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Old 09-01-2010, 01:08 PM   #22
Ea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SameOldStory View Post
...

If Scarrow has a weak point it's in the use of familiar words instead of "Roman" words. I say Roman as not all words used in the Roman army would be Latin.

Ex. - Cato's short sword flashed out to meet the enemy's attack.

As opposed to - Cato's gladius flashed out to meet the enemy’s attack.

At the start of the book he could introduce the gladius as a short sword, and then used the word gladius from that point on.

In that Under the Eagle was his first "Roman" book, written for a UK audience, I can make allowances for simplifications. Were it written for an Australian or US audience others might have the same complaint. Only further reading of the series will tell.
Not quite sure I follow you here... Would you prefer the use of 'gladius' over 'short sword'? And would Australian and USA audiences be much more likely to know what a gladius is than a British audience? That's what I understand you are saying.

Personally I'd be cautious about using too many 'original' words, however historically correct they may be, if they get in the way of the narrative - it's a story told in English after all. Not that "short sword" sounds much better either.

It's not that I can't understand the need for accuracy, but too much of it kills the story. It's like in historical films; the design is a balance between what was actually there, what the audience expect, what looks good, and what aids the narrative.
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