Fullmetal Alchemist - Page 11

Premmy · 05-30-2010, 03:06 AM

words are about as concrete as science inside Reed Richards's head.

Amake · 05-30-2010, 03:07 AM

You're saying that the most important character in a story cannot be separate from the character the audience should feel the most for? If not, then what's the words you'd use to separate them?

"Protagonist" for "audience advocate" works pretty well for me, even if it comes from a confusion of Greek and Latin 75 years ago.

Kim · 05-30-2010, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lithp

Bottomline: Arguing with something as concrete as the definition & etymology of the word is just beating a dead horse. The protagonist is the main character. Your "correction" was not correct.

Fun fact: the definition of any word is far from concrete.

Lithp · 05-30-2010, 03:25 AM

Removing the sugary coating from my speech, I'm saying that a protagonist is, by definition, a main character, & that arguing with that without some kind of similar linguistic evidence is pretty much a waste of time.

Amake · 05-30-2010, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lithp

...some kind of similar linguistic evidence.

Kinda like how people have been using a different definition since 1935?

Yeah I guess I edited that part in my last post while you were writing yours, so I don't fault you for missing it. Got a little edit-crazy there. Anyway, you need an argument

Lithp · 05-30-2010, 03:55 AM

The argument is provided by the definitions themselves.

Quote:

1671, "principal main character in a story, drama, etc.," from Gk. protagonistes "actor who plays the chief or first main part," from protos "first" (see proto-) + agonistes "actor, competitor," from agon "contest" (see act). Meaning "leading main person in any cause or contest" is from 1889. Mistaken sense of "advocate, supporter" (1935) is from misreading of Gk. protos as L. pro- "for."

Emphasized synonyms added by me.

EDIT: Wait, I see what you're going for. Well, that's cool & all, but it doesn't seem to be the main definition anyway. It's not what Wiki is using & Merriam-Websters lists it as the 2nd definition with "principle character" as the 1st.

Amake · 05-30-2010, 04:00 AM

No, but it's a definition. We need something to distinguish between the two concepts, which I'm noticing you do not disagree with.

We're making up language as needed, here. If you don't like my ideas, let's hear some of yours. We can work something out rather than treading over the same bits of the dictionary over and over.

Lithp · 05-30-2010, 04:10 AM

See, here's the thing: I just reacted to a claim made against a statement of mine. I don't really focus on theoretical language. I'm in the here & now until someone decides to officially change the word.

Although Wiki talks about "false protagonists," which I think is what you're getting at, if you want a term to use.

Amake · 05-30-2010, 04:21 AM

I guess we agree the two parts of audience proxy and story driver don't need to be played by the same character then. That's all I cared about. :I

Lithp · 05-30-2010, 04:36 AM

Yeah, I'd say that's true. And I only cared about the technical definition of "protagonist." Don't you just love it when something works out?

05-30-2010, 03:06 AM	#101
Premmy Stop the hate Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a nice web on fifty first street Posts: 4,466	words are about as concrete as science inside Reed Richards's head. __________________ Drank

05-30-2010, 03:07 AM	#102
Amake Keeper of the new Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: A place without judgment Posts: 4,506	You're saying that the most important character in a story cannot be separate from the character the audience should feel the most for? If not, then what's the words you'd use to separate them? "Protagonist" for "audience advocate" works pretty well for me, even if it comes from a confusion of Greek and Latin 75 years ago. __________________ Hope insistent, trust implicit, love inherent, life immersed Last edited by Amake; 05-30-2010 at 03:23 AM. Reason: We could make it "proagonist" to be more accurate but that sounds crazy. Let's just call it the opposite of "antagonist".

05-30-2010, 03:25 AM	#104
Lithp Boo Buddy Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 400	Removing the sugary coating from my speech, I'm saying that a protagonist is, by definition, a main character, & that arguing with that without some kind of similar linguistic evidence is pretty much a waste of time. __________________ Great site, especially for RPers: http://degosroleplaying.aceboard.com/ (As you can see, the key to advertisement is subtlety.)

05-30-2010, 04:00 AM	#107
Amake Keeper of the new Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: A place without judgment Posts: 4,506	No, but it's a definition. We need something to distinguish between the two concepts, which I'm noticing you do not disagree with. We're making up language as needed, here. If you don't like my ideas, let's hear some of yours. We can work something out rather than treading over the same bits of the dictionary over and over. __________________ Hope insistent, trust implicit, love inherent, life immersed Last edited by Amake; 05-30-2010 at 04:09 AM.

05-30-2010, 04:10 AM	#108
Lithp Boo Buddy Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 400	See, here's the thing: I just reacted to a claim made against a statement of mine. I don't really focus on theoretical language. I'm in the here & now until someone decides to officially change the word. Although Wiki talks about "false protagonists," which I think is what you're getting at, if you want a term to use. __________________ Great site, especially for RPers: http://degosroleplaying.aceboard.com/ (As you can see, the key to advertisement is subtlety.)

05-30-2010, 04:21 AM	#109
Amake Keeper of the new Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: A place without judgment Posts: 4,506	I guess we agree the two parts of audience proxy and story driver don't need to be played by the same character then. That's all I cared about. :I __________________ Hope insistent, trust implicit, love inherent, life immersed Last edited by Amake; 05-30-2010 at 04:38 AM. Reason: Yeop.

05-30-2010, 04:36 AM	#110
Lithp Boo Buddy Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 400	Yeah, I'd say that's true. And I only cared about the technical definition of "protagonist." Don't you just love it when something works out? __________________ Great site, especially for RPers: http://degosroleplaying.aceboard.com/ (As you can see, the key to advertisement is subtlety.)