I almost like the unwieldiness of the English "Black-Cloaked Envoy," though, just because you have to slow down and pronounce it formally; it's a little bit removed from everyday language.
*nodnod* It's pretty unwieldy to use repeatedly in narration, though. :-)
Also, we tend to say "the Regent" instead of 摂政官？forgotten his Chinese? and "the Lord Guardian" instead of 領主 (likewise), so I like the titles as exceptions.
Oh, interesting point. Personally I'd almost prefer a transliteration for the Regent, because I have issues with "Regent" (given the king is technically on the throne), but I don't know it and I'm not sure anyone would recognise it. (I quite liked Justiciar, from the original subs -- has a great archaic ring and seems more accurate. Maybe I should go back to that. *g*) Anyway, the Regent and the Lord Guardian seem more title-ish than the Black-Cloaked Envoy to me. Shen Wei had the epithet before he had the role, and if he were to be replaced as Envoy for some reason, I don't think the replacement would dress the same or be addressed the same, unless it was a deliberate attempt to fool people.[1] They'd just be the Dixing Ambassador. Whereas the Lord Guardian title is (I assume) automatically bestowed on SID chiefs.
[1] Oh, now I want angsty post-canon fic where Chu Shuzhi is promoted to the position of Dixing Ambassador and has to decide how he wants to be addressed and how to present himself... whether he'd change his outfit/title in homage or reinvent the role... (Though I presume his usual mode of dress is already an homage.)
ha! You have now given yourself away, of course, and will have to find new synonyms :)
Hee! Well, there's a limited range of options within the fandom.
I will happily chatter back and forth about this kind of thing for ever, so please feel free to go on at length any time!
no subject
*nodnod* It's pretty unwieldy to use repeatedly in narration, though. :-)
Oh, interesting point. Personally I'd almost prefer a transliteration for the Regent, because I have issues with "Regent" (given the king is technically on the throne), but I don't know it and I'm not sure anyone would recognise it. (I quite liked Justiciar, from the original subs -- has a great archaic ring and seems more accurate. Maybe I should go back to that. *g*) Anyway, the Regent and the Lord Guardian seem more title-ish than the Black-Cloaked Envoy to me. Shen Wei had the epithet before he had the role, and if he were to be replaced as Envoy for some reason, I don't think the replacement would dress the same or be addressed the same, unless it was a deliberate attempt to fool people.[1] They'd just be the Dixing Ambassador. Whereas the Lord Guardian title is (I assume) automatically bestowed on SID chiefs.
[1] Oh, now I want angsty post-canon fic where Chu Shuzhi is promoted to the position of Dixing Ambassador and has to decide how he wants to be addressed and how to present himself... whether he'd change his outfit/title in homage or reinvent the role... (Though I presume his usual mode of dress is already an homage.)
Hee! Well, there's a limited range of options within the fandom.
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