Modern Language in Fantasy?

[Skar]

I have found that most people who say it doesn't fit the story simply don't want to hear the F-word in their heads and use its supposed anachronism as a convenient reason that doesn't imply that they're prudes.

I personally have nothing against prudes and think that more of them should own up and be proud of their prudishness.  The world needs more prudes and more people who will stand up and be counted for their beliefs.  Two for the price of one on this issue.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

I for one prefer reading books that don't have a lot of profanity because I don't like to hear a lot of profanity.

[Silk]

Actually, they're not always prudes. Some of my classmates, in a recent workshop, objected to the F-word in my fantasy work for the same or similar reasons. They're totally not people who would hesitate to use the F-word in their own works.

[maxonennis]

I for one prefer reading books that don't have a lot of profanity.

It depends on the work for me. In the Harry Dresden novels the author is so inconsistent with cussing that there isn’t a real feel for if it fits or not. In some novels he uses the F word a number of times, in others he won't write any.

[Pink Bunkadoo]

Otherwise you could do a morphological analysis. Anatopism is to anachronism as topology is to chronology.

It's in the wrong place?  It's the wrong shape?

[Shaggy]

Umm…PB? Isn't he your brother? Can't you just, like…ask him?

[Peter Ahlstrom]

She just did ask me, right in the post before yours. We live 1121 miles apart, you know.

Yes, in the wrong place.

[sortitus]

~금강산도 식후경~

Wait, you know Korean?

I'm a little unfamiliar with the f-word's history, but it has something to do with ice cream cake, right?

[Shaggy]

Oh…I was thinking like using a phone…but whatever.

Well that's random. Thanks.

[Dangerbutton]

I've always liked it when author's take the time to come up with words and phrases unique to their setting. Brandon Sanderson I think does a good job with this. Lord Ruler! Shattered Glass! Merciful Domi!
I even noticed in the Harry Potter books that they'll use "Merlin's Beard" as an expletive.
I just tend to find it more interesting when an author does that. I agree that, in some cases, using modern terms is not a big deal, but I would much prefer to see how creative an author can get in developing his world enough to give us some bits of their common phrases and slang.

[Shaggy]

I ditto what Dangerbutton said. Aside from being more interesting, it also makes the books more appropriate for younger people…not that that would be a problem for most of you. 

[Pink Bunkadoo]

We live 1121 miles apart, you know.

That's... alarmingly specific.

Wait, you know Korean?

보시다시피.     (Actually I have "금강산도 식후경" in vinyl wall words over my kitchen window.)

[sortitus]

보시다시피.     (Actually I have "금강산도 식후경" in vinyl wall words over my kitchen window.)

My brother that I live with is fluent in Korean, so I know just a tiny bit. Most of what I know is from Korean popular music so I can sing along . I can't read at all, but I'm trying to learn to read and speak better. Some day I would like to live in Korea for a few months and see how I like it. Who knows, maybe it will replace my plans for living in Switzerland.

I've always liked it when author's take the time to come up with words and phrases unique to their setting. Brandon Sanderson I think does a good job with this. Lord Ruler! Shattered Glass! Merciful Domi!
I even noticed in the Harry Potter books that they'll use "Merlin's Beard" as an expletive.
I just tend to find it more interesting when an author does that. I agree that, in some cases, using modern terms is not a big deal, but I would much prefer to see how creative an author can get in developing his world enough to give us some bits of their common phrases and slang.

Seconded all around. One exception: "Lord Ruler" sounded a little strange to me (I don't think people would curse using a living person's name...). I'd have expected something more like "Lost Gods". "Merlin's Beard" was an awesome expletive in Harry Potter. "Mothers Milk" from WoT was particularly entertaining as well, though possibly because it's used almost exclusively by Brigitte (and Elayne when she's going through her potty mouth stage).

Recommended viewing: Potter Puppet Pals in "Wizard Swears"

[Silk]

Does Elayne ever leave her potty-mouth stage?

Sanderson's "Lord Ruler" was actually one of the made-up expletives I didn't have a problem with. I'm not talking about Sanderson's work in particular here, but often the made-up expletives kind of bug me; I think it's just a bit hard to come up with something that doesn't sound lame. The reason "Lord Ruler" worked for me as an expletive is that it really goes to show just how the people of the Mistborn world regard the Lord Ruler; not just a king, but a god.

While it's always nice to see aspects of an imagined world's culture shown off in whatever aspects you can manage it, swearing included, there's only so much world-building that I'm willing to sit through for the sake of a swear word. Basically I'll let an author get away with made up swearwords if they have some context that isn't just there for context's sake.

Books that mix real curse words with invented ones end up making their invented swear words look kind of weird.

[maxonennis]

Does Elayne ever leave her potty-mouth stage?

Sanderson's "Lord Ruler" was actually one of the made-up expletives I didn't have a problem with. I'm not talking about Sanderson's work in particular here, but often the made-up expletives kind of bug me; I think it's just a bit hard to come up with something that doesn't sound lame. The reason "Lord Ruler" worked for me as an expletive is that it really goes to show just how the people of the Mistborn world regard the Lord Ruler; not just a king, but a god. 

I agree. About ninty persent of the made up swears just make me roll my eyes. Also, "Lord Ruler" was actually one of the ones I liked the least. It felt so corny. But Sanderson countered that by using a d@#$ every once in awhile.