Fiona Hurley
asked
Mary Robinette Kowal:
I'm impressed with the lengths you've taken to ensure that the vocabulary is suitable for the time period. How far would you go with this, if you were writing about a more distant time and place? For example, if you were writing about Elizabethan England, or 18th century France, or ancient Rome?
Mary Robinette Kowal
If it's written in modern English, which Elizabethan technically is, there are a ton of synonyms that are still in modern use. For that? I would totally do the same thing. I have to always keep in mind that I'm writing for a modern reader but it's possible to do both.
For anything else? At that point I'm translating into modern English. There, I'd avoid obvious anachronisms or things that would throw someone out of the story. I'd pay attention to rhythms and culture, but it's still going to be writing about a society in a different language.
Ditto if I'm writing far-future aliens.
For anything else? At that point I'm translating into modern English. There, I'd avoid obvious anachronisms or things that would throw someone out of the story. I'd pay attention to rhythms and culture, but it's still going to be writing about a society in a different language.
Ditto if I'm writing far-future aliens.
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