Languages of Lasniniar

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Guide to Pronounciation

Languages

Guide to Pronunciation

All references are to English words unless otherwise stated.

The Elven Tongue/Elvish:

Elvish Vowels

A is ‘a’ as in ‘fare’ when following a vowel in the first syllable, otherwise ‘a’ as in ‘far’.

E is ‘ee’ as in ‘steep’ when preceding a vowel, ‘e’ as in ‘step’ when before a consonant, and ‘a’ as in ‘ape’ when it is the last letter in a word.

I is ‘ee’ as in ‘steep’ when preceding a vowel or when it is the last letter in a word, otherwise ‘i’ as in ‘pin’.

O is ‘o’ as in ‘low’ when following a vowel or the letters K or L, or when it is the last letter in a word, otherwise ‘u’ as in ‘fun’.

U is always ‘oo’ as in ‘stool’.

Y is always ‘y’ as in ‘yellow’, NOT like in ‘symptom’.

Elvish Consonants

C is always hard and pronounced as ‘K’, NEVER ‘S’.

G is always hard as in ‘green’, and NOT soft as in ‘rage’.

N is always emphasized.

R is always clipped, as in the pronunciation of the Spanish word ‘rapido‘.

TH is always soft, as in ‘think’, NOT hard as in ‘then’.

The Dwarven Tongue/Dwarvish:

Dwarvish Vowels

A is always pronounced ‘a’ as in ‘far’.

E is always pronounced ‘e’ as in ‘step’.

I is ‘i’ as in ‘ill’ when preceding the letters L and N, otherwise it is ‘ee’ as in ‘leer’.

O is always ‘o’ as in ‘low’.

U is always ‘oo’ as in ‘stool’.

Dwarvish Consonants

G is always hard, as in ‘green’, and NOT soft as in ‘rage’.

H is guttural, almost a ‘kh’ sound.

R is clipped like in Elvish, but heavier.

The Black Tongue:

Black Tongue Vowels

A is always pronounced ‘a’ as in ‘far’.

E is always pronounced ‘e’ as in ‘step’.

I is always ‘ee’ as in ‘leer’.

O is always ‘o’ as in ‘low’.

U is always ‘oo’ as in ‘stool’.

Black Tongue Consonants

G is always hard, as in ‘green’, and NOT soft as in ‘rage’.

R is rolled, like the letter rr in the Spanish ‘perro‘.

Z is pronounced as ‘ts,’ as in the Japanese ‘tsunami’ when it is the first letter of the word, otherwise it is ‘z’ as in ‘maze’.

Languages:

The Common Tongue/Common

The Common Tongue is the first language of Greater Men, and is usually understood as a second language by the other races, although less so by those who have limited interactions with those not of their own kind. The various tribes of Lesser Men each have their own dialect, which is derived from Common.

The Elven Tongue/Elvish

The Elven Tongue is the oldest of all the languages, having been brought to Lasniniar by the elves when they fled Ralvaniar. Many place names in Lasniniar are Elvish in origin as a result.

Greater Men often name their children in the Elvish fashion, in memory of more peaceful times when the elves were close allies. Otherwise, the language has fallen into disuse among them and even scholars have forgotten it.

Elvish Root Words and Key Terminology:

adan: old/elder

adar/adain/adari: elves/elf/elven

adarim: sprites (Ancient Elvish, always plural)

adil: lord, suffix for male names (eg. Daranadil)

alfia: silver

andir: wisdom/wise

arana/arani/aran: songs/song/singing

arin: wind

aron: man, suffix for male mortal names (eg. Golaron)

balas: mist/misty

bascuru: forgotten

beli: wild

Beliadar/Beliadain: Wild Elves/Wild Elf

cari: lost

Cariadar/Cariadain: Lost Elves/Lost Elf

Carisina/Carisin: Lost Ones/Lost One

Carivanyar: The Lost Wanderer

curu: learnéd

Curusina/Curusin: Learnéd Ones/Learnéd One

dali: divide

daran: earth/land, used in names of geographic regions (eg. Adar Daran)

Daranadar/Daranadain: Earth Elves/Earth Elf

darian/daria: isles/isle, suffix for island names (eg. Rasdaria)

darili: sand

daro: deeps (underground)

delari: swamp

dira: fens

eadros/eadro: hills/hill, used in hill names (eg. Vila Eadros)

eran/era: eyes/eye

eru: watch/watcher

erumari/erumar: watchtowers/watchtower (eg. Belierumar)

fal: young

falan: fey

falas: pass

Falnun/Falnuna: Lesser Men/Lesser Man

felara: quicksilver (Ancient Elvish)

feo: vast

feria: sorrow

fini: shroud

gali: withered

galid: make/craft

glaurinu/glaurin: dragons/dragon

gol: shadow

Goladar/Goladain: Shadow Elves/Shadow Elf

goro: wasted

halas: haven

hamad/hamadi: mountains/peak, used in mountain names (eg. Hamadi Glaurin)

hamudi/hamud: caves/cave

huras/hura: hunters/hunter

iadro/iadra: fair (m)/fair (f) (in appearance)

iar: shining

iara: white

ion: hope

iro: folk

kore: forsworn

Koresina/Koresin: Forsworn Ones/Forsworn One

lamas/lama: mirrors/mirror

lasni: rebirth/reborn

Lasniniar: The Realm of Rebirth, the continent that is the elves’ current home

lavi: north/northern

levni: vessel

Levniquenya: Vessel of the Quenya

lin: light

Linadar/Linadain: Light Elves/Light Elf

loda: errant

luni: moon

lynia: lady, suffix for female names (eg. Andirlynia)

lys: flame/fire

Lysiro: Fire Folk

mal: rush

malia: rapid/fast/quick

mari/mar: towers/tower, used in tower names (eg. Mar Arin)

mela: forest/wood, prefix for forest names (eg. Melaquenya)

Meladar/Meladain: Wood Elves/Wood Elf

meliar: tree

meru: home

nal: city, precedes city names (eg. Nal Nungalid)

nelar: shifting

niar: world/realm

nimrili/nimril: shells/shell

non: rise/rising

nonia: slip

num: strong/strength

nun/nuna: mortals/mortal

Nunadan: Greater Men

Nundaran/Nunadaran: dwarves/dwarf

nungalid/nunagalid: craftsmen/craftsman

oroma/orom: fangs/fang

pelo/pela: plains/plain, used in plain names (eg. Pelo Goro)

Quenya: source of all life and magic (no English equivalent)

Quenyadar/Quenyadain: Quenya Elves/Quenya Elf

rali/ral: streams/stream

ralla: rolling

ralva: twilight/twilit

Ralvaniar: The Twilit Realm, the elves’ island of origin

ras: body of water (ocean/lake/sea), used in body of water names (eg. Suloras)

Rasadar/Rasadain: Sea Elves/Sea Elf

Rasiro: Sea Folk

rasna: bay, used in bay names (eg. Rasna Luni)

rasni: pool

riel: maiden, suffix for female names (eg. Lodariel)

ril: river, prefix for river names (eg. Riliara)

salimara/salimar: dreams/dream

sav: face

silva: sun

silvanon: sunrise/dawn

silvaran: sunset

sina/sin: ones/one

sinstari: night

sinta: sky/heavens

Sintadar/Sintadain: Sky Elves/Sky Elf

Sintari: The Fallen One

sintatorim/sintator: sky horses/sky horse

stari: dark/darkness

Stariquenya: Dark Quenya, title for the stolen portion of the Quenya that is corrupted by Saviadro

starmo: foul

sulo: stagnant

tala/tal:borders/border

tari: fallen

tel: barrier

telan/tela: stars/star

telari: starlight/starlit

tiag: jagged

torim/tor: horses/horse

urgan/urga: ogres/ogre

urki/urk: trolls/troll

valan/vala: waves/wave

valion: hidden

vanya: wandering/wander

vanyar: wanderer

varsil: catalyst (Ancient Elvish)

vila: south/southern

wyn: maid, suffix for female names

yabron/yabro: goblins/goblin

ylsaria: chaos (Ancient Elvish)

The Dwarven Tongue/Dwarvish

The Dwarven Tongue is only spoken by dwarves and is never taught to outsiders.

Dwarvish Root Words and Key Terminology:

arga/argan: elves/elf

bara/bar: roots/root

barag/baragu: trolls/troll

bil: polished

bol: south/southern

daram: jagged

darga: forsworn

delana/delan/delano: wanderers/wanderer/wandering

dogal: haven

Dogalmoludu: Dwarfhaven

falmara/falmar: traitors/traitor

fidara/fidar: forges/forge

fundo: fallen

gal: great

galzamad/galzamadu: Greater Men/Greater Man

garmul: sunset

golud/goludu: ogres/ogre

grisha/grishan: goblins/goblin

halga/halgan: mountains/mountain

hamlug: pass

hilgura/hilgur: tunnels/tunnel

iamo: slipstream

igla/iglan: rivers/river

khalid: flame

khamud: cave

Khamudkir: the Lone Cave

kiru/kir: ones/one

Kirfundo: The Fallen One, Saviadro’s title

Kirudarga/Kirdarga: Forsworn Ones/Forsworn One

labod: north/northern

Lazmir/Lazmiru: Learnéd (p)/(s), title

lo: deep

Lomolud: Dwarvendeep

malg: gold/golden

molud/moludu: dwarves or dwarven/dwarf

mul: sun

nal: home

Nalmolud: Dwarvenhome

narilgu/narilga: diamonds/diamond

nogu: narrow

orgu: barrier

palodu/paloda: sapphires/sapphire

rallu/ralla: jewels/jewel

raz: watch

Razmoludu: Dwarfwatch

rin: maker

rugu/rugo: stone/stone

torgu/torga: roads/road

tralan: silver

zaga: daddy

zamad/zamadu: men/man, also refers to Lesser Men

zol: wind

The Black Tongue

The Black Tongue is the second-oldest language after Elvish. It was originally spoken by the dark creatures of Ralvaniar. Later, it became the tongue of Saviadro, Arinmalia and their minions. Now only trolls, ogres, and goblins speak it fluently.

Darkling Men, and Arinmalia’s drakhalu and changelings learn it only as a second or third language, after their own original dialect and the Common Tongue. As a result, many of the dark creatures are forced to speak a bastardized version of the Black Tongue, combined with Common, in order to make themselves understood by their Darkling Men and drakhal peers.

Black Tongue Root Words and Key Terminology:

ashu/ash: ones/one

azmul: empty

bruluku/bruluk: trolls/troll

chamdu/chamdun: mortals/mortal, also refers to Lesser Men

chazudu/chazud: towers/tower

darkhali/darkhala: streams/stream

darkhalu/darkhal: rivers/river

drakhalu/drakhal: vampires/vampire

gaz: fire

grimbaku/grimbak: goblins/goblin

khashad: lord/master, Saviadro’s title when capitalized (first ‘h’ is dropped in compound words if preceded by a prefix ending in a consonant)

khashada: mistress, Arinmalia’s title when capitalized (first ‘h’ is dropped in compound words if preceded by a prefix ending in a consonant)

khlavad: death

markhulu/markhul: body of water (ocean/lake/sea), used in body of water names

maruku/maruk: pools/pool

mir: rush

Nambatul: the tainted Quenya (Stariquenya in Elvish)

nar: dark

narchamdu/narchamdun: Darkling Men/Darkling Man

Narashu/Narash: Dark Ones/Dark One, title of the Forsworn

orag: old/elder, title of Vlazkashad if capitalized

oragchamdu/oragchamdun: Greater Men/Greater Man

orashadu/orashad: drakes/drake

orashu/orash: dragons/dragon

prochamdu/prochamdun: dwarves/dwarf

prokhalu/prokhal: mountains/mountain

puloku/pulok: plains/plain

saradokhulu/saradokhul: wastes/waste

shadvaru/shadvar: elves/elf

slavu/slav: dreams/dream

trembl: trick/tricky

Tremblashu/Tremblash: Tricky Ones/Tricky One, title of the Learnéd

uroku/urok: ogres/ogre

vlaz: night

vorslovu: forgotten

zash: black

zukhul: forest

The Sea Folk Tongue

The language of the Sea Folk is unknown to outsiders. No record of translation exists.

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