Seeking Russian placenames ...

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Hi guys, this is a somewhat strange request ... (and sorry if it's too off-topic):

I'm looking for Russian-based fantasy names for locations (a whole planet of locations, but half a dozen to a dozen would be a great start). It can be bastardised Russian, even archaic Russian, and I'm looking for a good sound and good look above "authenticity", but it would be great if Russians reading the map wouldn't die laughing. :)

The planet we're talking about is a mountainous, very windy, harsh place to live.

Names like "Stormy ocean", "grandfather mountain", "barren earth", "testing ground", "dead colony" in Russian would be perfect (if they sound/look good). Please also provide a translation - and, yes, in English transcription (where possible). I can read cyrillic, but the target audience can't. All help much appreciated.

Please, help?

Edit: embarrassing typo.

Comments

[cheytobot.livejournal.com]

it's interesting.
how about some more detailed explanation of what you exactly want by email?
if you want, write to adskiy_sotona@mail.ru

[freedomcry.livejournal.com]

Lovely idea. I'll try three of them:

stormy ocean – Buremoir (буря+море, with a Gaelic kind of soft ending)

grandfather mountain – Daedgora (дед+гора, spelling reflects the archaic ě (yat) in дед)

dead colony - Giblagir (гиблый, a nice word for something dead that isn't a creature + лагерь "camp"; we can presume it's haplologized from *giblă-lager^*). I'm worried about лагерь being a Germanic loanword, which I'm not sure isn't an anachronism (though some Germanic borrowings are very old), but the euphony would be a pity to lose.

Message sent*

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Heya,

I sent you a message

Woah...

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

... these are great. Look great, sound great. "Lager" is German, but "lagir" is a good bastardisation. Please, do go on. We have a lot more planets to detail, and the Russkians were in several places! So, the more the merrier. :)

Re: Woah...

[freedomcry.livejournal.com]

Well, suggest more meanings. It's better when you have something to begin with (though right now I can't think of anything of the same quality for the rest of the first batch).

[brazhe.livejournal.com]

село Ветродуево (village Vetroduevo)

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

What does it mean, what is the root? :)

[brazhe.livejournal.com]

And some more:

Пустырище (Pustyrishe -- that's for barren earth)
Бабоягинск (Baboyaginks -- from the folk character, an infernal old lady)

It is also notable, that Russians normally don't like to use too pathetic places, however harsh the conditions are. We usually put some diminishing and humour to them.

[brazhe.livejournal.com]

"Ветер" stands for wind and "Дуть" for to blow

[brazhe.livejournal.com]

sorry, meant don't like too pathetic _nameplaces_, i.e. don't like to call the harsh place a harsh name :)

Ah...

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

... great. :) So, give me ironic names. "eye of the storm" or "calm", or "pretty" or any of the examples with a Russian-ironic twist to it.

At the moment, bodies of water would be great... ("calm/nice/pleasant ocean", "weelcoming coast", "peaceful gulf", "great/welcomuing island")

Thanks!

Re: Ah...

[sartac.livejournal.com]

We have some problems with peaceful and fantasy oceans in Russia :) Smth like Semibreige (Семибрежье, place of seven coasts)

Re: Ah...

[brazhe.livejournal.com]

And more:


Тихая бухта, залив Тихоня (Tikhaya bukhta, Zaliv Tikhonya, a calm gulf)

Остров Буян (island Buyan, thats from the folklore, an island where the hero goes to find that-i-don't-know-what or some other miracles like the self-serving-. The name Buyan has the same root with the word "Буйный" which means violent)

also there could be a "Костеприимный остров/берег" (Kostepriimnyi island/coast -- that's a mixing of two roots: "Гостеприимный" -- welcoming and "Кость" -- bone. Thus it would result in something like coast of gathered bones or something)

Re: Ah...

[brazhe.livejournal.com]

sorry, too many typoos today. "self-serving-." was unfinished "self-serving-table-cloth"

Re: Ah...

[n0mad-sexhex.livejournal.com]

Смирный Океан (Smirnyi - Calm Ocean), Мыс Радушный (Mys Radushnyi - Cape Friendly), Залив Покоя (Pokoya zaliv - Peaceful Gulf), Гавань Безмятежности (Gavan'Bezmyatezhnosti - Haven of Calmness), Остров Тишь (Isle Silence)

*g*

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

No, I understood you fine. :)

Re: Ah...

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Very pretty. Keep em coming! :) You guys are great!

Re: Ah...

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Fantastic! :)

Re: Ah...

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Very nice! Thanks!

[stepanich.livejournal.com]

"grandfather mountain" - "Dedova gora"(as for me this is beter than "Daedgora")
"barren earth" - "Pustosh" (free/leaved place, from word "pustota" - "emptiness")
"Stargorod or Stargrad" - "star"(old)+"gorod/grad"(town)
"Shmoni" - "rumble's"(real village:)

What book you are writing? If it's not a secret:)

Message

[stepanich.livejournal.com]

Please, send me the same.

Re: Message

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

To which email adress?

Re: Message

[stepanich.livejournal.com]

stepanov_an@zelnet.ru

[n0mad-sexhex.livejournal.com]

2 initial poster. Beware: Shmoni definitely = frisking (like in cop's ransack) for every 3rd Russian I know %)

a tip

[kehlen-crow.livejournal.com]

In case of typos you may press the "back" button of your browser and redo the initial comment then delete the first posted. The poster will receive both, but with corrections he receives two anyway :)