: Would using Real alphabets on fantasy maps/emblems make any sense? I'm trying to make flags for all my fictional countries. On some of these flags, it makes a great deal of sense to use a

I'm trying to make flags for all my fictional countries. On some of these flags, it makes a great deal of sense to use a crest, similar to the real flags of Andorra and Spain. A lot of these crests use words as an integral part of the crest.

I would like to make crests like these, but I realized that (considering it was a fantasy world) it makes no sense to use the latin alphabet, or any real alphabet for that matter. I was wondering; would using the Latin alphabet to write a message (written in a fictional language) make any sense at all?

I have no plans to start constructing an alphabet. It would be a considerable amount of work for a very small issue and the story and world-building doesn't rely on it at all.

In a fantasy world, there's no good reason that the characters would end up similar, but it seems like a waste of time to create an entire alphabet just for the use of crests on flags. I'm wondering how to proceed.

So I was wondering if it makes any sense to use a real alphabet. The language would be fictional, as that is fairly easy (throw a few syllables together) but the alphabet would be latin, which realistically makes no sense for a completely removed setting. Does it make sense to use real alphabets for fantasy languages on map or emblems?

Load Full (2)

: Character Accents When writing dialogue how should one tackle accents? Changing the spelling for certain words (V for W in German) is effective but may come off a little cheesy. Then again, not

@Murray165

Load Full 1 Comments

: How do I go from 300 unfinished/half written blog posts, to published posts? Goal: To publish a blogpost 2 times/month (from once in 4 months) Currently: 300 blog posts in drafts/unfinished.

@Murray165

Load Full 6 Comments

: Do I need to start off my book by describing the character's "normal world"? I know a lot of books do it (Harry Potter, LOTR, Wheel of Time). It's even part of the "Hero's Journey". However,

@Murray165

Load Full 9 Comments

: Is this kind of description not recommended? I think I read somewhere that when writing, you shouldn't describe characters by their characteristics i.e. The tall man walked across the room

@Murray165

Load Full 3 Comments

Login to post a comment!

2 Comments

Sorted by latest first Latest Oldest Best

@Eichhorn147

You use an alphabet that the readers can read for the same reason you don't have all dialog in foreign languages. It just gets in the way of telling the story.

There is an assumed translation for the reader.

Anything else just transforms the work from a story into a written puzzle for those handful of people who enjoy that sort of thing.

Load Full (0)

@Heady158

Using a different alphabet has huge problems. (I've tried it and it kept being a nightmare, particularly when I wanted to publish what I had written.)

In the same way that characters who can't speak English because England doesn't exist use it (take for example, The Lord of the Rings), using the Latin alphabet isn't a problem for making up mottos and the like. Readers accept it unconsciously.

However, consider not using a fictional language at all. Readers are more likely to respond to 'All Things in Their Time' than 'bls thslsida hikp dems laogas' (which translates as 'All Things in Their Time').

Load Full (0)

Feed

: Would using Real alphabets on fantasy maps/emblems make any sense? I'm trying to make flags for all my fictional countries. On some of these flags, it makes a great deal of sense to use a

More posts by @Murray165

: Character Accents When writing dialogue how should one tackle accents? Changing the spelling for certain words (V for W in German) is effective but may come off a little cheesy. Then again, not

: How do I go from 300 unfinished/half written blog posts, to published posts? Goal: To publish a blogpost 2 times/month (from once in 4 months) Currently: 300 blog posts in drafts/unfinished.

: Do I need to start off my book by describing the character's "normal world"? I know a lot of books do it (Harry Potter, LOTR, Wheel of Time). It's even part of the "Hero's Journey". However,

: Is this kind of description not recommended? I think I read somewhere that when writing, you shouldn't describe characters by their characteristics i.e. The tall man walked across the room

Login to post a comment!

2 Comments

Back to top