A question for our Germans

Mythmere · Post by **Mythmere** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:40 am

I am thinking of naming a city in my campaign Retzenburg. Does this sound ridiculous to a German speaker, or is it a decent name?

Addendum: what are some German translations of "Wild Coast?"

Another addendum: what would be the names for a territory ruled by a herzog or a graf. A baron rules a barony, a king rules a kingdom, what are the names for the territories corresponding to the herzog and graf?

Glgnfz · Post by **Glgnfz** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:19 pm

wow!!!! tough questions...

"Retzenburg" as a name for a city is absolutely okay! though "retzen" sounds awfully german it hasn't got a meaning. "burg", of course, is "castle".

"Wild Coast" would be:
wild coast = Wilde Küste
rough coast = Rauhe Küste
windy coast = Windige Küste or Windküste
dark coast = Dunkle Küste or Dunkelküste

... but they all don't sound too nice.

aterritory ruled bb a "Herzog" is "Herzogtum"
a territory ruled by a "Graf" is a "Grafschaft".

Mythmere · Post by **Mythmere** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:23 pm

Thanks!

JCBoney · Post by **JCBoney** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:33 pm

"Windkuste" sounds cool.

Glgnfz · Post by **Glgnfz** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:43 pm

the problem with "wild coast" is that you can't make one word out of "Wilde Küste" - "Wildküste" doesn't exist.

... don't ask me why it works with "Wind" and not with "Wild", but you would never say "Wildküste" although it sounds pretty cool, too!

TRP · Post by **TRP** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:44 pm

Glgnfz wrote:the problem with "wild coast" is that you can't make one word out of "Wilde Küste" - "Wildküste" doesn't exist.

... don't ask me why it works with "Wind" and not with "Wild", but you would never say "Wildküste" although it sounds pretty cool, too!

As I reckon back to my school days' German classes, I seem to remember that, as in English, some things in German are the way they are, just cause it's the way they are. No reason(s) in particular.

TRP · Post by **TRP** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:20 pm

Just a few more for the mix.

shadow coast: Schattenküste
coast of death: Küste des Todes
fierce coast: Heftige Küste
brute coast: Rohe Küste
hellish coast: Höllische Küste
sinister coast: Finstere Küste
chaos coast: Chaotische Küste
coast of chaos: Küste von Chaos

These should definitely be checked by a true German speaker. Me? I can read German, sort of, but am fluent in Babel Fish.

dcs · Post by **dcs** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:10 pm

I would think that if the words in question were used for a placename that eventually they would become one word.

I know that the standard transliteration for an 'o' with an umlaut ('ö') is 'oe' ('œ') -- does the same hold true for 'ü' ('ue')?

Glgnfz · Post by **Glgnfz** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:48 pm

yepp!

ö = oe
ä = ae
ü = ue

Glgnfz · Post by **Glgnfz** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:52 pm

TheRedPriest wrote:Just a few more for the mix.

shadow coast: Schattenküste
coast of death: Küste des Todes
fierce coast: Heftige Küste
brute coast: Rohe Küste
hellish coast: Höllische Küste
sinister coast: Finstere Küste
chaos coast: Chaotische Küste
coast of chaos: Küste von Chaos

you did a great job at "babelifishing"!

Schattenküste, Küste des Todes, Höllische Küste, Finstere Küste, Chaotische Küste are ok.

but coast of chaos would be "Küste des Chaos" or just "Chaosküste" - a nicer translation for fierce coast would be "Grimmige Küste".

Le Noir Faineant · Post by **Le Noir Faineant** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:08 am

Herewith, this text has been officially German approved.

Glgnfz · Post by **Glgnfz** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:40 am

we need to have a "brand of approval"!

Le Noir Faineant · Post by **Le Noir Faineant** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:46 am

Be assured that we have:

Le Noir Faineant · Post by **Le Noir Faineant** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 3:48 am

Uh... That pictures scares even me...

Glgnfz · Post by **Glgnfz** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:04 am

oh no! "prinz poldi"! he's so damn stupid! but i guess a brain is not very helpful when you want to score goals - it's more the instinct kind of thing.