Doesn't SE Know The Difference Between Planets and Stars?

[Pintsized]

I assume they don't because otherwise it seems totally pointless to call planets 'stars'.

Has the story ever explained this?

[ApolloGenX]

I assume they don't because otherwise it seems totally pointless to call planets 'stars'.

Has the story ever explained this?

I think in Ultima Thule there is a reference to the "planet" in quotes. It made me giggle. It seemed to be a self-aware joke.

[Jandor]

There is nothing to explain, it's just an old fashioned way of referring to basically everything in the night sky that the game uses to add an extra dash of fantasy flavour.

[Akiudo]

Pretty sure it's just supposed to sound poetic. 90% of people probably don't even think about it, and from the remaining 10% half will simply chuckle when it hits them. Not saying you are wrong, but pretty sure it's best just not think about that one too much.

[Yuella]

Same reason why the grammar is "wrong" (using 'to be' instead of 'have' in past participle sentences)

[NegativeS]

I'm pretty sure the reason is threefold:

1. It sounds cool.
2. It fits the 'old english' style of speak that the game goes for.
3. In Japanese, the kanji for 'planet' (惑星) contains the kanji for 'star' (星), so there's a tiny chance it could be a translation thing that they just went with because of the previous reasons.

Also fun fact relating to that last one, if you Google Translate 'planet' from English to Japanese, you get 星. That same kanji translated Japanese to English gives 'Star'. Thanks, Google!

[Daralii]

I'm pretty sure the reason is threefold:

1. It sounds cool.
2. It fits the 'old english' style of speak that the game goes for.
3. In Japanese, the kanji for 'planet' (惑星) contains the kanji for 'star' (星), so there's a tiny chance it could be a translation thing that they just went with because of the previous reasons.

Also fun fact relating to that last one, if you Google Translate 'planet' from English to Japanese, you get 星. That same kanji translated Japanese to English gives 'Star'. Thanks, Google!

As far as I know it's 星 in the JP version.

[Eriane_Elis]

The translation team knows English / olde English more than anyone on these forums, I'm sure. Their creative writing is incredible and captivating given that you're not doing side quests. Calling a a planet a star is poetic and part of the game's language. It's like calling someone ser instead of sir, ser was never used in olde English but yet Game of Thrones started doing it and others followed this trend because it's creative. I don't question it, I just roll with it. xD

[Ransu]

Like many things in FFXIV, its likely a reference to things from Greek history (Elpis, Metion, entelechy, dynamis, Pandaemonium, the names of the Ascians etc....are all references to Greek history/mythology). The earliest known references of the word planet come from Ancient Greek which was aster plenetes meaning "wandering stars."

NegativeS reasons could also play a part in it, but given all the references in the games story, I think it's more related to the former.

[SilverArrow20XX]

Stars used to refer to all visible objects in the night sky.
Planets referred to the stars that moved, and included the Sun and Moon.