Scadrial swear word on Roshar? Am I going crazy?

[firebird1o1]

In either Words of Radiance or Oathbringer (pretty sure it was in Oathbringer), I very distinctly remember somebody using the swear word "Rusts". Which, obviously, isn't a swear word on Roshar. However, I can't find it anymore.

1) Is this even real?

2) If so, what does it mean?

[Returned he/him]

Welcome to the Shard! Good eye for the detail. This question is answerable, but I want to be careful of spoilers. Which Cosmere books have you read so far? If you don't want to post it here, an introduction in the "Introduce Yourself" section of the forum is a good place to do it.

[firebird1o1]

I’ve read Mistborn Era 1 and 2, Stormlight up to Rhythm of War, Warbreaker, Elantris… I think that’s it.

[Returned he/him]

Well, that is enough to have access to the details that make this less of a spoiler. But I'll spoiler tag it, just in case:

Spoiler

Travel between Shardworlds is possible, if you know how to do it, and there are many characters that have traveled extensively. Some of those characters, referred to as Worldhoppers, have traveled from Scadrial to Roshar. And based on your list of books you've read, that isn't the only Worldhopper you've seen! There are quite a few individuals and groups operating across the Cosmere for a variety of purposes.

In any case it is real and you aren't crazy.

[Treamayne]

1 hour ago, firebird1o1 said:

In either Words of Radiance or Oathbringer (pretty sure it was in Oathbringer), I very distinctly remember somebody using the swear word "Rusts". Which, obviously, isn't a swear word on Roshar. However, I can't find it anymore.

1) Is this even real?

2) If so, what does it mean?

 

1 hour ago, Returned said:

Well, that is enough to have access to the details that make this less of a spoiler. But I'll spoiler tag it, just in case:

  Hide contents

Travel between Shardworlds is possible, if you know how to do it, and there are many characters that have traveled extensively. Some of those characters, referred to as Worldhoppers, have traveled from Scadrial to Roshar. And based on your list of books you've read, that isn't the only Worldhopper you've seen! There are quite a few individuals and groups operating across the Cosmere for a variety of purposes.

In any case it is real and you aren't crazy.

I cannot find that word in any of the four current novels (did not check Edgedancer or Dawnshard), but there is a Shardbearer in WoR named Rust, so you might have noticed the possessive of his name - Rust's.

WoR Ch 86:

Spoiler

He did find Aladar on the next plateau over, supervising his army as it seeped onto the perfectly round plateau that Shallan had indicated. Rust Elthal was there as well, wearing his Plate—one of the suits Adolin had won—and guiding one of Dalinar’s large, mechanical bridges.

As @Returned mentioned- Mistborn and Roshar Spoilers:

Spoiler

There are a number of Scadrians (like Felt from House Venture in Era 1) and people with Scadrian lineage (like Iyatil - Ghostblood, but not born on Scadrial) running around on Roshar. WoBs:

Quote

Edited for relevance

Brandon Sanderson

<snip>

But if run into someone like Felt, right? Felt doesn't care. He's not hiding from anybody. Felt is, you know, he's more like "I moved from Nebraska to Texas," right? "And now I'm living in Texas." That's more how he views it a little bit. He's not a secret agent (ooh, big spoilers). Felt just, you know, he moved, so he goes by the same name. And that's, you'll see some of that as well. If someone's going by an alias, I'm doing it to indicate one of those two things, usually.

YouTube Spoiler Stream 2 (June 3, 2021)

Quote

Questioner

The Ghostblood that's from the southern part of Scadrial. Does that mean she can use the [Allomantic] metals?

Brandon Sanderson

She was not born there. Iyatil is from somewhere else... She has a.. Scadrian heritage. Whether she's an Allomancer or not, I will RAFO. It is possible that someone with her lineage could.

Questioner

So she doesn't have to be born on--

Brandon Sanderson

No.

Skyward Chicago signing (Nov. 16, 2018)

 

Hope that helps

[firebird1o1]

1 minute ago, Treamayne said:

 

I cannot find that word in any of the four current novels (did not check Edgedancer or Dawnshard), but there is a Shardbearer in WoR named Rust, so you might have noticed the possessive of his name - Rust's.

WoR Ch 86:

  Reveal hidden contents

He did find Aladar on the next plateau over, supervising his army as it seeped onto the perfectly round plateau that Shallan had indicated. Rust Elthal was there as well, wearing his Plate—one of the suits Adolin had won—and guiding one of Dalinar’s large, mechanical bridges.

As @Returned mentioned- Mistborn and Roshar Spoilers:

  Reveal hidden contents

There are a number of Scadrians (like Felt from House Venture in Era 1) and people with Scadrian lineage (like Iyatil - Ghostblood, but not born on Scadrial) running around on Roshar. WoBs:

 

Hope that helps

I very specifically remember it being a swear word and not a name, but if you can’t find it idk maybe it wasn’t…

[Treamayne]

33 minutes ago, firebird1o1 said:

I very specifically remember it being a swear word and not a name, but if you can’t find it idk maybe it wasn’t…

Well, I searched the ebooks for specifically "rusts" with no result (case insensitive), and searching rust alone got a number of hits, but mostly variations of rustle, rusty, and trust. Can you please verify which version you were reading? ( I ask because my ebooks are old, so if it was a 10th anniversary or similar, it could be an edition tweak).

Edited November 14, 2024 by Treamayne

[+Lewis Nethur He/Him]

11 hours ago, Treamayne said:

 

I cannot find that word in any of the four current novels (did not check Edgedancer or Dawnshard), but there is a Shardbearer in WoR named Rust, so you might have noticed the possessive of his name - Rust's.

WoR Ch 86:

  Hide contents

He did find Aladar on the next plateau over, supervising his army as it seeped onto the perfectly round plateau that Shallan had indicated. Rust Elthal was there as well, wearing his Plate—one of the suits Adolin had won—and guiding one of Dalinar’s large, mechanical bridges.

As @Returned mentioned- Mistborn and Roshar Spoilers:

  Hide contents

There are a number of Scadrians (like Felt from House Venture in Era 1) and people with Scadrian lineage (like Iyatil - Ghostblood, but not born on Scadrial) running around on Roshar. WoBs:

 

Hope that helps

Huh...reading through someone else mentioning it, I'm realizing that "Rust" is not a very Alethi name; it doesn't obey their typical linguistic patterns.

It's in no way definitive but you may have inadvertently discovered a character with a previously unidentified worldhopper ancestor. This has happened before; I don't recall the character's exact name, but I think there's somebody in Words of Radiance with a Surname (roughly) along the lines of 'Hogfarmer' or 'Pigmaster' who was eventually confirmed by a WoB to have off-world father/grandfather (because they don't have or eat pigs on Roshar).

I'm only like...63% confident on this one, so you'll need to forgive me in advance if I'm misremembering or if that dude was just from Shinovar where names and customs are markedly different; your comment struck a cord in my memory though.

[alder24]

1 hour ago, Lewis Nethur said:

It's in no way definitive but you may have inadvertently discovered a character with a previously unidentified worldhopper ancestor. This has happened before; I don't recall the character's exact name, but I think there's somebody in Words of Radiance with a Surname (roughly) along the lines of 'Hogfarmer' or 'Pigmaster' who was eventually confirmed by a WoB to have off-world father/grandfather (because they don't have or eat pigs on Roshar).

There are pigs on Roshar. I really can't find the person you're talking about. There was Pigherder in Hearthstone, but that's just it. No WoBs on that person too.

Spoiler

EHyde

On Roshar, do they have an equivalent for cats, like how they have axehounds instead of dogs?

Brandon Sanderson

No, they do not. Though there are various domesticated animals fulfilling a similar role across the planet. (Domesticated minks and pigs come to mind.)

Goodreads: Ask the Author Q&A (Aug. 13, 2014)

 

Spoiler

Questioner

Where do the people in the Stormlight Archive get all their leather?

Brandon Sanderson

They have great farms of pigs. You notice, leather is usually called hogshide, but it’s all hog leather.

Boskone 54 (Feb. 17, 2017)

 

[Returned he/him]

I also checked last night and, while I originally thought I'd recalled someone cursing using "rust", I'm now thinking I must have been mistaken. I suspect that I was thinking of an Idrian idiom and then transposed it onto knowledge that certain Scadrians are on Roshar. Maybe I'll stumble across something else as I finish my re-read ahead of Wind and Truth's release, and if so I'll update this.

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

You are so right! 

In RoW Felt uses the word "rusts" in response to Gallant galloping off after Adolin without a command. 

I listen to this on audiobook, it is around the 9:30 mark in chapter 35

[Treamayne]

 

On 11/13/2024 at 6:34 PM, Treamayne said:

On 11/13/2024 at 4:33 PM, firebird1o1 said:

In either Words of Radiance or Oathbringer (pretty sure it was in Oathbringer), I very distinctly remember somebody using the swear word "Rusts". Which, obviously, isn't a swear word on Roshar. However, I can't find it anymore.

1) Is this even real?

2) If so, what does it mean?

Well, I searched the ebooks for specifically "rusts" with no result (case insensitive), and searching rust alone got a number of hits, but mostly variations of rustle, rusty, and trust. Can you please verify which version you were reading? ( I ask because my ebooks are old, so if it was a 10th anniversary or similar, it could be an edition tweak).

 

3 hours ago, IcedOutPenguin said:

You are so right! 

In RoW Felt uses the word "rusts" in response to Gallant galloping off after Adolin without a command. 

I listen to this on audiobook, it is around the 9:30 mark in chapter 35

Great catch. I think I missed it because by the time I got to Rhythm of War, I was filtering as " rust" (space rust - because of so many trust/crust/frustrate/etc. false positives) and there is not actually a space before the term. RoW Ch 35:

Spoiler

Barely breaking stride, Adolin grabbed the dangling reins as Gallant pulled up beside him. Adolin did an odd running hop, then hoisted himself into the saddle behind Maya, a maneuver that a part of Radiant’s brain refused to believe was possible.

“Rusts,” Felt said, lowering his spyglass. “How did the beast know? Did anyone hear Highprince Adolin whistle for it?”

The other soldiers shook their heads.

“Let’s move!” Radiant said.