On Worldbuilding: Place Names — countries, cities, places

Summary

This video delves into the fascinating process of creating meaningful, realistic, and engaging place names in world-building. It explores how names often reflect geographical features, historical events, and cultural values, while also evolving over time due to language changes and power dynamics. From the simplification of names to the influence of migration, the video highlights how place names can embody the history and politics of a region. It also touches on the significance of who controls a place and how names are shaped by the people who live there or those who conquer it, making place naming a powerful tool in storytelling.

Takeaways

• 😀 Place names often reflect the natural or man-made features of the landscape, such as rivers, mountains, or castles, and these names provide insight into the environment of the region.
• 😀 Historical events or important figures often shape place names, like the city of King's Landing in 'A Song of Ice and Fire,' named after King Aegon's landing, or the Matanza River, named after a massacre.
• 😀 Place names can be a form of cultural 'fossil poetry,' offering a glimpse into the values and priorities of the people who created them, such as Boston's original name, Tri-mount, reflecting the geography that early colonists valued.
• 😀 Simplicity is often key in place names; names for smaller regions or communities tend to be more specific and straightforward, while larger areas require broader, more generalized names.
• 😀 Names of places evolve over time due to language changes, such as simplification of pronunciation or blending of similar-sounding words, making them more manageable or clearer.
• 😀 Power dynamics play a significant role in the naming of places. Names are often given by those in control, and this can lead to political implications, such as the renaming of Constantinople to Istanbul after the Ottoman Empire took over.
• 😀 Exonyms (names given by outsiders) can become more widespread than endonyms (names used by locals), reflecting the influence of colonizers or dominant cultural groups, like the Roman name for Scotland, or Tolkien's use of exonyms in Middle-earth.
• 😀 Colonialism leads to dual naming systems, where indigenous names and colonial names coexist, with the colonial name often being more widespread, as seen with New Zealand's dual identity.
• 😀 Migration influences place names. As different groups move through regions, they leave behind linguistic traces that impact how places are named and remembered. The blending of Anglo-Saxon and Danish influences in York is an example of this.
• 😀 When designing place names in fiction, it's crucial to consider the history, culture, and power relations that would influence how these names evolve, change, and persist over time.

Q & A

What are the three dimensions that make place names meaningful, interesting, and realistic in worldbuilding?

Place names in worldbuilding need to reflect three dimensions: geography (the physical landscape), history (important events or figures), and culture/people (the inhabitants or their values). These dimensions help give place names depth and relevance.

How do place names typically arise according to the script?

Place names are generally born when language meets typography, often referring to natural or man-made landscape features, such as rivers, hills, castles, or villages. These names are based on the dominant language and reflect common local features.

What is the significance of naming places after historical events?

Naming places after historical events serves as a folk history, marking important moments in time that shape a region’s identity. These names preserve cultural memories, even if the events are legendary or mythological.

How does the script suggest we should approach creating fictional place names?

The script suggests creating a lexicon of base words from the regional language, such as terms for geographic features (e.g., rivers, hills, forests). These terms can then be combined to form compound names for places. Names should evolve over time to reflect changes in language, power, and history.

What are some examples of place names that evolved due to language changes?

Examples include the city of Gloucester, which evolved from the Old English 'Gloucester' (meaning 'Castle of Gloucestershire') as the language simplified. Another example is the name 'River Avon,' where 'Avon' means 'river' in Welsh, leading to a tautological name.

What role does power play in the naming of places, according to the script?

Power dynamics influence place names because those who hold power often have the authority to name places. This is evident in the example of Constantinople, which was renamed Istanbul by the Ottoman Empire, reflecting their political and cultural dominance.

What is the difference between exonyms and endonyms, and why are they important?

Exonyms are names given to a place by outsiders, while endonyms are names used by the people who live there. This distinction is important because it reflects power dynamics, as places often retain the names given by those in control or those who dominate in a historical or geopolitical context.

How does the concept of migration affect place naming in worldbuilding?

Migration impacts place names by introducing new linguistic elements as different groups settle in a region. Even after a group moves on or is replaced, traces of their naming conventions can remain in the place names, providing a historical record of past inhabitants.

Can you give an example of a place name reflecting both geographical features and cultural identity?

Yes, the example of Boston is given, where early European colonists named the area 'Trimount' after the three large peaks dominating the land, emphasizing the geographical features they valued. Native American tribes called the place 'Shawmut,' meaning 'a place of water,' reflecting the importance of water in their daily lives.

What is the significance of names like 'Minas Tirith' in Tolkien's works?

'Minas Tirith,' meaning 'Tower of the Guard,' is an example of a place name that tells us both about its geographical feature (a tower) and its historical significance (it was built as a defense). Tolkien’s use of a lexicon of base terms in his worldbuilding helped create meaningful, context-rich place names.