What's the Point of "Ser" Instead of "Sir"

[MadKingDavid]

I reckon. It's so apt that I just thought it was a real word, some obscure Catholic term for an altar or tabernacle or the like.

You gotta read Trainspotting, the whole thing's written like that. It's awesome:

“Society invents a spurious convoluted logic tae absorb and change people whae's behaviour is outside its mainstream. Suppose that ah ken aw the pros and cons, know that ah'm gaunnae huv a short life, am ah sound mind, ectetera, ectetera, but still want tae use smack? They won't let ye dae it. They won't let ye dae it, because it's seen as a sign ay thir ain failure. The fact that ye jist simply choose tae reject whut they huv tae offer. Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye've produced. Choose life. Well, ah choose no tae choose life. If the cunts cannae handle that, it's thair fuckin problem. As Harry Launder sais, ah jist intend tae keep right on to the end of the road...”

That made me laugh out loud for real!

No, "southron" is/was used in the southern US. It was used during the Civil War.

I never realized that. I mean I didn't know about the Scottish use of it for the English before I looked it up either, but I missed the use in the US. I've never heard anyone use it. I'll have to ask my best friend, who's from Georgia, if he's ever heard it used either.

In my mind it typically refers to the Haradrim, since Lord of the Rings is the only place I'd seen it used previously. :)

I'm still looking forward to Lard Lannister getting kelled in Keng's Landing.

[Torrhen Blackwood]

That made me laugh out loud for real!

I never realized that. I mean I didn't know about the Scottish use of it for the English before I looked it up either, but I missed the use in the US. I've never heard anyone use it. I'll have to ask my best friend, who's from Georgia, if he's ever heard it used either.

In my mind it typically refers to the Haradrim, since Lord of the Rings is the only place I'd seen it used previously. :)

I'm still looking forward to Lard Lannister getting kelled in Keng's Landing.

Yea. I've heard it in used this way: "Have you met such'n such. He's a good dude."- "Yea, he's allriighht (drawl) I guess. He ain't no real southron though, thats for damn sure."

[MadKingDavid]

Yea. I've heard it in used this way: "Have you met such'n such. He's a good dude."- "Yea, he's allriighht (drawl) I guess. He ain't no real southron though, thats for damn sure."

Ah, so it was a Southerner who used "southron?"

I did email my best friend to ask if he's heard it. He's actually, ironically, down in Georgia this week as he brought his kids to see his parents. Apparently the grandparents have decided that they want to see the kids every few months now and yet it's my best friend's responsibility to do the traveling. I don't think a real southron would do that no how. :P

[theriveryeti]

"South-ron" isn't used in Florida or Alabama, at least that I've ever heard...it's "south-errrn" with a great deal of emphasis on the 'r.'

[benalapin]

It's not quite the same as lard or keng (hilarious as your examples are), as messer is actually one historically valid way of translating the English 'sir'. Master to maester is a better comparison. A little continental touch which reinvents the word and the concept...

It IS a little exhausting though in some ways! In my day to day work I have reason to write about various knights (mainly 20th cent academics not mail clad warriors sadly), and it's all I can do to avoid tripping up...

You have to write about Knights? Do you keep the "white book" for a knightly order :o

OP: I actually love "Ser". I think it looks more robust than "Sir".

[The Kinkslayer]

Southrons, Northrons, Westrons, they all sound weird

[AryaNymeriaVisenya]

Same reason the English spell aluminum, color, and many other words wrong.

Frack off its our language, we make the rules! :P

Broadly speaking, Americans spell and pronounce English words the way that English people did in the 1600s. So, honor, color, etc. are the older forms.

Actually, the ou's are nothing to do with pronunciation. We don't say the 'u' the way we do in other words. The lack of 'u's was based on nationalist ideas when Webster got ahold of the language. He thought he needed to made an 'American' language, this of course was never going to catch on so in the end he just tried to simplify some of it. What he didn't get was that the letters like 'u' in colour or 'e' in offence or the 'e' in synthesise change the sound of the one previous. 'e's are usually used to soften the sound of the previous letter. But he changed the softened letter and kept the letter after.

Yet, for all that he never took out the silent K's 'Knight' or Welsh L's 'Llama or silent 'g's 'Gnome', He took the 'ou' out but kept 'rough' where the U performs as similar function. Surely that is Ruff or Roff to be simple?

I'm a firm believer in standardising the Oxford Dictionary across the English speaking world. Get rid of any sort of agenda common to one nation and alien to another. America's desire for difference shouldn't impact the use of the language in South Africa or Jamaica or Australia.

[MadKingDavid]

"South-ron" isn't used in Florida or Alabama, at least that I've ever heard...it's "south-errrn" with a great deal of emphasis on the 'r.'

I heard back from my best friend and he'd never heard of anyone ins Georgia using "Southron" to refer to Southerners either.

[Sir Lee knot]

I don't know why. I find the useless changes of words and names annoying.

Like all the Valyrion names are annoying as they get. Aegon, Daenerys, Viserys, Rhaegal, etc... It just makes it harder to pronounce and spell out. I know it's flashy but geese, it's not necessary.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

I quite like it actually. It makes it seem more exotic, yet without any confusion as they're pronounced the same.

[ckal]

Is this honestly a real question?

[Lady Fevre Dream]

I thought of this thread last night while watching BBC in America's Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan. He was in Australia to film a show searching for the box jellyfish, and as usual, he likes to give a bit of a tour of the country he's visiting, the local food markets and such.

Well, he came across some fruit and happened to mention that in America it is called by a totally different name and then he said something to the effect: I won't even get into the aluminum..........al u min i um thing, LOL :o :D :P

I couldn't help but think of this. And, this gives me a good opportunity to actually catch up on this thread. Dom had another word that the countries differ over, too, along with the fruit. I must rewatch to refresh my memory. ;)

[Belisarius09]

latin derived spellings.

Aka differences between american and british spelling.

ie

color : colour

labor :labour

center: centre

theater: theatre

offense: offence

sizable: sizeable

etc.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

Oh, do you have one of those. What's it like? :D

I'd say we say it in Standard American English as "uh-LOO-mi-num.

Yeah, every once in awhile, I do get around to living a life, instead of reading about others, LOL Once in awhile.

I really did enjoy the thread, and I have to say, not only do we pronounce aluminum the same, it seems, but I've come to prefer 'Ser' to 'Sir.' I wouldn't be surprised if one day I find myself wondering why the word 'Sir' is spelled wrong in a different book. I do think 'Ser' is one of the better touches by GRRM with his readjusted spellings. Maybe one day it'll make it to an edition of that dictionary of yours.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

I used to have a boss from England and the first time she said "aluminum" and "schedule" I had no idea what she was talking about. :dunno:

As time has gone on, I've learned to really enjoy the way different English speakers from around the globe all speak English. :thumbsup:

As the French say* "Via La Difference!" Plus, I've enjoyed GRRM's plays on words, it's his world after all.

ETA: Also, the variances in spelling on the boards can clue one into where a poster might be from. I like that. :cheers:

*_{or as we Americans say the French say, anyway.}

Oooooooooh, the Britished up 'ssshedule' is one of my favorites. I always have to remember that Canadians seem to do the 'our' thing as opposed to the 'or' on the end of words, but I agree, it's a nice way to try and figure out where people are from. :cheers:

[Lady Fevre Dream]

You have to write about Knights? Do you keep the "white book" for a knightly order :o

OP: I actually love "Ser". I think it looks more robust than "Sir".

It actually just does look better than 'Sir.' I think you've said it well, there does seem to be something more robust and substantial about 'Ser.'

[TepidHands]

The word "tuition" means something totally different in the US and the UK; I know that because I had to convince my British mates that I wasn't misusing it in US terms.

edited because punctuation counts.

[Lady Fevre Dream]

The word "tuition" means something totally different in the US and the UK; I know that because I had to convince my British mates that I wasn't misusing it in US terms.

edited because punctuation counts.

LOL, now I'm curious. Google here I come? I'm guessing it has nothing to do with paying for college courses.

[Brandon the Wise]

Same reason the English spell aluminum, color, and many other words wrong.

Americans basically took the English language, changed certain words and branded it their own. At least we understand what a Philosopher is :lol:

I just assumed he chose to use Ser over Sir since a lot of his knights don't stick to their oaths and didn't want to offend people :)

[Ser Not Appearing]

So what's the point of using "ser" instead of "sir?" We all know what it means, so why not use the original? I mean he doesn't use "keng" instead of "king" or "lard" instead of "lord."

"Look, it's Lard Lannister coming to save King's Landing!" :lmao:

Why do Americans spell it color instead of colour?

(Because we won the war, that's why!)