I would prefer that it remain a verb.
One can build a character, yes... but people are always talking about building a "build." I find this to be a gratuitous mangling of the various parts of speech.
Next thing you know, people will forget what adverbs are, and then where will we be?
i no, rite?
O hai n00b, pmsl rdn ur postz, u srs? Kthnx bai.
I love reading the Lolcats Bible in this stuff, because it makes it sound really cute. Anything else? Not so much.
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http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/build
From what I can tell, build is and has been a perfectly cromulent noun for some time.
See also build as a term in both computer programming and and as description of physical stature ("the rugby players are of a strong build"). The confluence of these concept seems to fit perfectly into that of an RPG character.
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Yeah, I figured it came from programming.
But then again, programmers stole classes and attributes from RPGs, so it's all evened out.
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I figure it's a good trade, since troll is now a verb, and not only a noun...
Troll was a verb for a long time associated with fishing. In fact I always assumed that was its origin.
And then of course there's troll the ancient yuletide carol
The very existence of homonyms is annoying, to be sure, but isn't as bad as wrenching a word out of its own part of speech and stuffing it into another one!
"That is a sexy weightlifter. He has a nice build."
Isn't that pretty old?
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Random House Dictionary, courtesy of Dictionary.com, provides the following noun definitions for "build".
noun
9. the physical structure, especially of a person; physique; figure: He had a strong build.
10. the manner or form of construction: The house was of modern build.
11.Computers.
a. a version of a program after compilation, typically an update to an existing version made before the program is released.
b. the process of producing a software build.
c. a new version or update of data in a database or on a website: frequent, incremental builds of data.
12. Masonry.
a. a vertical joint.
b. the vertical dimension of a stone laid on its bed.
So the answer to "when did build become a noun?" is "not recently at all."
Sorry Grammarian, you're late to this particular party. This particular verb getting noun-ified is not a new thing.
Wait, are you trying to tell us that English does not allow using each word flexibly as a noun, adjective or verb, depending on current need?!
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I think this thread is coming along excellent.
I could bring in Fawful but that might just be considered mean.
{feverishly begins work on portmanteau of "emigrate" and "my lawn"}
Only thing I could get was "delawning"...
EDIT: "off-lawning"?
Chief Technical Officer
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According to Merriam-Webster, it appears that "build" has been used as a noun, in the sense of "the shape and size of a person's body," since 1667. (It also defines it as "form or mode of structure.")
The way I see it, using it in the sense of a "character build" has quite a lot in common with the usage from 350 years ago!
Verbing nouns and nouning verbs used to annoy me, but now it's just something I've hobbied.
And yeah, build was nouned from the start.
Here in the U.S. 'primary' is now a verb. It really gets on my nerves.
Other than that I don't really mind nouns becoming verbs or vice versa.
I've never heard it used as a verb in my part of the U.S. How exactly is it being used?
Yeah, I figured it came from programming.
But then again, programmers stole classes and attributes from RPGs, so it's all evened out.
Only in the same way that the rest of the world stole coffee from our Java.
I've never heard it used as a verb in my part of the U.S. How exactly is it being used?Here in the U.S. 'primary' is now a verb. It really gets on my nerves.
Other than that I don't really mind nouns becoming verbs or vice versa.
To primary an incumbent is to have competition from within ones own political party.
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60 druid restoration build,
sole purpose to heal for the guild...
To primary an incumbent is to have competition from within ones own political party.
Ah, just another example of the whatever-it-is-but-it's-definitely-not-cream rising to the top in politics.
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"That is a sexy weightlifter. He has a nice build."
spot me bro
In RPG vernacular, I think it came from Diablo 2, which introduced the skill trees. Suddenly, in 3rd edition, there was a need to plan ahead for your character, so it would qualify for feats and so on and be relevant at high level.
An honest question: What is the noun form of "despise"?
[Still spotting Lamontius]
Despisal.
In RPG vernacular, I think it came from Diablo 2, which introduced the skill trees. Suddenly, in 3rd edition, there was a need to plan ahead for your character, so it would qualify for feats and so on and be relevant at high level.
Well I'd certainly agree that might have been a flashpoint for the spread of the term, but build was RPG vernacular for ages before that.
Other RPG systems had the same sort of tiered abilities, like HERO and I think GURPS even. My first encounter with the term was in the first RPG I ever played when I was 11, TMNT and Other Strangeness (Palladium) because in that system you played a mutant you literally built to order using bio-e.
Indeed. But what was new with feats was that you had to plan ahead. Before them, there were thousands of options at the start, but once you got to start playing, there was a different, generally staked out process of advancement. When discussing "build", you typically refer to something like "a planned structure of character advancement through the full range of levels we'll likely play", i.e. it specifically aims forward. A fully advanced level 20 character who is retiring isn't something you use the word for - it refers to your PLAN for a character.
So, feats and class levels. I will stick to that. Character points in GURPS and systems where you set up your character at level 1 do not count. I am not familiar with the HERO system.
And, "despisal", yeah, I can see that, but it's a word I have literally never seen anywhere. You may be right still, of course.
Only one that bothers me is the use of "stealth" as a verb.
When did "Cheese" become a verb?
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When did "Cheese" become a verb?
Sometime around the 19th century, I believe.
"Cheese it, Benny, it's the cops!"
An honest question: What is the noun form of "despise"?
A not-so-honest answer: There was a dungeon called "Despise" in the Ultima games, so in that particular case it was also a noun :)
The actual etymologically derived noun form of "despise" is technically "despisement".
The etymological root of "despise" is "to inspect", I'm not sure where it took on it's connotation of "to look upon with hate or contempt".
The closest noun form of the word as it is usually used probably is "contempt".
Spite is the root of despise AFAIK.
The actual etymologically derived noun form of "despise" is technically "despisement".
The etymological root of "despise" is "to inspect", I'm not sure where it took on it's connotation of "to look upon with hate or contempt".
The closest noun form of the word as it is usually used probably is "contempt".
It's interesting to see how languages grow.
So, feats and class levels. I will stick to that. Character points in GURPS and systems where you set up your character at level 1 do not count. I am not familiar with the HERO
Well building is definitely prevalent in HERO. And that's been around since '89. And regardless of 3.5 build was terminology in use beforehand.
Languages are organisms, not inanimate objects, at least not until they die.
Languages are organisms, not inanimate objects, at least not until they die.
I read that as orgasms.
I really need some sleep :(
The actual etymologically derived noun form of "despise" is technically "despisement".
The etymological root of "despise" is "to inspect", I'm not sure where it took on it's connotation of "to look upon with hate or contempt".
The closest noun form of the word as it is usually used probably is "contempt".
EDIT: Of course, now that I click on the link, it says "Sign up for a subscription, blah blah blah"
The etymological root of "despise" is "to inspect", I'm not sure where it took on it's connotation of "to look upon with hate or contempt".
Actually, the best I can tell from a quick google search, it seems to come from:
de- down
specere- look at.
So despise would mean look down at, not inspect. Which makes perfect sense. Though there may be some other contextualization which I'm unaware of wherein to look down on someone is to inspect them.
Languages are organisms, not inanimate objects, at least not until they die.I read that as orgasms.
I really need some sleep :(
... or something...
The etymological root of "despise" is "to inspect", I'm not sure where it took on it's connotation of "to look upon with hate or contempt".Actually, the best I can tell from a quick google search, it seems to come from:
de- down
specere- look at.So despise would mean look down at, not inspect. Which makes perfect sense. Though there may be some other contextualization which I'm unaware of wherein to look down on someone is to inspect them.
OK, I stand corrected, I stopped at a root I recognized, and should have "inspected" more thoroughly.
"Why do they call them buildings when they're already built?"