zompist bboard

What language is Gdeon (giant) of? Is it Verdurian? Probably so. I saw my avatar to the left =) But where did the consanant cluster /gd/ come from? Is it used in any other words, specificly at the beginning of a sentence? Why is it unsure that Gdeoni still live on Almea? What wiped them out?

Also, Kushaki, what do they look like in appearance (if they really did exist)? Again, if they did exist, how was there intelligance compared to Gdeoni and humans?

DarkFantasy wrote:What language is Gdeon (giant) of? Is it Verdurian? Probably so. I saw my avatar to the left =) But where did the consanant cluster /gd/ come from? Is it used in any other words, specificly at the beginning of a sentence?

Yes, gdeon is Verdurian. It's the only word with an initial gd-, but there are several words beginning with the unvoiced equivalent ct-, so it's not much of a stretch to pronounce. It's an interdialectal borrowing, which accounts for the unusual form. (It derives from Cadhinor Aecteion, the name of a legendary hero; the standard Mazhtane reflex would be Ecteon.)

Why is it unsure that Gdeoni still live on Almea? What wiped them out?

Also, Kushaki, what do they look like in appearance (if they really did exist)? Again, if they did exist, how was there intelligance compared to Gdeoni and humans?

There isn't much more information than is in the Count of Years. We're not aware of any giants or ogres existing today; on the other hand it's a big planet, not entirely explored. For the past, the stories of the giants (and ogres) ultimately come from the ilii. If we had archeological information we might confirm or deny them, but we don't...

oh, okay. Thanks.

But how intelligant are gdeoni? I mean, classicly, giants have usually been dumb and clumbsy compared to most humans.

Ah... I don't think of either the giants or the ogres as being dumb, or clumsy for that matter-- just big. (Maybe not that mentally flexible, however. Being bigger than most everything else in your environment means not having to compromise much...)