Dragons - need names

Sassee · Aug 2, 2007

I need a PC term and a derogatory term for someone who is half dragon. (Anything with "half" in it is getting really old, not to mention somewhat offensive these days.)

Here's the scoop:

In my little alternate universe, dragons are human-shifters. They evolved to be able to appear human to increase their chance of survival. It's a complete shift - they have none of their dragon abilities, including strength, when they become human (well, except for the ability to shift back, and it's really not an instantaneous shift, but that's neither here nor there). It's near impossible to identify a dragon in human form.

So, of course, accidents happen, and sometimes there are human parents.

Normally these "half dragons" are born in dragon form hatched from an egg. In my character's case, she came out of the egg fully human and has never been able to "go dragon."

Anyone have an idea for names? Specifically for this character's case? Derogatory or otherwise? I'm stumped.

(No, I'm not using Dragoon.)

dclary · Aug 2, 2007

Sleestak?

dclary · Aug 2, 2007

or, to merge lycanthropy with dragons...

drakenthropes -- Draks in slang?

Rowling used "mudblood" for an impure (halfbreed) wizard. And Johnny Ringo called Doc Holliday "Lunger" in tombstone...

Let's see...

Ok, is this a derogatory term that non-dragon people call her? How about they call dragon people "scalers" -- because they can change their skin to scales... derogatory terms always lean toward physical attributes, right?

And this is doubly insulting -- because she can't even GO scaler.

Sassee · Aug 2, 2007

Oh hey that's pretty good for the non dragon peeps... but I do need a term her peers would use as well. Dragon to (half)dragon. Well, okay, maybe not peers... whatever, you get what I'm trying to say.

TheIT · Aug 2, 2007

Dragon to half-dragon = forgery?

sunandshadow · Aug 2, 2007

Dilute?

dclary · Aug 2, 2007

For her peers... that's easy.

Slick.

A slick is a slick-skin (softy, flesh).

blacbird · Aug 2, 2007

Dick Cheney.

caw

dclary · Aug 2, 2007

Sassee · Aug 2, 2007

blacbird said:
Dick Cheney.

caw

dpaterso · Aug 2, 2007

Squishy.
Softspawn.
Pinkskin.
Stumpy.
Tadpole.
Wingless wonder.
Monkey girl.

-Derek

yanallefish · Aug 2, 2007

what about calling them Wormies? (depending on the mythology you read, dragons here have been called that, so feasibly it could make sense for a draconic shapeshifter to be called so)

DragonHeart · Aug 2, 2007

Weakblood, maybe. Or thinblood. Dragons may see her inability to shift as her draconic blood not being pure enough to enable the change to occur. Tainted, even.

~DragonHeart~

Fenika · Aug 2, 2007

Well, since reptiles (and birds and whatnots) have oval shaped blood cells, how about round blood? No? Darn...

Okay, okay, their blood cells are nucleated, while ours aren't, so how about blank blood? empty blood? hollow blood?

Okay, so maybe histology isn't a good jumping board.

She's a dirty hatchling, so maybe something along those lines... Maybe throw in a few 'freak's just b/c it's classic.

Clawless?

Something about her being untrue? Her physical form is false... something deceptive? Hidden?

Mule? I think you could work with mule. Or hinney- a 'backwards' mule... And I could see hinney being a semi-affectionate, semi-mocking nick name someone would give her... 'Come little hinney, I will protect you'

Okay, I think I'm slipping into equine nutter mode. Time to go!

Cheers,
Christina

mscelina · Aug 2, 2007

on the wormie idea mentioned above---dragons were called 'wyrms' once upon a time. What if wyrm is used as a slightly derogatory word for the half-human ones?

TheIT · Aug 2, 2007

What's the prevailing attitude of the dragons about the half-dragons? Derision or pity? If pity, then perhaps "stunted ones" or "weak ones". The half-dragons can't share the same glory of true dragon form, so perhaps they're pitied rather than mocked. Or are the dragons ashamed about the half-dragons?

Half-dragon about dragon = "glorious ones"?

MattW · Aug 3, 2007

Pinkscales?

Tailless?

Pedestrians?

Lunch?

Death Wizard · Aug 3, 2007

Molts.

Ziljon · Aug 3, 2007

mouth-breathers.

aadams73 · Aug 3, 2007

Scalies.

Stew21 · Aug 3, 2007

dpaterso said:
Squishy.
Softspawn.
Pinkskin.
Stumpy.
Tadpole.
Wingless wonder.
Monkey girl.

-Derek

You had me at Monkey Girl.

Sassee · Aug 3, 2007

Most half dragons *can* switch back and forth between human and dragon. Those "normal" half dragons are treated as equals. My character seems to be a runt of some sort and can't be anything but human, which is cause for some teasing. Some pity her, some are indifferent, and there are a few who see her as a complete outsider not worthy of their attentions (other than the teasing).

Great suggestions on derogatory terms! But... does anyone have a PC term for a half dragon? (A general term, not one specific to my poor little runt.)

Roger J Carlson · Aug 3, 2007

What's wrong with dclary's "drakenthropes". Weredraks for short. If you say that fast, it sounds like "wierd-racks" so others could call them "weirdos".

Stew21 · Aug 3, 2007

Roger J Carlson said:
What's wrong with dclary's "drakenthropes". Weredraks for short. If you say that fast, it sounds like "wierd-racks" so others could call them "weirdos".

or racks.

Marian Perera · Aug 3, 2007

sunandshadow said:
Dilute?

I really like this, for some reason. May I use it at some point in the future for some as yet unspecified race?

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