by Tad Williams
Citril—sour, aromatic root for chewing
Conqueror—dicing game, popular with soldiers
Conqueror Star, The—a book of occult fact, in Nabbanai: “Sa Asdridan Condiquilles”
Crook—star (possibly same as Sithi’s “Luyasa’s Staff”)
Day of Weighing-Out—Aedonite day of final justice and end of the mortal world
Days of Fire—possibly very ancient era of Osten Ard (obscure reference by Geloë)
Du Svardenvyrd—near-mythical prophetical book by Nisses
Eadne Cloud—Aspitis Preves’ ship
Elysia Chapel—famous chapel in Saint Sutrin’s church in Erchester
En Semblis Aedonitis—famous religious book about the philosophical underpinnings of Aedonite religion and life of Usires
Fifty Families—Nabbanai noble houses
Great Table—King John’s assemblage of knights and heroes
House of Year-Dancing—Westerling translation of Jiriki’s family name
Hunt-wine—Qanuc liquor (for special occasions, and mostly for women only)
Ice House—Qanuc holy spot, where rituals are performed to insure coming of Spring
Ilenite—a costly, shimmery metal
Indreju—Jiriki’s witchwood sword
Kangkang—Qanuc liquor
Kraile—Sithi name for “sunfruits”
Kvalnir—Isgrimnur’s sword
Lamp—star (possibly same as Sithi’s Reniku)
Leavetaking Stone—Hernystiri song about the Stone of Farewell
Loon, Otter—Wrannamen names for stars
Luyasa’s Staff—Sithi name for line of three stars in the sky’s northeast quadrant in early Yuven-month
Lutegrass—a long grass
Mansa Connoyis—“prayer of joining”: wedding prayer
Mezumiiru’s Net—star cluster; to Qanuc: Sedda’s Blanket
Minneyar—iron sword of King Fingil, inherited through line of Elvrit
Minog—edible plant with wide leaves, native to Wran
Mist Lamp—a Witness from Tumet’ ai
Mockfoil—a flowering herb
Naidel—Josua’s sword
Navigator’s Children—Tinukeda’ya’s name for themselves
Oinduth—Hern’s black spear
Pillar and Tree—emblem of Mother Church
Pool—apparently the Witness in old Asu’a
Quickweed—a spice
Reniku, the Summer-Lantern-Sithi name for star that signals ending of summer
Rhynn’s Cauldron—Hernystiri battle-summoner
Rite of Quickening—Qanuc ritual performed at Ice House to insure coming of Spring
River-apple-marsh fruit
Sand-palm—marsh tree
Shard—the Witness in Mezutu’a
Shent—Sithi game, reportedly brought from Venyha Do’sae
Silverwood—a wood favored by Sithi builders
Singing Harp—the Witness in Nakkiga, in Great Well
Six Songs of Respectful Request—a Sithi ritual
Sorrow—sword of iron and witchwood smithied by Ineluki, gift to Elias. To Sithi: “Jingizu”
Sotfengsel—Elvrit’s famous ship, buried at Skipphavven
Speakfire—the Witness in Hikehikayo
Starblooms—small white flowers
Thorn-star-sword of Camaris
Ti-tuno—famed Sithi horn
Traveler’s Reward—popular brand of ale
Tree—the Execution Tree, on which Usires was hung upside down before temple of Yuvenis in Nabban, now sacred symbol of Aedonite religion
Wind Festival—Wrannaman celebration
Winter Lastday—day in Yiqanuc when Rite of Quickening is performed
Yellowroot—a common herb used for tea in Wran (and elsewhere in south)
Knuckle Bones—Binabik’s auguring tools. Patterns include:Wingless Bird
Fish-Spear
The Shadowed Path
Torch at the Cave-Mouth
Balking Ram
Clouds in the Pass
The Black Crevice
Unwrapped Dart
Circle of Stones
Holidays Feyever 2—Candlemansa
Marris 25—Elysiamansa
Avrel 1—All Fool’s Day
Avrel 30—Stoning Night
Maia 1—Belthainn Day
Yuven 23—Midsummer’s Eve
Tiyagar 15—Saint Sutrin’s Day
Anitul 1—Hlafmansa
Septander 29—Saint Granis’ Day
Octander 30—Harrows Eve
Novander 1—Soul’s Day
Decander 21—Saint Tunath’s Day
Decander 24—Aedonmansa
Months
Jonever, Feyever, Marris, Avrel, Maia, Yuven, Tiyagar, Anitul, Septander, Octander, Novander, Decander
Days of the Week
Sunday, Moonday, Tiasday, Udunsday, Drorsday, Frayday, Satrinsday
A GUIDE TO PRONUNCIATION
ERKYNLANDISH
Erkynlandish names are divided into two types, Old Erkynlandish (O.E.) and Warinstenner. Those names which are based on types from Prester John’s native island of Warinsten (mostly the names of castle servants or John’s immediate family) have been represented as variants on Biblical names (Elias—Elijah, Ebekah—Rebecca, etc.) Old Erkynlandish names should be pronounced like modern English, except as follows:a—always ah, as in “father”
ae—ayof “say”
c—k as in “keen”
e—ai as in “air,” except at the end of names, when it is also sounded, but with an eh or µh sound, i.e., Hruse—“Rooz-uh”
ea—sounds as a in “mark,” except at beginning of word or name, where it has the same value as ae
g—always hard g, as in “glad”
h—hard h of “help”
i—short i of “in”
j—hard j of “jaw”
o—long but soft o, as in “orb”
u—oo sound of “wood,” never yoo as in “music”
HERNYSTIRI
The Hernystiri names and words can be pronounced in largely the same way as the O.E., with a few exceptions: th—always the th in “other,” never as in “thing”
ch—a guttural, as in Scottish “loch”
γ—pronounce yr like “beer,” ye like “spy”
h-unvoiced except at beginning of word or after t or c
e—ay as in “ray”
ll—same as single l: Lluth—Luth
RIMMERSPAKK
Names and words in Rimmerspakk differ from O.E. pronunciation in the following:j—pronounced y: Jarnauga—Yarnauga; Hjeldin—Hyeldin (H nearly silent here)
ei—long i as in “crime”
ë—ee, as in “sweet”
ö—oo, as in “coop”
au—ow, as in “cow”
NABBANAI
The Nabbanai language holds basically to the rules of a romance language, i.e., the vowels are pronounced “ah-eh-ih-oh-ooh, the consonants are all sounded, etc. There are some exceptions.
i—most names take emphasis on second to last syllable: Ben-i-GAR-is. When this syllable has an i, it is sounded long (Ardrivis: Ar-DRY-vis) unless it comes before a double consonant (Antippa: An-TIHP-pa)
e—at end of name, es is sounded long: Gelles—Gel-leez
y—is pronounced as a long i, as in “mild”
QANUC
Troll-language is considerably different than the other human languages. There are three hard “k” sounds, signified by: c, q, and k. The only difference intelligible to most non-Qanuc is a slight clucking sound on the q, but it is not to be encouraged in beginners. For our purposes, all three will sound with the k of “keep.” Also, the Qanuc u is pronounced uh, as in “bug.” Other interpretations are up to the reader, but he or she will not go far wrong pronouncing phonetically.
SITHI
Even more than the language of Yiqanuc, the language of the Zida’ya is virtually unpronounceable by untrained tongues, and so is easiest rendered phonetical
ly, since the chance of any of us being judged by experts is slight (but not nonexistent, as Binabik learned). These rules may be applied, however.
i—when the first vowel, pronounced ih, as in “clip.” When later in word, especially at end, pronounced ee, as in “fleet”: Jiriki—Jih-REE-kee
ai—pronounced like long i, as in “time”
’ (apostrophe)—represents a clicking sound, and should not be voiced by mortal readers.
EXCEPTIONAL NAMES
Geloë—Her origins are unknown, and so is the source of her name. It is pronounced “Juh-LO-ee” or “Juh-LOY.” Both are correct.
Ingen Jegger—He is a Black Rimmersman, and the “J” in Jegger is sounded, just as in “jump.”
Miriamele—Although born in the Erkynlandish court, hers is a Nabbanai name that developed a strange pronunciation—perhaps due to some family influence or confusion of her dual heritage—and sounds as “Mih-ree-uh-MEL.”
Vorzheva—A Thrithings-woman, her name is pronounced “Vor-SHAY-va,” with the zh sounding harshly, like the Hungarian zs.
WORDS AND PHRASES
HERNYSTIRI
Domhaini—“dwarrows”
Goirach—“mad” or “wild”
Isgbahta—“fishing boat”
Sithi—“Peaceful Ones”
NABBANAI
Duos Onenpondensis, Feata Vorum Lexeran!—“God All-Powerful, let this be Your law!”
Duos wulstei—“God willing”
En Semblis Aedonitis—“In the likeness of the Aedon”
Escritor—“Writer”: one of a group of advisors to lector
Lector—“Speaker”: head of Church
Sa Asdridan Condiquilles—“The Conqueror Star”
Veir Maynis—“Great Green,” the ocean
PERDRUINESE
Avi stetto—“I have a knife.”
Ohé, vo stetto—“Yes, he has a knife.”
QANUC
Aia—“back” (Hinik Aia = get back)
Boghanik—“diggers” (Bukken)
Chash—“true” or “correct”
Chok—“run”
Crookhok—“Rimmersman”
Croohokuq—plural of Croohok—“Rimmersmen”
Guyop—“Thank you”
Hinik—“go” or “get away”
Mosoq—“find”
Muqang—“enough”
Nihut—“attack”
Ninit—“come”
Sosa—“come” (stronger than “Ninit”)
Ummu—“now”
Utku—‘lowlanders”
RIMMERSPAKK
Dverning—“dwarrow”
Gjal es, künden!—roughly “Leave it alone, children!”
Haja—“yes”
Halad, künde!—“Stop, child!”
Kundë-mannë—“man-child”
Rimmersmanne—“Rimmersman”
Vaer—“beware”
Vjer sommen marroven—“We are friends”
SITHI (AND NORN)
Ai, Nakkiga, o‘do ’tke stazho-(Norn) “Ah, Nakkiga, I’ve failed you”
Asu’a—“Looking eastward”
Hiyanha—“pilgrimage boats”
Hikeda’ya—“Children of Cloud”: Norns
Hikeda‘yei—second-person plural of “Hikeda’ya”—“You Norns!”
Hikka—“Bearer”
Isi-isi‘ye-a Sudhoda’ya—“It is indeed a mortal”
J’asu pra-peroihin!—“shame of my house!”
Ras—term of respect: “sir” or “noble sir”
Ruakha—“dying”
S’hue—roughly “lord”
Ske’i—“stop”
Staja Ame—“White Arrow”
Sudhoda’ya—“ Sunset-children”: Mortals
Venyha s’anh!—“By the Garden!”
Yinva—(Norn) “come”
Zida‘ya—“Children of Dawn”: Sithi