Elven Dictionary
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The following is an Elven-Common dictionary and grammar handout that was presented at Simucon 2000.
The Pronunciation of Elven
Letters that represent the same sounds in Elven as in English: b, d, f, m, n, p, t, z.
Single letters and the sounds they represent:
a: a as in father
c: c as in catch or k as in yak
e: e in met, den, bell. g: g in get, tag
h: h in hat, hoop, hold
i Stressed: ee in meet or ea in bean
i unstressed: i in mitt or bin
j: j in jab, -ge in rage, -dg- in ledger
l: l in lake or bell
o Stressed: o in code, oa in boat
o unstressed: oa in oar, o in cold
r: r in red or tar; never omitted or trilled
s: s in save or c in rice but never the z sound as in rise
u Stressed: oo in moon, hoop, food
u unstressed: oo in hood, good
w Occurs only at the beginning of a syllable, like w in wait, win
y: y in yell, yak but never the vowel sound in my
Letter combinations and the sounds they represent:
ai: i in high, fine
au: ow in how, town
ch: ch in choose, -tch in catch
ei: a in may, pay, shame, plate
oi: oy in toy, oi in coin
rr: The tip of the tongue strikes the alveolar ridge. [Note: this is when an r sound is pronounced halfway between r and d.]
sh: sh in shirt, rash.
Letters and letter combinations that do not occur in Elven: k, q, th( the sounds represented by English th, as in thin, then, teeth, do not occur in Elven).
Elven words of more than one syllable are stressed on the next-to-the-last syllable. Examples:
Scarnan celyeni tarul orani curtamasai,SCARnan celYEni Tarul oRAni curtaMAsai, Nazar yapratisai, ilg irecitisai,NAzar yapraTIsai, ilg ireciTIsai, Resme eicima zamanen carata:RESme eiCIma zaMAnen caRAta: Oyen samyani, oyen maldani, oyen halcani.Oyen samYAni, Oyen malDAni, Oyen halCAni.
Spearpoints sight twice-seven stars Guiding the gaze, opening the gate, Divining the form of days to follow Fields, farms, folk of future times.
Some Notes on Elven Grammar
Abbreviation found in the vocabulary: adj.: adjectivepast p.: past participle adv.: adverbpr.: pronoun comp.: comparativepres.p.: present participle dem.pr.: demonstrative pronounrel.pr.: relative pronoun int.pr.: interrogative pronounv.: verb n.: noun
Details of Elven grammar will be left to the players to discover. Here are a few points to get you started.
Negation and Questions: The negative adverbs ini or hin not are usually placed immediately before the verb being negated. Carromarro ini owrenmisa beltu lauwur. A crab doesnt learn to walk straight. Yureto yasu hin altatisa. Sulking doesnt gild the goldfish.
Elven has the usual interrogative pronouns translated as who, what, why, when, where, and how.
A Yes-No question is formed by adding shon at various places in the sentence. Examples:
- Haron pagtani meditaroi gaur.We are hunting cougars today.
- Shon haron pagtani meditaroi gaur? Are we hunting cougars today?
- Haron pagtani meditaroi shon gaur? Are we hunting cougars today? (and not some other time)
- Haron shon pagtani meditaroi gaur? Are we hunting cougars today? (as opposed to goblins)
- Haron pagtani shon meditaroi gaur? Are we hunting cougars today? (instead of feeding them)
Elven Word Structure:
A big part of the Elven vocabulary is made up of the haziman, literally the grown words, words that are made by successively adding prefixes or suffixes to create a family of words with related meanings.
Words start with a root, a form that expresses a particular idea or meaning. The root may not exist by itself as a word: for instance, the root sagd- never appears as a separate word, but it is the basis of words like sagdatun healing, sagdatu to heal and sagden healthy. Often, however, the root of the word is also the form of the noun, for example, the word azc, meaning end, as in saparan azc, journeys end.
Stems are added to the root to change the way the word functions in a sentence. One stem will change the root to an adjective, another to an adverb, still others to different kinds of verbs. Examples: azc + -en produces the adjective azcen final, last. azc + -ur produces the adverb azcur finally, lastly. azc + -aman produces the verb azcaman to end, to finish. azc + -atu produces the verb azcatu to be ending.
Elven Pronouns: Elven pronouns are almost the same as English.
Tense and Time
Perhaps because of the long lives of the Elves, Elven has no exact expressions like the present, past, or future tenses of other languages. This does not mean that Elven is incapable of expressing the relationship of events in time: the simplest way of rendering the past or future tense in Elven is to place ong past or oyun future before the verb. [For an example, see the poem above.]
[Note: The vocabulary below is not quite identical to the handout we were given at Simucon. For a handful of terms, there was some confusion as to what type of words they are. I have tried to clear this confusion up and marked the words concerned with an asterisk(*). Also, I discovered while copying the handout that some words dont follow the rules above(namely, the rule in #2 concerning w). This is probably due to the construction of haziman in some cases; however, I am writing the GMs in charge of languages in order to try and clear these problems up. I would suggest waiting to use this dictionary in things of relative permanence such as alterations until the language has been officially released in game or I have received an answer addressing these problems.]
An Elven Vocabulary
abse, adj. 9 acen, adj. white acletu, v. bring adar, n. bard afreitu, v. allure agaranci, n. emperor agins, n. falcon agirtu, v. hurt agla, n. cry ahtimen, adj. possible aila, adv. back aipa, n. speech aitaita, n.grandfather Ajac, n.Elf alaba, n.daughter alaca, n.ranger alai, n.empath alcas, n.lake aldi, prep.to *was listed as a noun alemgoshar, n. rainbow alolan, n.grove alor, v.do, make altar, adj. 20 alto, adj. 2 alupen, adj. hot amacra, n. cliff aman, v.be amar, pn. I amets, n. dream amona, n. grandmother anctan, n.ship anctatu, v.stand anctu, v.raise andre, n.lady apurtu, v.grasp or grab ar, pr. me araba, n.canal arac, prep.up *was listed as a noun arca, n. backpack arin, n. light arinen, adj. quick, fast, swift armiarma, n.spider arn, pr. my aro, pr. I aron (or) haron, pr.we *was listed as a noun arrain, n.fish asaran, n.sea asman, n.sky assegis, n. strong, mighty ??could be noun or adj. aulis, adj. beautiful, of a person aurcitu, v. find ayac, n. leg azc, n. end baha, n. price bahar, n. spring(season) bairam, n.festival barretu, v.laugh bash, n.head baso, n.foreigner bayir, n.hill belarri, n.guild berri, adj. new besarcadu, v.embrace bidaya, n.journey bino, n.trade bir, adj. a, an birleshmin, v. unite bizar, n. beast blosu, v. spring borrocatu, v. fight boyun, n. neck bulanjai, n.manor burdina, n.iron caidis, adj. wise caratu, v.predict carwu, n.heart* rule 2, v. w ce, n.smoke cebelec, n. shrine cecits, n.arrow celle, adj. 100 celoen, adj. light(in weight) celpeze, n.lizard celya, n.spear cemelen, adj. less cen, adj. much cenar, n. beach cercorim, n.lightning chaga, n. child chep, adj. left(direction) chunen, adj. short cichis, adj. small, tiny Cichumbu, n. Halfling cimi, n. bird cinen, adj. hard(difficult) contatu, v.tell copri, n.bridge corec, n. bread cragis, adj. highborn crauyo, n.blood creslan, n. bed dafora, n.sun dagis, n.summer daihan, n.peasant dap, n.trail darm, prep. with dem, n. breath dengiz, n.ocean derli, n.rain dil, n.tongue dirais, adj. great diztetu, v.kneel dogan, n. brother dohaen, adj. free(of charge) dolu, n. wilderness dost, n.gloom dosten, adj. gloomy draus, n. sail dubelis, n.skunk duman, n. fog ebo, n. grass ecarren, adj. bright edantu, v. drink eger, conj. if egun, n. day egur, n. woodland ei, prep. in eicetu, v.come eiyam, n.crescent el, n.hand ela, n.woman elcartu, v.meet eliza, n.temple elo, adj. 1 elur, n. snow emanto, n. gift emma, conj. but epeletu, v. turn erlin, n. wide erori, n. evening erreca, n. stream errez, n. east escu we escu, adv. forever escu, adv. ever estalai, n.harbor esten, adj. narrow esturi, n.song, music etorri, v. deliver ezaman, v.know ezcondu, v.marry fala, n. forest fana, n.fire faut, adv. not fauta, indef.pr. none gabaw, n.trap* rule 2, v. w gachir, n.highway gahar, n.anger gaharen, adj. angry gailis, n. grotto gaiz, n.evil gal, prep.among galduta, pastp. lost galwo, n.tradition* rule 2, v. w ganat, n.wing ganen, adj. bitter gaplang, n.sprite gar, n. fear garen, adj. black gau, n. night gazen, adj.young gechmin, v.pass geleshtu, v.train gelinaji, n.marriage gelinaliji, n.wedding procession gemia, n.mother gengec, n.claw gerezi, n.chieftain gerri, n.belt geshi, n.ice geza, n.dew gezman, v.wander gilen, adj. red gish, n.winter gizen, adj. few gizhir, n.soil gnode, n.troll gocen, adj. blue golimban, n.creek gongen, adj. brown gorma, n.war gowac, n.cave* rule 2, v. w gowren, adj. more* rule 2, v. w goz, n.eye grauwus, n.side* rule 2, v. w groben, adj. cheap guiruc, n.tail gujen, adj. highest, best gulac, n.ear guren, adj.thick *was listed as a noun guruyol, n. crossroad guti, n.bow(archery) hac, n. robe hachan, rel.pr. when haize, n.wind halen, adj. good, well halipa, n.master halipadar, n. master bard halur, adv. well hanca, n.leopard handis, adj. big harich, n.oak hawa, int. yes* rule 2, v. w hegerrez, n. southeast hego, n. south hegorul, n. southwest helei, n. wife hemme, adj. every henen, adj. third heni, adj. 3 henitar, adj. 30 heretu, v.move herri, n. dune hid-, n. -less(as tailless) hindo, adj. 5 hodei, n. cloud holutu, v.kill howp, n.danger* rule 2, v. w hul, adj. 4 hulitar, adj. 40 husol, n. whirlpool hustus, adj. empty icutu, v.touch idi, prep. out igel, n. front igotun, pres.p. ascending ilalish, v. bodice ilaya, n.river ilcan, n. inn, tavern ilga, n.gate ilmis, n. bark, of a tree imir, pers.pr. you(sing.) ims, prep. at indar, n. strength inha, adv. here ini-, adv. not, no, without inoren, adj. all ipar, n. north iparerrez, n.northeast iparrul, n.northwest ipoch, n.goblin irecitu, v. open irin, pers.pr. you(pl.) irienen, poss.aj. your(pl.) irn, poss.aj. your (sing.) irnan, n.wall irujen, adj. foolish Iscramiri, n.SKra-Mur ish, prep. across ishmec, n.jetty isil, n. silence itsusis, adj. ugly iturri, n. fountain izar, n. quarter izen, n.name izinda, prep. behind jadi, n.magic jai, n. house jaihal, n.welcome jama, n.crow jan, n.spirit janis, n.god jaraman, v.become jaun, n.lord jinen, adj.rare *was listed as a noun jitien, adj.sharp *was listed as a noun joantu, v.go joran, n.friend julge, n.valley ladis, n. idea, thought lagash, n.volcano lagun, n.fork laiho, int. goodbye langa, n.peace larestu, v.sing larre, n.meadow larru, n.skin lasen, adj. flat(smooth) laum, n.quake lauwen, adj. straight* rule 2, v. w lehojen, adj. dry leize, n. cavern licuti, adj.little *was listed as a noun lilic, n.gown liscis, n.blade liyos, n.stronghold loira, n. plant/herb loman, v. sleep lomo, n.mouth lunca, n.glacier lunci, n.Therengian luru, n.place lurugami, n. waterfront lurugelesh, n.training ground luruwede, n.library* rule 2, v. w madaricatu, v.damn mahai, n.sword mahiren, adj. warn maite, n. love malcis, n. sorrow maztu, v.dance mehen, adj.thin *was listed as a noun meren, adj. full merhum, n.marsh mihman, n.guard miwe, n. fruit* rule 2, v. w moazo, n.truce molujan bilelim, n.greetings(formal) molujan, n. gods mun, adj. 1000 nabis, comp. than nagoti, aux. would nahar, n.food namede, n. anything nazar, n. sight nedora, n. moon nirh, n. fee noc, adj. 0 noren, adj. many oc, prep. by ocerc, n. prank, joke ocu, n. scorpion ogujen, adj. cold oi, n. home oin, n.foot olum, n. death omo, adj. 6 ond, n. mountain onda, dem.pr. there *was listed as a noun ongaili, n. quality ongort, n. morning ora, n. star ornen, adj. kind orta, n. middle ortegun, n. noon ostu, v. hold otag, n. root otso, n. wolf oyun, n. future pagta, n.cougar paicotu, v. till, cultivate palta, n. battleaxe panju, n. refund pau, adj. 8 paustopishic, n. bobcat paute, n. egg peidatu, v. use pel, prep. down pelci, n. brook pele, rel.pr. how penten, adj. fierce pereso, n. arm pesten, adj. crooked pinpilinpauca, n.butterfly pishic, n.cat pleinis, n.bog pocorto, n. archipelago prestatu, v. prepare prio, n.soldier pur, n.happiness ragusto, n. tale rahat, n.path rouda, n. ford rugili, n. baroness rugis, n. baron ruhoi, n. heaven rul, n.west rure, pn. she *was listed as a noun sacen, adj. deep sacgal, n. beard saga, n. right(direction) sagdara, int. hello sagdatu, v. heal sal, conj. or salcen, adj. cool san-, n. intelligent creature sanalor, n. artificer sanamazat, n. holy-man sanbelor, n. guild-leader sanbino, n. trader sanegazat, n.flier sangut, n.archer sanicasi, n.student sanost, n. holder sanowret, n. teacher* rule 2, v. w santarna, n.tracker sanyapra, n.leader sarce, n. Dwarf saren, adj. yellow sari, n. life sasi, n. bush satalis, n. boulder satman, v. sell saule, n. swamp scertu, v. seek, look for sebel, n. garden seiremin, v.have(possess) senar, n. boy ses, n.voice sha, dem.pr. that shalupa, n.boat shar, n. Barbarian sheco, n. town shigir, n.poem shirel, n. king shireli, n.queen shoncim, int.pr. who shonhachan, int.pr. when shonime, int.pr. what shontaida, int.pr. where shonuchin, int.pr. why shostro, n. sister shu, dem.pr. this sidatu, v. betray sinestu, v. believe siran, n. son siyatu, v. travel smoi, n. husband sowuc, n. comet* rule 2, v. w soye, n. storm sudur, n. nose sugunjan, n. unicorn sunis, n. hunt sushu, n. snake, serpent su, n. water suwudaz, n waterfall.* rule 2, v. w suwundan, n. wave, surf* rule 2, v. w tach, n.crown tago, n. knife tancis, adj. soft(to touch) tar, adj. 10 taralto, adj. 12 tarelo, adj. 11 tareni, adj. 13 taritu, v. speak taurili, n. princess tauris, n. prince terwen, n. caravan* rule 2, v. w tilci, n. fox tire, n. tribe tizlic, n. spell ton, pr. they tona, n.bank torbis, n. bay towis, n. father* rule 2, v. w trumoi, n. thunder tuilis, n. pearl turman, v. rise uchin, rel.pr. why uchman, v. let, allow uci, n. toward udazatu, v.fall umbu, n.person umshi, n.tree umumi, n.commoner undojen, adj. dark Urbaj, n. human urbil, adj. near urrutis, adj. far(distance) usceltu, v. tear, rip ustu, v. consider, think *was listed as a noun uwre, n. rock* rule 2, v. w uzacen, adj. long walgetu, v.eat warnis, n. thief we, conj. and wepat, n.midnight wessis, n. together wims, n.badger wir, n. silver wuda, v.wave(gesture) wuisis, n. mist wumbaris, n.yak yadaw, n.tax* rule 2, v. w yana, n. city yapratu, v. lead Yarajac, n. Elothean yash, prep. after, aft yashaman, v. live yashegun, n. afternoon yashen, adj. green(color) yedi, adj. 7 yengish, n. victory yeterlis, adj. enough yila, n. smile yol, n. road, way yolen, adj. broad yowuzen, adj. hard(touch)* rule 2, v. w yurugar, n. dragon yuztu, v. swim zacur, n. dog zaharen, adj. old zaindu, v.survey, explore zaldi, n. horse zarata, n. noise zer, n. jewel, gem zic, n.dirt