Four Levels of Reality (was Re: Silly names) from Beyke, Maurice on 1999-12-14 (Glorantha Digest Vol 07)

From: Beyke, Maurice <Maurice.Beyke_at_tbe.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 12:44:18 -0600

Boris here, once again. Against my better judgement, but there was one issue I had not addressed. I'll ease my conscious by trying to avoid any flame bait this time.

Martin Crim says:
>And in case anyone missed my prior post about the four levels
>of Glorantha, I'll say it again:
>1. Rules reality
>2. Literary reality
>3. Glorantha as it appears to its inhabitants
>4. Glorantha as it really is.
>
>If you're content with the literary reality, where jokes, parody,
>and all manner of silliness abound, fine; I enjoy it too. But when
>I'm working at level 3, which is the goal of the better roleplaying
>groups, I want to know what Gloranthans call their cities. Old,
>stale jokes don't cut it at this level.

Leaving aside his judgement call of what the level at which better roleplaying is done, I would argue how Glorantha appears to it's inhabitants. For an example, there is a tremendous difference to me between the city names of Schenectady and New York City. The first is, to me, a meaningless collection of syllables; the second name means something, and that meaning is far more important to me than the sound of the syllables. Also, if said quickly, Newark sounds very similar to New York, but as I don't know what Newark means (New Ark?), it's name doesn't have anywhere near the significance that New York does.

In the same manner, to a Gloranthan native, the name of the city Boldhome has meaning to them in their language. It seems to me that that meaning is of far more importance to them than the mere collection of syllables that comprise the name in their language. Therefore even at the third level of reality Martin mentioned, "Glorantha as it appears to its inhabitants", Boldhome is a more accurate rendering than the actual, untranslated name. And as "Glorantha as it really is" is very much influenced by how the natives view it, this would also somewhat affect the fourth level as well.

Martin, if you would care to actually address any of the arguments I have put forth, as opposed to "heap invective and ridicule" on them, then I am more than willing to respond. However, if the latter is all you offer, please reply to me personally; there's no need to waste the time of the other digesters.

Boris

End of The Glorantha Digest V7 #226