Jump to content

The 'Ur' prefix


Tuldrac
 Share

Recommended Posts

Ur, from what I have seen, means original.

 

Now, while this might make sense in creations such as Ur-Glaahks, as I assume, their strength went side by side with their roguish behaviour, however it irks me in creations such as Ur-Drakons, as they are stronger than Drakons and yet both of them are rogues by nature.

What makes Drakons better than Ur-Drakons?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ur, from what I've been thinking about, is "Ultra". It might be ultra, but I'm sure it isn't.

--

If you think that "Ur" means original, why did the Shapers bother to modify the Ur-Glaahks to a weaker version?

----------

As Trenton said, Ur-Drakons are obviously, powerful. Striking enemies with a few missiles at one turn...

----------

-Ur, Nightwatcher

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally Posted By: Rehctawthgin's ÜberCharge

If you think that "Ur" means original, why did the Shapers bother to modify the Ur-Glaahks to a weaker version?


Well, my suggestion was that the original version had a higher tendancy to go rogue.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the languages having their roots in old Germanic, ur means "very old" or "what came first". So if Jeff ment the Germanic meaning of the prefix it matches the general fantasy-ish rules of the oldest dragons being the strongest. I don't know if that makes sense in this setting, or with drakes/drakons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right. It means original, but often with a sense of being the most potent or most important example of a category. The ur-thing is the thing that everything else imitates. In that sense the meaning can shift to being the most potent, and then we get ur-creations.

 

—Alorael, who wonders how much influence the Ur-Lord Thomas Covenant has influenced the spread of the prefix. He'd guess the impact is substantial.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that sense is secondary. Ur just means the original version of something. Naturally, the original version of something is very likely to have descendants, modifcations or imitators. But just because something is imitated does not make it an urthing; it has to be the original version within its category of thing.

 

For example, "urlanguage" refers to a (possibly imaginary) "first language" from which all other human languages descend. I could not call Latin an urlanguage even though a number of other languages descend from it.

 

If there's any confusion, I'd bet it results from people conflating "ur-" with "uber-".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally Posted By: Me
If you think that "Ur" means original, why did the Shapers bother to modify the Ur-Glaahks to a weaker version?


Originally Posted By: Tuldrac
Well, my suggestion was that the original version had a higher tendancy to go rogue.

---------
Well, you guys win. My theory was completely wrong. And eventually, this will lead to history...
---------
-You win, Nightwatcher
Link to comment
Share on other sites

isn't it possible that the original versions of certain creations were stronger,

 

but for various reasons they toned down the power of the creation, for whatever reason(maybe so they'd be less dangerous as rogues, maybe to make them easier to control or a trade-off of some kind like decreasing raw power to increase their magical abilities or their defense or intelligence)

 

and when you make the ur- version you're making the more powerful original, but since you'll likely be stronger when you can make an ur-glaahk than when you can make a regular glaahk, it can be presumed that you're making the ur- version because at the time you acquire the ability you are strong/wise/powerful/skilled enough to handle it,

 

or it could be a "desperate times calls for desperate messures" scenario and you're using it despite the risks because you have to.

 

maybe ur- represents the wild undomesticated version of the creature and the regular is easier to control and docile(for example, it's safer and more reliable to have a dog, but if you raise it from birth and know what you're doing you could have a pet wolf) and when you create ur- it's the equivalent of an exotic pet, and you have to hope it won't decide to tear your face off or something, a worry that wouldn't be present with regular glaahks or drakons

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally Posted By: devilkingx
you have to hope it won't decide to tear your face off or something, a worry that wouldn't be present with regular glaahks or drakons

I willl give you a glaahk but even a normal Drakon is quite likely to tear your face.
Also i believe that at some point the game mentions that Ur-Drakons are modified Drakons and hence again while you might be right in case of a Glaahk the theory doesn't hold for Drakons.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...