In Dragonsdawn, What Exactly was a Sled?

[Daccio]

For my own enjoyment I've been translating a chapter of Dragonsdawn into Esperanto. The problem I'm having is working out a term for 'Sled'. To me they sound much like a flying car. They fly, they carry people and materials, they evidently take off and land somewhat vertically, (I.E. not like an airplane,) They evidently swoop and dive fairly well. Yet Anne gave us no clues such as 'the fans/rotors blew the grass flat as the sled rose.' I also don't think a helicopter would work either as it would scatter the thread before flame throwers could char it.

So I'm curious how 'sled' is translated in Dragonsdawn in other languages, or what your impression is of what it was.

[Brenda]

Seems like a hovercar to me - bigger than a car, though. Maybe about four times bigger is what I picture. Somewhat long and flat might lend itself to the name of "sled".

[Daccio]

Originally Posted by Brenda

Seems like a hovercar to me - bigger than a car, though. Maybe about four times bigger is what I picture. Somewhat long and flat might lend itself to the name of "sled".

I agree on the flatness and being bigger than a car. There is a sketch of what one might look like and it resembles a flat racing car in my eyes.

[Lily]

Hasnt the Atlas of Pern got a pic. OK, it's just some one elses's idea of what a sled looks like, but perhaps someone could post a pic. Oh! - I bet Hans has something in his directory

(goes off to look)

[Daccio]

Originally Posted by Lily

Hasnt the Atlas of Pern got a pic. OK, it's just some one elses's idea of what a sled looks like, but perhaps someone could post a pic. Oh! - I bet Hans has something in his directory

(goes off to look)

I've seen that pic. I've even found it on the internet. It looks like a racing car without wheels.

[Lily]

Definitely. And Hans has a description but no pic in his site.

[Daccio]

It's interesting that Hans has 'airsled' listed as an alternate name on his website. I got the answer I was looking for. I found a fellow Esperanto speaker who's read Anne's books. He suggested 'aerosledo' which means 'airsled.' Happily, the definition of 'sledo' is fuzzy enough that it doesn't specify a vehicle that runs in snow, just one that has runners, not wheels.

If anyone is remotely interested in seeing what a chapter of Dragonsdawn looks like in Esperanto, I invite you to take a look at my blog here. I put it up in several parts which are connected by links. I'm still typing in the last two pieces, but it should be complete this week.

[Kugai]

Now all we need is to have her works transcribed into Kiingon

[GinnyStar]

Maybe they are like the ones in her other non Pern Books? Dinosaur Planet Survivors (1984) was the second Anne book I read. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ur-Planet2.jpg

[CuriousFlit]

Could it be this flying thing off to the right?

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/...20110217205551

[Daccio]

Originally Posted by CuriousFlit

Could it be this flying thing off to the right?

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/...20110217205551

I'm sure that's what the cover artist intended. I was listening to Dragonsdawn today and apparently there is another flying vehicle called a skimmer. Aargh! I wonder if that's supposed to some kind of passenger only sled. Paul Benden used one to get to the met tower because it was quieter than jogging past residences(?) I'll have to check that out.

[CuriousFlit]

When I think of a "sled" or "airsled", I think of something like a flying pickup truck, only with no wheels and the roofed part being open at the back, since if I remember right, they had problems with Thread getting in under the roof.

[Brenda]

Didn't they use some of the shuttles in that evacuation? That's what that illustration looks like to me.

[Kugai]

Has anyone considered the term 'Airsled' may be a futuristic generic term much the same way we use 'Truck' to describe anything from a flat decked Chevvy type vehicle on up or 'SUV' to describe any large 4x4 or 'Van'?

[Daccio]

Originally Posted by Kugai

Has anyone considered the term 'Airsled' may be a futuristic generic term much the same way we use 'Truck' to describe anything from a flat decked Chevvy type vehicle on up or 'SUV' to describe any large 4x4 or 'Van'?

hat's now pretty much the way I'm figuring it. Sleds are like work vehicles that fly and evidently take off and land vertically. There are also 'skimmers' mentioned which, based on what they are used for in Dragonsdawn, seem to be one or two man 'sleds', smaller even than what they call a 'small sled'. I figure skimmers aren't meant to as high or as far as sleds, and they're apparently quieter.