Post by Hollow, Sky, Laurel, Jay, Rye on Nov 27, 2014 16:22:52 GMT
Just like prefixes, there are suffixes that can be considered disparaging of the cat. However, they tend to be more subtle than the prefix counterparts. Some people don’t even see these suffixes as an issue and will choose to use them regardless, which is okay too. This is just my interpretation, after all.
In this context, a derogatory suffix that highlights the cat’s weakest points or even outright states his or her worst attributes. Even a name that draws attention to the cat’s most irrelevant traits could be seen as insulting, as it suggests that the cat has no other talents.
The suffix should address the cat’s best feature/s, so any name that doesn’t needs some serious reconsidering.
The two most common suffixes that fall into this category are the ever-popular -fire and -frost, the latter made famous by Hawkfrost, a deuteragonist who first appears in ‘Midnight’. While many think of these names as perfectly suitable suffixes, I think the negative aspects overwhelm the positive connotations.
For example:
-fire; while this name can imply a brave, warm-hearted cat, it also has strong connotations of being hot-headed, impatient, brash and reckless. In context, fire is actually a very real threat to the well-being of the clans - particularly those that live in heavily forested areas - so it is not to be treated lightly. A cat with this kind of personality would probably be more trouble than he or she was worth; imagine being known for the fact you ran headlong into danger all the time, without thinking of the consequences. Other than being embarrassed frequently, you would also probably be dead.
-frost; the common reason given for this name is that the cat is “solitary, aloof and calculating of mind”, in short, a “frosty” personality. Aspects of this are great - a cat that can keep their cool no matter what’s going on, and has plans within plans for every possible scenario; any clan would value that. But think about the rest of the implications. To be desperately solitary, as well as hostile and dismissive of others - this cat shouldn’t be in a clan. Clans work on team-based activities, trust and camaraderie. Furthermore, there are distinctly sinister undertones of “calculating of mind” - how can you trust a cat that keeps secrets from his or her leader? If anyone disagrees with this, could I please remind you that the first cat to have -frost was Hawkfrost? Enough said, I think.
To be fair, every suffix has positive and negative connotations; -heart doesn’t mean the cat does what is unequivocally right - it means the cat does what he or she thinks is right, which is entirely different. The key is to pick a name that is more positive than negative.
In this context, a derogatory suffix that highlights the cat’s weakest points or even outright states his or her worst attributes. Even a name that draws attention to the cat’s most irrelevant traits could be seen as insulting, as it suggests that the cat has no other talents.
The suffix should address the cat’s best feature/s, so any name that doesn’t needs some serious reconsidering.
The two most common suffixes that fall into this category are the ever-popular -fire and -frost, the latter made famous by Hawkfrost, a deuteragonist who first appears in ‘Midnight’. While many think of these names as perfectly suitable suffixes, I think the negative aspects overwhelm the positive connotations.
For example:
-fire; while this name can imply a brave, warm-hearted cat, it also has strong connotations of being hot-headed, impatient, brash and reckless. In context, fire is actually a very real threat to the well-being of the clans - particularly those that live in heavily forested areas - so it is not to be treated lightly. A cat with this kind of personality would probably be more trouble than he or she was worth; imagine being known for the fact you ran headlong into danger all the time, without thinking of the consequences. Other than being embarrassed frequently, you would also probably be dead.
-frost; the common reason given for this name is that the cat is “solitary, aloof and calculating of mind”, in short, a “frosty” personality. Aspects of this are great - a cat that can keep their cool no matter what’s going on, and has plans within plans for every possible scenario; any clan would value that. But think about the rest of the implications. To be desperately solitary, as well as hostile and dismissive of others - this cat shouldn’t be in a clan. Clans work on team-based activities, trust and camaraderie. Furthermore, there are distinctly sinister undertones of “calculating of mind” - how can you trust a cat that keeps secrets from his or her leader? If anyone disagrees with this, could I please remind you that the first cat to have -frost was Hawkfrost? Enough said, I think.
To be fair, every suffix has positive and negative connotations; -heart doesn’t mean the cat does what is unequivocally right - it means the cat does what he or she thinks is right, which is entirely different. The key is to pick a name that is more positive than negative.