Same here; I always thought wind was the best element. Which is why it always pisses me off when fantasy series undermine wind so much, A:TLA anyone?

The symbol for wind in western occult is often two parallel, horizontal squiggly lines. In the occidental system, it's a stylized spiral most commonly, thought there different symbols that turn up here and there.

 

You could stylise it on a hurricane, with a circle in the centre and spokes curving off to the sides in a spiral pattern.

 

That sounds to me like it would look an awful lot like the sun...

 

Isn't the sun traditionally a circle with straight spokes pointing outwards, rather than curving?

 

Depends on the tradition, but I've seen both. Seriously, it's a pain in the ass to make a symbol based on a circle in the center without it symbolizing the sun in one culture or another.

 

Honestly, does it really matter what symbols one can use for the wind, besides squiggly lines or a spiral? By symbol, I think you are talking about visual symbols, right? Well, wind is invisible, so it's rather a moot point don't you think? What does it really matter what symbols one can use for wind? With all due respect, I have to agree with you, CheddarTrek; it's merely lateraly relevant to the thread.

Edit: Ok, I will concede that CheddarTrek's question may lead to interesting questions. Like, with wind being so central to Kingkiller, might Rothfuss have been using unconventional symbols to represent it? Symbols that may serve be wind but when turned inside out, actually serve as clues to Kvothe's past, how he killed whichever king, etc.?

 

The Name of the Wind is ever changing, its symbol must be a GIF.

 

May have been discussed already but has it ever been said how long a term is at the university?

 

I do believe it is two months. So six to a year. But I could be wrong. The series is in need of a re-read soon, but has a few books before it still (song of fire and ice, dresden files, etc)

 

Sounds like there's four terms a year, if I'm doing my math right, and if six years is the minimum based on the number of terms Arwyl requires.

I don't remember if the terms occupy the full three months, or if there's a pause in between.

 

Terms are two months long.

 

Exile, they are two months but the summer break is three or four and there is at least a week between Admissions and the next term I believe. So you only have the four terms blazanno figured. And from what I remember though I need to reread, doesn't Ambrose get him kicked out but in the tale itself we haven't reached that point? also how old is Kvothe as Kote? we only know he has been in Newarre for about four months right? I skimmed and couldn't find either of those timeline facts in the novels

 

More like a span between terms, which is anywhere from 8-12 days, iirc.

 

Oh! that's right I spaced on spans, that's right. a span is definitely eleven days, causing another question about the timeline, is a month three full spans or somewhere around two and a half with varying numbers of days like the Gregorian (and Julian) calendar?

 

Remember as well, this is a different planet. Could be the years are longer, and consequently the months/spans are too.

 

It's when we talk about stuff like this that I wonder how big Rothfuss's world notes folder is.

 

He's said that he's deigned three defunct religions that have little to no impact on the story, several different currencies that are outdated, tons of stuff like that. So I'd bet it's not so much a notes folder as it is a notes black hole.

 

Just finished rereading the 2 books and I cant believe it's only been a couple of months since this was released. It's horrible waiting for the next book to come out.

 

Ahaha, this is great: http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/pa-the-series/222/

Rothfuss mentioned it on his blog:

http://blog.patrickrothfuss.com/2011/08/san-diego-2011-wednesday/

 

Quick question about Naming: are there Names for more abstract concepts (like flight or love or hate) and if so, what would being able to Name those concepts entail?