Emoting Language Tips



  • As a norwegian, i have some troubles with making good emotes. And as mentioned somewhere else on this board, an emote like evil smile isn't as fun to read as ::Curls her upper lip into a malicious grin::

    Even though i consider myself to be an averagely well english-speaking norwegian, i didn't have a clue what smirks, winces, sneers or even yawns ment when i started playing narf. The reason being, when i occasionally speak english with someone, i don't use those words. I might say "Yeah, i had a great time last night, drank a couple of beers and watched tv….." I'd never say: "Yeah, i had a great time last night. I surpresseed a yawn, before grinningly taking a giant swig of ale while watching tv." 😉

    So i have decided to make a list of commonly used emoting-words along with an explanation from www.dictionary.com, and i hope that some of you may take your time and do the same, or give us non-native english speakers some good tips on emoting.



  • Not sure what you mean about actions but here are some suggestions

    ::dons armour:: a deliberate putting on of armour using an old style verb
    ::puts on armour:: the simplest way
    ::gets into armour:: another simple way of describing the action
    ::armours up:: a more modern way of saying the action
    ::secures armour:: armour was usually fastened in place
    ::fastens armour:: alternative to above
    ::straps up armour:: the fastening of armour was sometimes achieved by straps
    ::belts on armour:: or belts…
    ::buckles up armour:: or buckles.

    ::sloughs armour:: to drop armour off the body –using an old fashioned verb
    ::casts off armour :: again implies the armour is dropped rather than taken off
    ::sheds armour:: implies that the armour is not only dropped but forgotten about
    ::lays aside armour:: implies that more care is taken in taking off the armour
    ::discards armour:: implies that the armour is ignored after being taken off
    ::throws off armour :: implies some haste in the process of disarmouring
    ::disarmours:: again a more modern way of expressing the action
    ::takes off armour:: probably the simplest way
    : doffs armour:: can imply some honour and care taken in the process of disarmouring
    ::unfastens armour:: armour was usually fastened into place
    :: unbelts armour:: sometimes by belts
    ::unbuckles armour:: …..or buckles
    ::unstraps armour:: or straps

    ::grips weapon :: to hold a weapon tightly
    ::grasps weapon:: usually describes a quick careless attempt at getting a weapon
    ::clenches weapon:: to hold a weapon very tightly
    ::clutches weapon:: usually implies some awkwardness in the way the weapon is grasped
    ::snatches weapon:: a very quick attempt to get a weapon implying some urgency in the action
    ::plucks weapon:: implies some care is taken in making an accurate attempt
    ::pulls weapon:: possibly the simplest description of getting a weapon
    ::siezes weapon:: implies some force and haste is used in getting the weapon
    ::wrenches weapon:: implies a strong force is used in getting the weapon
    ::grabs weapon:: a simple way of getting a weapon
    ::clasps weapon:: again implies the weapon is tightly held
    ::brandishes weapon:: implies the weapon is shown to the opponent with some force or anger
    ::flourishes weapon:: implies a show is made of getting the weapon



  • These posts you all made are very helpfull.
    Can someone please make the same for descriptions that have relation with actions.For example like putting armor on and hold a weapon or even giving something?



  • Bah! You're leaving out the most commonly used (and, for that reason, perhaps most important and/or irritating) emote used in Narfell:

    nods Used to express quiet greetings, agreement, or deference.



  • Thanks to all of you for helping people like me out lol :lol:



  • http://www.m-w.com/

    Try here, a handy shortcut to have.



  • lots of smiles ..though most of them use adjectives

    There are wry smiles, half-hearted smiles*, Lopsided smiles simpering smiles, wistful smiles, mischievous smiles, malicious smiles….etc ,....you get the idea 😄

    I guess a simper..is the only other one I can think of without an adjective.

    simpers works on it's own



  • What about different kinds of smiles? Smiles, grins, smirks, beams, but are there any other which I could use without adding adjectives? I have a character who smiles quite a lot, and I'm getting tired of using the same ol' smiles constantly. :twisted:



  • edit: I should've remembered to read the first page as well 🙂
    my bad



  • Very useful :!:
    Thank you all 🙂



  • Sucking on her finger in an erotic way… :roll:



  • I once tried to rp a female char sucking on her finger in an erotic way, but then found out the other guy tought she was making crunching sounds with her food and making clear to him that she didn't have any manners. And then I found out we both speak dutch, so the problem was quickly solved 😄



  • This actually came up once, so I'm going to point it out:

    Shin - The portion of your leg that is between your knee and your foot.

    I stabbed someone in the shin once and they thought I'd been trying to gut them… and I only found out that the guy didn't actually know where I was stabbing him till after the situation was over. I did wonder why the half-orc with 16 con fell over when he got kicked in the shin by a halfling...



  • Sadness

    ::Cries:: makes tears to fall from the eyes

    I have listed the others in terms of what I think is their intensity

    ::sniffles:: short nasal intakes of air usually at the beginning or end of a crying event

    ::snivels:: something akin to sniffling often indicating subservience or fear

    ::whimpers:: slightly more intense snivelling more usually indicating fear or pain

    ::blubbers:: crying with regular short spaced intakes of breath

    ::weeps:: usually used for sadness at a loss..often with the face covered by hands

    ::sobs:: weeping accompanied by short stops as breath is intaken sharply

    ::wails:: uncontrollable sobbing accompanied by agonized "whaaaaa" sounds

    ::bawls:: a long drawn out "whaaaaa" usually before subsiding into sobbing or wailing



  • It would be great too if one or more of the native speakers could make an addendum to this list to explain the most common context for each of these.



  • @fb937fa5fc=Cyronus:

    Adjectives/Adverbs coming soon :nod:.

    Ok, ok.. I'll add some evil ones for starters:

    Malicious - Having the nature of or resulting from malice; deliberately harmful; spiteful: malicious gossip

    mischievous - naughtily or annoyingly playful

    vicious - Having the nature of vice; evil, immoral, or depraved.

    chill - Characterized by coolness of manner, feeling, etc.; lacking enthusiasm or warmth; formal; distant; as, a chill reception.

    cold - Not affectionate or friendly; aloof: a cold person; a cold nod

    spiteful - showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite

    disapproving - To refuse to approve; reject.

    And thank you all for the good response.



  • blinks closing and immediately reopening (the eyes or an eye), usually involuntarily



  • Arches a brow - raising a eyebrow, typicially with interest or scrutiny

    Waggles his brows - Moving your eyebrows up and down quickly, this is tend to be done by foolish fat multicolored gnomes

    Wink - almong other things can tend to give show jest after a statement



  • folds arms or crosses arms Cross your arms across your chest.

    winks Close one eye then open it - it can mean many things…

    smiles playfully smiles brightly half-smile charming smile etc. etc. showing you can use an adverb/adjective on the action to make it more specific..



  • Thankyou Cyronus.