Author Topic: Looking for a word  (Read 6313 times)

Offline BjustaB

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 7
    • View Profile
Looking for a word
« on: September 07, 2007, 06:21:13 PM »
I am guessing that this group would probably be the best to help me with a word issue.  I am looking for a word that means non-magical or non-mystical.  The closest word I can come up with is “mundane” but that word also has the connotation of boring and I don’t want to convey that at all.  When my main character and her friends use the word they are only being descriptive not judgmental.

I have turned the thesaurus upside down and still am not finding the word I am looking for.  Any ideas?  Since the novel is set in this world, urban setting, I cannot make up a word – it needs to be something readily recognizable.

Thanks,
Barbara

Offline Josh

  • Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 90
  • Scriptor dementis
    • View Profile
    • Through a glass, darkly
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2007, 06:43:42 PM »
How about "grounded"?

Unaffected...

Ordinary...

Uncomplicated...

Conventional...

Just throwing out ones as they come...
JRVogt.com
The Fiction Writer's Virtual Toolbox - 150+ links to tools and resources for writers
Follow on Twitter @JRVogt

Offline blgarver

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 543
  • There are three things all wise men fear...
    • View Profile
    • Video Samples
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2007, 06:53:04 PM »
If it isn't magic, then of course it's boring!

Perhaps you should try making up a word.  Like "Muggles" in Harry Potter.
I'm a videographer by trade.  Check out my work if you're a writer that needs to procrastinate.  Not as good as Rhett and Link, but I do what I can.
http://vimeo.com/user1855060/videos

Offline Orissa

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 433
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2007, 07:19:03 PM »
"normals" has been used for such a description in something, but I can't for the life of me remember where I'd heard it! 

Offline Yeratel

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 8872
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2007, 07:34:05 PM »
I'm not sure "unpowered" is a real word, how about "the unempowered" ?
When people who are clued in on something refer to those who are clueless, they often refer to them as "the straights", which I think most readers would understand.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2007, 07:41:47 PM by Yeratel »
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. " -RAH

Offline AcornArmy

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 4635
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2007, 07:52:13 PM »
Naturals
Uninitiated
Common
DV AcornArmy YR5FR5 BK+++ RP+ TH+(++) WG+++ CL++ SH[Mab+ Lara++ Molly+++]

Offline Yeratel

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 8872
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2007, 02:06:14 AM »
You say the characters are being "descriptive, not judgemental" in describing non-magical humans, but I would guess that they still feel superior to the lesser beings. Something like the Whites referring to humans as "kine" for herd beasts as food. In casual conversation among themselves, they might use shortened descriptions like "Norms" for "normals", or "Humes" for "humans", or "Ords" for "ordinary people", or even an acronym of some sort. Every subculture out there seems prone to creating their own acronyms. Humans in this case could be NPLUs, for Not People Like Us.
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. " -RAH

Offline Pheynix

  • Lurker
  • Posts: 1
  • Pseudointellectual Barbarian
    • View Profile
    • Rick's Website
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2007, 02:15:03 AM »
If you wanted to use color as a metaphor for magic, then perhaps the mundane, unempowered, banal, or what have you could simply be...

Pale.

Offline Cyclone Jack

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 175
  • Hallucinatin' Hack
    • View Profile
    • Market Theocracy: New & Used Gods For Sale
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2007, 06:10:23 AM »

Telluric.

Materials.

Ephemerals (as opposed to something along the lines of 'Those Who Walk In Forever'.)

Bound (as opposed to those 'freed' by knowledge of magik.)

Mute (as opposed to those who know 'The Language Of The Universe'.)

But I'm still right here,
    giving blood, keeping faith,
and I'm still right here.

 -- Tool, The Patient
                   
Market Theocracy: New & Used Gods For Sale

Offline The Corvidian

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 987
  • I like crows and ravens.
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2007, 05:24:10 AM »
"Streamer", from mainstream.

"Scalie", because of the scales over mortal eyes.

"Daylighter", or "Lighter", for someone not highing the the shadows.

"Fiver", from 9 to 5.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2007, 05:25:52 AM by The Corvidian »
Clarke's Third Law: Sufficently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Niven's Converse to Clarke's 3rd Law: Sufficently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science.

Offline ballplayer72

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 5965
  • sweet i love being a pirate
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2007, 10:23:42 PM »
i myself use unGifted and Gifted in my novel
Only a dumb SOB brings a knife to a gunfight

Offline Bujin

  • Conversationalist
  • **
  • Posts: 179
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2007, 11:28:41 PM »
"Conventional" works for me.  How about "typical" or "mainstream".

Offline Spectacular Sameth

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 4026
  • At least 20% cooler in 10 seconds flat.
    • View Profile
    • Dragon City
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2007, 01:42:26 AM »
Mortals?

Offline Shecky

  • Bartender
  • O. M. G.
  • ****
  • Posts: 34672
  • Feh.
    • View Profile
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2007, 11:10:30 AM »
Call 'em Commons (darn you AA for thinking of it first!). Norms. Straights. Sapiens. Regs. Blinders. Giftless.
Official forum rules and precepts; please read: http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,23096.0.html

Quote from: Stanton Infeld
Well, if you couldn't do that with your bulls***, Leonard, I suspect the lad's impervious.

Offline Tasmin21

  • Participant
  • *
  • Posts: 50
    • View Profile
    • On Literary Intent
Re: Looking for a word
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2007, 10:11:11 PM »
Ooh, I like Sapiens.