1. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Word for flying that is an analogue of running?

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by rktho, Mar 4, 2017.

    Fast walking is running. What is flying? My characters are all dragons, and I think the imagery would fit a bit better if I used terms of flying instead of walking.
     
  2. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    Not entirely sure I understand what's being asked. Fast walking is fast walking. Running is running. Flying is flying.

    Maybe you simply require the help of a thesaurus.

    http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/flying?s=t
     
  3. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    I'm not sure there's a flying-specific word to distinguish fast flying from slow-flying, so maybe you'd just have to use non-foot-specific words? Like speeding or racing or hurtling or...?

    I read a few articles on peregrine falcons, looking for a word they use to describe how fast they go, but... "dive" "shifts into hyperdrive" "slip through the air", but... none of those is great.

    (Cool video at , though!)

    Maybe you could read some articles on fighter jets or something to see what verbs they use?
     
  4. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    slow flying = fluttering/flapping
    medium flying = soaring
    fast flying = ripping, darting etc

    or make up dragon words (sparingly - thing what Richard Adams did in watership down for rabbits)
     
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  5. Elven Candy

    Elven Candy Pay no attention to the foot in my mouth Contributor

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    I don't often need to say my characters (also dragons) flew faster, so I can usually just get away with "he flapped faster/harder." If he starts out fast, I might say "he shot into the air."

    You can also just say your character hurried, raced, sped, etc. If the reader already knows the character's flying, using a synonym for sped will be as good as using the word run.

    Another option is to imply the fast flying in context. Make the dialogue, situation, or narrative urgent. Flying is known to be the fastest and most direct way to travel, so if the scene is urgent in the reader's mind, they'll automatically picture the character "running."

    It can be SO tricky to write a book from a dragon's POV!
     
  6. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    The problem is I'm not trying to refer to them in the present. If you watch Doctor Who, you've probably heard the Doctor say on multiple occasions that he's always running. It's that kind of context I'm having trouble with, because when my dragons travel long distances, they fly.
     
  7. Elven Candy

    Elven Candy Pay no attention to the foot in my mouth Contributor

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    I never really watched Doctor Who, just sort of listened as my brother watched it, so I don't know the context you're referring to, but I'll take my best shot at helping. The implication you want to come across is that this character is always moving, and moving quickly, correct? A few ideas:

    I'm always:
    - Winging (if you introduce it right, you can "reinvent" this word for your book).
    - Quickflying (a word you can literally invent for your book).
    - Streaming (another word you can reinvent for your book).
    - Darting (this one's fairly self explanatory and likely wouldn't need to be "introduced." Notice that Big Soft Moose also naturally associates this with speed).
    - Rushing (another self explanatory word).


    I just realized you might be looking for a synonym for escape, rather than speed:

    I'm always:
    - On the run/fly
    - Evading
    - Dodging
    - Bolting (actually, this one could work for the above though, too)
    - Fleeing (though this one might make him seem like a coward)

    Really, if this is the one you want, then I think the best way to use it is to put it in context and just make the dragon say he's running/flying. In context, the reader should understand what this means.

    ETA: Context is everything. You actually could just have the character say they're always flying, and in the right context the reader will know that the dragon means they're always flying quickly. I hope this post helps. It's an hour past my bedtime so I may have misread you completely. I'll read it again tomorrow and either slap myself or say, "Yay, I didn't misread it!" and move on (assuming it helped).
     
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  8. ajaye

    ajaye Senior Member

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    Jetting? Though that doesn't sound very dragon-like.
    Yep, context helps a lot.
     
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  9. badgerjelly

    badgerjelly Contributor Contributor

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    Fleet of wing?
    Swift of wing?
    Not a moment to glide.
    Mercurial speed.
    Storming?
    Rocketing (need technology for this to fit though?)

    Maybe some negatives would work? Not tarrying, without hovering or sojourn-less?

    Also given the way these dragon people live and speak, you could perhaps use something from that? I am guessing fire is part of their lives, so you could use a fiery analogy. For slow movement you could say "like flames slowly licking across the sky", or for faster movement "blazing along"/"blazing through the sky".

    Some other cultural analogy may fit if fire is not used by these dragon things.
     
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  10. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Funnily enough, firebreathing died out with their evolutionary ancestors. There are references to it though.
     

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