1. Veowulf

    Veowulf New Member

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    My character has heterochromia. Should I call it a condition?

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by Veowulf, Mar 3, 2013.

    I'm stuck in a part in which I don't know whether to call his heterochromia a condition or not. Is there a different way to call it?
    I can't call it a disease or disability, for obvious reasons since it doesn't affect his eyesight or anything in anyway at all.
     
  2. GhostWolfe

    GhostWolfe New Member

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    Depends on how the character came to have heterochromia. It may be a genetic trait, a condition cause by an external incident/accident, or the symptom/effect of disease.
     
  3. BitPoet

    BitPoet New Member

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    It all depends on context. In a current-day setting I'd probably go for anomaly or peculiarity, but in a fantasy setting it might e.g. be percieved as a stigma.
     
  4. GhostWolfe

    GhostWolfe New Member

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    Unless you're making a statement about the person doing the describing, I would pick something a little more neutral for a modern day setting.
     
  5. Veowulf

    Veowulf New Member

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    He was born with it. Other than that, he pays no mind to it. Can't really say he would see it as an anomaly though.
     
  6. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    it's not a disease, or disorder... just a 'condition'...
     
  7. GhostWolfe

    GhostWolfe New Member

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    It can be caused by disease though.

    I kinda like "trait".

    The word you choose will reflect the speaker/narrator's feelings on the matter. It doesn't bother him, but maybe he thinks it looks kinda cool, so he thinks of it as a distinctive trait. Someone else may be creeped out by it & thinks of him as the 'freak with the different coloured eyes'.
     

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