When two syllables are too many

[selenak]

I just don't get it. I mean, I don't like uncanonical nicknames (in fanfiction! They're fine by me in fannish debate) in general, but if the canon name of a character is lengthy, I at least understand the impulse to shorten it so one doesn't have to type it out all the time. (Special case in point: Rumplestilskin, who was called "Rumple" in fandom before characters on the show started to use that nickname, too.) But when a character has a really short name in canon, like, say, Kili and Fili, why the need ot make it even shorter? Seeing "Kee" used in the summary is guaranteed to make me not read the story in question, by the way.

Comments

[lonelywalker]

I think putting nicknames in the summary is a bit much. Used once or twice in intimate scenes in the story probably wouldn't bother me, especially if it was a Nicholas >> Nick common situation.

[selenak]

Ah, but would you let Sam or Bucky call Steve "Ste"? :)

(And now I wonder whether Ethan Chandler, being American, will ever shortan Malcolm to Mal. If he wants to taunt him or something like that...)

[lonelywalker]

Yeah, "Ste" would be going a bit far.

I'd call Malcolm "Malky", which is the Scottish nickname for a Malcolm. But I can't imagine ever putting that in a fic.

[musesfool]

Ah, but would you let Sam or Bucky call Steve "Ste"?

Arrgh no! But I also get super annoyed by the proliferation of "Stevie," which Bucky never calls him in canon. (Otoh, Steve does call Bucky "Buck" so that's okay if not used too often.)