Fanfic writer wants his Dothraki quotes accurate

[KingAlanI]

As a big ASOIAF/GOT fan, I soon started writing fanfic for it. Some of this involved the Dothraki, namely Daenerys' khalasar.

I wanted to use the language to add flavor and represent communication difficulties or cultural differences in general, especially when they're interacting with non-Dothraki.

The wiki has been very helpful for providing the dictionary and being a reference on grammatical issues like verb conjugation and noun cases. I came to the forum to help learn if I’m doing things right, if I’m following the wiki properly.

I have found myself learning some things about language in general. I’ve never learned a language besides English. I never took well to Spanish classes in school. I’ve never been this obsessed about a fictional world that had a constructed language. I’m hardly ashamed about the high level of nerdery, but I find it odd I’m interested in this and not a regular language.

[Qvaak]

Hello and welcome, zhey KingAlanI.

Yes, investigating a conlang is kinda mad pursuit, but it has it's perks, and can even be a very nice sort of abstract and philosophical starting point on a more linguistics-centered language adventures. I find it a wonderful diversion, engaging on multiple levels and in many dimensions. I'm not much of a language person either (though I've learned this English language to a passable level, being a Finnish speaker originally), but after a couple of years with Dothraki, you may notice I'm not a total linguistics newbie anymore.

Sidenote: Writing fanfic it's safer to idetify yourself as a GoT fan. GRRM is somewhat famous in asking his fans not to make fanfic, and this wish has been much respected amongst the fans. But IMO greenligthing a derivative work as big as a major HBO series pretty much surrenders that fight. GoT lives in social media with such an unquenchable flame and is so much a work on its own rights that there's just no way, no reason, no argument to limit the scope of derivative works.

[KingAlanI]

Yeah, I've heard of GRRM's anti-fanfic attitude.  However, I couldn't avoid mentioning my writing as a reason for why I'm looking at the Dothraki language.

I disagree with GRRM's reasoning, but I didn't want to dwell on that here. I haven't heard your particular defense of GOT fanfic before.

I have the same user name on FFN and AO3, and I notice FFN has some blacklisted authors but GRRM is not one of them.

[Hrakkar]

M'ath, zhey KingAlan1!

Welcome to the Dothraki/Valyrian community! It sounds like you have quite a project going, and I wish you well (GRRM's wishes notwithstanding   ). One cannot help but writing fan fiction for such a rich world!

You have already found most of the resources there are, and you have found Qvaak as well! My background and feelings are very similar to Qvaak, except the only natural language I speak is English. In addition to Dothraki, I also speak Na'vi, which right now is my main focus. I try to stay active enough in Dothraki though, to not lose what I have learned, and to move forwards as I much as I can. Although I will bow the knee to Qvaak and Ingsve in terms of Dothraki (and general linguistics) knowledge, I will also help out whenever the opportunity arises.

In any case, welcome, and I hope your project goes really well!

[KingAlanI]

To clarify, the fanfic is in English with some Dothraki words and phrases added

http://archiveofourown.org/works/802600
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9291697/1/Queen-In-The-North

Basic plot: Rhaego is born healthy. The dragons hatch. Daenerys keeps much of Drogo's khalasar. They head straight to Westeros, where they find Robb, who is still unmarried.

[Hrakkar]

To clarify, the fanfic is in English with some Dothraki words and phrases added

http://archiveofourown.org/works/802600
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9291697/1/Queen-In-The-North

Basic plot: Rhaego is born healthy. The dragons hatch. Daenerys keeps much of Drogo's khalasar. They head straight to Westeros, where they find Robb, who is still unmarried.

Sounds like an interesting premise. I am looking forward to reading it!

[KingAlanI]

Sounds like an interesting premise. I am looking forward to reading it!

Athdavrazar! Yer chomoe anna.

[KingAlanI]

I also have a Hunger Games crossover that includes Daenerys, Rhaego, Doreah, Irri and Jhiqui ending up in Panem.
I haven't yet used the Dothraki language in that, but this experience inspired me to eventually, both as encryption (like code talkers) and as part of teaching Rhaego about his father’s culture.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9117764/1/The-Twelve-Kingdoms
http://archiveofourown.org/works/728233

My other stories are entirely non-ASOIAF.