Fantasy

[Lorem Ipsum]

So, last time I wrote a novel, which failed because I didn't plan it, the criticism I had was to lengthen the chapters with more description. Which is why I am going to start work on another novel, which I am going to plan more meticulously.

However, I am definitely going to write this in the fantasy genre. But, I have a couple of questions about it.

Firstly, I am considering putting a new language into the books, a language of power. I think that I am going to use Celtic Cornish and British for the basis, but I don't want it too similar to Paolini's Ancient Language. Tips on how to steer away from this would be much appreciated.

Secondly, is there anybody who has ever written about angels, or celestial hierachy before? It's just that I want to steer away from dragons and stuff, because that really would make it an Inheritance imitation, which would make it a load of rubbish.

If you could help me with anything like this, then it would be appreciated.

 

[Zeph]

(Just so you know, Paolini's Ancient Language is basically just Old Norse.)

Making languages isn't too hard. To avoid making it seem generic, I'd use a different structure to English, if that makes any sense to you.

As for angels... I really don't know. Sorry.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

Oh, I know that Paolini's language was Old Norse, just a kind of mangled version of it... that's why I wasn't sure about basing my language on a Celtic language; I only found out about the Old Norse thing this afternoon.

 

[Leviathan]

I would figure that a society of angels, being a far more law-abiding race than, say, demons, would be one under very strict rules. If I were to create an angel civilization, I would probably incorporate a caste system, or something that would divide members into specific jobs and social standings. This could be determined by a number of things, such as natural energy levels, elemental affinities, how far one endures some kind of training, or whether one is a pure angel or had gone to heaven after dying. The entire nation would be governed by a powerful spirit, possessing influence in the domains of light and good, if not by an actual god.

 

[Butterfree]

Correction: Paolini's Ancient Language has a vocabulary consisting of half Old Norse (which is for all intents and purposes identical to modern Icelandic, making it sound extremely silly to anyone who knows it) and half random gibberish nothing at all like Old Norse with some umlauts tacked on; that vocabulary is then squeezed into grammar virtually identical to English (despite how viciously inappropriate its simplified grammar is for any sort of supposedly ancient tongue), complete with there being a noun "shield" and a verb "to shield" (which is the case in English, but not in Icelandic or Old Norse). If you want to create a language, then for the love of God make its grammar up - don't just take some English text, replace the words with something you found in a foreign dictionary and maybe mix up the order of adjectives and nouns to make it less obvious what you did.

I also feel obligated to point out that it is not as if writing about dragons automatically means you are ripping off Inheritance; there are a million different ways to write about dragons and many people had written pretty much every aspect of Paolini's dragons before anyway.

Writing about angels strikes me as being a bit odd, what with the very explicit connection to religion, but eh, do what you like.

 

[Retsu]

Writing about angels strikes me as being a bit odd, what with the very explicit connection to religion, but eh, do what you like.

I see it more as a connection the divine rather than religion itself; I wouldn't only encourage a fantasy novel that revolves around them, I would support it.

 

[Harlequin]

please for the love of god actually make a real language

http://www.zompist.com/kit.html look see i got you a link

FOLLOW ITS INSTRUCTIONS

as for the angels... er, go for it, I guess? angels are always fun. by the way just because a book is superficially similar to another book doesn't mean that they're the same. the key word there is "superficially."

 

[opaltiger]

there are a million different ways to write about dragons

Temeraire! :D

also if you really insist on having a "language of power" please don't copy/paste it from Earthsea

 

[Diz]

@Leviathan: Personally, I would think that because they are angels, they wouldn't need such strict rules as something like Demons.

I also feel obligated to point out that it is not as if writing about dragons automatically means you are ripping off Inheritance; there are a million different ways to write about dragons and many people had written pretty much every aspect of Paolini's dragons before anyway.

*points to Anne McCaffrey's Dragonrider's Of Pern series*

The concept sounds good to me.

 

[surskitty]

Personally, I would think that because they are angles, they wouldn't need such strict rules as something like Demons.

Um, _Ditto_, you might want to note the difference between an angle and an angel. It's pretty notable.

Also, Dungeons and Dragons-esque cosmology tends to go with angels == highly lawful-good; demons == mostly chaotic-evil; devils == highly lawful-evil.

 

[Cryssie]

Secondly, is there anybody who has ever written about angels, or celestial hierachy before?

I'd be very surprised if nobody had, but it'd be my guess that it's significantly less done-to-death than dragons, and as with pretty much anything, there's still plenty of room to make it your own.

 

[Diz]

Rats! I knew it was one of the two... I just didn't know which.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

Thanks for all of your advice, guys. I have written a fair bit of the language, and it now actually has grammar. I've learnt most of the language myself now, as well. Io déth nautsei deceghex ab Deciem is telling you my birthday, with 'nautsei' being the past tense form of 'to be born'. Also, I decided on two forms, the simplified form that is used in human texts, and the original form that is used in Angelic scriptures (the main difference is the loss of a few letters, and some letters being paired).

Anyway, the angels aren't designed to be like Biblical angels, yet a civilisation in their own right, with their own language and leader. I've planned a few of the characters so far, I just need to plan the main antagonist before I can realistically start. Everything is going quite well, and I hope to start writing in a couple of hours or so.

 

[IcySapphire]

This is more of a fanfiction example, but when I created a language for the Pokemon Mew, I blended bits of English, Spanish, Japanese, Gaelic, and a number of other languages all together, but (hopefully) tried not to make it glaringly obvious.

I did the blend to reflect that Mew can learn any move, so I thought it made sense for him/her to know every human language, which over eons evolved into a blend of all of them.

If you want to see examples of my "Mew language", drop me a PM

 

[Harlequin]

I hope you used the link I gave you to construct your conlang ; ; it's very very informative and helpful you know.

I've never actually constructed a language with it myself, of course, because I lack the drive to actually finish anything. There are forums that go with it, too, in case you get stuck.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

I used the link to a certain degree; the only bit I passed on was the alphabet part, because I had no desire to create an all new script. I may do it just to develop the language itself at a later date.

 

[Harlequin]

Well, yeah. I'm skipping past the alphabet past at the moment too. I'd rather get the language down before I event a way to write it.

As it happens I still haven't got further than the phonology of my language. Ooops.

 

[Ayame]

Ooh, this is pretty interesting. I would like to note that the 'language of power' idea pretty much originally appeared in Earthsea.
But you seem like you might be able to pull it off!

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

Well, I've written the first chapter (well, it's a Prologue, but heh), but it hasn't had any replies yet. If you want to see it, you can find it here

 

[Empoleon]

Do you really need a language of power, really? Its not necessary, and you need to do it well to make it worthwhile, and even then I don't think its worth it.