Bad Hound! Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (Apologies if that has been done before - please point me to the right directory if it has)I was just wondering whether we could compile a list of words that are "typical-GRRM". Some words are obviously only found in his books (like nuncle), but for others, I can't be sure any more. For example mayhaps? It's so obvious what it means, but now I am wondering: did GRRM invent it, or do we just happen to associate it with aSoIaF because we are so immersed in his books, but in fact it can be found elsewhere?There 's a few words or expressions like that for me, that I can't remember seeing anywhere else:- nuncle- mayhaps- breaking one's fast- moon blood- imp- flagon- host (to mean "army")- leal (don't know what that means, mayhaps some sort of lord who is subject to another lord?)- calling the banners- direwolfAny other?I love all these words by the way. I think it's cool that aSoIaF has its own style of speech. English is not my first language so I lack an extensive English culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callmedodge Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkie Baelish Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 "Flagon" is an old-fashioned type of pitcher for water. The word is familiar if you've played The Elder Scrolls. So is imp, which was supposed to be a small, ghoul-like creature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crown Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 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.It has different meanings, it can be used as army in: Stannis arrived with his host of a thousand men! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callmedodge Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 It has different meanings, it can be used as army in: Stannis arrived with his host of a thousand men!Yeah, I realised that later. It`s all cleared up now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Flashheart Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 A direwolf is actually a real thing. just long extinct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callmedodge Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 A direwolf is actually a real thing. just long extinct.So they were. The direwolves described in ASOIAF though are somewhat different. Both are larger than normal wolves, however in Martin`s world they`re larger again. In real life, dire wolves had shorter legs than a regular wolf whereas the direwolves in Westeros are described has having long, thin legs and longer necks.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_wolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastOfTheGiants Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 valonqar seems pretty grrm style Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Snow Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I think "privy" is funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tower of Joy Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Once in a Bran chapter in aCoK he used the word "treed".That one I've never seen before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Hound! Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 There's a couple more I've read since. I don't think GRRM invented them but he uses them often and it seems to me they now characterize his style:- mislike (wouldn't you normally say 'dislike' ?)- the use of 'like' as 'likely', as in "he's not like to storm the castle" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetyrPunkinhead Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 wargwightLove those two words.I think "privy" is funny.Tywin Lanister sure doesn't though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rain of Castamere Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Spoiler for AFFCin a chapter with samwell where hes on the ship GRRM writes that Samis greensick.Does he mean the actual greensickness? As im understanding it hes just seasick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhaleesiDany Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Once in a Bran chapter in aCoK he used the word "treed".That one I've never seen before. I read this word in the book "Where the Red Fern Grows." It's a story about a boy and his two hunting dogs. It means to force (someone, something) up a tree. It's what the dogs in the story do to raccoons.Moon Blood_- GRRM's way of saying it is a woman's "time of the month." The name comes from because girls' (menstrual) cycles follow the moon.OP You are right that some of these words are GRRM-isms, but many of them are old English words out of fashion. I think he uses them to give the dialogue a realistic feeling of how people at that time spoke. He just throws a few in for flair. If you went back in time (or tried reading "The Canterbury tales" :P) you would not be able to understand what people were saying. GRRM's language is still pretty modern. But Westeros is a different planet so he can do whatever he wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callmedodge Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Another GRRM-ism: turncloak. It`s a play on the actual word "turncoat". Turncloak sounds so much better to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_saxon Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 "Taking the Black". When I first heard that I pictured a thousand Johnny Cash's manning the wall. Ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerys Blackfyre Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 on the morrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebevan91 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 These books have changed the way I speak.Sometimes I say "on the morrow", "breaking my fast", "breeches", etc.Sometimes I even say "Seven hells" or "Gods!", instead of "God!", "Gosh!", etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyrica Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I just think GRRM has an incredible insight in the old English language. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tyrion I Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 :agree:I *love* Old English.But I think the words and phrases are also from the EME era (Early Modern English), the English Shakespeare wrote and spoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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