Worldbuilding - honorific ideas

[artemis]

Hi, I'm looking for some worldbuilding advice and wondered if I could pick your collective brains. I'm working on a science fanstasy idea (probably very cliched but that's beside the point...) and I've been trying to decide on a professional title for a group of psionics.

The story is set in 2362, and the psionics belong to the Psionics Institute (until I possibly come up with a different name). There are different kinds of psionics, but I'm trying to decide on a general professional title for them, like doctor is a general title for any kind of physician, regardless of whether he/she is a pediatrician or a surgeon. My very first thought was something like 'Magister,' but I don't really like it because it seems very Westernized and in my fictional world, Asian countries (especially India and China) became the dominant political and scientific powers. So I'd like to find something with an Eastern feel to it, indicating respect or knowledge, like doctor. Since doctor came from Latin, I thought perhaps a word derived from Sanskrit or classical Chinese, or possibly an old word used in a new way. At this point I have about 8 pages of notes but still no answer. I think I might be complicating things too much. So, any ideas?


Thanks for any help!

[Leisha]

Well, I don't know if this is a help, but...

Durai means "chief/leader" in Tamil (Indian).

Rais means "leader/chief" in Arabic.

Personally, I like the first name; it sounds kind of foreign, with a hint of importance and mystery behind it.

[Leisha]

Isha means "master/lord" in Sanskrit

Karishma means "miracle" in Sanskrit

Maninder means "lord of the mind" in Sanskrit -- and so does Manish


Just thought I'd point those out. Hope one of them are useful! I use a lot of world influences in my character names, so these are familiar to me!

[pyan]

How about "Sensei-san"?

Means, roughly, "Honourable Teacher/Instructor" in Japanese, with the added homonym evocation of "Sense" to the English-speaking reader.

[Talysia]

Originally Posted by Leisha

Isha means "master/lord" in Sanskrit

Isha also means "doctor" in Japanese. (although the title used when talking to one is Oishasan/Oisha-san)

[artemis]

Wow, thanks for all the very helpful ideas! I will take these into consideration...

[asher marquering]

this might help a english chinese online dictionary

Chinese Dictionary: Online Chinese-English Dictionary

and a similar dictionary for japanese with links to other languages too

Online English to Japanese to English Dictionary

[Marvolo]

Well, since Psionics is a fantasy deal (and you called the story Science Fantasy), why not Chi?

If a character is a psionicist, he is addressed as Chi Name. Chi Raal said "Oh yeah, think those dirty thoughts baby."

Or, if you want to literally combine some cultures. Duraichi could be useful.

"Am I going to make it, Duraichi?" Paul asked.
"I don't think you are." Duraichi Peter said.
"Ah come on, give him a break." Assistant Duraichi Mary said. "He's about to crap himself already, what kind of Duraichi can't sense that."

I'm not trying to make light of your idea by putting (hopefully) funny things in my examples. But it is late and I'm hungry and bored.