As a fan of almost all types of fantasy, “gaoler” (still pronounced as jailer, and with the same definition) is one of my favorite words to see. I heard about The Jailer before I read his name. My first hope (I’m weird) was that Blizzard would go with the obsolescent spelling. I was kinda bummed when they didn’t, but I guess the only reason they would is his relative ancientness. Did anyone else feel this way about The Jailer? Would it fit the lore better using the archaic spelling, or am I just a bum?
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Gaoler just means Jailer but with pretentious misspelling.
What would even be the point?
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It would be the height of pompous and ridiculousness to spell it that way.
If it were to be spelled a different way, per your reasoning, it should be in ancient Greek or Latin. But it shouldn’t be. Lordy claudy if they had named him The Gaoler I would’ve had an aneurysm.
I’m glad that they went the way that they did. Sometimes keeping things simple is better than making it complicated. You say the word Jailer and I think that already forms an image or concept in the mind of the listener. You say the word Gaoler and unless people know what that word means it isn’t going to have the same effect.
It would be like
Water?
H2O?
Mono-hydrogen Dioxide?
Same kind of thing I think.
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*Dihydrogen Monoxide
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This is Warcraft. Pompous and ridiculous names are part of the setting.
Just ask Malfurion Stormrage.
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I have never seen the term Gaoler before this, and now that I’ve heard it, I don’t think I plan to ever use it. If I type “jailer,” everybody will recognize that I’m talking about someone who watches over a jail. If I type “gaoler,” people will scratch their heads and ask what the hell I’m talking about, and then I’m officially that guy.
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I don’t think that’s pompous, though. If classic fantasy names are ‘pompous’, then I’d rephrase my original post and say intellectually pompous.
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That would have been be neat. I have a feeling they erred on the more modern spelling because you would be surprised how many people read that and pronounce it in their head as ‘ga-ohler’, even with handy voice acting to show them the way.
I honestly expected this thread to be about how the Jailer should be a gay character. Gaoler? That’s really an archaic spelling of Jailer?
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It’s not too archaic in Britain but it’s still fallen out of favor
Gaoler reads like the name of a Pandaren wrestler
“Gaoler” isn’t obsolete. It’s just British. “Jailer” is the American spelling. Last I checked, Blizzard is here in the States.
Didn’t cross my mind. I didn’t even realize they were pronounced the same/the same word before. I have no real opinion on it, but probably better than rolling the dice.
A pretty casual search shows this isn’t true.
HO2?
How is that water?