Poll #2: A Fanfic Question

[browngirl]

Wait! Wait! Come back!

So, I'm writing a story based on a fictional work, and it's an AU set in Minoan times, because you know me and the Minoans. So I'm trying to decide what to do about the names. This is a little complicated because the Minoan language has not been translated, afaik (though in Late Minoan times they did also use Mycenean Greek).

[Poll #1250134]

Comments

[petronelle.livejournal.com]

I mostly voted for name-modification because I know how much I giggled doing it in the last AU I wrote, and how many people found it amusing.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I admit, I weighted your opinion a bit more because I know you've done it yourself.

[pagawne.livejournal.com]

I would be interested in reading the story when it is finished.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I'll try to remember to post a link. :)

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

I voted "Modify their names" and "No". I think modification is a reasonable compromise between the wishes for
* period authenticity, as far as it's achievable (which you know or can guess that I'm as biased toward as you are)
* consistency with the original work, for those who are familiar with it and want to keep track of who's who without a scorecard
* readability -- though this isn't so much an issue as it could be if we knew the original language and had the option of giving them entirely authentic names

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

You should be careful, you know. I may well end up asking you for help on this. :)

[some-stars.livejournal.com]

figuring out the adapted names is one of my most favorite parts of historical AUs :DDDDDD

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*giggle* OK, so noted. :)

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Part of the problem is, we have rather little idea of what those names would be... though not a complete lack of information. *ponders*

[sage]

YAYAYAYAY writing!!! \o/

I like name modification because it helps me feel the characters are organic to the new setting rather than alien transplants.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Yay writing! *happy dances*

I may ask for your help on this. Have you ever watched NUMB3RS?

[aprilkat.livejournal.com]

Don't mind me. I'm over here in the corner squeeing at the idea of more bull-leaping fic...

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Then I will have to do my utmost to make sure there's bull-leaping innit.

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

I have no opinion because I don't really understand the issues involved. However I do have one question and one comment:
-- question: What is "AU"?
-- comment: I love that you can change your icons to coordinate with the themes of your posts!

[tibicina.livejournal.com]

AU= Alternate Universe. So set in a different time period or a world with a different history or where something happened differently than in the original.

[dan-ad-nauseam.livejournal.com]

Write it in Linear A.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Ha. Ha. Ha.

[strangerian.livejournal.com]

In AUs where the language or culture is very different from the source, I'd suggest (as I voted) to keeping something like the original name, but adapting it to the language or style of the AU. If you can get away with using Greek equivalents for some names (though anything more esoteric than Artemis for Diane might be lost on part of the readership), that might work.

It can also be fun, in reading an AU, to decipher how the newly-named characters correspond to the canon cast, if the story makes it worth it. You don't have to discard that option unless you want a clear one-to-one connection explicit in the text.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*nod* OK.

I will have a 'cast of characters' scene at the start of the story anyway, so that should help people figure out who's who.