Millstone85
2020-12-15, 11:51 AM
So, the Outlands and the Underdark, two things that have nothing to do with each other.
Except here in France, where both have been translated to l'Outreterre. Which is obviously a problem.
The translation most closely matches the Outlands. Indeed, it is made of "outre", a dated term for "beyond", and "terre", meaning "earth" or "land". However, my friends, and perhaps most people, are more familiar with the land of dark elves than with the true-neutral afterlife, and have long been using l'Outreterre for the former.
I am going to play a character whom I am considering making either a native or long-time resident of the Outlands. How should I introduce her?
Some solutions I see:
She will insist that the name truly belongs to the plane, and that the tunnels should be called something else. Maybe something like:
Les Profondeurs Obscures, the Dark Depths. More a description than a name, though.
L'Ombreterre, the Shadowland. Might sound too much like the Shadowfell, which in French is la Gisombre.
She will have no knowledge of this meta issue, and know the plane by another name. Maybe something like:
L'Opposition Concordante, the Concordant Opposition (obviously). Again more a description than a name.
L'Entreterre, the Betweenland, for a "not to be confused with l'Outreterre" lean on the fourth wall.
The last one is my favourite so far. But I would like to know what the good people of the forum, some of whom I know speak French, think of this.
Except here in France, where both have been translated to l'Outreterre. Which is obviously a problem.
The translation most closely matches the Outlands. Indeed, it is made of "outre", a dated term for "beyond", and "terre", meaning "earth" or "land". However, my friends, and perhaps most people, are more familiar with the land of dark elves than with the true-neutral afterlife, and have long been using l'Outreterre for the former.
I am going to play a character whom I am considering making either a native or long-time resident of the Outlands. How should I introduce her?
Some solutions I see:
She will insist that the name truly belongs to the plane, and that the tunnels should be called something else. Maybe something like:
Les Profondeurs Obscures, the Dark Depths. More a description than a name, though.
L'Ombreterre, the Shadowland. Might sound too much like the Shadowfell, which in French is la Gisombre.
She will have no knowledge of this meta issue, and know the plane by another name. Maybe something like:
L'Opposition Concordante, the Concordant Opposition (obviously). Again more a description than a name.
L'Entreterre, the Betweenland, for a "not to be confused with l'Outreterre" lean on the fourth wall.
The last one is my favourite so far. But I would like to know what the good people of the forum, some of whom I know speak French, think of this.