That Demon Monkey Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Was "nuncle" ever a real word? I hate that word SOOOO much that whenever I read it I almost forget to flex my sword hand and want to tear my boiled leather off my back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annara Snow Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Was "nuncle" ever a real word? I hate that word SOOOO much that whenever I read it I almost forget to flex my sword hand and want to tear my boiled leather off my back. Yes, it's found in Shakespeare. It's an amalgam of "mine uncle". The only two words I would think are of GRRM's creation are: Ser and MaesterRobert Jordan uses master when describing a scribe or one with expertise in alchemy. Isn't "Ser" just "Sir" spelled differently? Like "teats" = tits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaHaZe Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 Can anyone please explain what exactly a "holdfast" is in the context of the books? Couldn't find an appropriate meaning for this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lummel Posted November 10, 2013 Share Posted November 10, 2013 Can anyone please explain what exactly a "holdfast" is in the context of the books? Couldn't find an appropriate meaning for this one... Holdfast is a term invented by GRRM to describe the stronghold, or fortified home of a noble. Something bigger and more extensive than a simple Towerhouse but smaller than a castle. It is reminiscent of the real world term Fastness for a stronghold, a realworld holdfast is a device to fasten things securely so it suggests a building that cements somebodies hold on the land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaHaZe Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Holdfast is a term invented by GRRM to describe the stronghold, or fortified home of a noble. Something bigger and more extensive than a simple Towerhouse but smaller than a castle. It is reminiscent of the real world term Fastness for a stronghold, a realworld holdfast is a device to fasten things securely so it suggests a building that cements somebodies hold on the land. Ah, I see. Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theJoker501 Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 What about Mummer(s)? Mummer's farceBloody Mummers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lummel Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 What about Mummers? A mummer was something along the lines of an actor in the middle ages. A Mummer's farce then is a play, comedy, or silly playacting. Bloody Mummers has a double meaning since in context they are a mismatched band of mercenaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Lyman Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 "Taking the Black". When I first heard that I pictured a thousand Johnny Cash's manning the wall. Ya. As soon as I read this, I pictured Johnny Cash standing on the walling singing "I've Been Everywhere Man" with places of Westeros substituted in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliemental Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 These are all old English words that are no longer in common use. For instance, leal means to be faithful or loyal. So when you see "leal lords" it means lords who are loyal to a higher lord or king.Also, "breaking one`s fast" was the original term for breakfast.The only one on that list that is unique to ASOIAF is direwolf and possibly moon blood.Oh, and host doesn`t mean army. A host is a person who welcomes another into his or her home and provides them with food, drink, a bed etc. Basically, this. But breaking one's fast often occured much later in the day. It's not "Old" English, which is a totally different language to the one we use today (Shakespeare is not "Old" English, either - it really is another language). It's just old fashioned, archaic terms that existed and have fallen away in the intervening centuries. You can pick it up from looking at any online documents in the archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpringKing Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 The only one on that list that is unique to ASOIAF is direwolf and possibly moon blood. Dire wolves were real-world animals, now extinct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyNeedle Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I liked the word "lickspittle" :drunk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choy Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I kept noticing in the first 2 books POVs saying or thinking "Would that I could." It's not a complicated phrase, but seen it dominantly only in this series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crowzeye Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 "If he was a day" what does it mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidrun Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Despite knowing next to nothing about husbandry, he does get some horse terms correct Palfrey- A smallish horse with smooth gaits, more comfortable for long distance riding than the latter two. Similar to Paso Finos, Icelandics and Fox Trotters. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palfrey Garron- Colloquial term for a Scottish Highland pony. Bordering on horse size, it makes sense that if GRRM patterns the North on northern England, that the local equines would resemble Highlands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garron Destrier- Traditional warhorse or charger. Usually large but not heavy. In no way resembles a Clydesdale as Clydes weren't developed until the 1700s, even then as an AGRICULTURAL breed, not for war. Closest modern equivalents are Andalusians, Lusitanos, Friesians and some heavier strains of American Saddlebreds. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destrier *"Would" is an holdover from the subjunctive tense which is rarely used properly in English any more, although it is still used in the Romance languages (Spanish, French, Italian, etc...) "Would that ..." is the closest modern approximation to it. Again, most casual speakers of English do not use it. "Moon Blood" is used by a number of authors to indicate menstruation, esp. those who write in historical fiction or fantasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Rose Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I nearly used the word "mislike" instead of "dislike" in real life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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