Why not a Queendom instead of Kingdom?

Discussion in 'Setting Development' started by MustWrite, Aug 8, 2014.

  1. Burlbird

    Burlbird Contributor Contributor

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    I'm considering "Queerdom" for my exclusively homosexual feudal setting. ...but then again, it's hardly going to be feudal, seeing how my Quings (Queen+King, see :p) fail to produce any legal royal offspring :D
     
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  2. bythegods

    bythegods Banned

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    Well at least it will be politically correct, which ought to please some people on the forums.
     
  3. Burlbird

    Burlbird Contributor Contributor

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    Well, it's still a place somewhere, over the rainbow...
    btw: I know it's lame :)
     
  4. Fullmetal Xeno

    Fullmetal Xeno Protector of Literature Contributor

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    Honestly i like the term Queendom. It's original and creative, i think it would be cool.
     
  5. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    Ah yes, reduce complex issues to slogans. That's one way to hand wave them off.
     
  6. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

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    Let's settle down a bit, people. Some members are behaving a bit like trolls in this thread, and posts here have been reported. So far we haven't issued warnings, but if this thread turns more trollish, we're ready to start doing so.

    The thread started with a simple question. It doesn't have to turn ugly.

    Thanks in advance for your cooperation! :)
     
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  7. Thornesque

    Thornesque Senior Member

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    I agree. I think it's the sort of term that would be good for a tongue-in-cheek sort of story, but not one with a serious tone.
     
  8. outsider

    outsider Contributor Contributor

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    I think the question's had roughly four more pages worth of posts than it merits.:rolleyes:
     
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  9. FrodoKreuger

    FrodoKreuger Member

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    I think it can work in a more serious story, but with difficulty. A fantasy world I created some 25 years back and occasionally return to using since had one Queendom. That was established by a woman who opposed male rights for various reasons, and she used the term Queendom specifically as a message against the general patriarchy of the world. On the other hand, another major Kingdom, also currently ruled by a queen, was known as a Kingdom because the ruler wasn't trying to make some political point with the name. Language is important and, generally, rather sexually biased (at least the English language, I can't comment on others). It's also the way we speak. I'd say unless there is a specific point the rulers are trying to make with the use of the word Queendom, then it's probably not a good idea in serious literature. Also, why a Kingdom? That's not the only style of government that's existed, nor even existed in European style nations. Empire, Caliphate, Nation, Republic, etc could also be used if you wanted to avoid the male bias of the word itself.
     
  10. Selbbin

    Selbbin The Moderating Cat Staff Contributor Contest Winner 2023

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    If you're going down that road why bother disseminating between male and female rulers at all just just call either a male or female royal leader the King? It's derived from Caesar anyway, so you could also replace the word King with almost anything you like, and allow it to represent the leader from either sex.
     
  11. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    disseminating? Did you mean discriminating?
     
  12. Selbbin

    Selbbin The Moderating Cat Staff Contributor Contest Winner 2023

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    Lol. Um.... yes.

    But who said I was a writer. :p
     
  13. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    All those feathers in your cap say you are at least a decent poet. :)
     
  14. Burlbird

    Burlbird Contributor Contributor

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    Hm? Well, no actually, the word king has germanic roots. Compare with Modern German könig - and Kaiser (equivalent of Emperor) which is derived from Caesar.

    Anyway, all modern european languages very obviously show their patriarchal roots. The often repeated argument that "etymology is not important, how we use the language now is important" sounds a bit shallow once you understand that a "language" is a fluid, evolving, natural phenomenon. So you can force it and bully it and make excuses and justifications, but it's still a rape (excuse me for not being pol.cor.)

    That said, what the hell is wrong with Queendom anyway? ["A state or territory ruled by a queen" says my Merriam-Webster.] I've read 4 pages of bull and still don't get it. Some people think it sounds silly? The word "queen" can refer to transvestites etc? WTF? With that logic, you can argue that naming a character Richard is not wise because, you know, he will eventually become a Dick!
     
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  15. Selbbin

    Selbbin The Moderating Cat Staff Contributor Contest Winner 2023

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    There's nothing wrong with Queendom if you still want to make a distinction between King and Queen, and not just use a single word for the ruler whatever their sex.
     
  16. Burlbird

    Burlbird Contributor Contributor

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    @Selbbin yes, but "king" is male, "queen" is female. Using any or both with a gender neutral tendency doesn't make the actual words gender neutral. A "female king" is not the same as a "queen": a "female swine" is still not a "sow" :)

    @FrodoKreuger Both words, "kingdom" and "queendom", were around more or less since the words "king" and "queen" were in use - probably for some 15 centuries, more or less. The only reason "kingdom" is more familiar to a casual speaker is that we had more male ruling monarchs than female ruling monarchs in european history. Nothing more.

    Edit: just found the word "queendom" (meaning "the realm ruled by female monarchs" as the sub-title of Book V/Chapter 19 of Urquhart's translation of "Gargantua and Pantagruel" circa 1660. ("How We Arrived at the Qeendom of Whims or Entelechy")
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2014
  17. Selbbin

    Selbbin The Moderating Cat Staff Contributor Contest Winner 2023

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    Absolutely, which is why I suggested making up a title that covers both genders.

    Quoteth the raven:
     
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  18. Burlbird

    Burlbird Contributor Contributor

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    @Selbbin"Quing"! :D
     

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