Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Content

Working on the cultivation novel. I'll post chapter 2 soon since I'm quite far ahead by now of that (just finishing chapter 5). One thing I need to fix is naming.

So. Chinese naming is (technically) relatively simple to start.

You have (traditionally) 3 names - Family Generation Private in that order. So for example, our hero is Long Wu Ying. 

Except I've been writing it as Wuying. Now, I was taught to use generation names as a portion (so, Wu Ying) instead of combined, but it seems that 'traditionally' it was combined together. Of course, there's also etiquette on who can/cannot use your personal name (generally, elders & wife).

However, as some as you might have noted, a lot of characters have only two names (Family & Private). That's due to modernisation, with many generation names removed. However, considering the time period I'm writing, I need to go back and fix it.

So, my major issues is:

- getting middle names

- making sure they make sense

- adding them into the novel

- and deciding how to write them (combined or separete). 

On that last question, as non-Chinese (mostly) readers, would seperating them make more sense for you? Since at some point, I expect I'll need to have Wuying be spoken to as 'Ah Ying' as a term of endearment and the like. So, which is easier?

Comments

Spencer Jefferson

Personally I think that separating would make it easier on tou in the long run, and would add more flexibility in how some people address each other.

Cameron C

Question: how hard is it to edit this after you’ve written it? I ask only because if it is something your normal editors wouldn’t know to look for, you may want to take the easiest method for them to look for during the editing process. Either way is fine with me, just getting the consistency may be difficult if your editors won’t be aware of the differences

Han Pol

Well not sure how important that is, I mean you write in english i would not have known if 3 or two names were the right or wrong thing. And only because a book a fantasy book is playing in the middle ages I don't expect all the names to be the ones commonly in use in mediäval times. I mean how often have you seen a Brunhilda or Gerfriedo or names like that in books who play at being a fantasy version of continental medival europa. So I would go with the 2 name theme.

Tao Wong

Yeah, I personally dislike the 2 name theme, so I doubt I'd ever go with that. Finding / going with 3 names is easy enough to do, so I'll probably go with that.

Tao Wong

Welp, it sounds like everyone agrees with the seperation which is my personal favorite. So I'll just having to go in and edit stuff soon. Heee. It amuses me learning all this and reading the current webnovels - and realising most Chinese web novels aren't written that way. As for my Editors, well... Cassie is actually one of the editors and has access to this. But I'll make sure to put a note on the file to explain it.