What is it with the weird names in the ME universe? The planets, the aliens......weird! Why do the turians always take after Roman-like names? Is it supposed to be a hint that Rome, the militant super-power had been influenced by the turians or something? Or where the turians streaming "Spartacus" and liked it so much?
What's in a name?
Débuté par
Remix-General Aetius
, déc. 27 2013 05:14
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#3
Posté 27 décembre 2013 - 07:28
Han Shot First
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TheGarden2010 wrote...
What is it with the weird names in the ME universe? The planets, the aliens......weird!
Some of the stars and planets seem to have 'alien' names, but many others are named after famous astronauts, cosmonauts, or scientists who either played a role in space exploration or have helped expand our knowledge of the universe. Bekenstein is named after Jacob Bekenstein, the Armstrong Nebula is named after Neil Armstrong, Gagarian Station (and the star Gagarin) are named after Yuri Gagarin, the star Newton is named after Isaac Newton, Lowell City (capital of Mars in the MEU) is named after Percival Lowell, ect, ect.
The celestial objects named after real world scientists, astronauts, and cosmonauts aren't weird...they are entirely appropriate!
TheGarden2010 wrote...
Why do the turians always take after Roman-like names? Is it supposed to be a hint that Rome, the militant super-power had been influenced by the turians or something? Or where the turians streaming "Spartacus" and liked it so much?
The authors very loosely based the Turians on ancient Rome. Even the species name is derived from a word associated with ancient Rome...Centurian.
They aren't the only species in the series that was partly inspired by human history. The Asari are very loosely based on the ancient Greeks. The ancient Greeks for example also believed that a woman had three stages of life (maiden, mother, crone), and the Asari direct democracy is loosely based on the government of ancient Athens. Thessia is also divided into city-states much like ancient Greece. Armali and Serrice (the two most prominent city-states of Thessia) also share the same first letters as Athens and Sparta, though I'm not sure whether that was intentional or a coincidence.
Modifié par Han Shot First, 27 décembre 2013 - 07:35 .
#4
Posté 27 décembre 2013 - 03:36
Invisible Man
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one thing I do find odd. a lot of stellar names do seem to stem from human history, though you'd think maybe the turians or asari would have been in a position to name them first, seeing how they've been spacefaring folk far longer then humanity.
#5
Posté 27 décembre 2013 - 06:14
Han Shot First
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Invisible Man wrote...
one thing I do find odd. a lot of stellar names do seem to stem from human history, though you'd think maybe the turians or asari would have been in a position to name them first, seeing how they've been spacefaring folk far longer then humanity.
The stars and planets with names from human history might have originally been classified by one or more alien species, and the Alliance just renamed them. That sort of thing was common in human history at least. For example before New York was a British colony named New York, it belonged to the Dutch and was known as New Amsterdam. Prior to the arrival of the Dutch, I'm sure the natives had a name for the region in their own language. It is possible that a lot of stars and planets were renamed once the Council recognized them as belonging to the Alliance.
It is also possible that the regions settled and exploited by the Alliance were not well explored by other species, just because the Milky Way galaxy is so incredibly vast. It takes light about 120,000 years to traverse the galaxy, and it may contain as many as 400 billion stars, most of which are likely to have orbiting planets. The writers also seem to have taken the vastness of our galaxy into account when writing the lore as well, as one of the codex entries notes that the current civilizations of the MEU have only explored about 1% of it.
Modifié par Han Shot First, 27 décembre 2013 - 06:15 .
#6
Posté 27 décembre 2013 - 07:25
Invisible Man
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@ Han
I just started reflecting on those thoughts right after I posted that comment. strange huh?
I just started reflecting on those thoughts right after I posted that comment. strange huh?
#7
Posté 28 décembre 2013 - 03:27
Remix-General Aetius
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Han, 5 stars for excellent deduction, to be honest I didn't expect anyone to make any real effort since this place is pretty much dead. I have to admit I kinda wondered afterwards why I created the thread with THIS particular topic in mind, then it occured to me.
I want to visit more true alien-looking worlds. Too many planets look like futuristic cities we could easily come up with, like something out of the Fifth Element. I want more hostile alien worlds, and not just spending a single mission's worth of time. I want to explore more planets like Nepmos and Therum.
I want to visit more true alien-looking worlds. Too many planets look like futuristic cities we could easily come up with, like something out of the Fifth Element. I want more hostile alien worlds, and not just spending a single mission's worth of time. I want to explore more planets like Nepmos and Therum.
Modifié par TheGarden2010, 28 décembre 2013 - 03:28 .
#8
Posté 28 décembre 2013 - 03:48
Invisible Man
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I've been around here a bit, mostly lurking. or looking for troubleshooting tips & the like. as far as I can tell it's hardly dead.
#9
Posté 28 décembre 2013 - 05:52
Remix-General Aetius
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I didn't mean as in forum activity, but rather active development. all you got now is people rehashing the same topics over and over again, and the occasional ME4 thread. but the trilogy is finished.
#10
Posté 28 décembre 2013 - 06:23
Invisible Man
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oh, you meant stagnant, not dead. my bad, nm.
#11
Posté 28 décembre 2013 - 10:08
Paragon Soldier
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Me
Am
A
Man
Mane
Men
Are all in the word name.
Am
A
Man
Mane
Men
Are all in the word name.
#12
Guest_alleyd_*
Posté 28 décembre 2013 - 11:48
Guest_alleyd_*
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Many of the names of the systems and planets in the MEU derive from mythology, not only the Greco-Roman classical mythology. Examples include
Zorya: Slavic Mythology
Hebat: Hurrian Mythology
Borr: Norse mythology
And there are many others.
Makes sense to delve into mythology and literature for naming strategies and fair play to Bioware for extending their net beyond the more usual suspects
Zorya: Slavic Mythology
Hebat: Hurrian Mythology
Borr: Norse mythology
And there are many others.
Makes sense to delve into mythology and literature for naming strategies and fair play to Bioware for extending their net beyond the more usual suspects
#13
Posté 29 décembre 2013 - 07:22
SDW
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That's a wealth of knowledge you got there about mythology and personalities' names they used, Han Shot First and alleyd. Wouldn't have guessed the writers dug that deep when they named things (guess names like Klendagon are made up though - or did they quote Lovecraft here ...).
I assume Roman names with the Turians are simply the writers using an easy means to show them as having Roman-like traits: Well-organized, disciplined, military people.
Same with other cases of names that sound familiar: They will likely evoke a preexisting image in the audience. Leviathan of Dis, anyone?
And where that was not the case, could well be that when they had to name umpteen planets they were looking for easy ways to come up with names.
Cannot resist the urge to correct you here: I bet you mean Centurion.Han Shot First wrote...
TheGarden2010 wrote...
Why do the turians always take after Roman-like names? Is it supposed to be a hint that Rome, the militant super-power had been influenced by the turians or something? Or where the turians streaming "Spartacus" and liked it so much?
The authors very loosely based the Turians on ancient Rome. Even the species name is derived from a word associated with ancient Rome...Centurian.
I assume Roman names with the Turians are simply the writers using an easy means to show them as having Roman-like traits: Well-organized, disciplined, military people.
Same with other cases of names that sound familiar: They will likely evoke a preexisting image in the audience. Leviathan of Dis, anyone?
And where that was not the case, could well be that when they had to name umpteen planets they were looking for easy ways to come up with names.
Modifié par SDW, 29 décembre 2013 - 07:25 .
