YMMV / Anathem

• Defictionalization: Due to Translation Convention, the characters are actually speaking a fictional language called Orth rather than English. A friend of the author's developed the language as a full-fledged Conlang at the author's request.
• Does This Remind You of Anything?: The Ita, a corruption of Information Technology Administrator. An untouchable caste for most of the avout, the Ita are the ones to deal with the outside world on behalf of the concents, including matters of trade and commerce. The avout stereotype them as being manipulative and seeking only power by playing the mathic and sæcular worlds against one another. They live in their own segregated communities; eat much different food than the avout; wear black skullcaps; and the one representative we get to know well has a long, bushy beard... Fortunately by the end of the book the Ita are fully integrated into society along with the rest of the mathic world, having proven their worth in averting the alien attack.
• Genius Bonus: This is a Neal Stephenson book, after all. The philosophies and scientific theories, or "theorics", mentioned in the book have Real Life counterparts.
• Tear Jerker: Suur Ala and Fraa Erasmas, just before kicking off the Antiswarm
• Wham Line: "'In my world,' said Zh’vaern, 'we call it a Faraday cage.'"