Monday, March 1, 2010

A Ros by any other name would drill as neat.

That's the problem with backing into these things. At first, my contribution to the NQSYW was a regiment of mercenaries, MacDuff's Fusiliers, then I started building a 1740's French army for historical games but they were co-opted and sudenly I found myself with a large enough contingent to need a national name, in a hurry. Thus, Rosmark was founded, in the foggy north.

Now what does one call someone from Rosmark?  The "enemy" and former employer of MacDuff's Fusiliers calls us Rosmarkers. There aren't alot of X-mark countries to look at for examples but "mark" is essentially equivalent to "land" so we can also look at the various "x-land" countries for inspiration.

This gives us (in English not in their own native tongues obviously):
Denmark - Danes/Danish
Greenland - Greenlanders/Greenland
Ireland - Irish/Irish
Scotland - Scots/Scottish
England - English/English
Finnland - Finns/Finnish
Switzerland - Swiss/Swiss   

I am somewhat reluctant to add an 's' to 'Ros' as in Scot-Land Land of Scots, Rosmark, Land of the Ross as the double 's' doesn't seem to implie plural but if I insert an "e" it becomes Roses as in Rosmark, Land of Roses. I don't mind the implication that my people and troops smell sweet and are pretty but it would feel odd. The adjecective woyuld be Rosish in any event. I think this is my favorite at the moment but I am throwing open a Poll. Name those people!  Once again, I do not consider myself bound to obey the results but I will take it into consideration. Comments to back up arguments for one or another are encouraged and gain even more weight.

6 comments:

  1. If Russians could be Rus, why not just call them Ros? Or do the Swiss/Helvetia or Germany/Allemand/Deutsch thing and call them Farlanders!

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  2. Despite your comments to the contrary I think I'd go with the Ross or Ros.

    Failing that Rosmarkers and the Rormarkian Army.

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  3. Hi Ross,

    I am a Ross.
    You are a Ross.
    He is a Ross.
    We are Rosses.
    You are Rosses.
    They are Rosses.
    Hey, look, the Ross Army!

    Ross, like in Macfarlane. Well, it's not actually 'in' there, but you get the idea.

    Simple, hard to misspell or mispronounce.

    A big Red flag with a fancy gold F in the center.

    Jim

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  4. My immediate thought was "Rossers".


    -- Jeff

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  5. Rosmarquis or Rosmarquess(invariable?), from Mark = March.

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  6. With indeed Rosish for the adjective, from the precedent Dane-Mark -> Danish

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