Discussion When western authors attempt to write eastern fantasy-

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Mount Tai Unleashed, Oct 4, 2019.

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  1. Mount Tai Unleashed

    Mount Tai Unleashed This one has tai but can't see mount eyes

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    Xianxia, wuxia and xuanhuan, do you prefer it when they use chinese names? Or are you okay with foreign names?

    Personally I prefer they go for authenticity and use chinese names but that's just me.
     
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  2. I Ship anything cute

    I Ship anything cute [Chaos Twin :3] [Melo fanclub member]

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    I don't care what it is, as long as it's bl and cute~
     
  3. Deleted member 155674

    Deleted member 155674 Guest

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    I don't think I mind actually :hmm:
     
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  4. 0000000

    0000000 I B SMILING!

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    Dun give a shit as long as, a. Good Plot b. GOOD PLOT or c. Both.
     
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  5. Kaminomikan

    Kaminomikan 神のみ感

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    you have eyes but don't see mount tai OP
     
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  6. jinxs2011

    jinxs2011 [Rebel Against Normality][Writer of the Unusual]

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    Depends on setting. If it's depicted as an eastern setting, then they should probably go all the way and use eastern names. If it's depicted as a mix of cultures, the names should be of mixed origin. If it's cultivation but in western setting, western names are fine.
     
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  7. Frozen ink

    Frozen ink Legally had harem『Cathulu』Power of Love & Evil』

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    remembering names are hard enough so i dont care desu
     
  8. vancenick

    vancenick Well-Known Member

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    O god there is some terrible shit on kindle not naming names but there is at least 1 wuxia vrmmo litrpg book out there
     
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  9. Avrnea

    Avrnea Well-Known Member

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    Some dont all use chinese names u know~ for example spirit realm or lord of all realms use foreign names like froste or dawson and such~
     
  10. gheist1234

    gheist1234 |Path Finder| 『WuxiaWworld Vet.』|Beardy| |Zen|

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    Well as someone who tries to write eastern fantasy i try to mix them like in Desolate Era, some are chinese and some aren't, for example the name ji ning and the his disciple green bamboo
     
  11. Nightow1

    Nightow1 Well-Known Member

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    The problem with using Chinese names is that they then devolve to using only the family name. Then you start to lose track of which Wong or Shu is this. Is this the right Wong or the wrong Wong? And god help us when they start using only family titles like the 25th Grand Aunt or the 91st Great Grand Uncle.

    Have mercy on us English speakers, give them recognizable names!
     
  12. Geor

    Geor Well-Known Member

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    it's no different then when Asian writers try for a European background, in both cases it gets messed up anyway, so I say try for the least amount of errors
     
  13. tahzib1451

    tahzib1451 Title?is it food?

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    just name them MC, arrogant young master number, harem candidate number, old fossil number etc.....its easier that way....considering how 1D these chara r.....
     
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  14. yakuzapandaz

    yakuzapandaz Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't mind the idea as long as they keep the name consistent with other cast
    For example mc is called mark then the sister is call bing or something is something I wouldn't want to read
     
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  15. CyberCypher

    CyberCypher Air Breather

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    I would prefer if they used eastern names, its pretty jarring if the emperor was named Charles or John and the main character is named Arthur despite them using jutsu's and cultivation terms
     
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  16. DragonMage18

    DragonMage18 Outcast

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    as long as it's not chinese propoganda in the form of a story i don't realy care.
     
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  17. GotDied

    GotDied Just a friendly rotten hermit~

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    I wouldn't mind if western writers try to write xuanhuan, xianxia or wuxia, as long there's good plot, character development and consistent structure.

    I think it's a good change of pace.for us readers. Considering some lengthy chapters of typical Chinese novels that causes the story arcs to be repetitive and ideas that started to be like other similar genre.
     
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  18. Cutter Masterson

    Cutter Masterson Well-Known Super-Soldier

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    No. To tell you the truth. I prefer English and have the MC as Chinese/ Korean or Japanese. They stand out more and gives a great contrast. Also with so many Asian names that are spell so similarly I sometimes lose track who’s talking to who. One last think. When the fantasy world becomes loosely medieval. I expect more European names. It makes novel more authentic.
    At least that’s what I think.
     
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  19. lnv

    lnv ✪ Well-Known Hypocrite

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    I prefer western names cause then I can actually remember them.

    Anyone who says, but its eastern setting so you should go with Chinese names has no clue what they are talking about.

    If it is a HISTORICAL eastern setting, then sure. But if it is a FANTASY eastern setting, then who cares? It is fantasy, they can have 3 feet and 5 arms and still be called humans for all it matters.

    If one wants "authenticity" then they can just read/write it in Chinese. Because english language doesn't exist in an eastern setting, yet everyone is talking english!

    Though in a fantasy setting they may not even be talking either languages, it just the novel is written in english or whatever language, so you can call people "Person A", "Person B" as their names and that would still be valid because the novel is presented in english. It is not uncommon when people migrate to another country for their names to be changed to better reflect the language, so if real people have their names changed to reflect the language, why are novels somehow different?
     
  20. Kadmos1

    Kadmos1 Well-Known Member

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    There is equality right there with those mess-ups!