Line #34 Main/NounVerber


1	[[quoteright:340:[[Film/TheNightWalker https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_night_walker.png]]]]
2
3	So, you're a Filmmaker. You're sitting down with a Scriptwriter between the Watercooler and the Coffeemaker, trying to decide on a name for your epic story about a guy who [[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes verbs nouns]]. Yeah, he verbs them till they're adjectives. Wait, that's it! He's the ''Noun Verber!''
4
5	This isn't a very popular trope for the actual titles of movies or TV shows, but it's an old standby for fantasy and science fiction authors who need a name that sounds detached from the real world and yet is immediately understandable. For some reason, a very common verb for this is "stalk." The most common noun is probably "death."
6
7	Of course this construction is ''extremely'' common in RealLife too. Firefighter, cab-driver, wine-maker, ironmonger, car dealer, AmbulanceChaser, ditch-digger, lion-tamer, news-reader, coal-miner, watchmaker, computer programmer, bartender, gas-fitter, dishwasher, childminder, wine-taster, greengrocer, snack-dispenser, bricklayer, dressmaker, chess-player, piano-tuner etc. etc.
8
9	Compare LukeNounverber (when the same principle is applied to character names), VerberCreature (the same principle applied to how a species is called) and TheNounWhoVerbed. AdjectiveNounFred could be considered the intersection of this trope and ProtagonistTitle. See also WeWillUseWikiWordsInTheFuture. A common part of a VerbalBusinessCard.
10
11	----
12	!!Examples:
13
14	[[foldercontrol]]
15
16	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
17	* ''Manga/{{Airmaster}}''
18	* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba''
19	* ''Anime/DevilHunterYohko''
20	* ''Anime/SpeedGrapher''
21	* ''Anime/SpeedRacer''
22	* ''Manga/SoulEater''.
23	* ''Anime/TheSoulTaker''.
24	* ''Anime/NightWalker''.
25	* Many characters in the ''Anime/{{Scryed}}'' universe are Alter Users. Guess what they do.
26	* ''Manga/FairyTail'' has [[TheDragonslayer Dragon Slayers]] and their offshoots, [[KillTheGod God Slayers]] and [[DemonSlayer Devil/Demon Slayers]].
27	* ''VisualNovel/PrincessLover''
28	* ''Literature/VampireHunterD''
29	* ''Anime/WitchHunterRobin''
30	[[/folder]]
31
32	[[folder:Comic Books]]
33	* Hero and villain names often follow this trope, with such names being almost as common as SomethingPerson. Also, once upon a time, Captain America's comic was subtitled "Commie Smasher".
34	* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'': The Marvel supervillain Death Stalker.
35	* ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'': John Constantine doesn't explicitly blaze hells but should probably qualify for this trope.
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
39	* ''Film/BladeRunner''. In fact they bought the rights for the term from Alan E. Nourse [[RuleOfCool purely because it sounded so cool]].
40	* Film/DeathstalkerSeries
41	* ''Firestarter''
42	* Who ya gonna call? ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}''!
43	* ''Film/TheHorseWhisperer''
44	* ''Film/{{Nightcrawler}}''
45	* Nightrider in ''Film/MadMax1''
46	* ''Film/{{Moonraker}}''.
47	* ''Film/TheNightStalker''
48	* ''Film/TheOnionMovie'': ''Cockpuncher''.
49	* ''Film/{{Soultaker}}''
50	* ''Film/SuperTroopers'': Bear Fucker!? Do you require assistance?
51	* ''Film/TrashHumpers''
52	* ''Film/{{Windtalkers}}''
53	* Averted with ''Film/{{Zoolander}}''
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Literature]]
57	* ''Literature/TheBeastPlayer''.
58	* The Death Eaters from ''Franchise/HarryPotter''.
59	* In the book ''The Gift'', the ChosenOne's title is Wind Tamer.
60	* ''[[Literature/AlexRider Stormbreaker]]''.
61	* ''Banewreaker'' and ''Godslayer'' by Jacqueline Carey.
62	* ''Literature/TheBladerunner'' by Alan. E. Nourse. Bladerunners smuggle medical supplies to {{Back Alley Doctor}}s.
63	* Creator/DavidGemmell's Druss the Legend is known as "Deathwalker" to his enemies. Well, one nation of his enemies.
64	* In the comic book tradition of doing this with super-person codenames, the Literature/WhateleyUniverse has one of its heroines named Bladedancer. Plus side characters like Shadowdancer.
65	* In ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', Arthur Dent is... [[MundaneMadeAwesome The Sandwich Maker.]]
66	* ''[[Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the]]'' '''''[[Literature/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader Dawn Treader]]'''''
67	* In Literature/TheBlackCompany series by Glen Cook, most of the original Ten Who Were Taken with the exception of the Limper and the Howler. (Stormbringer, Soulcatcher, Bonegnasher, Moonbiter...the list goes on. Most are ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, too.)
68	* And another ''Literature/{{Deathstalker}}'', [[RuleOfThree just to prove a point]].
69	* ''Literature/AbrahamLincolnVampireHunter''
70	* ''Literature/FirekeeperSaga''
71	* The Shadowhunters from ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'' and ''Literature/TheInfernalDevices''.
72	* ''Literature/{{Trollhunters}}''
73	* ''Literature/TheCosmere'':
74	** ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'' has many of the [[PhysicalGod Returned]] with names like this, such as Blushweaver, Lifeblesser, and the titular Warbreaker, although not all Returned have this type of name.
75	** ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive:
76	*** Each of the ten Orders of the Knights Radiant identified by such an appellation. Only the [[PlayingWithFire Dustbringers]] have a problem with theirs, insisting on the euphemistic "Releasers" out of a feeling that their proper name is too close to the similar name of the forces of the setting's BigBad: the Voidbringers.
77	*** Many [[{{BFS}} Shard]][[AbsurdlySharpBlade blades]] have been [[NamedWeapons given a name]] of this type. We see examples such as Sunraiser, Loremaker, and of course, Literature/{{Oathbringer}}.
78	** In ''Literature/WaxAndWayne'', 300 years after the [[Literature/{{Mistborn}} Catacendre]], Feruchemy has been diluted in the population to the point that instead of all sixteen powers, a Feruchemist only has access to one each. Each type of Feruchemist has a name, four of which are this trope: [[HealingFactor Bloodmaker]], [[EnergyAbsorption Soulbearer]], [[SuperSenses Windwhisperer]], and [[SuperSpeed Steelrunner]].
79	* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfAncientDarkness'': The main antagonists are a band of corrupted mages called the Soul Eaters, and TheHero is revealed to be a spirit walker. Also, four of the six books are titled this way.[[note]]''Spirit Walker'', ''Soul Eater'', ''Oath Breaker'', ''Ghost Hunter''[[/note]]
80	* The Franchise/DCComics "DC Icons" series of YA novels are all titled like this: ''Literature/WonderWomanWarbringer'', ''Literature/BatmanNightwalker'', and ''Literature/CatwomanSoulstealer''.
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:GameBooks]]
84	* A few installments of ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' uses this naming method, notably ''Literature/StarStrider'', ''Literature/{{Spellbreaker}}'', ''Literature/{{Moonrunner}}'', ''Literature/{{Magehunter}}'', ''Literature/{{Stormslayer}}'' and the spin-off adventure ''Dungeoneer''.
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
88	* The ''Series/BabylonFive'' villain Deathwalker.
89	** And don't forget the Soul Hunters.
90	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''
91	* ''Series/{{Community}}'': ''Punch Kicker'' and his nemesis ''Kick Puncher''.
92	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
93	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E9TheTimeMeddler "The Time Meddler"]]
94	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E3TheMythMakers "The Myth Makers"]]
95	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E8TheGunfighters "The Gunfighters"]]
96	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS6E2TheMindRobber "The Mind Robber"]]
97	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E4TheSunMakers "The Sun Makers"]]
98	* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' appears to subvert this trope. The Peacekeepers are much more unnecessarily violent and cruel than peaceful, but the majority of them seem to believe they are doing what's right to protect the galaxy, even when they do more harm than good. In "The Peacekeeper Wars", it is revealed that [[spoiler:a group of the shared ancestors of Humans and Sebaceans were taken from their homeworld by Eidelons, a group of very powerful negotiators who can influence rationality in others, and used to keep the peace after negotiations finished. Once the Eidelons disappeared, the Peacekeepers kept peace the only way they could, "at the barrel of a gun"]], indicating that originally, at least, the trope was played pretty straight.
99	* ''Series/GhostHunters''
100	* ''Series/GhostWhisperer''
101	* ''Series/KnightRider''
102	* ''Series/KolchakTheNightStalker''
103	* ''Series/MythBusters''
104	* ''Series/NightStalker''
105	* ''Series/{{Shadowhunters}}''
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Music]]
109	* Night Ranger.
110	* "Star Star", by Music/{{The Rolling Stones\|Band}} fits this trope in its [[CensoredTitle original form]] [[spoiler:of "Starfucker"]]
111	* Music/TheBeatles: "Day Tripper"
112	[[/folder]]
113
114	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
115	* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' is positively brimming with nounverbers, such as the famous Planeswalkers. Many of their nounverbers verb nouns with verbs that don't even make sense. How does one [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=29709 weave smoke?]] Or [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=139465 braid it?]] How does one [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=121133 grin gristle?]] Why would some elves who live in the wild want to [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=135436 slay it?]] What's so great about [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=118912 a creature who can see something six feet away?]] And who would ever want to [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=28009 buy spirits from a giant monster?]]
116	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' also has its fair share of monsters that are nounverbers, most famously the Mind Flayer.
117	* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' has a few Chaos Legions that fit this trope - Word Bearers & World Eaters, for example.
118	** As does the Imperium, such as the Blood Drinkers and Flesh Tearers. Yes, those are the good guys (relatively speaking, of course).
119	** Many Chaos forces use the [noun/adjective]verber template:
120	*** Bloodthirsters and Bloodletters are the greater and lesser daemons of Khorne (Bloodletters riding Juggernauts, giant evil rhinos made of living metal, are called Bloodcrushers instead), while Blood Slaughterers are huge tick-like {{Walking Tank}}s. Earlier editions included siege weapons such as the Blood Reaper, Death Dealer, and Doom Blaster. If you're sensing a theme here, Khorne is empowered by the spilling of blood, from his faithful's enemies or themselves.
121	*** Chaos warmachines include the Forgefiend (giant robot centaur with guns instead of arms and head), Maulerfiend (melee version of the Forgefiend), and Heldrake (living metal dragon).
122	*** Nurglite forces can include Plaguebearers, Eyestingers, Spoilpox Scriveners, and Sloppity Bilepipers, and favor a huge scythe called a Manreaper.
123	** The Tyranids have a Carnifex variant known as a Screamer-Killer.
124	** The orks, being a straightforward lot, tend to give their troops, weapons and vehicles names that are as subtle as a choppa to the face: Tankbustaz are anti-armor specialists, the Lifta-Droppa lifts and drops a vehicle (preferably on its allies), the Deffrolla is a big spiky cement roller affixed to a battlewagon (itself a combination of tank, bunker and pickup truck), and then there's the wonderfully evocative Bonebreakaz, Braincrushaz, Bonecrunchaz, Gutrippaz, Spleenrippaz, Gobsmashaz, Lungburstaz, and other Bowelburnaz.
125	** The Eldar, not to be outdone, have troops such as the Death Jester, Bonesinger, Spiritseer and Dark Reapers, and a class of weapons known as Deathspinners. The users of said weapons, however, are an aversion - at least until someone figures out what it means to be spiding the warp.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Video Games]]
129	* ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}''
130	* ''VideoGame/TwistedWonderland'': Kalim's unique magic is called ''Oasis Maker''.
131	* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' might be the number one addict of this trope. If you can make nounverbers and [[LukeNounverber put two words together into a made-up compound word]], congratulations, you're at least as good as the whole Blizzard creative team.
132	** Somewhat justified by the theme-park nature of the game, in that the name you see may not be the "proper" name of the creature/person, but merely a description. For example the warlock pet called a "voidwalker". This is obviously a description of the creature given to it by warlocks who summon the creatures, as the voidwalkers themselves don't speak any intelligible language. Contrast with other warlock pets like the felguard (which is clearly a rank title). Occasionally though the game will be very annoying and not actually show the creature doing the thing they are named after.
133	** When it's a name (like Kael'thas Sunstrider), it's clearly intended as a translation from a fantasy language. Not helping matters though, Blizzard never made these languages. Still it's [[NameThatUnfoldsLikeALotusBlossom a naming convention]] rather than this trope.
134	* ''VideoGame/{{FATE}}'': There are many examples of these in its randonly-generated monster names. Each part of the names is picked at random from a list.
135	* ''VideoGame/{{Landstalker}}''
136	* ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear Solid 3\|Snake Eater}}: '''Snake Eater'''''
137	* In the opening sequence of InteractiveFiction game ''VideoGame/{{Zork}}: The Undiscovered Underground'' (a prelude to ''VideoGame/ZorkGrandInquisitor'' done in the style of golden-age Creator/{{Infocom}}), desperately trying to get out of a dangerous assignment, the player character rattles off the names of a half-dozen Noun Verbers better qualified for the job. He is cut off as he asks about "Kolchak the--"
138	* ''VideoGame/GhostReconAdvancedWarfighter''.
139	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker''.
140	** Note that this is due to the American translation. The original name of the game was "Kaze no Takuto" which translates to "Baton of Winds".
141	** Not that 'Baton of Winds' is that dramatic of a title.
142	* The weapons in the ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' series often follow this format, such as Air Shooter, Flash Stopper, Crash Bomber, Dust Crusher and Ice Slasher.
143	* In the InteractiveFiction game ''The Gostak'', the darftunder tunds darfs.
144	* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' (wouldn't it be weird if they actually fought streets?)
145	* ''Road Fighter'', which also doesn't involve fighting roads.
146	* ''VideoGame/KartFighter'', which doesn't involve fighting karts but rather the characters of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'' fighting.
147	* ''Dragon Fighter'', which does involve fighting dragons.
148	* ''Power Blazer'', the Japanese version of ''VideoGame/PowerBlade.
149	* ''VideoGame/RoadBlasters''
150	* ''Bad Street Brawler''
151	* ''Jewel Master''
152	* ''Stick Hunter: Exciting Ice Hockey''
153	* ''VideoGame/{{Dragonstomper}}''
154	* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKainSoulReaver''
155	* ''VideoGame/{{Loopmancer}}''
156	[[/folder]]
157
158	[[folder:Webcomics]]
159	* ''Webcomic/{{Cloudscratcher}}''
160	* ''Webcomic/{{Lightbringer}}''
161	[[/folder]]
162
163	[[folder:Web Original]]
164	* Website/TVTropes:
165	** '''TropeNamer'''
166	** ''Noun Verber''
167	** AmbulanceChaser
168	** FaceStealer
169	** EmotionEater
170	[[/folder]]
171
172	[[folder:Western Animation]]
173	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.
174	** Also the [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]] Koh the FaceStealer.
175	* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/HomeMovies'', when Brendan does a fantasy movie where he plays the character "Landstander". Who stands on land.
176	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark: [[TheMovie Bigger, longer & uncut]]'' has a song called "Uncle Fucker".
177	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trollhunters}}''
178	[[/folder]]
179
180	[[folder:Real Life]]
181	* The U.S. Military has often utilized Code Talkers, Native American servicemen and women who use their native language in conjunction with code to create an unbreakable radio cypher. The most famous of these were the Navajo Code Talkers who served in the Pacific theater during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.
182	* Also for the U.S. military, the adoption of the term "warfighter" to refer to those soldiers who participate in combat (as opposed to ArmchairMilitary, {{Desk Jockey}}s, etc.)
183	* Creator/JonStewart made a [[Creator/DavidLetterman Letterman]] appearance where he claimed this was George Bush's favorite speech pattern. "I A B -- I'm a B A-er. I make decisions -- I'm a decision maker!"
184	* The slang term "[[MotherFBomb motherfucker]]".
185	* There is a particularly venomous species of scorpion in the Middle East called, [[RunningGag like several other things on this page]] a death stalker.
186	[[/folder]]
187

Context Main / NounVerber