Nitpicking

Svar

This is probably a silly thing to bother you all about, but I've noticed a lore inconsistency in one of Rasaad's lines in a romance dialogue.

He says, "I must tell you, [Charname] - after the events of these past weeks, I feel myself drawn to you, in a way I never imagined possible."

The problem is that in Forgotten Realms, they have "tendays" instead of weeks.

And I'm extra sad because it's a voiced line, so it's not even an easy fix.

I care too much about these things.

meagloth

In 2e? I've never heard anyone say tenday in BG. I haven't heard anything but you'd think It would come up.

Lord_Tansheron

Doesn't someone say "this is not my tenday" or something somewhere? I seem to recall...

Or maybe I'm just imagining things.

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Svar

Elminster says tenday at least once in BG.

Sertorius

I think Drizzt says they are not expected back in Ten Towns for another tenday, when you ask him for help against Bodhi.

AndrewFoley

Damn it. Good catch. I'll be kicking myself over this one for wee--for a good long while.

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BillyYank

Um... in Calimshan... the uh... word for tenday is "wiek"... yeah, that's it... pronounced just like the English "week"... yeah... big coincidence there... yep...

Lord_Tansheron

To be fair, one could simply say that the word "week" simply denotes a sub-unit of the month, and leave the actual length of it up to the context. Sort of how "New Year" has different meanings depending on calendar.

I mean, it's not like English is a thing there, right. It's all translated for our benefit :P

Svar

BillyYank said:

Um... in Calimshan... the uh... word for tenday is "wiek"... yeah, that's it... pronounced just like the English "week"... yeah... big coincidence there... yep...

Is it really? o_O I've not been able to find any reference to it in any Alzhedo dictionary, but if that's really Alzhedo for tenday, I am heartily disappointed in whoever thought that up. It's even more head-desk inducing than the fact that Elvish for dog is "coo" when Manx for dog is literally the same word.

Lord_Tansheron said:

To be fair, one could simply say that the word "week" simply denotes a sub-unit of the month, and leave the actual length of it up to the context. Sort of how "New Year" has different meanings depending on calendar.

I mean, it's not like English is a thing there, right. It's all translated for our benefit :P

In the Calendar of Harptos, which is used throughout Faerûn, there are twelve months of thirty days each, which makes for three tendays, so tendays are the sub-unit in this calendar. Forgotten Realms lore is very specific about time measurement.

While English isn't a thing, Common is, and I've always been under the impression that Common is meant to be understood as whatever the players' language is, so no translation necessary. To be fair, though, this kind of thing is often a bit murky. Constructed languages make things complicated. I personally think that's fun, but I know a lot of people find it annoying.

Lord_Tansheron

Svar said:

In the Calendar of Harptos, which is used throughout Faerûn, there are twelve months of thirty days each, which makes for three tendays, so tendays are the sub-unit in this calendar. Forgotten Realms lore is very specific about time measurement.

I'm not calling into question the time-measurement, merely the terminology. Since the term "tenday" and the term "week" both denote the same thing (a sub-unit of the month), there is a possibility of simply using a term we are familiar with, regardless of the different length in our context; as long as there is no confusion about things like the next sub-unit (day), this is a semantic issue of translation only.

Svar said:

While English isn't a thing, Common is, and I've always been under the impression that Common is meant to be understood as whatever the players' language is, so no translation necessary.

But doesn't that essentially mean that it *is* a translation, only into whatever language the player speaks? There is a very real difference between the word content and the information content, which necessarily gets parsed via translation. An interesting thing to note, but perhaps more apparent to people who are accustomed to living with multiple languages.

Logic transfers that skip over semantic irregularities are a fairly common thing there, and contexts are often understood implicitly; i.e. I would know what someone from Faerûn means when they say "week" (i.e. a period of ten days) - the word is the same as English week (= seven days) but given the context I'm in I make a mental transfer. It's the same way e.g. a Chinese person would say "year" but mean a different period (starting with the Chinese New Year) than someone from another social-cultural background would by the same term; confusion is usually avoided by realization of context, and only arises when specific qualities require further classification.

Of course, the use of context-specific terminology in fiction is used primarily not for precision but for immersion. As such, the slip-up in this particular example is, of course, just that - and not an attempt to smooth over social-cultural differences with common terminology.

elminster

Svar said:

This is probably a silly thing to bother you all about, but I've noticed a lore inconsistency in one of Rasaad's lines in a romance dialogue.

He says, "I must tell you, [Charname] - after the events of these past weeks, I feel myself drawn to you, in a way I never imagined possible."

The problem is that in Forgotten Realms, they have "tendays" instead of weeks.

And I'm extra sad because it's a voiced line, so it's not even an easy fix.

I care too much about these things.

Your point is entirely valid and I'm absolutely not disputing that it is incorrect according to Forgotten Realms lore (though I frankly would not be surprised if some of the various novels out there used weeks, just because its a lot more approachable term). That said Baldur's Gate has never been a series for consistency

(so don't worry @AndrewFoley there were many writers that missed this one)

(the following is spoilered due to length, I've bolded the specific case of the word week used to make it easier to see since in some cases it involves large amounts of text)

BG1

Montaron (voiced): "[MONTARON 34] Ye live longer if ye don't annoy me. Mayhaps even a week or more."

Xan (not voiced): Alas, I was sent to investigate the strange goings-on about this area and I landed caged for seemingly hopeless weeks on end. I have not seen the sun almost as long as I have not seen my home.

Tethoril (not voiced): "Hello, young one. I am sorry to see thee in such terrible circumstances. I know thee well enough to see that you have been falsely accused. Tomorrow Ulraunt will most likely sentence thee to be sent to Baldur's Gate. There, thou wouldst receive the death penalty for these actions. I know that Gorion would not want to see his only child killed a scant few weeks after his own death. 'Tis as a favor to his memory that I will help thee escape. Make thy way through the catacombs beneath the library, but disturb them not. I have your possessions with me. You must take them and go with haste."

Flaming Fist (not voiced): "An entire unit went west after Brage to try to talk some sense to him. It's been a week, and none have returned."

Townsperson in Beregost (not voiced): "I was attacked outside the city last week. Weren't by bandits, but by a man who dissolved into slime when he died! It's enough to make a man never leave the house!"

Volo (not voiced): "I hear that Commander Brage of the Amnian guard has been missing for some weeks now following a strange alteration in his behavior. Where once he was a well-thought-of family man, he has turned to senseless mayhem, effecting a rampage the likes of which I have never heard. His fellow soldiers noted nothing out of sorts that could trigger such a transformation, but one notable item seems relevant. If not for the iron shortage it would have gone unnoticed but, prior to his mad rage, the commander procured a new sword. The importance of this information, I have no way of verifying."

Eldoth (not voiced): "I have to make a visit to the Blade and Stars tavern to pick up the ransom money for this week. I'll be right back."

Jhasso (not voiced): "Those creatures, the shapeshifters, started infiltrating the Seven Suns some months ago. They must have started with some of the less important members of my coster. Eventually they captured me, and their leader took my face. They've been keeping me alive in order to gain information that they need through torture. I don't know what their purpose is, but they have been running my business very poorly. All of you will be well rewarded for rescuing me. When you meet Scar again, he will give you my reward. I must be off now, as there is much of the monsters' work to be undone. I assume you've dealt with the other monsters upstairs. If you haven't, I'll get the Flaming Fist to clear out the rest. It'll probably be weeks before we can clean out their stench."

Aldeth (not voiced): "It's as if my partners had become wholly different people while I was gone. They almost take an active interest in squandering our company's resources on frivolous and stupid ideas. If they continue on this course, the company will be in shambles in but a few weeks. I know you have already helped me once, but I ask for your assistance again. I have no other recourse."

Friendly Arm Inn outside commoner (not voiced): "Tain't even safe to travel to Nashkel no more. I've been stuck here for weeks upon weeks. Nothing to do but sit and drink. Not that I'd do much different anywhere else, but I'd like to have the option."

Dethyr (not voiced): "Good then. I am Delthyr. I represent those who harp. I have been seeking you out for many weeks now. Just recently I discovered that you had left the city some time ago. Things have changed since you were gone, I can tell you everything you need know."

Neb (not voiced): "Oh yeah, lots of stuff. You know about Duke Eltan, don't ya? He's been diseased. That's why Angelo's in charge now. It would have been Scar, but he went out and got assassinated, heh heh. Ya, the city's gone downhill over the last week. Too bad, heh heh."

Husam (not voiced): "I've been tracking the movements of two Night Masks who've been operating in the city over the past few weeks. I'd say they were responsible for framing the past several murders on the Shadow Thieves. I know they've been staying at a place called the Undercellar. How 'bout we pay them a visit."

Flaming Fist (not voiced): "Duke Eltan? The duke has been on his deathbed for the past week. Commander Angelo Dosan is in command now."

Dunkin (not voiced): "Well, 'tis the calmest I done seen him in a week. Still, best you move along. Marl ain't known for his steady moods."

Brathlen (not voiced): "Bringing light where is naught but darkness, the Everlight. The natural law that all must fall helps feed continuous oil to a system of lamp lights, eliminating bothersome refueling for weeks at a time. This is the enormous tank that holds the oil in reserve. None need be stranded in the night again, as is inevitable with the standard illumination. Have you ever known the oil to run out during the daytime?"

Glanmarie (not voiced): "Oh, no no no. I should need someone with more credentials. Important guests this week, and I can't risk their comfort. My apologies, but I cannot take you on."

Narlen (not voiced): " 'Ere ye are, ye blasted squeaker! Ye got dirt fer brains? Ye must, cause ye growin' something in yer ears to make ye not hear! I said nix on fightin' the guard! If no one scratches a soul case, it's just a petty theft. Ye break a watchman and they hunt ye 'cross the planes! The city'll be pins 'n needles for a week, long after the window closes on the score for tonight! We scored 300 gold this last, and that's all I'll get with you! Take it 'n go, ye Captain Hackum!"

Nashkel commoner (not voiced): "All I know about the mines are that men keep on disappearing in their hellish depths. My husband is one of the miners, but he hasn't been home for weeks."

Lena (not voiced): "Please wait a moment, kind ! You must forgive me for my appearance, but I've been wandering the wilderness for more than a week now. You've got to help me! My friend is badly hurt, and he might die if he doesn't get assistance soon. Please, help me."

Tenya (not voiced): "New friends of mine! You may call me Tenya, and know that I am a priestess of Umberlee. For many weeks now I have searched for the relic that was stolen from my mother. The fishermen Telman, Jebadoh, and Sonner stole it when they became jealous of her power. I will soon have my revenge against these petty fishermen."

Journal Entry regarding Branwen: "When we charmed Branwen we learned that she had been a prisoner in stone for many weeks, after she had confronted an adventuring group that was preying on merchants. A mage named Tranzig was the one that entrapped her."

(ohh and for the record in BGEE Neera also has a line that is voiced that uses the word)

"Yeah, about that... I only had a little bit of gold that I borrowed from a friend a few weeks back, and I've spent most of it. But, I can offer you something much more useful!"

That's actually not all of them. I did a search of it in Near Infinity and it came up with 70 instances in dialogue where the word "week" or "weeks" are used in BGEE. Some of those will be repeat uses or just not used at all. In BG2EE on the otherhand I found 209. This is largely also older dialogue. In the case of "tenday" I found only 21 uses in BGEE and 33 in BG2EE.