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I'm not sure is it right place to discuss that, but anyway.
There is a puzzle platformer i'm making (demo link below). And i'm from Russia. The game is about strange creatures whose name i still can't translate into english in a way i could say it's perfect. It means nothing how good or bad your russian is to help me with that, it really helps if you do know english and can juggle with it.

There is a word in russian, 'ничего' ('nichego') which is pronounced as 'nichevo' according to reading rules. It means exactly 'nothing' and consists of negating prefix 'ni-' (in 'not at all' sense) and noun 'chto' in its genitive form 'chego', which can be translated both as pronoun 'what' and noun 'thing', depending on usage.
Then this word ('nichego') is turned to another by adding diminutive suffix '-ok'.
This suffix is used for:
is used to:
1. define person who produce action, if used with verb
2. or thing which is used in some action, defined by verb
3. or a thing, which is a result of this action
4. or a separate act of action
So the resulting word 'nichevok' is not common and usual, even in Russia. It means somewhat about 'ensapsulated piece of nothingness', 'thing that is nothing at all', 'the one which consists of nothing'.

These characters of mine were made several years ago, feautured in comic strips. The original translation was 'Nones', plural pronoun. Not bad, but homophonic with 'nuns'. Then the 'Noughts' variant came to game. I like the 'o' in the middle, but translation is a bit loose and simple, the word is too usual. Then i thought about 'Nouts', but one man said 'it seems to have something to do with Northern England'.
And i still need a good name for them. It surely could be some neoformed word. :-\

And now links! :handanykey:
Here is the last playable public english demo (there is one more coming, more polished, but in russian first) — http://narod.ru/disk/16641662000/nones_eng_demo_3.1.rar.html.
Here is the little review on Pixelprospector — http://www.pixelprospector.com/indev/2010/01/nones/).
And, of course, any help with correcting translation is highly valuable for me.

New version would be released as soon as music (currently being mastered by Hinchy and mr. kevin) is implemented. Topic in devlogs coming too. Thanks in advance.

nulls/nullities/oblivions/voids/nobodies.  None of which I like that much, or are naturally used in the senses you gave.

But, what's so bad about 'nothing'?  Too common?  It seems the clost and most obvious fit. Would capitalizing it help?  

the "inanes"?

These were the most first attempts i made with google-translator in my nand.
The 'voids' are used in game now, as the name for next evolution stage (sort of).


Yep, too common. The original russian name has salt in it, twist of speech. No caps could make it as salty.


Oh, nice. Latin is good, i used one citation as the motto in game (Natura abhorret vacuum). And i think i can understand it's twist — 'inane' is a singular, when obvious plural 'inanes' means 'empty' in original. Good one, thanks. Need tests with english-speakers.

My suggestions : "the Whoms" or "the subjects", or "actuators"
I know it sucks, it was just an excuse to say you have the coolest avatar ever

Does it have to be plural?
I think "The Null" sounds pretty cool.

I can see why are you are struggling with this, it's a very odd and specific word!

Whoms are quite fun, really. It's not i was trying to find, but as name for rock band it would rock. This night, The Whoms and Garry Lamman, bang! ;D


He does his moves to the 'Billy Jean' btw. Thanks  :)


Alas, it should be plural. The plot is based on it. And the trick is that original name means something close to 'nothings which are somethings', when 'Nulls' is just first of it.

I think the problem is that your title describes the characters and the fact that they are incorporeal, e.g. "consist of nothing". So, a proper title in my eyes would not be a single word, but multiple words that describe the nuances of the title. For example, "The Empty Ones", or "The Non-Entities". Or, "The Zero-Ones", which sounds like it could be a good riff of the fact that it's a virtual game.

just for the record :) "inane" is also the english adjective for "empty/void/meaningless/silly/absurd". maybe "the inane" would fit better...

Nihilists
Naughts (like noughts, but less usual form; also sounds like astronauts)
Noughties (nought people, or naughty noughts - a bit cute sounding)
Aughts (I believe this also means zero)
Aughties (either automatic or autistic zero people, or years 2000-2009)
Pieces of nothing

nonad (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=define%3Amonad&meta=&aq=f&oq=)  :P

It's interesting idea, thanks. The -ones scheme could work if only title was the only place for it. I use this name as common word, not a proper name, not like a title, similar to "men", "iguanas", "headcrabs" and so on.


O, it's even better if it is adjective. But last three translations mean the very thing i do not want to put in it. No silliness, only a bit of absurdity may be. And it must be plural, so no "The" at the begining.


Yeah, "Naughts" is kinda better, especially with this link to space, it means much to whole idea.
"Nihilists" is very close to the first historical usage of russian name, when it were the group of poets in 1920. It's interesting with it's "i" stuffing. What of Nihils? How does it work for you, english people?

Never-weres? Naughtlings? Hollows? Nihilings? Nihilites?

On that note, I have a question for our German-speaking members:

What's a good translation for "The Forgotten"?

Is it "Der Vergessene"?

Also, does that word have any connotations that go along with it?

"People of little importance"
just pick a name and go with it

"Der Vergessene" is masculine singular. (There are three "the"s in German m->"der Vergessene",f->"die Vergessene",n->"das Vergessene")
Plural m,f,n-> "die Vergessenen"
"vergessen" is a very common word and has imo no connotations. it is almost the same word as "forget".

Nonad as Monad with N? This's really new word, it gives some weird meanings. What comes to your mind with it, what things?


One more good base to make the unique name. Translation of it takes good match to original name. Hollos? Holos? Hallows?

I don't want to use '-ities', can't explain why, soory.
But 'entity'-based word could be very fine. Nentities? No, shit, it sucks :droop:

@Chromanoid: Thanks!

Nihils doesn't work for me. I'm not sure how to pronounce it, and either way the h in the middle gives it a weird weak sound.

If it hasn't been suggested yet, "Nulls". This has a bit of a sci-fi sound to me; it's the kind of name that Robert Heinlein would give to people without superhuman intelligence, or something like that.

nils.
nots.
nichevok.  (while it doesn't carry any meaning in english, it's a really cool sounding word, and the "nich" start reminds me of german "nicht", which is related to english "not" and probably to the russian as well.)

For whatever it's worth, I think "Aughts" sounds great.

I don't like 'Hollows', it just reminds me of Kingdom Hearts. Especially as these entities you're describing do sound kind of like the Hollows in KH...

My 2c.

Okay, this is quite convincing. It's also the way of my dislike for '-ities'.


Null is also fine suggestion, but i'm afraid of it's negative connotations. Google tells me it could also mean 'invalid', 'insignificant', 'bogus', 'indistinctive', 'featureless' and 'feeble; :concerned: Erm.. yeah, i understand it's all about context and almost every try before means same things, but.. shit, it's hard to not know english :)


Nils are fine. Matching with a previous one this has surprisingly clear translation. If anyone is still here — what do you think of pair nils-voids, when 'voids' is a next stage of character's evolution, sort of 'consuming nothing'?


Nots. Good one too. I used to avoid it beacause of it's pure simplicity, but now i do like it. Also need to know your associations with this one.


Shit, that's really risky leg ;D Honestly, i'm not so sure in the whole thing to push my own terms into your language. I'm not ready :)


If choosing from Noughts-Naughts-Aughts, which one is better? I hope you tried the demo and can choose according idea.


Never played it, but i went Wiki and read about it. Funny and oddish twist of many good things :) But is it 'Heartless' used as names for those black antsy guys? Hollow Bastion, anyway. I got your point, thanks. Hollows is out.

Noids

Gah, you're right :facepalm: I was getting confused between Kingdom Hearts and Bleach. But my point is still pretty much the same, either way it gives me high school/anime/fanfiction vibes.

Keep 'nichevok'? Names don't need to be translated.

Yeah i second this. maybe with a subtitle...

It was a joke suggestion.  'gonad' resonates quite strongly with it...

The dictionary connotations you saw for "nulls" were not common ones.  Null in english most often refers to something that's no longer relevant or valid, but understandably refers to nothingness or emptiness.

EG:  My contract was null because my employer never paid me.  So I had no obligation to finish my work for them.

I'd say 'void' fits in that context far more naturally than 'null', which sounds awkward to my ears.

You pronounce it "ŅičEivo".

It it a question? If yes — i don't know, really, this way of recording sounds is unknown to me :)
It sounds like Google says it:
http://translate.google.ru/?hl=ru&tab=wT#ru|en|%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%BE
(copy entire string and push left 'Listen' button).
It's 'nekas' for you in latvian.

I think it's enough, thank you, everybody. Now it's even harder to make a pick :)
There is a top-list:
noughts, nones, naughts, nouts, noids, nots, aughts, nils, nulls.
It should be plural, common (not a proper name), no "the" at the begining. Besides the original name in russian (in transliteration with subtitle) could be added, as Breadcultist and Chromanoid offered.
Everyone, please pick three of this list.

naughts, nots, aughts

(it would be easier if we knew the story)

keep the original russian because none of these options sounds particularly great

Agreed on nichevok, I don't really think it needs to change from the Russian.

+1 for Russia

And, finally, it is Nichevoks. Thank to all of you!
See you soon at devlog (which is not here yet).