Fellow Linguaphiles,

I have another word challenge for you to start off the new year.

I am writing a novel featuring two opposing cultures. Conflict between the two sides runs generations deep. Eventually the differing cultures find that they must work together for a common cause. So an uneasy truce is established.

Now in order for the two cultures to work cohesively, representatives of both sides must be able to walk freely amongst people who were recently considered "the Enemy". The problem is that no amount of assurances or oaths will erase the history or cleanse the bad blood between the two cultures. Think a Nazi in full uniform trying to walk the streets of Israel.

So a titled position is established to help allay the fears of the populi. Representatives of both sides are paired together as an emissary team. Each representative is a mirror image in rank and reputation of the other. The companions are sworn to defend his/her charge to the death. It is also an unwritten rule that each companion serves to ensure/enforce the good will of the other. Neither one is to be seen without the other.

After a number of years, these pairings become almost invisible to the group subconscious. If one is seen, he/she is seen as a threat. If two are seen, they cancel one another out and the one is no longer perceived as a threat.

My word challenge is to find a word that sums up the title.

Please remember that each member of the pairing is considered an equal in the eyes of both governments. "Keeper" would be a pejorative name for a person in this position.

I appreciate everyone's time and look forward to your suggestions.

Matthew Johnson
Portland, OR

Though the definition is not exactly on point, referring to a person who is an assistant or helper, coadjutant might well get the point across since you can define the title any way you like.

What I'd like to know is: what percentage of your royalties do we get?

I don't have a suggestion for you but I do wish to express my delight that a Portlandian has signed onto the Board. The Left Coast is a bit light in its representation hereabouts and another fellow Pacificist is always welcome.

Ambassadors? Emissaries? Peacekeepers?

Hmm--I took emissaries to a thesaurus (M-W On-line), was referred to ambassador, and found this; perhaps one will strike a chord with you:
Entry Word: ambassador
Function: noun

Text: a person sent on a mission to represent another <a beloved entertainer who has often been sent abroad by the president as his country's goodwill ambassador>

Synonyms delegate, emissary, envoy, minister, legate, representative

Related Words agent, attaché, consul, deputy, diplomat, foreign minister, nuncio, procurator, proxy; apostle, evangelist, missionary; deputation, detachment, legation; courier, messenger; mouthpiece, spokesperson

well they always work together.. so co is an natural start.

and people often slur or nick name those in authority.. (so police officers become cops or bobby's, (or even peelers)

did you think about giving them a fancy long name (ie:the co ordinated autherized command)--which than gets contracted,and in common use they get called the Cordoroys?

"attache" (with the accent aigu) is particularly appropriate here, as your characters are "attached" to each other.

Take a trip in the sept/septon thread. If you're inventing a whole society you can make up about any word you want. Don't expect to find a word in existence for a concept that doesn't exist.

Well, procurator turns up in Jackie's list and I agree with ot's point about 'co', following TEd's lead. How about taking the old title of Proctor to give you Coproctors? The fact that could be shortened to Cops may be coincidental… :]

1. Rom. Hist. = procurator 1. Obs.
2. A person employed to manage the affairs of another; an agent, deputy, proxy, attorney: = procurator 2. Obs. or arch. exc. in technical use.
†b. A steward: = procurator 2b. Obs.
c. An agent for the collection of tithes and other church dues; a tithe-farmer. In full tithe-proctor.

OED2

A fascinating concept that it would create a fundamental shift in societal assumptions such that an individual would be seen as more dangerous than a pair. I look forward to reading the finished novel.

"her Alt" or just "his Other". Co-minder as an official version? Government Paired Truce Guarantor becoming "my Geep" (soft g) There are lot's of possibilities but I agree with Troy, for gereral usage you would need a slang version as well as the official one.

The function of either member of the pair on their home turf is could be seen either as somehow to validate the other, or molify his own people (granted these terms are a little far of the mark). He has, then, the ambiguous role of revealing, masking, or transforming the other. In a way, the idea that he is a mask seems the most apt, since the stranger is required to "wear" -- or be accompanied by his partner in order either to be, in this way, at once seen and rendered invisible. While I like the "attachment" thing about attaché, the word needs to be embued with this sense of paradoxical representation.

Yeah. "Coadjutant" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. The title needs to stand on its own and sound solid. It should imply a deep meaning. "Coadjutant" may be a good definition or description but seems more like an adjective to me than a title. Sort of like "motorcyclist" instead of "biker".

Let me finish the bloody book before we start divying out royalties. One mountain at a time.

Thank you, Father Steve. Good to be aboard.

Although "ambassador", "emissary", and even "peacekeeper" do well to define a person in this position, it only covers half of the definition. I need the meaning of "mutual dependency" along with the function of the title.

Ditto for delegate, emissary, envoy, minister, legate, representative, agent, attaché, consul, deputy, diplomat, foreign minister, nuncio, procurator, proxy; apostle, evangelist, missionary; deputation, detachment, legation; courier, messenger; mouthpiece, and spokesperson. They all work. But they all have an implied singular definition as well.

The title will definitely have a common name just like any established vocation. I'm focusing on the long-assed version first.

"Attache" is good with the "attached to" meaning. Again, it doesn't feel strong enough. I like the definition.

And thank you for making me look up "aigu". Learn something new every day.

I read that thread. And I agree that usinga made-upterm would be easier. But, I am of the Gene Wolfe school of thought. Find an existing or archaic word for a new term and it will sound more natural.

"Procurator", one who procures or obtains things for another. Too subservient. One person waiting or serving the other. Remember, neither culture believes that their side is inferior to the other. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Working as equals is an extreme leap of faith.

I have also toyed with "familar" and "right". "Familiar", as in a witch's familiar. And "right", as in "you are my right by law" or"I have a right to be here".

And wasn't Geep the monkey that hung out with Space Ghost? Oh, sorry. That was Gleep. Still, too cute.

The word you are looking for is "palliator". One who masks or hides. Also one who eases the pain (and in turn the unease and suffering) of others. It's an offshoot of palliative,

Palliative care is the caring for the chronically and terminally ill.

Nice.

Good word / not quite. The word has to work two ways.

The official term need not in any way elucidate the function of these individuals or their team. It is a word used by the government that created the position/team and should probably be obfuscatory as hell. The common term should lay the obfuscation bare. Hopefully we can come up with a term for the former that easily converts to the latter by a very small change.

It's a title and has to fascinate, and sell books.

I need the meaning of "mutual dependency" along with the function of the title.
Symbiotes should cover the first part, I think. If that's not sufficient unto itself, perhaps you could add on the other, as in symbio-emissaries, etc. I favor the simpler word, myself...but then it's not MY book!

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I read that thread. And I agree that usinga made-upterm would be easier. But, I am of the Gene Wolfe school of thought. Find an existing or archaic word for a new term and it will sound more natural.

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here's a thought: use a term that alludes to Gene Wolfe's New Sun cycle.

Just for example, the term cacogen could be applied to these people, allusive of GW's application to that foreign element that is looked down on by all societies. These 'cacs' would be considered as evil by the worst elements of both worlds.

Perhaps there are other elements of GW's seven groups of society in the world of the New Sun that could be drawn from.