Ineffable Wingbolt Upon Mars. Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Does anyone know the exact etymology of the names Danette, Corata and Defniel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Goldengirl Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Let me preface this by saying this is utterly speculation; short of asking Jeff himself, there's no real way of knowing. That said, I believe Jeff just made them up. Since Geneforge was originally meant to be sci-fi, it's possible that he tried to come up with alien-sounding names that are familiar, but just different enough from real names. 'Defniel' and 'Daniel' for instance. There is a story about how the provinces of Valorim in X3 are named after ex-girlfriends Jeff has had. And other people, towns, etc. have been named after things from the real world. I doubt that's the case here, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt BMA Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Lord Rahul and Lady Anjali in G3 have their origin in ancient Sanskrit. These names are quite common in India. The former happens to be the name of my father, though without the 'Lord' part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Jeff probably made up Danette, Corata, and Defniel. Although Jeff borrows a huge number of his minor character names from other sources, usually in groups, he has not done so with major character names (exception: his first game, Exile 1). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Upon Mars. Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Originally Posted By: Goldenking Let me preface this by saying this is utterly speculation; short of asking Jeff himself, there's no real way of knowing. That said, I believe Jeff just made them up. Since Geneforge was originally meant to be sci-fi, it's possible that he tried to come up with alien-sounding names that are familiar, but just different enough from real names. 'Defniel' and 'Daniel' for instance. There is a story about how the provinces of Valorim in X3 are named after ex-girlfriends Jeff has had. And other people, towns, etc. have been named after things from the real world. I doubt that's the case here, though. *Spoiler* I had thought about that, but several names used in the game made actually sense: it may that Jeff used/made up names to illustrate his story but he did it in a very careful way: the name Masha for example means star of the sea which makes sense in a way since it describes a magician Sholai, Goettsch is a derivative form of Gottfreid which means "peacefull ruler" (an ironic way to name a man who's means to reach total power is total war), or the name Vandrick, the person behind the letter that can be found at the docks means "of the people" which enables us to understand/enrich the dilemma that the Geneforge pose in a political sense. Even the name Heustess, named after Brent Heustess seems to be used: Brent or Brennt means to burn, and the creature in the game if I recall correctly burns your skin if you do not pay up. Although the meaning of Heustess is unclear it might be a derivative of Eustache hence the theme of justice which seems to shroud the character: he fought against the first shapers, he demands payment for having secured the sentinels with the blood of his people and exacts retribution from Gottesch because the latter propbaly pushed him out from the greater temple etc... As for the eymology of the names I found two things about Corata and Danette: Danette is a form of the English, Czech, German, Polish, Romanian, and Slavic named after the deity Dana or Dane meaning generosity/wisdom. It may be related to the name Daniel, or God has judged. Corata is an latin word, which in Italian means to pluck/strip bare. As for Defniel is real hard nut. I might just settle with your definition after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Goldengirl Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Originally Posted By: Upon Mars. I might just settle with your definition after all. As I said, it's all speculation. Fortunately, neither of us can be proven right. And, even if Jeff for some reason decided to intervene in this thread to set the record straight, even he couldn't be said to be authoritatively right. Death of the developer, and all that, you know. Personally, I find your etymologies a little too contrived to think they were put in there intentionally. However, if they add another level of richness and meaning to Geneforge for you, who am I to say you can't read that into the text? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Little Fyora Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Instead of making everything up, SS might consider putting in the names of their board's top posters into their games. Dikiyoba could be the head of a clan of rebel fyoras. And Tyranicus could be a big dinosuar-like thing which resides in the House of S. Besides cementing the loyalty of its present fan base, it'll increase the fun-level and will put new help-seekers (coming to the boards) more at ease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 And we thought the constant clamor of "please, Dikiyoba, put me in the script!" was bad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Whatever happened to the Spiderweb member BoA scenario? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk nikki. Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Which one? Nemesis released one with a handful of members present in it. Project Spiderweb, on the other hand, remains surprisingly unfinished, considering it was one of my works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk The Reincarnated Baron von Steuben Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Originally Posted By: BMA Lord Rahul and Lady Anjali in G3 have their origin in ancient Sanskrit. These names are quite common in India. Shanti and Alwan are also some Indian names I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Upon Mars. Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 Shanti means "quiet, peace, tranquility" in Sanskrit. Alwan is germanic for "good friend" (http://www.behindthename.com/name/alwin). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk The Reincarnated Baron von Steuben Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Germanic? I never would have guessed that! Thanks Upon Mars. Are there other german terms in Geneforge (besides the ur prefix)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Dikiyoba Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Originally Posted By: Upon Mars Alwan is germanic for "good friend" Well, that's ironic, given the faction(s) Dikiyoba almost always joins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Upon Mars. Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Originally Posted By: Babster30 Germanic? I never would have guessed that! Thanks Upon Mars. Are there other german terms in Geneforge (besides the ur prefix)? Well perhaps Vandrik. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk The Reincarnated Baron von Steuben Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Just did some research: Sucia = Dirty (Spanish) Corata = Pluck (Italian) Amena = Entertaining (Spanish) *According to Google Translate* I'm not sure if Spidweb really meant to put these terms in or just by chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Upon Mars. Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 Sucia isle is an actual place: it's in the states. And as for whether or not Jeff chose to give an other dimension to these names, I personally believe that yes, but to both goldenking and me, that's only a unverifiable point of view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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