#English Language Misconceptions

[wordweavewonder]

WordWeave WonderXpress: Ten MISSED conceptions about the English language you prolly don't know!

Welcome on board, thrill-seekers of language! I am Kyle, and I will be your guide in today’s adventure. Fasten your seatbelts for an exciting voyage through the bizarre realm of English language today. Prepare yourself for turns, twists, and a ton of fun as we dispel several falsehoods that have long caused misunderstandings in language. Hop on in and welcome to WordWeave Wonders! Our destination? English language misconceptions!

1. Before I After E Except After C:

With several exceptions, the English language does not strictly follow this norm. Terms like "seize" and "weird" contradict it, thus it's more of a suggestion than a hard and fast law. We must be alert to this peculiarity of English spelling.

2. Apostrophes and Possession:

Because "its" indicates possession and "it's" is a contraction of "it is," people frequently confuse the two words. Names with an apostrophe ('s') provide an additional level of intricacy; whether to use an apostrophe or not depends on the style guide and the individual.

3. 'An' Goes Before Words That Start with H:

Words that begin with 'h' should use 'an' before them depending on the sound rather than the letter. Even though the word "history" starts with a "h," the sound is a consonant "h," hence the correct phrase is "a history" rather than "an history."

4. Hyphens and Dashes:

Dashes have distinct functions in sentence construction, whereas hyphens link words in particular instances. Understanding the differences between emdashes, endashes, and hyphens improves the accuracy and readability of your work.

5. 'Would Of' and 'Off Of':

Accepting the appropriate contractions, like "would've," helps prevent the widespread misunderstanding that arises from the spoken contraction "would've" sounding like "would of." Like this, using shorter prepositions in place of "off of" preserves professionalism and clarity.

6. English Proficiency and Regional Dominance:

Although native speakers may perform exceptionally well in spoken English, advanced writing calls for abilities. Proficiency in writing is not enough to master academic writing; one must also grasp formal structures, styles, and conventions.

7. British English Superiority:

Even while American and British English both have distinctive qualities, it is arbitrary to think of one as being better than the other. Since language is a living thing, it is always changing and offers unique linguistic flavors that are influenced by the historical and cultural backgrounds of its speakers.

8. Starting Sentences with Conjunctions:

It is not a grammatical rule, but a stylistic preference, that sentences cannot begin with a conjunction. This method has been employed for decades by numerous well-known writers, from Shakespeare up to Bard, adding to the language's organic flow and fluidity.

9. Ending Sentences with Prepositions:

Rather than being a matter of grammar, the dislike of concluding sentences with a preposition comes from historical influences. Enforcing strict restrictions prohibiting the use of prepositions at sentence ends can impede the expression of natural language in English.

10. The Passive Voice Predicament:

The passive voice has definite use in informational communication; it is not intrinsically wrong. Even though it's best to avoid overusing it, there are instances in which the passive voice improves clarity, particularly when the action's performer is unclear or irrelevant.

That's it, language daredevils! Even though English grammar has its peculiarities, the journey is unquestionably exciting. Thus, welcome the curves and accept the twists as the delight of language takes you on a memorable adventure! Once again, I am Kyle, your humble guide, signing-off as you take off from today’s ride. Peace!

About the Author:

Kyle Christian C. Villalon, simply known as Kyle, is a bona fide student of Bulacan State University – Sarmiento Campus currently taking the program of Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in English, and Minor in Mandarin.

Kyle has been a self-proclaimed connoisseur of fine arts, natural science, history, anything weeb-ish, and cats throughout his lifetime. He has been a representative of his school in matters of journalism and science and garnered a couple of awards. His hobbies include painting, drawing, sketching, art viewing, reading history books, watching anime, motorcycle riding, and rubbing the bellies of their family cats. 

He is currently writing and illustrating his own one-shot comic and juggles academics at the same time as of writing. He aspires to become a professional comic creator and an educator someday, hoping to graduate college without going insane.

References:

Ginger Article - 8 biggest misconceptions about the English language. (n.d.). Www.gingersoftware.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024, from https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/8-biggest-misconceptions-about-the-english-language

Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language. (2014, September 1). The Writer’s Cookbook. https://www.writerscookbook.com/fake-rules-of-grammar/

Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, December 20). Common English usage misconceptions. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_English_usage_misconceptions

10 Misconceptions About the English Language. (2015, May 19). Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64150/10-misconceptions-about-english

[englishhighbrowss]

English Language Myths: Let's Set the Record Straight

by Kim Jushua Irinco

Despite the fact that English has been the most studied language in the world, there are still many, including me, who are confused and unsure about it. The English language is also considered to be the most significant language in the world for a number of reasons. These includes

1. English is the language of business — Global businesses speak in English. English language is the most dominant language in business, and many international companies such as Samsung, Nokia, Microsoft, and Apple use English as a form of communication. Also, learning the English language makes you employable not only in the US or UK; it is also required in many countries where English is not the official language. Studies from Cambridge English stated that English is important for over 95% of employers.

2. English is the language of the world. Approximately, there are about 400 million native speakers of the English language, trailing only Mandarin and Spanish. The English language is considered the global lingua franca, so it serves as the common language people use to communicate. The English language is also used as a primary or secondary language in many companies, organizations, and business transactions.

3. English is the language of science and academia. The English language is the dominant language used in different research projects and in academia. Many different scientific research studies, publications, and books are written in English. It is very hard to find scientific research in different languages or dialects, such as Filipino; there is only plenty of research in the Filipino language. English proficiency is a key for those who are seeking knowledge. Despite the fact that English is one of the most important languages in history, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the language. There are still people like me who are confused about the different rules and concepts with regards to the English language. Even if you are a native speaker or it’s your second or third language, you are not immune to these different misconceptions. So, let’s try to list some of those misconceptions. Let us begin by busting the myths.

Common Misconceptions in English Language

1. “You are proficient in English if it's your first language”.

When English is your first language or you are native to a nation that mostly speaks it, you are confident and might assume that you know how to use and speak it well. You understand people who are speaking, and they can understand you as well. You even know how to read the language, but what if you tried writing an essay or a research paper? Only by  then will you realize that you really don’t know how to use and speak the English language. I know this because even though it is not my first language, I used to think that I knew how to speak and write English until I started to write essays and research papers. Even other graduates admit that they cannot write an advanced composition. The truth is that learning and mastering the English language is challenging because it is a language that has been constantly changing.

2. “You need a large vocabulary in order to speak English well.”

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are approximately 170,000 words in use today and an additional 47,000 out-of-date terminologies. Did you know anyone who knows every word in the English lexicon? If there is, may I meet him, her, or them? It certainly helps to have a large vocabulary to learn any language, but only knowing all the words might not significantly help you. Simple, yet meaningful words that you can use in everyday situations are all you need; fancy words are not necessary.

3. “Living in an English-speaking country is necessary for effective English language learning.”

This statement is simply erroneous. Yes, it will certainly help if you are in a country dominated by the English language because you are surrounded by people who speak it. However, even if you happen to live in a nation where English is not the primary language, it does not mean that you will not have the capacity to acquire and learn the language. There are many examples of this such as the English scholars here from the Philippines and in other countries. We have English teachers and students who are able to use it in their daily lives. So, if you truly want to learn, your surrounding cannot abate your capability of learning the language.

4. “There is only one correct pronunciation for English words.”

Some people believe that there is only one way to pronounce a word. But because the English language has been evolving, we are aware that the said statement is invalid. There are many examples of this word, like the word “aunt”. It has two pronunciations: "ant,” like the insect, and "ahnt,” which rhymes with want. Another example is the word almond, which has three pronunciations. First is "ALL-mund” — “L” is pronounced, and th “al” sounds like “all”. Second is "AH-mund" — “L” is not pronounced. The last one is "AW-mund” — L is not pronounced, and “a” sounds like aw.

5. “I’m too old to learn English or any other language."

It is unfortunate that many people give up on language learning because they're old. There is a saying: “You cannot teach an old dog new tricks!” But this is not true; yes, learning a language will be more difficult for you than for a child, because children still have a strong memory and can absorb information easily. Adults, on the other hand, possess motivation, experience, and knowledge that can aid in language learning. So, do not give up on learning a language or anything just because you are old, because when it comes to learning, there are no barriers.

6. “Learning how to speak English takes a long time.”

It actually depends on the student. When you are motivated and teachable, you will be able to manage it efficiently, quickly, and effectively. However, if you truly want to master the English language, it will take a long time. It may take several months or even years. Simply put, when learning any language, just have fun and fully immerse yourself. Only then will you become proficient in the language you are learning. Therefore, persevere. You can succeed!

7. “British English is the only ‘true’ English”.

It is a misconception to think that British English is the original form of the language persists throughout the world. In actuality, American English has managed to hold onto many of the traits that the British brought with them when they immigrated to the New World. The British lost some of these subtleties to the languages over time. Having so many "correct" versions of a language may not seem tidy and orderly, but that is the reality. All of these English translations are, of course, occasionally interchangeable. So, there is no “correct” English because the language changes depending on the location and situation.

References: 1. The Importance of English 2. 8 biggest misconceptions about the English language 3. 6 Misconceptions About Learning English 4. Number of Words in the English Language

[headspace-hotel]

Y'all

Im not on tiktok and never have been, but I downloaded RedNote just to see what is up, and I am witnessing something truly amazing

The Chinese user community is giving the American tiktok refugees an overwhelmingly warm welcome, meanwhile the American users seem to have collectively agreed that not only will they not let the app be taken over with English and they will provide Mandarin subtitles for everything, they are LEARNING MANDARIN. Ive scrolled through so many videos of Americans offering greetings in Mandarin to try to acclimate to the new environment and be respectful, and speakers of both languages are posting lots of tutorials on language basics and internet slang in Mandarin

My God, there is an AMAZING outpouring of curiosity and delight among everyone to learn about each others cultures and daily lives. People are posting videos of landscapes, cities, towns, and natural areas in USA and China, posting recipes and traditional foods, vlogs of everyday life, and reaching out to find people with similar hobbies.

And it's not just young people! There are loads of videos from middle-aged American guys who have come to post about fishing or motorcycles and are now happily chatting with Chinese users sharing the same interests using Google translate

One American guy who was like. in his 60's had a comment on one of his videos that was like "Red Neck?" and he replied "Yes!" and I just about fucking lost it

Also the Chinese users love, and I mean LOVE, Luigi Mangione. He is apparently broadly adored in China. There is SO much fanart and SO many edits.

There are many threads initiating Chinese users to ask questions of American users about the USA, and vice versa, and everyone on both sides is clearing up a lot of misconceptions. Some of the questions I saw a lot from Chinese users were: "Is it true that American parents kick you out of the house as soon as you turn 18" (not often, but sometimes) "Do you all really wear shoes in bed" (NO!!! Apparently a lot of characters in American sitcoms are shown lying in bed with shoes on which I never noticed before!) and "are there really guns everywhere" (yes).

For the most part Chinese content creators seem just overwhelmed by the sudden influx of hundreds of followers that are super enthusiastic about what they're doing. A lot of them have made posts about how initially they thought the uptick in follower count was some kind of error, or that there was some kind of joke or prank, but then they realized the interest and enthusiasm was genuine and now they're welcoming all the newcomers.

I found several posts by Chinese users saying that this felt like a really profound historical moment, where these previously separated worlds are suddenly smashing together and suddenly there is freedom to learn about each other's cultures and connect. One of them said something along the lines of "This is a 21st century Tower of Babel and even though I'm an atheist I hope God lets this tower stand." OUGH MY HEART.

The app itself works a little bit like a video-based version of Pinterest. It's not really my thing so I probably won't be on there long term but it's been amazing to see what's happening.

[arimiadev]

"I want to make a visual novel but don't know how"

visual novels are one of the most diverse and varied mediums out there and can be so much fun to make. if you've ever wanted to make one, it's pretty easy to get started!!

Overall Guide

this is a lengthy guide I made going over different parts of visual novels and how people make them! now let's go over some parts~

What Are Visual Novels?

Visual novels are a medium of video games focused on storytelling through the use of static or low-gameplay mechanics. Most can be considered a subsection of interactive fiction. A lot of visual novels have no gameplay or minigames, but some do feature light gameplay. The important aspect is that the gameplay in visual novels is never the focus, and instead the game focuses on a story delivered through dialogue & narration in textboxes on the screen.

Some visual novels are romance, some are fantasy, some are mystery, some are NSFW, some are cutesy, some are kiddie. Visual novels come in all shapes and sizes.

Visual Novel Misconceptions

Visual novels have been around for several decades now, but parts of them are still misunderstood by wider audiences. Here’s some frequent misconceptions about visual novels.

"Every visual novel has sexual content."

Visual novels come in all shapes and sizes, which includes content. Not every visual novel has sexual content, nor is it required to sell well. Visual novels are a medium for storytelling rather than a genre, so they can be anything you want them to be.

"Every visual novel is a dating sim."

Similar to the last one, some people think every visual novel is a romance game or a dating sim. Not every visual novel has romance in it, nor is it required to sell well.

"Every visual novel has choices and multiple endings."

Some of the most popular visual novels out there like Umineko When they Cry don’t have choices. Choices and multiple endings aren’t required to make a visual novel—completely linear experiences are fine.

"Visual novels need to be long."

Some of the top visual novels on itch.io right now are under 25k words, which puts them under 2 hours of playtime. Visual novels don’t have to be a certain length—they can be as long or as short as the story needs them to be. There’s even an annual visual novel jam, O2A2, that focuses on making a visual novel under 1k words with limited assets.

"Visual novels don’t sell well."

This is very much your mileage may vary. Some visual novels sell very, very well, such as how the recent Our Life: Now and Forever Kickstarter gained almost $300k. Marketing is an entire field just like art and writing and isn’t something you can skimp on or push to the end.

"Visual novel players hate reading."

A vast, vast majority of visual novel readers want a visual novel—they want a game that is light on gameplay and heavy on reading. You don’t have to add gameplay to a visual novel to keep people interested. Rather, minigames added at random can deter players. Visual novel players want an engaging story—if you’re worried of losing their attention, then focus on a tighter script or cinematography.

"Visual novels need to be anime style."

Visual novels originated in Japan and most do have an anime style, but visual novels do not need an anime style to sell well. The art style for a game will change the audience for the game—players who want something anime style probably won’t be interested in a semi-realistic style, but other people will be. It’s all about finding the right style for your story and finding the audience who responds well to it.

Visual Novel Terms

Here’s a list of terms you might encounter in visual novel and game dev communities.

EVN / OELVN – stands for English Visual Novel and Original English Language Visual Novel. Two terms used for describing Western VNs that are made in English, although EVN is used more frequently nowadays. An EVN/OELVN is specifically a visual novel made in English first, not a visual novel that has an English translation (and was made in a different language first). There are several variations of this, such as JVN meaning Japanese Visual Novel and RVN meaning Russian Visual Novel.

Kinetic novel – a visual novel that’s linear with few or no choices. Has only one ending. Also called a linear visual novel, linear game, etc.

Game jams – an event where developers have a set amount of time to make a game, ranging from a weekend to several months. Some jams have themes that the games must follow as well as other restrictions while others are more freeform. Nowadays, most jams are hosted on itchio. You can find a list of visual novel game jams here.

Game engine – a piece of software used for developing video games. The most popular ones for making indie VNs in English-speaking areas are Ren’Py and Unity, though Tyranobuilder is very popular in Japan for indies.

Text/code editor – when programming, you’ll need another piece of software to edit and write code that works with the game engine. Some popular text editors are Visual Studio Code, Sublime, Atom, Notepad, and more.

Character sprite – the individual character art that changes expressions and can move around the screen. Can include multiple outfits, pose changes, and more.

CGs – although it typically stands for Computer Generated, CGs in visual novels typically means the cut scene art where no sprites are shown (unless there's a side sprite on the textbox). CGs are usually reserved for special scenes and are the type of artwork you’d see in a CG Gallery or as promotional artwork.

UI / GUI – the User Interface / Graphical User Interface. This is what the player interacts with such as the textbox, main menu, save / load screen, settings, and more.

ADV mode – the standard reading mode for visual novels, short for Adventure mode. The textbox is located at the bottom of the screen. Popular examples of this are Steins;Gate, AI: The Somnium Files, and Amnesia.

NVL mode – a different reading mode for visual novels, short for Novel mode. The textbox covers most of the screen. Popular examples of this are Fate/stay night, Tsukihime, and Umineko When they Cry.

Dating simulator – dating sims are some of the oldest forms of visual novels and are essentially stat raisers where you spend time with various characters with the goal being to romance them by getting your stats high enough. In Western spheres dating sim has become synonymous with a romance game, where stat raising is not involved, but it’s important to note that dating sims refer to stat raisers a lot of the time. Unlike otome, a dating sim doesn’t refer to a specific sexual orientation.

Otome / Otoge – roughly translates to “maiden’s love” and is used to describe games with a female demographic, usually dating sims & romance games which feature male love interests and a female protagonist. Some otome games feature female and other gendered LIs, but male LIs are still the primary focus.

Eroge – an erotic game. If a game has sexual content in it, it’s an eroge. The original Fate/stay night (not the remastered version on Steam) is a popular example of an eroge.

Resources

And now, let's look at some tools and links for actually making visual novels.

Engines & Programming

Ren’Py – free visual novel engine

Twine – free text-based game engine (usually used for interactive fiction)

Naninovel – Unity-based tool for making Unity VNs

tiny tools – collection of various game dev tools

Ren’Edit Add-On – Ren’Py script editing & feedback tool

Ren’Py Accessibility Add-On

Feniks Ren’Py resources – various add-ons and tutorials by Feniks

Game Jam & Short Dev Advice

Game Jam Survival Guide - Essential Tips and Tricks

Releasing 8+ games (ft. game jams) and when to take a break

making game development backup plans

Advice for Leading VN Game Jam Teams

How to Make a Visual Novel Solo

How to Finish Your Visual Novel

Design

How to Make Visual Novels

Visual Novel Conference Talks

Visual Novel Cinematography & Design

Art Direction & Execution in Visual Novels

Making Impactful, Impressive Character Sprites

Post-production Techniques for VNs

Vimi’s Visual Novel Design

Writing

Writing Interactive – guides for narrative games writers

Visual Novel Conference Talks

Writing Mystery Visual Novels

How to Design Interesting Choices in VNs

The Intrigue of Ambiguity

Artwork

Clip Studio Paint

Krita

FireAlpaca

Medibang

GIMP

FastStone Photo Resizer – batch photo resizer and editor

FotoSketcher – various settings to apply artistic filters to photos

Marketing

How to Market Visual Novels

Marketing Visual Novels FAQ

Marketing Fundamentals for Indie Game Developers

Marketing your first indie game – What we learned from releasing the same game twice

The stairstep approach to indie game marketing

Marketing your Visual Novel for Kickstarter

Visual Novel Press-Kits

Audio

Eric Matyas music & SFX

Vita-chi SFX & graphics

Free Music Archive

Free Sound

dova-syndrome

Misc.

Lemmasoft Creative Commons Forum

itch.io visual novel resources

Google Fonts – free fonts

Uncle Mugen backgrounds

Canva – browser & desktop graphic design tool

Unsplash – free photos

Wrapping Up

all in all, visual novels are a fun medium to explore and play around with. if you want to make something short as a test run, try joining a game jam! if you want to see how varied visual novels can be, try playing some indies from itchio! at the end of the day there's no bad way to start making your own visual novel. hit the ground running and go for it!!

I've been developing visual novels for over 10 years now, blogging about them on my own blog and releasing visual novels through my studio Crystal Game Works. I hope this guide helped shed light on how to get into the medium!

— Arimia

[four-ravens-in-a-trenchcoat]

As we are approaching that time of the year, this is your friendly reminder/PSA from a Swedish person that the ä in Gävlebocken actually matters and that you should spell accordingly (or don't, I'm not the boss of you, but know you are Wrong)

Å, Ä and Ö are considered separate letters from A and O in Swedish. It would be like me substituting every E with an O when I spell English words, not like removing an accent from a French word. They have their own place in the alphabet!

Ä and A have different vowel qualities which affect sounds around them. Ä is "soft" and A is "hard", which means that Ä changes the pronounciation of certain sounds before it. Like G for example

Gä is pronounced similar to 'yeah' while ga is pronounced with hard/regular g and a long a like in 'garden'. Thus, Gävle and Gavle reads very differently

Same goes for Ö/O, but Å is also hard

It annoys me so much to see it and I can't be alone in this

Pro tip: The same principle applies to other Swedish words, like tumblr's beloved BLÅHAJ. Blahaj is a word with stress on the second syllable and not the first, and also happens to mean 'bullshit/nonsense'. So if you want to talk about your plushie blueshark and not a nonsense thing someone just said, I suggest spelling with an Å.

Don't feel bad if you didn't know this, most people don't. And a lot of other languages do treat letters with diacritics like special versions of the letter (we do it with e and é). I'm telling you this to clear up misconceptions

It's also resulted in the fun phenomenon of so-called "rock dots" wherein bands will put dots on letters in their name because it looks cool, which makes them sound really stupid when pronounced in Swedish. Think Motörhead and Blue öyster cult

[jestiamy]

if I was stuck in an early set humans-are-space-orcs esque plot where the larger universe doesn't know anything about humanity other then we apparently are really scary or something I'm just getting it out there now that I am not going to be able to get rid of absolutely any misconceptions aliens have about humans. my bad guys but I simply would not physically be able to go above and beyond to prove we are a sapient species capable of a wide range of emotion and cognitive thought if I was the sole representative of humanity. I'm sure you understand.

[a-book-of-creatures]

Creature Metamorphosis - the Curious Case of the Cahab

I've said it before, and I will testify under oath - the study of mythical creatures is the study of people, not animals.

There is a persistent misconception (mythconception?) that medieval explorers were going out there, seeing weird animals, and, struggling to comprehend them, came up with all kinds of silly stories.

The truth is more complicated. In a lot of cases it's not about actually misconstruing real things, but recopying Classical accounts over and over until the become unrecognizable. In the process, we'll get to explore how language affects creature accounts, how mistakes become real, and how seemingly good-faith additions snowball. And, of course, the importance of primary sources.

Instead of looking at something well-known like dragons or unicorns, let's take a look at the cahab, whose origin was explored in detail by Gauvin et al. (2013).

If you've ever read Rose's Giants, Monsters, and Dragons (and if you read this blog, chances are you're familiar with it), you might have seen this.

SAHAB The Sahab was a sea monster said to inhabit the North Sea and the beaches around the coasts of Norway. It was described as having a huge body with a long, extended foot by which it fed itself; the other feet were like those of a cow. The Sahab was reported in the works of Olaus Magnus in the sixteenth century from an apparent sighting of one found beached on the Norwegian shores. (Rose, 2000)

Hmm, alright, that's interesting. Sounds like it could be a beached whale? Neat! Where did this story come from? Rose (2000) mentions Olaus Magnus but only cites Barber and Riches (1971). Their entry for this is as follows.

Sahab Described by Olaus Magnus in the sixteenth century as a sea-beast with small cow's feet and a large body found off the Norwegian coast. One long foot was used as a hand for feeding and for self-defence. It was amphibious, breathing in in the water and out in the air. It could also spout like a whale. (Barber & Riches, 1971)

The first thing I'd like to point out is what I like to call "detail drift", or the "stands-to-reason additions", or "snowballing details". A "large body" becomes a "huge body". Details of being amphibious, of spouting are lost. Instead we are told it was based on an "apparent sighting". I mean, stands to reason, right? It makes sense. Surely that was what was behind it.

Where did Barber and Riches (1971) get it from? This one leads directly to a primary source, Olaus Magnus himself. The English translation of Olaus Magnus' Compendious History tells us the following.

There is also another Sea-Monster, called Sahab which hath small feet in respect of its great body, but he hath one long one, which he useth in place of a hand to defend all his parts; and with that he puts meat into his mouth, and digs up grass. His feet are almost gristly, and made like the feet of a Cow or Calf. This Creature swimming in the water breathes, and when he sends forth his breath, it returns into the Ayr, and he casts Water aloft, as Dolphins and Whales do. (Olaus Magnus, 1658)

Makes about as much sense as anything! So clearly silly old Olaus Magnus had seen something bizarre out at sea and explained it the best way he knew how. Because medieval explorers or whatever. Case closed!

... right?

Don't look at how long this post is, keep reading

Something is fishy about this. And I don't mean it as a pun, either. The thing is, Olaus Magnus was more than happy to populate Scandinavia with creatures plagiarized borrowed from other, older authors. And the first clue is in the name.

The French version of Olaus Magnus' work gives it a different name.

Il y a un autre monstre marin, appelé Cahab, lequel a de fort petits piés, pour la proportion du cors... (Olaus Magnus, 1561)

Huh. So it's called Cahab here. Is the English name a typo? It may well be. The Latin text starts like this.

Est & aliud monstru marinu secundu Alber. lib. XXIII l. de animal. Cahab dictum, pedes parvos habens respectu magnitudinis corporis sui... (Olaus Magnus, 1555)

Yeah that tracks, so it is Cahab in the original too and

wait what

Est & aliud monstru marinu secundu Alber. lib. XXIII l. de animal.

Are you saying the English and French translations literally cut out the part where he tells us where he got this from???????

See what I mean? There are layers to this.

So, following Gauvin et al. (2013), who track this bizarre transformation, Olaus Magnus never did see or claimed to see a cahab. He merely borrowed it from Albertus Magnus, who had this to say.

Cahab animal marinum esse perhibetur parvos habens pedes respectu corporis sui... (Albertus Magnus, 1920)

But the trail isn't getting cold yet. Gauvin et al. (2013) indicate that Albertus Magnus got this from Thomas de Cantimpré, who instead refers to the caab.

Caab animal marinum est, ut dicit Aristotiles, parvos habens pedes respectu corporis sui, quod utique magnum est... (Cantimpré, 1280)

In other words, "Caab is a sea animal, as says Aristotle, whose legs are small in proportion to its body, which is huge”. Once again, a citation has been lost by someone repeating it.

The caab in Cantimpré's Liber de Natura Rerum, accessed here.

So where did this thing comes from? He does say it's from Aristotle, but Aristotle doesn't mention caabs, does he?

Would you believe an elephant?

As Gauvin et al. (2013) explain, Cantimpré is the origin point of the caab/cahab/sahab, and it originated in a misreading of Aristotle.

Specifically, a misreading of a Latin translation of Aristotle by Michael Scot, which had been translated from an Arabic translation of Aristotle from the original Greek.

Now! Listen carefully Bond...

Scot retained Arabic words in his translation (maybe he didn't know what they meant? Or thought they just looked better? Can't blame him). In this case:

et habet duo cahab parva respect magnitudinis corporis sui (cited in Gauvin et al. (2013))

He's saying, in the description of the elephant, that it has two "cahab" that are short compared to the rest of its body. Cahab is a transliteration of كعب, which is a bone in the ankle. So in other words, elephants have small ankle bones.

Except!

When Cantimpré read this, according to Gauvin et al. (2013), he did not recognize the word cahab. Instead, he interpreted it as the subject of the verb "habet". So instead of "and has two ankle bones that are small", it became "and the caab has... feet I guess? That are small".

Then he combined previous details about the elephant - it has a trunk that it uses to spout water! - to create his caab. Which then got transplanted into the ocean around Norway. Somehow.

And there you have it, a supposed "apparent sighting" of a "beached" animal that in reality is a bunch of snowballing translation errors. Olaus Magnus never saw one, and neither did anyone else.

Of course, when I painted my cahab, I had to make it as much like a floppy elephant as possible. :3

References

Aristotle, Cresswell, R. trans. (1862) Aristotle’s History of Animals. Henry G. Bohn, London.

Barber, R. and Riches, A. (1971) A Dictionary of Fabulous Beasts. The Boydell Press, Ipswich.

de Cantimpré, T. (1280) Liber de natura rerum. Bibliothèque municipale de Valenciennes.

Cuba, J. (1539) Le iardin de santé. Philippe le Noir, Paris.

Gauvin, B.; Jacquemard, C.; and Lucas-Avenel, M. (2013) L’auctoritas de Thomas de Cantimpré en matière ichtyologique (Vincent de Beauvais, Albert le Grand, l’Hortus sanitatis). Kentron, 29, pp. 69-108.

Magnus, A. (1920) De Animalibus Libri XXVI. Aschendorffschen Verlagbuchhandlung, Münster.

Magnus, O. (1555) Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus. Giovanni M. Viotto, Rome.

Magnus, O. (1561) Histoire des pays septentrionaus. Christophle Plantin, Antwerp.

Magnus, O. (1658) A compendious history of the Goths, Swedes, and Vandals, and other Northern nations. J. Streater, London.

Rose, C. (2000) Giants, Monsters, and Dragons. W. W. Norton and Co., New York.

Unknown. (1538) Ortus Sanitatis. Joannes de Cereto de Tridino.

[leclerc-hs]

fille stupide - cl16

Pairing: charles leclerc x fem!reader Summary: request from anon, in which you don't know French and a stranger helps you find your way back home Warning: 18+, SMUT, mean charles, degradation, some French (badly translated please correct me if needed), smut, smut, smut.... Word Count: 1808 Author's Note: I can't stop writing smut??? I think I hit every area the anon wanted!!! xo hope you like it lmaoooo also I wrote this so fast so it might not be my best work but I couldn’t sleep so I decided to write to pass the time. UPDATE: Also I just want to give a major shoutout to @dannyramirezwife for checking the translations for me!! It seriously means the world to meeee PART 2

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

DESPITE MONACO'S REPUTATION as one of the smallest countries in the world, you found yourself defying expectations by getting lost. The common assumption that such a compact place would be easy to navigate proved to be a misconception, as Monaco’s intricate streets and unique layout presented a challenge, turning what seemed impossible into a reality. Your reality.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

The murmur of students passing by echoed, their conversations blending into a linguistic symphony of French, a language foreign to your ears. The decision to pursue the International University of Monaco, a place where the native tongue was French, felt like a bold and ambitious choice at first. The picturesque landscapes, the allure of the Mediterranean, and the prestigious academic reputation had drawn you in. 

However, as you stood outside the building, the reality of linguistic barriers hit you with full force. It seemed like every conversation, every announcement, and every piece of information was enveloped in a language you struggled to comprehend. Although, most knew English, it wasn’t the standard, and you were not yet adjusted to it. 

Panic surged through you as you hurriedly navigated the winding sidewalks, desperately trying to locate the building housing your apartment. Your focus was solely on scanning the towering buildings, hoping to spot a familiar one. The urgency of the situation compelled you to dart forward, not paying mind to those surrounding you. It was a recipe disaster, leading you to collide right into the body of another person.

“Mon dieu,” My God. The man said with a slight annoyance in his tone. “Regarde où tu marches!” Watch where you’re walking!

As the words were proclaimed, your eyes locked with a man’s gaze. He was the most stunning individual your eyes have ever beheld. His physique was tan, sculpted and taut, with biceps stretching the seams of his t-shirt. A pair of black sunglasses perched confidently on the bridge of his nose, adding an extra layer of allure to his presence.

You had absolutely no idea what he was saying. Although by the look of his furrowed eyebrows and tightened jaw, it was evident he was far from pleased. He removed his sunglasses, unveiling a pair of narrowed eyes.

Embarrassment tinged your cheeks as you stammered, “I’m so sorry!”

Under his scrutinizing gaze, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of smallness. His eyes, which you presumed to be green, were veiled in fury, making it difficult to discern their true color, yet undeniable captivating in their intensity. 

“Tu parles Français?” Do you speak French? A sly grin stretched across his lips slowly, reveling in your bewilderment. “Stupide, stupide fille,” Stupid, stupid girl. he added, savoring the moment.

Gazing downward, you focused on your feet, idly brushing your hands across the bottom of your white sundress. The garment was short, adorned with a little tied bow between your breasts and flower details.

“I’m a bit lost.” You muttered. “Would you be able to help me find my place?”

“I ne sais pas,” I don’t know. He persisted in speaking French, despite knowing you couldn’t understand. It felt as if he aimed to humiliate you, to provoke a sense of frustration or anger deliberately.

“Évidemment, je peux. Fille stupide.” Of course, I can. Stupid girl. He was mocking you and you didn’t even know it.

You let out an exasperated groan and sidestepped to make way for him, muttering a small ‘nevermind.’ However, as you moved, he followed suit, intentionally blocking your path and halting your movement.

“You shouldn’t be wearing dresses so short,” his fingers gently toyed with the thin strap of your dress. “It’s a bit windy for them.”

You felt the goosebumps rise on your skin from his touch alone. You frowned, “So, you do speak English?”

“Oui, la plupart des gens le font.” Yes, most people do. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes as he continued speaking in French. While you acknowledged the need to learn the language, it felt like he was intentionally being cruel rather than helpful. “Are you in University?”

You nodded briskly, eager not to waste any time, especially since he finally seemed willing to be helpful.

“Most of the students live this way,” he mentioned, his hand wrapping around your wrist as he began to walk, essentially pulling you along with him. The touch of his skin against yours stirred butterflies in your stomach. Despite the fact he was insanely hot, you struggled to concentrate, almost forgetting the fact that he was behaving like a total asshole. 

He muttered French phrases to himself throughout the entire walk, small laughs escaping his lips while you remained clueless about what he was saying.

“Je veux te manger.” I want to eat you out.

“Tu t’habilles comme une salope.” You dress like a slut.

“Je vais te détruire.” I’m going to wreck you.

You weren’t sure what it was. Whether it was delusion from exhaustion or simply the undeniable sex appeal of the guy, the words, even though you didn’t understand them, strangely aroused you. 

Guiding you through the streets, he steered you into a lobby of a building that finally seemed familiar. “What number are you?” he inquired, referring to your apartment number. 

“Why would I give a stranger my apartment number?”

He scoffed, “I’m Charles. Not a stranger anymore. What’s the number?”

You didn’t give him the information because he convinced you that easily. It was more because he knew the area better than you. 

“0217? I think.” You replied, not entirely certain. The rush of your first day at university had left you with little time to settle in and memorize details. He didn’t seem to have much patience as he led you quickly up the stairwell and in front of a door with the numbers 0217 on it. You pulled out your key and unlocked the door, smiling as you finally pushed it open with success.

“Come in and have some water before you go,” You offered. It was the least you could do to express gratitude for his assistance. Your apartment was sparsely furnished, with only a mattress on the floor and several boxes scattered about.

“Sorry for the mess,” you bent over to pick up two water bottles from the case of water, your lace underwear with tiny hearts all over them peeking out for Charles view. He groaned loudly and unashamed.

Fatigue weighed heavily behind your eyes, but a persistent ache tugged at your stomach, insisting on the need to fulfill it.

“Mon dieu, j’ai besoin de t’avoir.” My god, I need to have you.

You rolled your eyes at the man as he said yet another sentence in French, handing him the water bottle. Rather than taking the water bottle from your hand, he grasped tightly onto your forearm and pulled you into him, the shock of his grasp causing you to drop the water bottle.

You felt your stomach tightening with need as his hands were on you once again. It was sick really. How this big of an asshole could turn you on so much.

“Rule number one, you can only roll your eyes when my cock is stretching your tight little pussy.” The scent of his cologne made your knees week. It was embarrassing. How quickly he was able to affect you. 

A soft gasp escaped your lips at his words, and your heart raced rapidly in response. He towered over your small frame, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked at your flushed skin. A dead giveaway to how badly you were aching for him.

His hand swiftly pulled the strings of the dress, giving him full access to your breasts. He slipped his hand into it, pinching your nipple between his middle finger and thumb.

“On the bed.” His tone was demanding and authoritative, treating you like you were the dirt on the bottom of his shoe. Treating you like the slut that you were. “On your hands and knees.”

You rushed over to the bed, falling to your hands and knees, turning your head to look up at Charles behind you. Once he makes his way over, he grabs your hair and pulls you so your back is flushed to his chest, pulling your mouth to his. His tongue slips its way into your mouth, devouring you. The process is not entirely sexy. It’s urgent. Frantic. As if neither of you could have enough of one another.

He pulled away and spoke gruffly, as if he was angry with you. “Doesn’t even know a lick of French, stupide fille.” Stupid girl. He remarked, switching off between French and English.

Your dress was so short that he didn't even need to move it to see your panties. The dainty little hearts had him foaming at the mouth. So fucking cute.

“Fucking salope.” Slut. He pushes you back down, letting you fall back onto your hands as he pulled his pants down, freeing his cock.

You felt your mouth water at the sight. Just like him, his cock was beautiful. Perfectly smooth and dripping with pre-cum. You moaned as he pressed the head of his cock to your lace covered pussy, teasing you with it. You felt yourself growing needier, trying to push yourself onto his cock for more friction. 

“You’re so fucking wet,” He groaned, pulling your underwear to the side, and spitting directly onto your pussy. He did it as if he was spitting on the sidewalk, with no care and no respect, shoving two fingers into your heated center. He wasn’t gentle in the slightest. He was greedy, taking whatever he wanted from you. “Pathétique,” Pathetic. He sighs, shaking his head, "Such a cock slut."

Loud moans left your mouth as he stroked where you ached with his fingers before removing them and replacing them with his cock. 

“So fucking tight,” he hisses, his fingers grabbing onto the skin of your ass to add leverage as his continues to push deeper. To push harder. Your pussy squeezes him harder as he utters the words. “Tu aimes ça?” You like that? He muses on, “You like hearing what a tight pussy you have?”

“Dirty fucking slut.”

His hand reaches out and forces your head down onto the mattress, limiting your breathing. He’s completely unhinged. His hips relentlessly pounding into you. Fucking you like he’s mad at you. Fucking you like he hates you. With every thrust, a loud moan escapes your lips, echoing off the empty apartment walls.

“Come on my cock,” he demands. “Squeezing me like you’re going to come.” He states. You can hear the smirk in his voice. 

You feel yourself choking on your moans as it hits you. You’re now leaping over the edge of your orgasm. “That’s it,” he soothes, talking you through as you release all over his cock, but he doesn’t slow the roll of his hips into you. He pulls your face up from the mattress, his hand holding you up by the back of your neck. You’re completely limp, practically nothing but a toy for him to use. 

“Charles,” you’re yelling his name repeatedly.

At the sound of your voice yelling his name, he quickly pulls out and comes undone, releasing all over your backside. He collapses beside you, both of you trying to catch your breath. You both lie there, unmoving, just staring at each other.

“You should really learn French.” He laughs, a smug smile forming on his lips. You can’t help but laugh in response. 

“Maybe you can teach me?” 

“Peut être.” Maybe.

[phosphorusab]

Guesstimating Remmick’s Age

(Unless Ryan Coogler or Jack O’Connell actually confirmed his age, this will be very silly of me lol)

There is a popular misconception that St Patrick violently ethnically cleansed the Druids out of Ireland (and that was what the snakes were supposed to be). This has been a pet peeve of mine for awhile. The Druids survived well into the 7th and 8th centuries, long after St Patrick arrived to Ireland in the 5th or 6th centuries. St Patrick did not convert the whole of Ireland to Christianity in his lifetime, and was not the first Christian missionary in Ireland - that would be Palladius in the early 5th century. Some Druids willfully converted to Christianity. To quote The Story We Carry In Our Bones: Irish History for Americans,

“two monks named Tirechán and Muirchu, as well as many later hagiographers—mythologized Patrick into someone he never was: a man who fought with druids, used shamrocks to teach the trinity, and drove the snakes from Ireland. In truth, many druids became priests of the new religion, Patrick surely didn’t need shamrocks to teach a people who already had tripartite gods, and Ireland never had any snakes in the first place!”

I don’t think Remmick (if he indeed had the filí gift) would have needed to have lived between early 5th century to 8th century to have an understanding of ancient Irish culture or pre missionary Irish paganism if he used be able to summon his ancestors before. (And there’s plenty of other things to criticize the Catholic Church in Ireland for, such as draconian abortion laws - despite several Irish saints having performed abortions as some of their recorded miracles - the Magdalene Laundries and coverups of sex crimes).

Remmick said that he was taught the Lord’s Prayer in English, early Christian missionaries to Ireland would have probably prayed in Latin. There are several versions of the Lord’s Prayer across history and denominations, but he prays it like I was taught. I’ll have to see the movie again if there are any little differences. The Lord’s Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer published in 1662 by the Church of England is more or less the same way he does it.

I’m estimating that Remmick lived around this time. English was forced as the dominant language in Ireland around the 14th century, Gaeilge is in decline by the 16th century. By 1607, Ireland is under full English control, Cromwell invaded Ireland in 1650 and the Book of Common Prayer is published in 1662. English settlers take Irish land in the plantation systems in the 16th and 17th centuries, this adds up to what Remmick says about his father’s land being stolen.

Remmick arrived in America in 1911, so he presumably stayed in Ireland throughout the induced Great Famine between 1845-1852. The Rocky Road to Dublin is written around the 1860’s.

I have no idea where the fuck he got those damn gold coins from. Unless they are some kind of magic fae gold coins, they look like either Roman aurei, solidus or Spanish doubloons. I don’t know what the currency in ancient Ireland used to be. He had to have been turned into a vampire by someone, my guess it’s a souvenir from an older vampire if Remmick isn’t that old. However, the first minted Spanish doubloon was made in the 16th century.

I’m guesstimating Remmick living as a human between the 16th and 17th centuries. So if my math isn’t wrong, that puts him between 300+ and 400+ years old as of 1932. If I have any mathematical or historical inaccuracies, feel free to correct them!

[margaretkart]

what do you feel us foreigners get wrong about Greek mythology or your culture?

Where do I begin 😭:

The Gods’ Personalities

- people now often make the Greek gods as all-powerful, but often cruel, manipulative, uncaring.

- Reality: The Greek gods were deeply flawed, displaying human traits such as jealousy, anger, and deceit. They were not moral role models but forces of nature with complex personalities.

Depiction of Heroes

- that Greek heroes are all bad, sexist, misogynistic, where in reality they were often tragic figures with flaws that led to their downfall. Herakles, for example, was known for his temper and moments of madness.

The Concept of Hades

- False: Hades is often thought of as the equivalent of the Christian Hell.

- Reality: Hades is simply the realm of the dead, not a place of torment. While parts of it like Tartarus were associated with punishment, Hades itself was more neutral.

The Trojan War

- Misconception: The Trojan War was purely a historical event as depicted in the "Iliad."

- Reality: The "Iliad" and other related myths mix history and myth. The war may have a historical basis, but many details, including divine intervention, are mythical.

Simplified Depictions of the Parthenon

- Misconception: The Parthenon is often viewed as a temple for religious worship.

- Reality: While dedicated to Athena, the Parthenon was also a symbol of political power and housed the treasury of Athens.

Greek Language Misunderstanding

- Misconception: Modern Greek is the same as Ancient Greek.

- Reality: Modern Greek has evolved significantly from its ancient form, just as modern English differs from Old English.

Philosophy in ancient Greece

- Misconception: Ancient Greeks were all philosophers or deeply concerned with intellectual pursuits.

- Reality: While philosophy was important, most Greeks led everyday lives focused on practical concerns like farming, trade, and family life.

Cultural Overemphasis on Mythology

- Misconception: Greek culture is often reduced to mythology and ancient history.

- Reality: Greece has a rich modern culture, history, and traditions that go far beyond the ancient myths, including significant contributions to modern art, literature, and politics.

Overly Romanticizing Greek Architecture

- Misconception: Ancient Greek architecture, especially temples, is often seen as white marble perfection.

- Reality: Many Greek buildings were brightly painted, and they decayed over time. The pristine white image is largely a modern interpretation.

[beggamoth]

To Wed A Dragon. pt 2

summary | Viserys I Targaryen, being geopolitical genius he is, arranges a marriage between his dangerously serpentine second son Aemond and a wildling of pure First Men blood: the elusive Omega daughter Daemon left rotting in Runestone. It’s all bread and circuses and targcest.

pairing | alpha!!aemond targaryen x fem!!omega!!reader with implied social anxiety

parts | 1 2 3

tags | TW!!! OMEGAVERSE!!! VERY OOC AEMOND!!! not proofread. i wal half dead when i was writing it so. slowburn (sort of). very very chopped english. consists of aemond’s journals. also vague helaegons in this part.

wordcount | 3,3k

any kind of feedback is highly appreciated!

______________________________________________________________

1st Moon, 128 AC. Three days post-scenting. The wind was rattling the windows. I was in a mood for conquest

It is time to court her.

As per tradition, both Andal and Valyrian, and as demanded by decorum, I have begun the official pursuit of Lady [name] Royce, my betrothed, my mirror opposite, my current academic project disguised as a person. Courtship, according to both the maesters and my mother, must be gentle. Considerate. Intentional. Signs of attention should not be suffocating so that the future mate does not leap headfirst but leave enough room for them to have a misconception of having a choice in the matter.

They have clearly never courted a creature who looks like she might bolt at the sound of her own name.

ADVICE RECEIVED (Most of it Unasked For, and All of it Questionable):

Alicent, exasperated, very opinionated on the matter of courtship but barely experienced one of her own:

“Ask about her interests. Write her a short poem. Compliment her mind. She may appear shy, but she’ll highly appreciate your attention.”

Yes, Mother. I shall compose an ode to her inability to make small talk.

Criston Cole (eternally bitter and inexplicably proud of it):

“Be gallant. Provide gifts of use. Things that show you think of her needs.”

I considered giving her a ten foot pole or a thick veil so she’ll have more ways to avoid eye contact.

Aegon (for some reason shirtless, half-lying on a chaise, playing with Helaena’s hair):

“Just pin her to a wall and tell her she’s pretty. Worked for me.”

Yes, brother. And now you have enough bastard children for us to never worry about the end of the Targaryen line. Helaena (lying with her stomach on Aegon’s lap, reading a book upside down)

“Make a trail of honey cakes from her solar to yours. Can’t promise that she’ll be smitten, but you’ll have her attention.”

…All right. This one may be the most efficient I’ve received so far.

COURTSHIP STRATEGY, WEEK ONE:

Gift #1: A first edition on Old Vale legends. With vivid illustrations that saved their first colours.

She received it with the enthusiasm of a tree being shown fire. Mumbled “thank you” like it was putting a strain on her vocal cords.

Gift #2: A small potted herb known to soothe nerves.

She asked if it was “meant to imply something.” I said yes. She did not laugh. Neither did I.

Gift #3: A dragon figurine carved from obsidian.

She flinched when I handed it to her. Not because it frightened her—because she feared she might drop it. I told her it was just stone. She looked like I’d insulted its honor.

SOCIAL EXPERIMENTS (Results Inconclusive):

It'd been a surprisingly hot winter. The sky was painted in pale, anemic colours. The paths in godswood in the Red Keep were eroded by the rain and became wet as clay. The Weirwood tree was rustling above us. I sat beside her on sprawling white roots. Close. Not indecent, but enough that our sleeves brushed and I found myself in a vacuum of her scent - maple and that sweet thing whose name is unlikely to be found in any language. Anyway, it made the hairs on my scruff stand up.

Meanwhile, she began reciting trade routes aloud under her breath, as if invoking shipping lanes would exorcise my proximity.

I asked her about her favorite book.

She blinked once. Said:

“The one where everyone dies before the ending. No one talks in it.”

(She is either a genius or indeed mentally challenged. Possibly both.)

I offered to spar in the yard, half-joking. She responded:

“I’d rather be hit by a carriage.”

I liked that one, actually.

If some brave fool finds this journal and decides to laugh at my failed transgressions-- I dare him. Because criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.

Moreover, I do not consider it a failure.

At no point has she refused me. That is the linchpin in this operation. She has not said no. Has not run. Has not, to my knowledge, attempted escape via hidden passage or came to my mother begging to annul the engagement.

This is tacit permission.

I think she simply doesn’t know what to do with me. Most don’t. She is disoriented by my attention – like a little shivering rabbit pulled out of its hiding place by a fox who is in no hurry to eat it, for some reason.

(There’s something beautiful in that. In being someone else’s overwhelming.)

I believe it is working.

Not quickly. Not visibly. It would be the peak of naivety to expect her to throw herself at my neck and shower my face with kisses if I handed her a dandelion or a recite stanza of High Valyrian poetry in Common Tongue adaptation. Not at all.

But I see the signs:

She no longer looks mortified when I sit beside her.

She only stammers when spoken to directly, not peripherally.

And from what her maid said, she keeps the dragon statue I gave her on the mantelpiece. The most prominent place in the room.

A lesser man might interpret her discomfort as rejection.

But I am not lesser.

Her uncertainty is not refusal, but it is formation. A thing taking shape under pressure.

She will come to want me. Perhaps already does.

And if she doesn’t… well.

I am very good at making people think they do.

[margin sketch] Aemond’s drawing of the courtyard: himself in elegant posture, offering a gift. [name]: hiding behind a bush, labeled “Bush of Emotional Avoidance.” Caption: “Courtship: Going Very Well.” ____________________________________________________

1st Moon of 128 AC, midday.

She did it.

She reciprocated. Or tried to.

And gods help me—I responded with all the consideration of a marble statue nodding at a crying child.

She wants to match me. I can see it. The hesitance isn’t fear now—it’s shame. Performance anxiety. Which, I must say, is fascinating to watch in real time.

Today, it happened.

THE CONTEXT:

It was the beginning of the year. It was warm, hot even. It was as if evil forces had tempted the spring to show an omen, and it had rushed into the Red Keep a few moons early to create a commotion.

I was in the library. Alone, ostensibly. I had no desire to go outside to look at the buds bursting prematurely. And then there she was, hovering near the fireplace like the ghost of Hamlet's father. No retinue. No buffer.

She was holding—gods help us all—a sachet.

Cloth. Stitched. Ridiculous.

One of those scent pouches maiden Omegas sometimes make when they’re still fresh from their moonblood and haven’t yet learned shame. But this one had effort. Clearly stuffed with herbs and—something richer beneath. Her. Not in full heat, but close enough that the scent had ripened into maple.

She held it out.

“I…” she began. “I thought… you might want this. It’s not strong. Just—something for when you’re away.”

The earnestness. The sheer catastrophe of it.

She was blushing so hard she looked sunburned. Her fingers, fresh from the needlework, were trembling slightly—likely from nerves, or effort, or from the sheer strain of doing something. Her scent was pulled taut like a bowstring.

And what did I do?

MY RESPONSE (EXACT QUOTE, HANDWRITING SHAKY FROM LINGERING SHAME):

“How quaint.”

HOW QUAINT.

I said it. I said it. With the tone of a lord admiring a child’s clay dragon with four legs and one wing.

I never meant to mock it. I was—impressed? Amused? Touched, in the way one is touched when a bird lands on your shoulder and doesn’t shit on you?

But the words came out wrong. Or perhaps perfectly in keeping with who I am: someone so used to asserting authority that sincerity baffles me.

HER REACTION:

She blinked. Her eyes veiled with tears

Her mouth opened, then closed, and she gave a nod that was meant to be a shrug but failed at both. Then she set the sachet gently on the table beside me—like an offering at a tombstone—and said:

“Sorry. That was stupid.”

She turned, fast. The movement snapped. Like she’d been hit.

I didn’t stop her. I should have. I did try, belatedly, to say something—anything—but she was already halfway down the corridor, walking too fast, head ducked low.

Her scent lingered.

But it had changed.

No longer maple and warmth.

Just something sharp.

Like embarrassment.

Like trying not to cry.

[three paragraphs heavily blotted. Next page, written hours later]

I am not sorry.

Let me be clear.

I am not sorry for what I said, only for the response it provoked. There is a difference.

Her attempt—sweet, strange—was admirable in the way fledgling efforts often are. But it was not what I’m accustomed to. I did not scorn her. I simply reacted as I would to a performance unfit for the stage it presumed.

Apparently, this was the wrong approach.

Apparently, she is the kind of girl who mistakes discomfort for failure.

Fine.

Let her learn through spectacle.

OPERATION: APOLOGY,

Mission Objective: Show Lady [name] that I valued her gesture.

Subtextual Objective: Reassert dominance. Assert control over the narrative. Burnish my image as both gallant and superior.

What would most men do?

A letter? Weak.

A verbal apology? Unmemorable.

A second gift? Uninspired.

What did I do?

THE GESTURE:

I commissioned a tapestry.

Not a small one. A full-wall Vale-work tapestry, stitched by three master weavers overnight, featuring:

Her sigil entwined with mine. A map of Runestone rendered in gold thread. A seven-pointed star replaced with a stylized dragon eye. Vhagar’s, for the ones who know.

A line of text beneath, in High Valyrian:

“She Who Is Seen Shall Be Feared Not.”

(Because subtlety is for cowards.)

It was unveiled—publicly—during midday meal, hung behind her designated seat in the dining hall, with an appropriate flourish of music and actual scented petals scattered by handmaidens trained in choreographed petal-distribution.

I may have stood as it was revealed. And may have said aloud:

“For Lady [name], my betrothed. That she never doubt her place beside me.”

HER REACTION:

To call it “poor” would be like calling dragonfire “warm.”

She froze.

No. Worse. She locked. Every joint seized up. Her expression did not contort—it vacated. Her eyes widened, but there was no expression or rational thought behind them, only raw animalistic panic trying to claw its way out.

She stood. Abruptly. No curtsy, no word. Her chair scraped violently against the stone floor, a sound that seemed to rupture the air.

And then—

She bolted.

Half-walked, half-fled. Past lords and ladies. Past Alicent’s gasp and Aegon’s snort and Criston’s narrowed eyes.

I watched her go.

MARGIN SKETCH:

A very large tapestry with dramatic flames and glowing embroidery. In front of it, a stick-figure of [name] drawn mid-sprint, labeled “fleeing the scene of emotional crime.”

POST-MORTEM:

Mother came to my chambers that evening. She was... not pleased.

“You terrified her, Aemond,” she said, hand clutching the seven pointed star on her chest like she was considering whacking me with it.

“It was a grand gesture, a part of the courtship,” I said.

“It was a spectacle,” she snapped. “That girl can barely speak above a whisper, and you turned her into a performance!”

We ended up in an argument that led us nowhere, except my mother snatched all the hair oils back in retaliation. Woman’s pettiness knows no bounds, indeed.

BUT.

I do not regret the gesture.

It was labourious. Artistic. It was precise. It elevated her. It told her: you matter enough to move me to grandeur.

If that frightens her, then let her learn to stand taller.

Let her understand that being desired by a dragon is not a gentle thing. ______________________________________________________________

1st Moon of 128 AC

She is avoiding me.

Not subtly. Not in an attempt to play coy.

Systematically.

I have not seen her in three days, despite orchestrating half a dozen “accidental” routes through the Keep, the library, the godswood, the corridor that leads past the kitchens where she sometimes steals honeycakes, as Helaena had told me. She walked like a shadow among shadows and I would admire her art of folding herself like parchment if it didn't annoy the fuck out of me.

At first, I thought it was shyness. Shame. That I had overwhelmed her with my affections (true), and she needed time to recover (also true). So I gave her space.

Three days.

That was a mistake.

Because today, I heard something I was not meant to hear.

LOCATION: Alicent’s solar.

METHOD: Standing outside the partially open door under the pretense of inspecting the embroidery on a nearby tapestry.

WHAT I HEARD:

[name]. Speaking. In whole sentences.

“Please, Your Grace,” she said.

“I understand the arrangement was forged with intentions that—politically—seemed sound. But I do not feel safe. Not because he’s cruel. But because he’s so much. I’m not—I’m not strong enough to share a life with someone who ticks when my stitches are uneven and makes me look like a laughingstock to prove a point.”

I froze.

She wasn’t stammering.

She wasn’t whispering.

“I’m asking you—not out of disrespect, but fear—can you annul the engagement? Quietly? Please.”

My heart went very still.

ALICENT’S RESPONSE:

“[name]. Listen to me. This match came from the King’s own lips. He wanted Aemond to have something—someone—to anchor him. He believed your blood, your temperament, might calm him. Might balance him.”

“He said it would unite the family again. That you were a bridge.”

There was a pause.

“I don’t even know if he remembered which son he was talking about,” Alicent added, softly. “He may have meant Aegon. Or… gods, perhaps he thought Daeron was Aemond. But the decree was made. And it will not be unmade. You must—you must try. You won’t be the first woman and Omega in history to step over yourself for a man. If it will make you feel any better.”

Then silence.

Then—something even worse.

The sound of her crying quietly. The kind of crying where nothing moves except the breath.

And I stood there, behind the tapestry, like a complete fool, oblivious to the life of the Keep bustling around me. Enraged or embarrased – it is still hard to tell what I was supposed to feel.

______________________________________________________________

I met her in the inner yard the same day. She tried to walk past me with her head bowed, but I grabbed her forearm – firmer that I’ve expected from myself.

THE CONVERSATION (If One May Call It That):

Me: “So this is it? One little halt, and you’re sobbing on the knees of a Queen like a little girl? Do you really think that hiding like a rat will somehow make all the pressing matters less pressing?”

Her: “You’ve heard it.”

Her voice had heat in it. For once.

Her: “You don’t think you did anything wrong, do you?”

Me: “Lady [Name]. I think I did everything exactly as expected. If it wasn’t what you wanted—why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Her: “Because I didn’t know how to say, ‘you scare me,’ without you taking it as a compliment.”

I opened my mouth. She interrupted me before a word fell from my lips.

Her: “You look at me like I’m a part of some grand scheme that exists only in your head. You don’t actually see me. You see—some version of a wife who makes you feel like a king. And that’s not me.”

Her: “You don’t talk to me. You talk at me. Like I’m a locked door you’re very proud to be kicking in.”

Her: “I tried, Prince Aemond. I made that stupid sachet, and you laughed at it. You probably didn’t mean to, but it doesn’t matter. You think you’re being kind when really you’re just—overpowering. All the time. And you always look at me like I’m supposed to be grateful.”

She laughed. Laughed, short and disbelieving, the kind of laugh people give when something breaks clean in the chest.

Her: “But I’m not. I’m not grateful, damnit! I didn’t want this. I didn’t want you. I didn’t want to be married to the one person in the Seven Kingdoms who makes me feel like I’ve been handed a blade and told to hold it by the edge.”

“And gods help me,” she added, voice rising, cracking open, “I think I like you, and that makes it worse. Because you’re the worst man I could possibly be besotted with. And I hate it. I hate that you’re so convinced you’re always right.”

“And I hate that you’re not always wrong.”

THE MOMENT (Capital T, Capital M):

She turned around, her hair whipped in the air. With quick, jerky steps, she started walking away. I grabbed her shoulder.

Everything that followed it felt like some weird haze.

She pushed me. I clutched at her palm. She scratched me. I grabbed her chin.

It devolved into a childish brawl with the servants and courtiers looking on helplessly, because even in my weird state I would never have seriously hurt her, but I couldn't let her hurt me - just as I couldn't let her go. The mere thought of it made my teeth ache.

At one point, she sank her teeth into my palm. I hissed. And on inertia, I bit her shoulder, tearing through the fabric of her dress with my teeth.

We were breathing like animals. Both bleeding slightly. My fingers dug into her shoulders, bunching up thick woolen fabric I somehow managed to bite through. My mouth tasted like wool. Her mouth left a shallow mark on my palm.

Then it happened.

The scent broke.

All of it. Instinct.

I smelled her—maple and warmth, the damned sweet-throb of it—and it responded in me like a flare catching oil. My pulse kicked. My eye sharpened. My hands trembled like a boy’s.

It was a pulsing wave that starts low and rolls over the bones. A tightness in my spine. A need to punch a wall and then kneel in the Sept near the statue of Maiden until it wears off.

My body locked. My breath caught.

I released.

Not rut, not fully—but the prelude to it, sharp and possessive.

My scent wrapped around hers. She inhaled. Hers answered.

Permanent markers.

Teeth. Blood. All this and that..

Not enough to seal a mating bond—but enough to make it clear to any Alpha, Beta, or high-ranking bastard with a working nose:

She is no longer unclaimed.

We are scented.

Publicly. Permanently. Irreversibly.

Just scent and heat and the knowledge that if anyone touched her now I’d cut their fingers off.

Her face expressed absolute, abject horror.

She pulled away, slow, like she thought moving too fast would trigger an explosion. Her eyes were wet, wild.

“You—you ruined it.”

“You made it real.”

And then she ran. Again. But her scent clung to me like smoke on a burned house.

We were meant to suffer in symmetrical silence, not accidentally become half-mated in the middle of a shrubbery.

I cannot undo it.

And more than that—

I do not want to.

Now she’s mine. mine. mine.

[written with a lot of pressure on the quill, all letters of different sizes]

She can weep. She can beg. She can try to scrub me from her skin.

It’s too late.

We’ve begun.

And I intend to finish it.

MARGIN SKETCH: Aemond sitting in the dust, raising one hand in the air, face solemn. Labeled: "Silence, brain. Cock is thinking.”

[englishhighbrowss]

Common Misconceptions in the English Language

by Nicole Correa

Most people are having a hard time speaking in English, especially those students who did not experience having a scrupulous guide during their basic education on how to use verbs, when to use them, etc. Honestly, I am one of those people who struggles using the English language. So, I feel pressured now that I am required to use the said language which is aligned with my chosen program in college.

1. If English is your native language, then you are proficient in it.

When English or any other language is your native tongue, you assume that you use it pretty well. People can understand when you speak, and you understand everything on TV and in newspapers pretty easily. But what if there is an instance where you need to write a research paper? When facing such a challenge, most students decides to hire professional writers to write an essay for them. Some would argue that graduates cannot write advanced prose because the educational system fails to train them properly. The fact is, no matter how hard you try to master the English language, there are always new layers to discover. Being open to learning means that even though you know you have enough knowledge, there are things that someone knows that you don't.

2. You must not start your sentence with a conjunction

“Don't start a sentence with but!” “Don't start a sentence with ‘and’.” How many times have you received this saying? Elementary and high school teachers were usually pretty harsh with this “rule”. Still, there is no grammatical rule that says you must not use a conjunction in the beginning of a sentence. This is a stylistic preference. No one can explicitly tell you what your style is. So if you feel like starting a sentence with that, you might as well just do that. But it is better to be formal when writing academic papers. Teachers are still pretty strict with their expectations. There are so many rules that we don't yet know, but as time goes by, we encounter new vocabulary that might change our perspectives on the English language.

3. You can’t end a sentence with a preposition.

This is another rule that teachers used to enforce: “Don’t end a sentence with ‘by’, ‘on’, ‘with’, ‘about’, or any other preposition.” This “rule” has its roots in the 17th century, when Latin-obsessed writers wanted to impose their influence on the English language. Compare these two sentences: “You have much to dream about!” “You have much about which to dream.” The first one seems much more natural. And it ends with a preposition. It is hard for us to suddenly change what we learnt first.

4. There should be a specific number of sentences in a paragraph.

Some teachers will tell you to maintain a fixed number of sentences, such as three or five in a paragraph. This idea is delusional! The paragraph serves as a section that covers one main idea. As a matter of fact, you may use as many or as few sentences as you need to expose that idea. As long as we want to insert our idea on that topic, we can use as many words as we can.

Above all, there is what we called prescriptive and descriptive grammar in the English language. It only differs on the type of a literature or usage of the language if it is going to be used as formal or informal.

References: 1. Common misconceptions-about-the-english-language

[yuurei20]

Unique Magic / Signature Spell Compilation: Deuce Spade

Deuce’s unique magic Bet the Limit (hidden meaning: Retaliation) is the ability to store up magic that has been used against him and send it back, hitting a foe with the same damage that they inflict on him.

Due to the English-language localization (<- warning, Book 7 spoilers⚠️) there is a common misconception that Deuce’s unique magic doubles the power of the damage that he takes when he sends it back, but this is not the case.

Deuce explains, “That spell stores up all the damage I take from someone, then hits back with it all at once,” and he did not actually know what it was when it first manifested. He says that, afterwards, he tried to do it again but it wouldn’t work until the battle against Vil in Book 5.

Despite calling out the spell’s incantation and name when he invokes it, he has no memory of doing so.

We see Deuce’s unique magic manifest for the first time on-screen when he is being beaten up by bullies with magic.

The bullies begin to attack Epel and magic begins welling up inside him, though he seems to have no idea what is happening to him before, during or after the process.

Deuce’s unique magic makes another appearance in the game during Glorious Masquerade, when Azul borrows it and then takes a direct hit from Rollo, explaining, “I saved a special present just for you and loaded it with all the nonsense you put me through.”

While Deuce's unique magic's incantation has been written in two different ways on EN, it is consistent in the original game.

[kibibarel]

i read this article and the first gotdamn "hidden detail" was JUST PLAIN INCORRECT

CONSULT ME BEFORE YOU MAKE A POST ABOUT OLEANA POKEMON NEXT TIME, SCREENRANT

LIES...i would not miss anything about her

[mxtxfanatic]

The way that fanon can affect how people view canon, going so far as to warp the source material to fit their fake opinions is a double-edged sword. It can be something as funny and harmless as curly-haired Luo Binghe or blond Yang Qizhan or something as terrible as some of the biggest and most wide-spread translators of mdzs all deciding to translate “gui dao” as “mo dao” despite those being different words in English, different characters in Mandarin, completely different meanings, and the whole point of the novel being that these are two separate things whose differences must be hammered home multiple times in the story. That so many people independently (I hope) got together to mistranslate that one phrase built entirely on a misconception meant to be debunked in the story means that so many people miss this major deconstruction because “well, if the people who know the og language all say it’s this, who am I, a reader ignorant to said language, to challenge them?”

[glitter-stained]

A compilation of resources

Hi guys, sorry for spam-posting this morning: I have over 2000 drafts and needed to get these posts out so I could put them in order, in order to make this post.

FOOD

Stay on track of recalls to avoid getting food poisoning + more food recall info

5 ingredients/45 minutes recipes

Apple chai caramel cider

How to make cookies in a mug

Edible plants catalogue:

Homemaking, gardening and self-sufficiency resources that will not radicalize you

Sad bastard Expectations

You need to eat vegetables

Transcendent pumpkin pie

Hungarian mushroom soup

The spite cookbook!!

Crustless quiche of eternal dinner

RESOURCES FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT

Disability survival guide

Resources for sign languages

Toothbrushes you can use while in bed!

Hey, person who's feeling overwhelmed by life!

How to do hard things

Reality statements for interpersonal effectiveness

In case anyone else is having a bad night

Stretching advice

Learn the Beck Columns with Cassandra Cain!

Activities that are not doom-scrolling

How to actually help someone who attempted suicide via pills

Lavender tip

Resume help for people with disabilities!!!

READING RESOURCES

Public domain websites

Bookshop is in the place!

Reading sites

Ao3 cheatsheet

Support your local library

Study time!

J-stor has it for you!

WRITING RESOURCES

Useful websites aplenty

Disability writing guide

On villains with tragic backstories

On carrying children

Some writing resources

Ref recs for whump writers

Writing dialogue

Writing characters with Schizophrenia

Writing advice ("crime")

Taking emotional intelligence in account!

Non tragic backstories

Useful geographical descriptors for writers:

How to say "it hurts"

You don't need an agent

Write your story backwards

Quick english grammar dialogue guide

Worldbuilding guide website

Writing about wounds

Gems (more useful than you'd think)

Wikipedia monster compilation

GRAPHIC ARTS RESOURCES

Anatomy help

Hot artists don't gatekeep

Sketch warm-ups

Muscle references!

SURVIVING THE DIGITAL HELLSCAPE

Resources for staying safe online

Escape the discord generative AI

Stop NCII

Back-up your tumblr blog

Fuck ads

Fuck your paywall

Fuck your paywall, science edition

Learn the basics of digital archiving/preservation

Fuck your overpriced Netflix subscription , really, fuck it

Hidden search systems

Wafern = fediverse tumblr (none of these words are in the bible)

Fuck that spotify subscription

Woops! Gmail scam

Wolfram Amadeus Mozart or something idk i don't play the violin

FUCK YOU AI TOP RESULTS

Discord switch?

Lock your fics!

Piracy yay

Decentralize and clean up your life!!

MISCELLANEOUS

Dealing with the worst case scenario

Supporting native artwork

Correct your misconceptions!

Free classes!

Small ways in which you can support science!

Frozen water survival guide

Kink sex ed

Care packages

Magical bookstores (now with a map!)

Tumblr culture special: lore and legends

DIY clothing repare

Manners/etiquette

Yeah no I'm not doing that for free

Derek guy helping transmascs and trans men dress!

Summer advice

House maintenance

Washing machine tips!

Home repair! How do I cover up holes in my wall

Some help for finding help! Resources exist, but may be difficult to find

AP US History help for high school students

There we go! Hopefully some of those help make your life easier.