F*ing is. -----signature----- "There will be pages. Lots and lots of pages. Most of them will have letters on them, and the vast majority of those letters will be in the roman alphabet." -Aaron Allston
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Daughter_of_Yubyub Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 5/2/04 4:53pm Subject: RE: 'Earthisms' to be avoided, and their alternatives
	Who/What/When/Where/Why/How on Earth?: This is probably the most obvious one I've noticed I find myself wanting to have characters say this and then immediately realising it would make no sense. You could use '...in the galaxy', as long as it doesn't sound too silly to you. In some cases, substituting in the current planet can work, especially from the mouth of a native. A lot of foods can be given a more GFFA feel by just tacking the name of an appropriate world in front of them. -----signature----- The Timbit Evangelist Dark Lady of the JCC Yubsié, Handmaiden of the Crest EUDF Commodore\| Assistant Empress etc.- WJFC See my bio for my memberships and fanfiction
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