Regarding Carthaginian Naming

[BurnEmDown]

Hi, I just started playing, seems like a really cool game thus far, hope this grows to something awesome.

Now to the point of this topic: I've noticed that each civilization has its own unique names for buildings and units, and I've also noticed that the Carthaginians' names for buildings and units, are really really similar to Hebrew (I'm from Israel and thus of course speak fluent Hebrew), I'm guessing it's just because the Phoenician's language was very very similar to the language of the ancient Israelies, it's pretty cool for me.

If you want Carthaginian naming to be more similar to Hebrew, I could easily write how everything sounds like in Hebrew, or if you actually named everything according to Phoenician language, I guess that's cool how these two languages are very similar.

[Spahbod]

That's because we "used" hebrew to make carthaginian names as their language is forgotten.

[BurnEmDown]

Yeah that's what I figured. Some of the names are a little off, would you like me to write for you how everything sounds like in Hebrew? If so, you can just write here or send me a PM with everything that needs to be named and I'll write it all.

[Jeru]

Hi BurnEmDown, I'm Aviv, also from Israel, and I did the Carthaginian names based on modern Hebrew. נעים להכיר

If you have any ideas for corrections or improved translations, they are very welcome.

Also, would you be interested in recording yourself saying things in Hebrew so we can put them in the game? (If you can make a heavy Sephardic or Yemenite accent, that would be best.)

[BurnEmDown]

Well first I must say that all the names really do sound like they're Carthaginians, so you can use my translations if you want to go for 100% Hebrew accuracy, even though that's not really necessary.

For a few things I remember without starting the game and everything:

The mill building is called "Mahtsabah" which is the word for quarry, while "Mathenah" fits the word "mill" more. The unit called "Qasat" (archer) should be called "Qashat". "Sahir Hanit" means "mercenary spear", which I guess works somehow since there's no Hebrew word for "Spearman" (Hanitai? doesn't sound right"), another choice could be "Sahir Lybiani" since the unit is called "Lybian Spearman". "Sadd" should be "Sadde", "Suq" should be "Shuq", "Namel" should be "Namal", "Maqdas" should be "Miqdash". There are others maybe but I can't remember them all, if you think total Hebrew accuracy works better I'd be happy to go over the entire list and do them all, but don't forget that ancient Carthaginian probably didn't sound exactly like Hebrew (especially modern Hebrew, although those names existed in ancient times too, obviously).

I'd be happy to record myself for the game, sounds pretty cool Just send me the lines I need and I'll have it done by tomorrow I think, or the day after that, I'm assuming it's stuff like "We are under attack!" and "We need more wood" and stuff like that. I'm actually Ashkenazi but I could easily make a Sephardic accent.

[Jeru]

The mill building is called "Mahtsabah" which is the word for quarry, while "Mathenah" fits the word "mill" more.

True. (Preferably tahanah).

The unit called "Qasat" (archer) should be called "Qashat". [...] "Suq" should be "Shuq",

The s with háček 〈š〉 stands for the "sh" sound.

"Sadd" should be "Sadde", [...] "Maqdas" should be "Miqdash".

These are known words from Punic/Phoenician. (source for "Sadd")

"Namel" should be "Namal",

The Even Shoshan dictionary says "Namel".

[Jeru]

See the full entity list in the design document and the full sound list in this thread (post #20).

[Jeru]

The mill building is called "Mahtsabah" which is the word for quarry, while "Mathenah" fits the word "mill" more.

True. (Preferably tahanah).

Sorry, I just realized the mill is a repository for stone, metal and wood. Another building, the farmstead, could be a tahanah/mathenah (currently an Estate or an Aḥuzāh.)

[BurnEmDown]

Well, that depends on a few things. A mill is, I'm guessing, either a windmill or a watermill, or generally just a place where grain is collected, to be made into flour. It does seem weird that this building isn't used for collecting food, so many the general name of the building should be changed to quarry. I'd also suggest to split this building into two, one for stone and metal, and another for lumber, but that's a different matter.

[zoot]

Well, that depends on a few things. A mill is, I'm guessing, either a windmill or a watermill, or generally just a place where grain is collected, to be made into flour. It does seem weird that this building isn't used for collecting food, so many the general name of the building should be changed to quarry. I'd also suggest to split this building into two, one for stone and metal, and another for lumber, but that's a different matter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawmill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamp_mill

[zoot]

[ Edit: Double post ]

Edited September 30, 2012 by zoot

[BurnEmDown]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawmill

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Stamp_mill

If the mill is supposed to be a sawmill, I guess the appropriate translation would be "Minsara", although that's a pretty weird name. "Tahanah" could actually mean both "a place where grinding happens" or "a station", and since in the game it's a building where resources are collected, "a station" kinda fits I think, while also implying that some work is done in the building itself to process the raw materials into usable products.

[Jeru]

"Tahanah" could actually mean both "a place where grinding happens" or "a station"

Those are two different words: טחנה and תחנה

[BurnEmDown]

Yeah but in Hebrew-English they're both written with T, so it could be either one (or a combination of both), Heh, I'm just throwing ideas out in the open.

Also after playing the game some more I noticed some other buildings with a little weird naming, but I'm assuming those are legit Carthaginian names, from that website. These are: the tower "Mijdil" (or something like that, but not migdal), the priest from the temple "Kahanat", trader (which wasn't "Soher" but I can't remember what it was exactly), and Barracks "Mahenet", should be "Mahane".

[Jeru]

Yeah, those are all Punic/Canaanite, not oversights. Thanks anyway.