 August 22, 2011 - 5:49am | I was working on an article and needed to refer to ifshnits in the plural several times and saying "ifshnits" with an S just felt odd on the tongue and actually started to irritate me a little. Now in one place I refered to the "Ifshno-Sathar War" much like we refer to the Russo-Japanese War I've also used Ifshno and Ifshna as gender terms in that article. What I was wondering was what the community thought would work better as a plural term for ifshnit: ifshno or ifshna? Feel free to post other ideas for plural forms of words in Pan Gal. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 August 22, 2011 - 6:34am | If you've already utilized the words 'Ifshno' and 'Ifshna' for the masculine and feminine versions of the word perhaps using a different ending altogether would be in order? Something like 'Ifshni' or 'Ifshnae'? I don't have to outrun that nasty beast my friend...I just have to outrun you!  |
 August 22, 2011 - 12:01pm | I refer to them as byshinti. :) I liked the basic concept of the ifshnit, but disliked the name and appearance so I recreated them. Without anything further to go on, I would say Ifshnit (the people or singular), Ifshnae or Ifshni (adjective), Ifshnits (plural), and no need for masculine/feminine delienation (although Ifshno/Ifshna if one so chooses). Long live the Frontier! |
 August 22, 2011 - 9:09pm | Hmm... interesting post. I'm going to approach my response by first going to the great google wiseman. I need to find a name for a people on our planet (past or present) who's name ends with "-it". Then hopefully they will use some endings that will help me wrap my brainage around your question. Post back later... I'm back. (ahem) "Hobbit, Hobbits, (and according to a fellow named Golem) Hobbitses." I'll keep looking. Back again. "Inuit, Inuits, (and according to a fellow named Golem) Inuitses." My SF website izz: http://ragnarr.webs.com |
August 24, 2011 - 9:13am | @Capt Rags: look up Inuit, Tlingit, Kalaallit, and similar terms. These are all Native tribes of northern and eastern Canada, and from the references I've seen, it seems that the "-it" suffix applies to most forms when describing the people, language or culture, while "-ik", "-uk", "-ak" or similar structures are used for an individual (an inuk for an individual Inuit, in example). It could be interested to use at least some Inuit/Eskimo terms and names in the lexicon of the Ifshnit (for the determination of personal or place names, food, games, etc.). Just some thoughts... Long live the Frontier! |
August 24, 2011 - 8:07am | I'm just not feeling the -its ending as it sounds like ifshits when said fast. I like the suggestion of ifshnit for the individual and ifshni for plural. its close and recognizable and the plural form rolls off the tongue well enough. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
August 24, 2011 - 9:20am | BTW, using Inuit/Eskimo words and names, I redid a Everchanging Book of Names chapter I had and came up with some really cool Ifshnit names: Ihestuc, Tsiatan, Haaxaayik, Kleeveq, Tuqwan, Chuga, Ujadelkan. I used existing Ifshnit words (Ifshnit, Ifshna, Kleevor, etc.), the names listed in the Zeb's Guide project here, some Arabic names, some Mongolian names, and now Inuit. Just food for thought... Long live the Frontier! |
 August 26, 2011 - 7:09am | Ifshniti or alternatly Ifshnitum FIAWOL
TANSTAAFL!! |
August 26, 2011 - 7:11am | BTW, using Inuit/Eskimo words and names, I redid a Everchanging Book of Names chapter I had and came up with some really cool Ifshnit names: Ihestuc, Tsiatan, Haaxaayik, Kleeveq, Tuqwan, Chuga, Ujadelkan. I used existing Ifshnit words (Ifshnit, Ifshna, Kleevor, etc.), the names listed in the Zeb's Guide project here, some Arabic names, some Mongolian names, and now Inuit. Just food for thought... Love those names!!! Care to post a pile of names somewhere? Maybe at the .org site too? FIAWOL
TANSTAAFL!! |
August 26, 2011 - 8:11am | Ifshniti
IFSHNITIUM: a term refering to the community of ifshnits everywhereor alternatly Ifshnitum I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
August 26, 2011 - 10:33am | @pariah: if you use EBoN, I can send you the chapter. If not, I can make a list as long as you'd like and either post it somewhere or send it to you. Long live the Frontier! |
 August 29, 2011 - 4:16pm | The Ifshnit are a people, any one Ishnin of the Ifshnit is responsible as all Ifshnuk to uphold the customs and diplomacies of the Ifshnini people, no matter whether Ifshno, Ifsfhna, or Ifshinite. as far as my understanding goes, there are MANY choises, and none are too hard-set as to being the only choice...Oh humans!!  We discover a galactic community filled with multiple species of aliens, and the first thing we think about is "how can we have sex with them?".~ anymoose, somewhere on the net... so... if you square a square it becomes a cube... if you square a cube does it become an octoid? |
