OpenGeofiction
Antarctica is a real world place and, to fit in with the general policy of not using real world place names in OGF, really we should be using another name for it. So, looking for ideas. We do have the Mahhalian name ‘Hhokkoameddemet’ (fidelly ኦቆዓሜጬሜት ) but it would be rather strange if we all used that. Some thoughts on the Antarctica talk page. Anyone have any suggestions?
Discussion
Comment from Myrcia on 10 July 2016 at 10:53
Here’s some ideas based on Greek/Latin roots meaning under or below. I also think that -artica instead of -arctica makes a distinction even further between the real world and OGF.
Hypartica Infrartica Subartica Susartica
You might call them Subartica and Suprartica?
Comment from TRJ on 10 July 2016 at 14:21
How about geluborea (northern icelands/frostlands) and geluaustera (southern icelands/frostlands). Or gelusborea and gelusaustera (I think the extra s makes the secind name easier to read).
Comment from Alejandro24 on 10 July 2016 at 23:07
What does “Hhokkoameddemet” mean?
Hypartica and Infrartica doesn’t sounds so bad at all. But actually, the definition of frostlands are really cool also.
Comment from Luciano on 10 July 2016 at 23:35
Hhokkoameddemet means “Great Ice Land Municipality” in Mahhalian. It is essentially a revanchist claim on the whole southern polar region. As such, it’s a bad name for the world to call the continent, not to mention a mouthful.
Actually, I’m not sure I agree we need to come up with a different name. The name “Antarctica” is strictly descriptive in Latin (i.e. Anti-Arctic Land), and as such, there’s no reason it could not have arisen independently, as long as there is some analog of Latin in our world, which there clearly is. Having an Antarctica is no different from having a “Newport” (which exist in multiples in both OGF and Earth) - if there is an English, there will be a “new port.” Likewise, if there is an “arctic” and a Latin. there will be an “Antarctica.”
So, if the community wants to rename it, no problem. But I don’t see it as a requirement.
Comment from TRJ on 10 July 2016 at 23:51
@Luciano, but arctic comes from the greek αρκτος which means bear, which refers to the constellation Ursa Minor which contains Polaris (north pole star). So then you get the question does the OGF-world have the same stars and if so, do they have the same names? Furthermore I just think that coming up with new names for OGF regions is more fun than using ones from the real world.
Comment from Luciano on 11 July 2016 at 00:05
@TRJ. Indeed, it’s all rather complicated, using “real world” languages in an imaginary world. MOST names have these kinds of complicated, culturally-originated etymologies. Hence, on the one hand, using a real-world name can ALWAYS be rationalized (“retconned”) - as I have done myself, many times, in the Ardisphere. On the other hand, and equally, using a real-world term, even one like “newport”, could be challenged as unoriginal.
I agree that “coming up with new names” is more fun. But if, in any given situation, we fail to do so, I don’t think we should try to invoke an originality rule to force ourselves. Instead, we can play with retconning a plausible etymology. This is fun, too. I have a city called “Playa Americana” which was clearly named at a time when Ardisphere was on Earth (which it was, for a time, in pre-OGF days). So I’ve created a complicated back story which relates its name to an Ardispherian revolutionary hero named Américo Valdivia. Problem solved.
Comment from Alejandro24 on 11 July 2016 at 00:08
But there is no significative land in the south pole, neither the north pole. What about calling it by what is is: a frozen ocean. “Frozen Ocean of the North” and “Frozen Ocean of the South”.
Comment from Ūdilugbulgidħū on 11 July 2016 at 01:10
Antartica? Antarticia? Austrartica?
You can see I actually like plain old ‘Antarctica’, but I’m not sure we should use it.
Maybe a term including ‘Ant’ has something to do with ‘the Ants’. The ‘Ants’ being a native people of the polar region. Perhaps Mahhalians, mis-labelled by Ulethan explorers.
I am thinking of it as an ‘Ice Mass’. That is, although there is no land above sea level, the ice is grounded on the ocean floor. Basically, a massive icecap. This is to avoid the issue of there being no major ice cap in OGF. Without a big ice cap, OGF world would probably be very different from the real world. The presence of Antarctica (that is, the fixed ice cap) has had massive effects on global climate and history. Antarctica is part of a theory behind ice ages, which, we could speculate, also had a role in the evolution of humans, and certainly affects the way the world is mapped, for example coastal cliffs, raised beaches, glacial vallies, fjords etc
Comment from isleño on 11 July 2016 at 08:25
I do like Udi’s idea of a “Southern Ice Mass.” Maybe “Glacies Australis” (?) or something?
Comment from Myrcia on 11 July 2016 at 14:48
Austraglacis and Euraglacis?
Subglacis and Supraglacis?
Comment from Ūdilugbulgidħū on 11 July 2016 at 20:03
Thanks for all your thoughts. I’ve moved the page to Glacies Australis (my favorite) but I’ve given it a number of ‘alternate names’ from your suggestions above. Happy mapping Udi
Comment from Alejandro24 on 11 July 2016 at 23:34
That is a nice name, Glacies Australis. In Aŭstro this will be something like “Sudoglacio”, probably somekind modified because the aŭstro culture: “Fora Suda Glacitavolo” (Far Southern Ice Cap).