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About the languages of Men

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See post 6622 below for updated version. 

 

UPDATED VERSION, with polished style and the amount of information greatly expanded. Remember to read past the side notes, the article does not end there.
 
I am a long time anonymous lurker here in the Imperial Library, and as an enthusiast to Tamrielic history and languages, i finally decided to publish my research into the known languages of Men in Tamriel.
 
This is an essay about the languages of humans in Tamriel, on their structure and vocabularies, and on their history. I have assumed here that all English/German/French/Spanish etc. (depending on the language version of your copy of Oblivion) place names are just “translations” of their “real” names, so West Weald is not the actual Cyrodiilic name, but a translation of it.
 
Feel free to critize it, and to share your thoughts.  
 
 
As we now know, in prehistoric times, before the arrival of people from Atmora, humans native to Tamriel lived in Nibenay Valley and southern Cyrodiil, and spoke early native languages. The tribes included at least the Kothringi and a people I have named Proto-Nibeneans for the purposes of the essay. There were naturally other human tribes too in the Ayleid-controlled Cyrodiil, mentioned in Adabal-A, such as Al-Gemha, Keptu, Men-of-Ge, Al-Hared, Men-of-Ket, and other unnamed tribes, but there is not much information available on them, so we cannot say for sure if all of these tribes are native to Tamriel or belong to the Nedic peoples of Atmora.
 
With time, the Proto-Nibenean tribes spread from Nibenay Valley all the way to High Rock, taking their language with them, later ending up being subjugated by the Aldmeri in Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Hammerfell. These tribes spoke an early latinesque language1, evidenced but the names of early Nibeneans; for example, Bravil was named after an Alessian centurion Teo Bravillius Tasus (see Daughter of Niben). It seems likely that the other native tribes, including the Kothringi who were later known to live in Black Marsh, stayed in the southern Cyrodiil, and must have lived there for some time even after being subjugated by the Elves, as their language shows heavy Aldmeri influence.
 
Later the Nedic tribes arrived from Atmora in waves, speaking their own languages, and in time spread to Skyrim, Colovia and Hammerfell, and sharing a commong cultural heritage. At least some tribes can be defined; the early Nords, Men-of-‘Kreath2, and Colovians. Judging by the fact that the Men-of-‘Kreath - while part of the larger Colovian group of tribes - were a tribe of their own, it is also possible that the Colovians too were a group of separate tribes who later found the kingdoms of Chorrol, Skingrad, Kvatch, and Anvil, before the unification of Cyrodiil. Many Nedic tribes, especially in Cyrodiil and Hammerfell, were enslaved by the Elves as we know from history.
 
 At the time of Alessian Rebellion, there were already a myriad of different human languages in Tamriel; Kothri and other possible native languages in southern Cyrodiil, Old Nibenean in Nibenay and spoken by the armies of Alessia, Ancient Breton in High Rock, all descended from the original native languages, and heavily influenced by Elven languages. Ancient Nord, perhaps influenced by Dragonic, spoken in Skyrim, Old Colovian3 language or languages in Colovia and Falkreath, and unknown Nedic languages spoken in Hammerfell before the arrival of the Redguards, all descended from Atmoran.
 
The rise of the Skyrim Empire and unification of Cyrodiil under the First Empire brought new changes. The Nords brought their influence to High Rock, and Morrowind. The original Reachmen of the Western Reach were likely from these times, and originally Nords mixed with Bretons, later mixed with more Aldmeri blood when the Western Reach was retaken by the Elves during the collapse of Skyrim Empire. Also the Skaal inhabited Solstheim during or after these times. When the Nibeneans finally managed to make the Colovian kingdoms part of the Empire, the Old Nibenean language replaced the Old Colovian but with an Old Colovian substrate. Thus the Old Cyrodiilic was born, an in time evolved into modern Cyrodiilic.
 
When the Redguards arrived from Yokuda, they brought their language Yoku with them. At that time, unknown Nedic languages were spoken in Hammerfell. As the need for a language of trade with the surrounding nations quickly rose, the Nedic languages, perhaps including the Old Cyrodiilic, started to replace the Yoku as the spoken language. Already at the start of the 3rd Era, Yoku was mostly a language of ritual, as seen in TESA. Despite this, large amount of Yoku place names and old personal names turned into Cyrodiilic pronunciation can still be found all over Hammerfell.
 
 Side notes:
 
1 modern Cyrodiilic is some form of Latin, and as at least most of the Bretons speak some version of French, they seem to be descended from the same prehistoric Proto-Nibenean peoples.
2 a tribe mentioned in Adabal-A, and reported to be imported from the North. They were most likely a North Colovian tribe living in the area of modern Falkreath. This is likely, as Falkreath has been historically considered a part of Colovia, not Skyrim.
3 there is no single definite proof for the existence of a Colovian language, but is in my mind evidenced by many other facts; their Nedic heritage, the strong cultural diffenrences in Nibenay and Colovia, and old place names and personal names clearly not Nibenean in sound structure, or general feeling. Examples of names remaining of the Old Colovian language seem to be names ending in –av, as in Rislav Larich, a First Era king of Skingrad born in 1E 448, and mentioned in Rislav the Righteous. Other good examples of the language are the names of Skingrad, and Kvatch, and the name of Rislav’s father Mhorus. Of course, while the old names are still in use, being inherited during the times when Old Colovian was still in use, the language itself is long dead, serving only as a substrate to Old and modern Cyrodiilic.
 
             More on the individual languages
 
                Cyrodiilic
 
Modern Cyrodiilic was born when the Old Nibenean language replaced the Old Colovian, and was modified by the Old Colovian substrate. What can be said of the modern Cyrodiilic is a short vocabulary of Latin words, collected from names, terms, and phrases. We also know that the language has borrowed words especially from Elven languages, but individual terms from other languages too. At the moment, there is no possibility to translate any words of Old Colovian origin, so we are left with the ones of Nibenean origin.
 
Some examples of vocabulary:
 
          Bruma – ‘The winter solstice’; city name
          Cloaca – ‘Sewer’; Bravil as described by Gilgondorin
          Corvus – ‘Raven’; male name
          Humilis – ‘Humble’; male name
          Interregnum – ‘A period of time between the reigns of the empire’; Tamrielic history
          Lex – ‘Law’; surname
          Magicka – ‘Magical energy’; a word of Elven origin
          Penitus Oculatos – ‘Internal Eyes’; the emperor's agents in the early 4th Era
          Simulacrum – ‘An image, likeness, effigy’; in Imperial Simulacrum
 
A short but quite interesting insight into the Cyrodiilic language is the name of the book Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum. It shows the word manifestum in declined form, and the last word is in plural genitive. It also shows that the name Cyrodiil is not declined.
 
           Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum – ‘Manifest of the Vampires of Cyrodiil’; a book name
 
                    The only hint of the pronunciation
 
There is not much we can say of the pronunciation of the modern Cyrodiilic, but a conversation that can be overheard in the Mages Guild. A mage says that he is not sure how the word ‘Daedra’ should be pronounced. What this tells us is that the written form of the modern Cyrodiilic does not completely match what the word sounds like. It still does not tell us whether the difference is as strong as in English or French, or as small as in German.
 
 
                Kothri
 
Kothri is an interesting language and native to southern Cyrodiil. The Kothringi must have moved to Black Marsh after living under an Ayleid rule, as their language is influenced by the Ayleid language. They also seem to have left at least some place names behind.
 
The only but quite revealing sample of the language in its 1st Era stage comes from Water Getting Girl, the favorite childhood story of Tiber Septim. I’ll introduce some interesting specifics of the language here, but will not analyze the whole grammar. If there is a desire for more in-depth research into Kothri grammar, I will do that in a separate article.
 
First of all, the influence of Ayleid language is clear. Some of these words are unattested in the known fragments of Ayleid language, but are known from other Elven languages. Note the following words:
 
           Aka – ‘Adult’; a word of Aldmeri origin but with a more specific meaning here
           Ald’ald – ‘Too long’; the Ayleid word ald is duplicated here
           Aurbex – ‘The Around-Us, World’; borrowing from Elven
           Bal – ‘Stone’; an Ayleid word for stone
 
Some words hint at the common ancestral origin of Proto-Nibenean and Kothri. The words are different enough not to be loan words, and similar enough to have been developed from a common ancestral language by a regular sound change.
 
Examples of possible cognates between Cyrodiilic and Kothri are presented here. Note that the Cyrodiilic words are actually unattested Latin words, so this theory cannot be taken as a definite proof of anything.
 
            Kothri                                Unattested Cyrodiilic
            seb ‘down’                     sub ‘under’
            ke ‘who, that’                 qui ‘which’   
            fex ‘face’                       facies ‘appearance, form, face’
            ge ‘I, me’                      ego ‘I’
            yn ‘just, only’                 un- ‘one’
            synd ‘for’                       siquidem ‘if indeed, because’; this is an unlikely cognate
 
Also another interesting detail is the word for ‘river’, which is ‘topali’. The early people of southern Cyrodiil might have called the river just ‘River’, which then stayed behind in the name of Topal Bay. The name of the bay would then originally have meant ‘the Bay of the River’ and the story of the bay being named after Torval the Pilot would be just folk etymology.
 
 
                Languages of High Rock
 
High Rock has always been a place were different peoples, cultures, and languages mix. The ‘French’ style language of the Bretons have been influenced by Aldmeri, Nordic, and Cyrodiilic and by an unknown number of other Nedic languages. For example, few names of Nordic or Nedic origins are Eduard, Norbert, Roderic, Ulrich and the surname Eardwulf.
 
A short list of Breton words can be obtained from the names. Here are some examples:
 
                      Blanche – ‘White’; female name
                      Jolie – ‘Pretty’; female name
                      Petit – ‘Small’; surname
 
Some place names, such as Gwynnen, possibly hint at the historical Nedic languages of High Rock, brought by the Nords and other Nedic tribes. Whether there are other languages still spoken in the area in addition to Breton is unknown.
 
 
                Nordic
 
Nordic is a Nedic language, brought by the settlers from Atmora during ancient times. A short vocabulary can be formed from the known place names, personal names, phrases, and terms. Many words are Norwegian, some are Danish or Swedish, but there are also Nordic words that are currently untranslatable as they do not exist in the real world languages.
 
Also, the language of dragons have influenced the Nordic tongue. One example is the word Thu’um, borrowed into Nordic from the Dragonic.
 
Some examples:
 
           Dalk – ‘Knife’; in the Infernal City
           Fjell – ‘Mountain’; a cave in Solstheim
           Frysehag – ‘Frost witch’; a type of witch in Solstheim
           Grahl – ‘A type of frost troll’; a troll in Solstheim
           Kongerike – ‘Kingdom’; part of the name Benkongerike in Solstheim
           Moesring – ‘Maiden’s ring’; mountains in Solstheim.
           Ondjage – ‘Ill Hunt’; the name of the terrible wolf Ondjage
           Skjorta – ‘Skirt’; female name
           Skyrim – ‘Sky ice’; the name of the country of Skyrim.
           Sovngaard – ‘The world of sleep’; Nordic afterlife for warriors, literally Sleep-Yard
           Stahlrim – ‘Steel ice’; a special form of ice used by ancient nords in their burial rituals
 
Examples of currently untranslatable names:
 
           Felsaad
           Hirstaang
           Saarthal
 
 
                Old Nibenean
 
Old Nibenean was the language of the Alessian armies, and a descenant of the native languages of Tamriel. During Alessia’s days, it was a latinesque language, with good examples in old place names of the Nibenay area, and Nibenean personal names mentioned in old texts. It can also be considered the olders stage of the Cyrodiilic language.
 
Good examples of the language are the names of the river Larsius and lake Canulus, and an Alessian centurion named Teo Bravillius Tasus, after whom the city of Bravil was named.
 
In its early stage, language was heavily influenced by the language of the Ayleid masters. It can be seen in Elven place names, such as Cyrodiil, Niben, and Rumare, and loan words such as ‘magicka’.
 
After the unification of Cyrodiil, Old Nibenean replaced the language of Colovia, but was influenced by it, likely both in the vocabulary – as seen in the names borrowed from Old Colovian – and sound structure of the language, as it now allows words like Kvinchal to exist.
 
 
                Old Colovian
 
Old Colovian was the language or languages of the Nedic tribes who settled in Colovia after their arrival from Atmora. Evidence for the language can be seen in local place names and personal names clearly not of Nibenean origin.
 
Place names such as Skingrad, Sutch, Kvatch, and Chorrol are a clear memory of the language, although we have no idea of their meanings.
 
There are also name personal names of Old Colovian origin. Of historical names, good examples are Rislav, Mhorus, Hrol, Juilek, Brazollus Dor, and perhaps Cuhlecain too. Of modern names, Fralav, Gerich, Kastav, Natch for males, Britta, Etira, Schlera for females, and Abor, Bincal, Goneld, Hassildor, Kvinchal, Vlinorman, Wotrus for surnames, give us a glimpse of the language.
 
 
                Yoku
 
Yoku is the ancestral language of the Redguards, now mostly a language of rituals and old place names.
 
Much of what we know of the language comes from TESA, where Cyrus has conversations with a Redguard woman called Saban, with her son Coyle working as an interpretor. In addition to this, some good information can be found in Lord Vivec's Sword Meeting With Cyrus The Restless, Pocket Guide to the Empire, The Alik'r, The Calendar of Tarmiel and Redguards, their History and their Heroes.
 
Analyzing and translating all the material is quite a work. From Saban’s speech, lots of grammar and words with clear meaning can be collected. But there are also many words that can only be given an arbitary meaning with the help of the context, and then there are words that are currently untranslatable.
 
Here is a short guide to what I have been able to find out so far. Remember, in many cases the meaning of the word is not yet firmly established and can change if more info comes out. Also, I will continue to analyze the data on the language and perhaps can correct any errors I might have made in the first draft.
  

Grammar

 

Nouns
 
It is not clear if the nouns have a plural form. There are very few examples, but the word matana 'stone/gem' appears in the form matani too, and the context clearly hints at plural form. If this is correct, the plural would be formed by adding the ending -i in the noun, replacing the final vowel if there is any.
 
Nouns are not declined in cases, not even in genitive case.
 
The ending –lak as seen in Hel Anseilak is an interesting detail though. It seems to be some kind of collective ending, refering to a group of things, and most likely cannot be used as a regular plural.
 
 
Articles
 
Yoku does not have any kind of articles. Interesting is to note that after Cyrus had asked if Saban had seen his sister, Saban uses the word dua yours’ to refer to the sister, without having to use any noun with it.
 
An example of this is when she says: Dua sen ugakta ‘[At] Yours [=your sister] I raged’
 
 
Adjectives
 
Adjective precedes the word it descripes. The adjectives do not have a plural form, and are not declined.
 
 
Genitive and possession
 
Yoku has two ways of expressing the regular genitive, and they work much like in English.
 
The first way is by word order; Owner+Owned, for example Tuwhacca bologra ‘Tuwhacca’s temple.’ Neither word is marked in  any way, unlike in English where the owner is marked by ‘s.
 
The second way is with the preposition do.This works like the English of-construction, with the same word order. For example Dongo do Sura ‘Sister of Cyrus’
 
Note also that if the owner is a pronoun, the word order is always Owned+Owner.
 
A word for 'to have' is possibly dan. There is only one example of the word being used, and that is in an untranslated sentence by Saban, who says Sura dan nogro no nukri 'Cyrus does not have a pretty form,' teasing Cyrus when has has turned into a gremlin. If dan indeed means 'to have' it can only be used to mean 'to be in possession of.'
 
 
Prepositions
 
Mostly Yoku prepositions work as in English, and are placed before the word they descripe, but things are not entirely this simple.
 
Do                 Of; sometimes also ‘at’, also marks the object of the verb napere ‘to find’
Dui                About; meaning ‘on the subject of’
Ne                 Against
Netu           Back
Ugo-no-      Far away from; prefixed to the object of being far away from; ugo-no-mitana
                      ‘far away from the island’
 
‘In’ and ‘with’ and ‘for’
There are no words for ‘in,’ ‘with’ and ‘for’ nor are they marked in any way on the other words. You just leave the space empty where you would place ‘in,’ ‘with’ or ‘for’ in English.
 
For example: Duarda Tuwhacca bologra ‘staying [in] Tuwhacca’s temple’ or Den dogo tukta Hal-ee? ‘Why was she [with] Hayle?’
 
 
Adverbs
 
Not much can be said of adverbs. What can be said is that in normal (non-question) sentences the adverb is placed before the object.
 
Lonhe           Always
Na                 Perhaps, maybe
Sa                  Here
Tro             Truly
 
 
Interrogative adverbs
 
These words are interrogatives that behave exactly like regular adverbs.
 
Tukta           Why? For what reason?
 
 
Pronouns
 
All pronouns have only one form; they are not declined any way.
 
Sen                I, me, my, me
Dua               You, you, your, you
Dogo             He/she, him/her, his/her, him/her
Hadi              They, them, their, them
 
Fektigowa    Nothing
 
 
 
Verbs
 
The Yoku verb is generally not conjugated in any way. For example, the verb does not show person or tense. Instead, the syntax tells us the tense of the phrase.
 
The language has three tenses; present tense, preterite, and future tense. See the Quick refenrence to Yoku syntax later in this article.
 
-Ra ending
The ending –ra has the same verbal uses as the ending –ing in English; participle, and gerund. It is not yet clear if it can be used to form nouns.
The big difference to English is that copula is never used with it. In English, you would say ‘he is staying in the temple’ but in Yoku you just say dogo duadra bologra ‘he [is] staying [in the] temple’
 
Den – The Yoku Copula
 
The Yoku word for ‘to be/is’ is den. Like all verbs, it never changes it form. The most improtant difference to English copula is that the Yoku copula is often omitted from the sentence. There are no definite rules for this, but most often it is omitted in ‘X is Y’ sentences.
 
For example: Dogo dongo sen ‘She [is] my sister’
 
 
Quick refenrence to Yoku Syntax
 
This is a quick refenrence to the basics of Yoku syntax. Of course, the entire syntax cannot be covered here, and it still needs much research, but these are the basic rules.
 
Abreviations used:
 
S = Subject
V = Verb
O = Object
ADV = Adverb
 
Omitting the subject
A sentence does not need to have a subject and it is usually omitted if the subject of the sentence can be understood from the context. For example:
                      Duadra na sa do Sanloa M’Kai? ’Staying perhaps here at Stros M’Kai?’
Here the subject, ‘you’ have been omitted as it is clear from the context that Cyrus is asking from Saban and Coyle if they are going to stay at Stros M’Kai.
 
                      Dogo tang mongo, Sura. Den hi. ‘She needed help, Cyrus. [It] Is magic.
Here the subject of the second sentence is omitted. In English, the subject would be something like ‘it’ or ‘the help’ etc., but in Yoku it is omitted because the sentence refers to the preceding sentence.
 
 
Present tense sentence
The basic word order in present tense
S+V+ADV+O                                                               
 
In sentences with two verbs (for example: must go), the second verb is placed before the object, after the verb and a possible adverb.
S+V+ADV+the second verb+O
 
Preterite sentence
The basic word order in preterite tense
              O+S+ADV+V
 
Future tense sentence
The basic word order in future tense
              S+O+ADV+V
 
In sentences with two verbs (for example: must go), the second verb is placed before the object, after the verb and a possible adverb.
S+the second verb+O+ADV+V
 
Negation
The negation happens by placing the negation particle no before the word needed to be negated; No nukri, Sura! Not pretty, Cyrus!’ or Dogo no ongo dui kogo-hi ‘He does not tell about the Mages Guild’
 
Question sentence
The basic word order in present tense questions
              S+ADV+V+O
 
Very simple questions in present tense can use another word order
              O+V+S
 
Again, the preterite changes the word order. This is the basic word order in preterite questions
              V+S+ADV+O
 
Vocabulary
Words without a firmly established meaning are given a comment ‘possible meaning.’ I have not given here those words that do not have any kind of translation at the moment. Many words and terms, such as Koomu Alezer’i, a Redguard holiday, need more work before I add them here.
 
Ajcea                       Downward spiral (n.)
Ansei                       Sword saint (n.)
Anselim                    Turn, turn around (v.); the word apparently has some kind of suffix, perhaps -lim
Ansu                        Turn into something (v.)
Ansu                        Turned, changed (adj.)
Ansu                        A kind of sword saint who has been 'lady-made' or turned into a woman either metaphorically or
                              physically (n.); Source on these saints Lord Vivec's Sword Meeting With Cyrus the Restless
Atomo                      Laws of nature (n.)
Batek                       Soul (n.)
Bateki matana           Soulgem (n.)
Bologra                     Temple (n.); possible meaning
Dan                          Have (v.); possible meaning
Dongo                      Sister (n.)
Duadra                     Staying (verb in gerund form, the verb itself is likely duad-)
Duptra                      Moving or acting restlessly (verb in gerund form, the verb itself is likely dupt-)
Dura-hi                     Eastern magic (n.)
Go                           Good (adj.)
Gurleht                     Woman (n.)
G’ye                         Fabricator (n.)
Hel                           Communion (n.)
Hi                            Difficult (adj.)
Hi                            Magic (n.)
Kogo-hi                    Guild of mages (n.); possible meaning
Kol-hadu-ranga          Lighthouse (n.)
Let                          Determination, spirit (n.); possible meaning
Mangai                     Life (n.)
Mangai                     Live (v.)
Metat                       Wizard (n.); possible meaning
Mitana                      Island (n.)
Mluo                         Cheese (n.)
Mo                            Work correctly (v.); possible meaning
Mong                         Need (n.)
Mongo                       Need (v.)
M’kai                         Sorcerer (n.)
Naha                         Own (adj.)
Napere                      Find (v.); the preposition do ‘of’ is used before the object; napere sa do dongo literally ‘to find
                               here of sister’, and means ‘here to find [my] sister’
Na-Totambu               The ruling class of Yokuda and early Hammerfell (n.)
Nogo                         Danger, threat (n.)
Nogo                         Dangerous (adj.)
Nogro                        Body (n.)
No lo’igra                   Deceiver (n.)
No shira                     Noble; also an honorific (n.)
Nukatki                      Curse (n.); possible meaning
Nukri                          Pretty (adj.); possible meaning
Nung                         Require (v.); possible meaning
Ongo                         Tell (v.)
Ra                             Great (adj.)
Raga                          Male human, man (n.)
Ra Gada                     Warrior wave (n.)
Sogat kulogo               Resistance, revolution, rebellion (n.)
Sogat kuloto                Resist, fend off, rebel (v.)
Tang                          Help (n.)
To-                            Known, familiar (adj.); prefixed to the word it descripes
Tobr’a                        Useless, evil (adj.)
Togo                          Must (v.); a possible meaning
Toktra                        Searching for (verb in gerund form, the verb itself is likely tokt-)
Trai                           Know (v.)
Trang                         Way, habit (n.); possible meaning
Tro                            True, correct (adj.); possible meaning
Tukta                         Reason, cause (n.)
Tukta-ma’bro               Storyteller (n.); the correct meaning could be excuse-giver
Tuktu                         Guide, councel (v.) ; possible meaning
Tuktura                       Guiding (verb in gerund form) ; possible meaning
Ueetonga                    My son (n.); might be the same as uetonga
Uetonga                      Son (n.); might be the same as ueetonga
Ugakta                        Rage, be angry (v.)
Uhi                             Ability and skill to get things done (n.)
Uta-no-mongo              Unavailable (adj.); possible meaning
Uto-                            Unknown, unfamiliar (adj.); prefixed to the word it descripes
Wutra                         Ask (v.); possible meaning
Zhang-ga                    Destroy, break (v.)
Zhang-gak                   Destruction, breaking (n.)
'Mei                            Place in society (n.)
 
 
Translations of Saban's speech

As an example, here is the latest translation of the first conversation between Cyrus and Saban, with Coyle's quick translations, and some comments. Note that as in similar situations in the real world, Coyle does not give literal translations, but explains them in English, often in much longer way.
 
You might also notice the huge difference in the way Yoku and English express things. Yoku tends to keep things short and simple.
 
Saban: Sura, mong dua? Ueetonga! Hal-ee! Ugo-no-mitana!
Coyle: She thanks you Cyrus; Hayle's soul has passed to the far shores.
Translation: Cyrus, your need? My son! Hayle! Far away from the island!
Comments: 'Your need' is a Yoku compliment.
 
Cyrus: Tell her it was my pleasure.
Coyle: Uhi no Sura.
Translation: [It was in] Cyrus' power.
Comments: Yoku way of saying 'i did it because it was in my power.'
 
Saban: Tang mongo dua?
Coyle: She wishes to know if there is anyway she might repay you?
Translation: You need help?
 
Cyrus: Maybe you can help me find my sister, Iszara.
Coyle: Sura, napere sa do dongo.
Translation: Cyrus (says), here looking for my sister.
 
Saban: Hadi dua tengai.
Coyle: Mother has not seen her since the day she came with Hayle.
Translation: I saw them [with] yours.
Comments: Means 'i saw them two together [your sister and Hayle].' Here she used dua 'yours' to refer to Cyrus' sister.
 
Saban: Budui dupa.
Coyle: But she sees that you will find her.
Translation: Untranslated. I have not been able to offer a translation for this so far.
 
Cyrus: Why was Iszara with Hayle?
Coyle: Den dogo tukta Hal-ee?
Translation: Why was she [with] Hayle?
 
Saban: Dogo tang mongo, Sura. Den hi.
Coyle: She needed mother's help, her magic.
Translation: She needed help, Cyrus. [The help] was magic.
 
Saban: Dua sen ugakta...
Coyle: But mother was so mad about Hayle that she sent your sister away.
Translation: I raged at yours...
 
Saban: Uta-nogo dua hi.
Coyle: Mother does not know what magic your sister needed. I'm sorry, Cyrus.
Translation: Yours' magic was for unknown danger.
 
Cyrus: Saban, could you tell me about the Restless League?
Coyle: Sa dui ongo duptra League?
Translation: Tell about [the] Restless League here?
 
Saban: Hadi na toktra dua napere...
Coyle: She says you might find them...
Translation: Perhaps you find them searching...
 
Saban: Kol-hadu-ranga.
Coyle: ...At the lighthouse.
Translation: [in the] lighthouse.
 
Cyrus: Do you plan to stay here on Stros M'Kai?
Coyle: Duadra na sa do Sanloa M'Kai?
Translation: [Are you] staying perhaps here at Stros M'Kai?
 
Saban: Sanloa M'Kai tang den uta-no-mongo!
Coyle: Mother says Stros M'Kai will need her help.
Translation: Help will be unavailable [in] Stros M'kai!
 
Saban: Den do Sura.
Coyle: And yours.
Translation: Is of Cyrus.
Comments: The regular Yoku way of omitting words in reference to the previous sentence, meaning 'the help will be of Cyrus [and Saban's]'
 
Saban: Mitana den nogo.
Coyle: The island is still in peril.
Translation: [The] island is dangerous.
 
Cyrus: It will be hard to fend off the Empire.
Coyle: Septim sogat kuloto hi.
Translation: Septim [will be] difficult to resist.
 
Saban: Fektigowa nogo uetonga, den.
Coyle: Sometimes my Yoku is bad. She said either, 'It will not be hard, because the son is here' or she said, 'Because the son will be here.'
Translation: Nothing dangerous [with] son, will be.
Comment: Coyle is correct. It is difficult to determine what she actually means, as the sentence can mean either of Coyle's translations.
 
Cyrus: What kind of help can you give?
Coyle: Dua ne tang nogo?
Translation: Will you help against danger?
 
Saban: Sura den go.
Coyle: She says you will know.
Translation: Cyrus will be good.
 
Cyrus: Thank you, Saban.
Saban: Tuktu ansei, Sura.
Translation: I am not sure of the translation, but ansei 'sword saint' is mentioned.
 
Cyrus: Goodbye.
Saban: Trangai, Sura.
Translation: Farewell, Cyrus.
Comments: Most likely literally 'farings, Cyrus.'
Lady N's picture
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Pretty good start, though we have enough info to go more indepth. Take a look at the keptu tongue in Water Getting Girl and the Yoku in the Redguard storyline, for one. 

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Thank you for the reply. I will update my text with more info, including more info on individual languages, and possibly rewrite the first half of the text, as it is needs some polishing. I also left couple of typos by mistake in the first draft. Also, the languages of High Rock area need more research, as the place names hint at more languages than just the 'French' style language related to Proto-Nibenean.

The update will take some time, but I'll work on it.

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The updated version is out. Hope to get some feedback.

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Hello!

Some time ago I have done a similar research on known and confirmed languages of Nirn and built a tree of possible way of their development.

http://wiki.rumor.ru/index.php?title=Languages_of_Nirn_and_their_interco...

Sorry for giving a link to foreign site, but I had translated to English only the language tree yet. Here is the link to the tree itself (it is in English and Russian at the same time):

http://wiki.rumor.ru/images/b/ba/LoreNirnLanguage2.jpg

Italic/grey cells mean the dead languages. Blue cells mean rare, but still living languages. Green are contemporary languages. And pink stands for languages of those betmer who are not as intelligent as sloads and (maybe) dreugh. Daedric, Jel and Dragon stand alone.

Feedback is welcome.

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Some thoughts:

 

I'm curious about the whole Betmeri section. It seems rather arbitrary. As if all animals would speak the same language just because they're animals.

 

I also think it's odd you included the Khajiit and Orcs with the Betmer. By their own myth, Words of the Clan Mother, they were branched from the general Aldmeri stick verry early on. The Orsimer, Orcs, were the followers of Trinimac an Altmeri champion disgraced by Boethia.

 

I'm also missing the cross influences of Altmeri, Nedic and Nordic that have shaped everything else in Cyrodiil.

 

Given that the Aedra and Daedra descent from the et'Ada, Daedric in so much it is a language and not merely a font should be up much higher in the chain.

 

Some advice:

 

You're going to need a more complex graph.

 

 

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Thanks for your notice, Proweler! I frequently see your posts at Official Forum, and your point of view is important for me.

 

I can explain some moments.

Betmer are not animals, they are rather barbarians, more intelligent than just "beasts". And as I said, only confidently specified languages was included.

Khajiits are Betmer by their origin:

During the early Merethic Era, the aboriginal beastpeoples of Tamriel -- the ancestors of the Khajiit, Argonian, Orcish, and other beastfolk -- lived in preliterate communities throughout Tamriel.

These "aboriginal beastpeople" are the ancestors of all Betmer, and because of this their languages stand alone from Ehlnofex branch. Betmer' origin is not clear at this moment (thanks Bethesda!), but we can assume that their languages are not related to Ehlnofex.

You missed Orsinian for Orsimer people in Aldmeris branch. In Betmer section there is language "Old Orcish" for wild orcs, which are distinct from their civilized cousins.

Influences are hard to illustrate, 'cause they are multiple. And near each language had one or other sort of influence from others.

I apologize for not being able to translate all my research to English, 'cause in text there are short notes for influence and history of every language. Especially for such important as Nedic, Aldmeris and Nordic.

Given that the Aedra and Daedra descent from the et'Ada, Daedric in so much it is a language and not merely a font should be up much higher in the chain.

I'm not completely sure what you have meant to say, but Daedric is independent and foreso standing not in chain with other languages.

 

I made this article 'cause the chart at the uesp is extremely out of date and it needed to be completely rebuilt.

And yes, complex graph is needed, but at this time my tree is most complete of all I've seen. And any help would be appreciated!

 

P. S. Excuse my English)

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Phoenix_Neko wrote:

Khajiits are Betmer by their origin:

During the early Merethic Era, the aboriginal beastpeoples of Tamriel -- the ancestors of the Khajiit, Argonian, Orcish, and other beastfolk -- lived in preliterate communities throughout Tamriel.

The passage you quoted from Before the Ages of Man doesn't clearly state if the ancestors are common to all beastfolk or if in the Mreretic era there were different species of bestfolk. Either way the book is wrong because Orcs haven't existed in that time and they are without any doubt descendants of Aldmer. Also there are two sources, that clearly states, that Khajiits are of Aldmeri origin - Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi to her Favored Daughter and Varieties of Faith in the Empire.

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Ralen wrote:
The passage you quoted from Before the Ages of Man doesn't clearly state if the ancestors are common to all beastfolk or if in the Mreretic era there were different species of bestfolk. Either way the book is wrong because Orcs haven't existed in that time and they are without any doubt descendants of Aldmer. Also there are two sources, that clearly states, that Khajiits are of Aldmeri origin - Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi to her Favored Daughter and Varieties of Faith in the Empire.

Don't you think that Orcs and Orsimer are different folks?

Wild orcs already were in Tamriel before Boetiah ate Trinimac. Read "Father Of The Niben" and you'll see. "Before the Ages of Man" only prove it. Boetiah just gave to the Orsimer the appearance of wild orcs.

You do not have the arguments to prove that "Before the Ages of Man" is wrong.

"Varieties of Faith" are no more than just Imperial propaganda. Yes, it does contain a lot of useful information, but you shouldn't take all of it to the heart. This book don't even state the existance of Ehlnofey.

And what do Khajiits believe have little with their real origin. They never was able to do some kind of archeological expertise. But we have more or less trustworthy sources of information from Aldmeri.

I assume that Beastmen were descent from Ehlnofey (but surely not from Aldmeri, this is completely wrong), but it was so long ago that we couldn't trace the advent of their distinction. So we could think of their almost completely different origin.

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Phoenix_Neko wrote:

Don't you think that Orcs and Orsimer are different folks?

I don't know, but I have't  seen any other Orcs than Orsimer, also your link points to article about Orsimer.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:

Wild orcs already were in Tamriel before Boetiah ate Trinimac. Read "Father Of The Niben" and you'll see. "Before the Ages of Man" only prove it. Boetiah just gave to the Orsimer the appearance of wild orcs.

Father Of The Niben is imho historical fiction written in much later time, that's why there are Orcs in it, the author just didn't realized that they didn't exist at that time also the Inner sea wasn't suppose to exist at that time (iirc) which is another reason why I think it is historical fiction.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:

"Varieties of Faith" are no more than just Imperial propaganda. Yes, it does contain a lot of useful information, but you shouldn't take all of it to the heart. This book don't even state the existence of Ehlnofey.

I am not sure if it is propaganda and if so, why should the Imperials argue for Khajiits being mer? I don't see any relevance to the fact that it doesn't mention the Ehlnofey.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:

And what do Khajiits believe have little with their real origin. They never was able to do some kind of archeological expertise. But we have more or less trustworthy sources of information from Aldmeri.

The Khajiits believe it because it is story of their ancestors (those who witnessed the creation of their race).

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Ralen wrote:
I don't know, but I have't  seen any other Orcs than Orsimer, also your link points to article about Orsimer.
You may encounter them in Arena. They were wild and aggressive.

They were relatives of the goblins, and Orsimer were not. This is important argument

I don't know which "my link" do you mean.

Ralen wrote:
Father Of The Niben is imho historical fiction written in much later time, that's why there are Orcs in it, the author just didn't realized that they didn't exist at that time also the Inner sea wasn't suppose to exist at that time (iirc) which is another reason why I think it is historical fiction.
Topal not simply sailed in the Inner Sea, but he even mapped it. So this is the proof of his travels.

Ralen wrote:
I am not sure if it is propaganda and if so, why should the Imperials argue for Khajiits being mer? I don't see any relevance to the fact that it doesn't mention the Ehlnofey.
They don't mention the Ehlnofey so they don't know the real way by which all races have appeared. But we do, as we have other sources of information.

Ralen wrote:
The Khajiits believe it because it is story of their ancestors (those who witnessed the creation of their race).
So you don't separate historical accounts and religious texts and myths?

 

Another argument:

Quote:
[Additional information from Okan-Shei, the Argonian Savant.]
Betmeri, or 'Beastmen,' were the aboriginal inhabitants of Tamriel. Each Beast race has its own distinctive accounts of the mythic era before the coming of Elves and Men; each Beast race is as culturally and physically distinct from one another as it is from Elven and Manish races.
What would you say on that?

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Phoenix_Neko wrote:

You may encounter them in Arena. They were wild and aggressive.

They were relatives of the goblins, and Orsimer were not. This is important argument

Arena is quite outdated and the fact that they didn't make an appearance in any later game suggest that they are DnD relict.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
Topal not simply sailed in the Inner Sea, but he even mapped it. So this is the proof of his travels.

Is there any proof that he really mapped it and when?

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
They don't mention the Ehlnofey so they don't know the real way by which all races have appeared. But we do, as we have other sources of information.

The fact that the author doesn't mention the existence of Ehlnofey does not mean that he is no aware of it.

And I just checked the text, the author does mention the existence of Ehlnofey.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
So you don't separate historical accounts and religious texts and myths?

What's the point in world created by myths?

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
What would you say on that?

Well if I were to speculate: he said more or less the same as Before the Ages of Man, so he is just repeating what he read in the book. :-)

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Ralen wrote:
Arena is quite outdated and the fact that they didn't make an appearance in any later game suggest that they are DnD relict.
It is official Lore, so you can't just throw it away.

Ralen wrote:
Is there any proof that he really mapped it and when?
Of course!

Among the treasures of the great Crystal Tower of Summerset Isle are his crude but fascinating maps, his legacy to all Tamriel.

Ralen wrote:
The fact that the author doesn't mention the existence of Ehlnofey does not mean that he is no aware of it.
Anyway, he does not mention the origins of Betmer from Ehlnofey.

Ralen wrote:
And I just checked the text, the author does mention the existence of Ehlnofey.
Yes, but as "Earth Bones" in the meaning of "laws of nature", not the ancient race.

I also re-read "The varieties..." and text about origins of Khajiits from Aldmeri just repeats their own myth, and not historical evidence. Alas.

Ralen wrote:
What's the point in world created by myths?
I don't know! What's the point in discussing of such a world? :) But you argue me as if it is real. Maybe it was just plain joke from you?

Ralen wrote:
Well if I were to speculate: he said more or less the same as Before the Ages of Man, so he is just repeating what he read in the book. :-)
So what scholars and savants are saying is not true? I don't see any reason why we couldn't trust his words.

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Phoenix_Neko wrote:
It is official Lore, so you can't just throw it away.

What does it mean that it is official? The lore is changing with every title. There were no Imperials before Redguard and hundreds other changes were made through the course of the series.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
Among the treasures of the great Crystal Tower of Summerset Isle are his crude but fascinating maps, his legacy to all Tamriel.

Do we have exact dating?

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
Anyway, he does not mention the origins of Betmer from Ehlnofey.

Of course he doesn't, the Orcs and Khajiits are descendants of Aldmer and Argonians are descendants of Hist (according to the mythology).

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
Yes, but as "Earth Bones" in the meaning of "laws of nature", not the ancient race.

I also re-read "The varieties..." and text about origins of Khajiits from Aldmeri just repeats their own myth, and not historical evidence. Alas.

What is the difference between "Earth Bones" and "Ehlnofey"? As I understand it the Ehlnofey are "evolutionary" link between Aedra and men/mer. Some of the Aedra transformed themselves into Earth Bones, some gave birth to men/mer. "Earth Bones" and "Ehlnofey" can refer to the same thing there is no strict line separating these terms.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
I don't know! What's the point in discussing of such a world? :) But you argue me as if it is real. Maybe it was just plain joke from you?

Uh? Not sure if I understand you.

Phoenix_Neko wrote:
So what scholars and savants are saying is not true? I don't see any reason why we couldn't trust his words.

Because some scholars say something else than other scholars?

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have you PM'd a librarian to have this added? it's quite... what's the word.... AWESOME. 

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Skimmed it, I can provide a better review later. Going against my previous comment, its actually too indepth now. The translation stuff would be better suited in the translation dictionary (where part of it already is) or in its own article - as it stands, its a whole lot of stuff and I don't think covering it all adds to the article. I'm also really unsure of using real-world languages in a discussion about Tamrielic tongues, especially when trying to make entymological points ("this language is a mix of this and this"). I'm also generally with Ralen.

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Sorry, hadn't had time to reply, busy in work. Anyway, I wanted to answer Lady N's comment. I also thank everybody on their feedback!

I can see your point, of course. I could make a new article of the grammar and dictionary of Yoku language and leave only the backround information of it on this article.

What comes to using real-world languages, I wanted to provide an outside, non-lore view on the languages, as the game creators based them on the real-world languages, much more than for example Tolkien's languages. Of course, using real-world languages only helps us to get started with the languages of Men in Tamriel, as I have mentioned in the article. Analyzing the known personal names, place names and occasional words of most languages gives us very little information of the actual language in most cases, as it is impossible to translate many of the words unless more information is given by Bethesda. Attempting to translate for example the currently untranslated names in Solstheim would be fan-fiction, not research. It remains to be seen if some of them end up being Dragonic loan words, but that will have to wait the coming of the new game.

Yoku is the opposite, because there are translated conversations in it, and grammar and words can be analyzed, and given at least an arbitary meaning.

I'd like to keep the real-world references in this article for the reasons I mentioned. A lore-view version of this article can be made afterwards if there is demand for it. Making the grammar and dictionary of Yoku a separate article sounds a good idea.

The conversation about may other languages of Tamriel here was interesting, thought I won't dare to touch the languages of beastfolk and the elves, or their origins or how are they related to each others, if they are at all, in this article.

Waiting for your answer!

 

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The issue with real world languages is that you can't assume they are the same as Tamrielic languages. For instance, you say that  "Skjorta" is skirt because thats the translation of the word from Swedish. But we are never, to my knowledge, told that it translates to "skirt" in the Nordic. It could mean skirt, it could mean beer, or it could just be a pleasent combination of letters. For example, there is an Ayleid ruin in Oblivion named "Culotte," which is French for a pair of tight, knee-high pants. There is however no evidence that the Ayleid name Culotte means "tight, knee-high pants." 

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About the languages of Men

LATEST VERSION, 10.11.2011, with polished style and the amount of information greatly expanded. Remember to read past the side notes, the article does not end there. I took away most translations using real world languages, as Lady N. pointed out that there's no proof the meaning is the same, and I came to the same conclusion after giving it some thought.


I am a long time anonymous lurker here in the Imperial Library, and as an enthusiast to Tamrielic history and languages, i finally decided to publish my research into the known languages of Men in Tamriel.

 

This is an essay about the languages of humans in Tamriel, on their structure and vocabularies, and on their history. I have assumed here that all English/German/French/Spanish etc. (depending on the language version of your copy of Oblivion) place names are just “translations” of their “real” names, so West Weald is not the actual Cyrodiilic name, but a translation of it.

 

Feel free to critize it, and to share your thoughts. 

 

Oh, and I had to create a new account after I lost the password to Imperial Library and to my email, so I posted the latest version here as a comment.

 

 

As we now know, in prehistoric times, before the arrival of people from Atmora, humans native to Tamriel lived in Nibenay Valley and southern Cyrodiil, and spoke early native languages. The tribes included at least the Kothringi and a people I have named Proto-Nibeneans for the purposes of the essay. There were naturally other human tribes too in the Ayleid-controlled Cyrodiil, mentioned in Adabal-A, such as Al-Gemha, Keptu, Men-of-Ge, Al-Hared, Men-of-Ket, and other unnamed tribes, but there is not much information available on them, so we cannot say for sure if all of these tribes are native to Tamriel or belong to the Nedic peoples of Atmora.

 

With time, the Proto-Nibenean tribes spread from Nibenay Valley all the way to High Rock, taking their language with them, later ending up being subjugated by the Aldmeri in Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Hammerfell. These tribes spoke an early latinesque language1, evidenced but the names of early Nibeneans; for example, Bravil was named after an Alessian centurion Teo Bravillius Tasus (see Daughter of Niben). It seems likely that the other native tribes, including the Kothringi who were later known to live in Black Marsh, stayed in the southern Cyrodiil, and must have lived there for some time even after being subjugated by the Elves, as their language shows heavy Aldmeri influence.

 

Later the Nedic tribes arrived from Atmora in waves, speaking their own languages, and in time spread to Skyrim, Colovia and Hammerfell, and sharing a commong cultural heritage. At least some tribes can be defined; the early Nords, Men-of-‘Kreath2, and Colovians. Judging by the fact that the Men-of-‘Kreath - while part of the larger Colovian group of tribes - were a tribe of their own, it is also possible that the Colovians too were a group of separate tribes who later found the kingdoms of Chorrol, Skingrad, Kvatch, and Anvil, before the unification of Cyrodiil. Many Nedic tribes, especially in Cyrodiil and Hammerfell, were enslaved by the Elves as we know from history.

 

 At the time of Alessian Rebellion, there were already a myriad of different human languages in Tamriel; Kothri and other possible native languages in southern Cyrodiil, Old Nibenean in Nibenay and spoken by the armies of Alessia, Ancient Breton in High Rock, all descended from the original native languages, and heavily influenced by Elven languages. Ancient Nord, perhaps influenced by Dragonic, spoken in Skyrim, Old Colovian3 language or languages in Colovia and Falkreath, and unknown Nedic languages spoken in Hammerfell before the arrival of the Redguards, all descended from Atmoran.

 

The rise of the Skyrim Empire and unification of Cyrodiil under the First Empire brought new changes. The Nords brought their influence to High Rock, and Morrowind. The original Reachmen of the Western Reach were likely from these times, and originally Nords mixed with Bretons, later mixed with more Aldmeri blood when the Western Reach was retaken by the Elves during the collapse of Skyrim Empire. Also the Skaal inhabited Solstheim during or after these times. When the Nibeneans finally managed to make the Colovian kingdoms part of the Empire, the Old Nibenean language replaced the Old Colovian but with an Old Colovian substrate. Thus the Old Cyrodiilic was born, an in time evolved into modern Cyrodiilic.

 

When the Redguards arrived from Yokuda, they brought their language Yoku with them. At that time, unknown Nedic languages were spoken in Hammerfell. As the need for a language of trade with the surrounding nations quickly rose, the Nedic languages, perhaps including the Old Cyrodiilic, started to replace the Yoku as the spoken language. Already at the start of the 3rd Era, Yoku was mostly a language of ritual, as seen in TESA. Despite this, large amount of Yoku place names and old personal names turned into Cyrodiilic pronunciation can still be found all over Hammerfell.

 

 Side notes:

 

1 modern Cyrodiilic is some form of Latin, and as at least most of the Bretons speak some version of French, they seem to be descended from the same prehistoric Proto-Nibenean peoples.

2 a tribe mentioned in Adabal-A, and reported to be imported from the North. They were most likely a North Colovian tribe living in the area of modern Falkreath. This is likely, as Falkreath has been historically considered a part of Colovia, not Skyrim.

3 there is no single definite proof for the existence of a Colovian language, but is in my mind evidenced by many other facts; their Nedic heritage, the strong cultural diffenrences in Nibenay and Colovia, and old place names and personal names clearly not Nibenean in sound structure, or general feeling. Examples of names remaining of the Old Colovian language seem to be names ending in –av, as in Rislav Larich, a First Era king of Skingrad born in 1E 448, and mentioned in Rislav the Righteous. Other good examples of the language are the names of Skingrad, and Kvatch, and the name of Rislav’s father Mhorus. Of course, while the old names are still in use, being inherited during the times when Old Colovian was still in use, the language itself is long dead, serving only as a substrate to Old and modern Cyrodiilic.

 

             More on the individual languages

 

                Cyrodiilic

 

Modern Cyrodiilic was born when the Old Nibenean language replaced the Old Colovian, and was modified by the Old Colovian substrate. What can be said of the modern Cyrodiilic is a short vocabulary of terms used by the people of Tamriel or mentioned in books. We also know that the language has borrowed words especially from Elven languages, but individual terms from other languages too. At the moment, there is no possibility to translate any words of Old Colovian origin, so we are left with the ones of Nibenean origin. The word das 'day' could be of Colovian origin.

 

Some examples of vocabulary:

 

          Cloaca – ‘Sewer’; Bravil as described by Gilgondorin

         Das – ’Day’; in the names of the weekdays, such as Fredas. Old form of this word is said to be ’detha’ as in Tibedetha ’Tiber’s Day’.

         Interregnum – ‘A period of time between the reigns of the empire’; Tamrielic history

           Magicka – ‘Magical energy’; a word of Elven origin

          Penitus Oculatus – ‘Internal Eyes’; the emperor's agents in the early 4th Era; Infernal City

          Simulacrum – ‘An image, likeness, effigy’; in Imperial Simulacrum

 

A short but quite interesting insight into the Cyrodiilic language is the name of the book Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum. It shows the word manifestum in declined form, and the last word is in plural genitive. It also shows that the name Cyrodiil is not declined.

 

           Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum – ‘Manifest of the Vampires of Cyrodiil’; a book name

 

                    The only hint of the pronunciation

 

There is not much we can say of the pronunciation of the modern Cyrodiilic, but a conversation that can be overheard in the Mages Guild. A mage says that he is not sure how the word ‘Daedra’ should be pronounced. What this tells us is that the written form of the modern Cyrodiilic does not completely match what the word sounds like. It still does not tell us whether the difference is as strong as in English or French, or as small as in German.

 

 

                Kothri

 

Kothri is an interesting language and native to southern Cyrodiil. The Kothringi must have moved to Black Marsh after living under an Ayleid rule, as their language is influenced by the Ayleid language. They also seem to have left at least some place names behind.

 

The only but quite revealing sample of the language in its 1st Era stage comes from Water Getting Girl, the favorite childhood story of Tiber Septim. I’ll introduce some interesting specifics of the language here, but will not analyze the whole grammar. If there is a desire for more in-depth research into Kothri grammar, I will do that in a separate article.

 

First of all, the influence of Ayleid language is clear. Some of these words are unattested in the known fragments of Ayleid language, but are known from other Elven languages. Note the following words:

 

           Aka – ‘Adult’; a word of Aldmeri origin but with a more specific meaning here

           Ald’ald – ‘Too long’; the Ayleid word ald is duplicated here

           Aurbex – ‘The Around-Us, World’; borrowing from Elven

           Bal – ‘Stone’; an Ayleid word for stone

 

Some words hint at the common ancestral origin of Proto-Nibenean and Kothri. The words are different enough not to be loan words, and similar enough to have been developed from a common ancestral language by a regular sound change.

 

Examples of possible cognates between Cyrodiilic and Kothri are presented here. Note that the Cyrodiilic words are actually unattested Latin words, so this theory cannot be taken as a definite proof of anything.

 

            Kothri                              Unattested Cyrodiilic

            seb ‘down’                        sub ‘under’

            ke ‘who, that’                  qui ‘which’   

            fex ‘face’                         facies ‘appearance, form, face’

            ge ‘I, me’                         ego ‘I’

            yn ‘just, only’                 un- ‘one’

            synd ‘for’                       siquidem ‘if indeed, because’; this is an unlikely cognate

 

Also another interesting detail is the word for ‘river’, which is ‘topali’. The early people of southern Cyrodiil might have called the river just ‘River’, which then stayed behind in the name of Topal Bay. The name of the bay would then originally have meant ‘the Bay of the River’ and the story of the bay being named after Torval the Pilot would be just folk etymology.

 

 

                Languages of High Rock

 

High Rock has always been a place were different peoples, cultures, and languages mix. The ‘French’ style language of the Bretons have been influenced by Aldmeri, Nordic, and Cyrodiilic and by an unknown number of other Nedic languages. For example, few names of Nordic or Nedic origins are Eduard, Norbert, Roderic, Ulrich and the surname Eardwulf.

 

Some place names, such as Gwynnen, possibly hint at the historical Nedic languages of High Rock, brought by the Nords and other Nedic tribes. Whether there are other languages still spoken in the area in addition to Breton is unknown.

 

 

                Nordic

 

Nordic is a Nedic language, brought by the settlers from Atmora during ancient times. A short guess-work vocabulary can be formed from the known place names, personal names, phrases, and terms.

 

Also, the language of dragons have influenced the Nordic tongue. One example is the word Thu’um, borrowed into Nordic from the Dragonic.

 

Some examples:

 

           Dalk – ‘Knife’; in the Infernal City

           Grahl – ‘A type of frost troll’; a troll in Solstheim

 

Then there are many words that can be given tentative translations based on their use by the people of Tamriel, but nothing conclusive, they are still guesses:

 

           Frysehag – ‘Frost witch’; a type of witch in Solstheim

           Moesring – ‘Maiden’s ring’; mountains in Solstheim.

           Ondjage – ‘Ill Hunt’; the name of the terrible wolf Ondjage

           Skyrim – ‘Sky ice’; the name of the country of Skyrim.

           Sovngaard – ‘The world of sleep’; Nordic afterlife for warriors, literally Sleep-Yard

           Stahlrim – ‘Steel ice’; a special form of ice used by ancient nords in their burial rituals

 

Examples of currently untranslatable names:

 

           Felsaad

           Hirstaang

           Saarthal

 

 Without any examples of spoken Nordic, it is difficult to say more.

 

 

                Old Nibenean

 

Old Nibenean was the language of the Alessian armies, and a descenant of the native languages of Tamriel. During Alessia’s days, it was a latinesque language, with good examples in old place names of the Nibenay area, and Nibenean personal names mentioned in old texts. It can also be considered the oldest stage of the Cyrodiilic language.

 

Good examples of the language are the names of the river Larsius and lake Canulus, and an Alessian centurion named Teo Bravillius Tasus, after whom the city of Bravil was named.

 

In its early stage, language was heavily influenced by the language of the Ayleid masters. It can be seen in Elven place names, such as Cyrodiil, Niben, and Rumare, and loan words such as ‘magicka’.

 

After the unification of Cyrodiil, Old Nibenean replaced the language of Colovia, but was influenced by it, likely both in the vocabulary – as seen in the names borrowed from Old Colovian – and sound structure of the language, as it now allows words like Kvinchal to exist.

 

 

                Old Colovian

 

Old Colovian was the language or languages of the Nedic tribes who settled in Colovia after their arrival from Atmora. Evidence for the language can be seen in local place names and personal names clearly not of Nibenean origin.

 

Place names such as Skingrad, Sutch, Kvatch, and Chorrol are a clear memory of the language, although we have no idea of their meanings.

 

There are also name personal names of Old Colovian origin. Of historical names, good examples are Rislav, Mhorus, Hrol, Juilek, Brazollus Dor, and perhaps Cuhlecain too. Of modern names, Fralav, Gerich, Kastav, Natch for males, Britta, Etira, Schlera for females, and Abor, Bincal, Goneld, Hassildor, Kvinchal, Vlinorman, Wotrus for surnames, give us a glimpse of the language.

 

 

                Yoku

 

Yoku is the ancestral language of the Redguards, now mostly a language of rituals and old place names.

 

Much of what we know of the language comes from TESA, where Cyrus has conversations with a Redguard woman called Saban, with her son Coyle working as an interpretor. In addition to this, some good information can be found in Lord Vivec's Sword Meeting With Cyrus The Restless, Pocket Guide to the Empire, The Alik'r, The Calendar of Tarmiel and Redguards, their History and their Heroes.

 

Analyzing and translating all the material is quite a work. From Saban’s speech, lots of grammar and words with clear meaning can be collected. But there are also many words that can only be given an arbitary meaning with the help of the context, and then there are words that are currently untranslatable.

 

Here is a short guide to what I have been able to find out so far. Remember, in many cases the meaning of the word is not yet firmly established and can change if more info comes out. Also, I will continue to analyze the data on the language and perhaps can correct any errors I might have made in the first draft.

  

Grammar

 

Nouns

 

It is not clear if the nouns have a plural form. There are very few examples, but the word matana 'stone/gem' appears in the form matani too, and the context clearly hints at plural form. If this is correct, the plural would be formed by adding the ending -i in the noun, replacing the final vowel if there is any.

 

Nouns are not declined in cases, not even in genitive case.

 

The ending –lak as seen in Hel Anseilak is an interesting detail though. It seems to be some kind of collective ending, refering to a group of things, and most likely cannot be used as a regular plural.

 

 

Articles

 

Yoku does not have any kind of articles. Interesting is to note that after Cyrus had asked if Saban had seen his sister, Saban uses the word dua yours’ to refer to the sister, without having to use any noun with it.

 

An example of this is when she says: Dua sen ugakta ‘[At] Yours [=your sister] I raged’

 

 

Adjectives

 

Adjective precedes the word it descripes. The adjectives do not have a plural form, and are not declined.

 

 

Genitive and possession

 

Yoku has two ways of expressing the regular genitive, and they work much like in English.

 

The first way is by word order; Owner+Owned, for example Tuwhacca bologra ‘Tuwhacca’s temple.’ Neither word is marked in  any way, unlike in English where the owner is marked by ‘s.

 

The second way is with the preposition do.This works like the English of-construction, with the same word order. For example Dongo do Sura ‘Sister of Cyrus’

 

Note also that if the owner is a pronoun, the word order is always Owned+Owner.

 

A word for 'to have' is possibly dan. There is only one example of the word being used, and that is in an untranslated sentence by Saban, who says Sura dan nogro no nukri 'Cyrus does not have a pretty form,' teasing Cyrus when has has turned into a gremlin. If dan indeed means 'to have' it can only be used to mean 'to be in possession of.'

 

 

Prepositions

 

Mostly Yoku prepositions work as in English, and are placed before the word they descripe, but things are not entirely this simple.

 

Do                 Of; sometimes also ‘at’, also marks the object of the verb napere ‘to find’

Dui                About; meaning ‘on the subject of’

Ne                 Against

Netu             Back

Ugo-no-       Far away from; prefixed to the object of being far away from; ugo-no-mitana ‘far away from the island’

 

‘In’ and ‘with’ and ‘for’

There are no words for ‘in,’ ‘with’ and ‘for’ nor are they marked in any way on the other words. You just leave the space empty where you would place ‘in,’ ‘with’ or ‘for’ in English.

 

For example: Duadra Tuwhacca bologra ‘staying [in] Tuwhacca’s temple’ or Den dogo tukta Hal-ee? ‘Why was she [with] Hayle?’

 

 

Adverbs

 

Not much can be said of adverbs. What can be said is that in normal (non-question) sentences the adverb is placed before the object.

 

Lonhe           Always

Na                 Perhaps, maybe

Sa                  Here

Tro             Truly

 

 

Interrogative adverbs

 

These words are interrogatives that behave exactly like regular adverbs.

 

Tukta           Why? For what reason?

 

 

Pronouns

 

All pronouns have only one form; they are not declined any way.

 

Sen                I, me, my, me

Dua               You, you, your, you

Dogo             He/she, him/her, his/her, him/her

Hadi              They, them, their, them

 

Fektigowa    Nothing

 

 

 

Verbs

 

The Yoku verb is generally not conjugated in any way. For example, the verb does not show person or tense. Instead, the syntax tells us the tense of the phrase.

 

The language has three tenses; present tense, preterite, and future tense. See the Quick refenrence to Yoku syntax later in this article.

 

-Ra ending

The ending –ra has the same verbal uses as the ending –ing in English; participle, and gerund. It is not yet clear if it can be used to form nouns.

The big difference to English is that copula is never used with it. In English, you would say ‘he is staying in the temple’ but in Yoku you just say dogo duadra bologra ‘he [is] staying [in the] temple’

 

Den – The Yoku Copula

 

The Yoku word for ‘to be/is’ is den. Like all verbs, it never changes it form. The most improtant difference to English copula is that the Yoku copula is often omitted from the sentence. There are no definite rules for this, but most often it is omitted in ‘X is Y’ sentences.

 

For example: Dogo dongo sen ‘She [is] my sister’

 

 

Quick refenrence to Yoku Syntax

 

This is a quick refenrence to the basics of Yoku syntax. Of course, the entire syntax cannot be covered here, and it still needs much research, but these are the basic rules.

 

Abreviations used:

 

S = Subject

V = Verb

O = Object

ADV = Adverb

 

Omitting the subject

A sentence does not need to have a subject and it is usually omitted if the subject of the sentence can be understood from the context. For example:

                      Duadra na sa do Sanloa M’Kai? ’Staying perhaps here at Stros M’Kai?’

Here the subject, ‘you’ have been omitted as it is clear from the context that Cyrus is asking from Saban and Coyle if they are going to stay at Stros M’Kai.

 

                      Dogo tang mongo, Sura. Den hi. ‘She needed help, Cyrus. [It] Is magic.

Here the subject of the second sentence is omitted. In English, the subject would be something like ‘it’ or ‘the help’ etc., but in Yoku it is omitted because the sentence refers to the preceding sentence.

 

 

Present tense sentence

The basic word order in present tense

S+V+ADV+O                                                               

 

In sentences with two verbs (for example: must go), the second verb is placed before the object, after the verb and a possible adverb.

S+V+ADV+the second verb+O

 

Preterite sentence

The basic word order in preterite tense

              O+S+ADV+V

 

Future tense sentence

The basic word order in future tense

              S+O+ADV+V

 

In sentences with two verbs (for example: must go), the second verb is placed before the object, after the verb and a possible adverb.

S+the second verb+O+ADV+V

 

Negation

The negation happens by placing the negation particle no before the word needed to be negated; No nukri, Sura! Not pretty, Cyrus!’ or Dogo no ongo dui kogo-hi ‘He does not tell about the Mages Guild’

 

Question sentence

The basic word order in present tense questions

              S+ADV+V+O

 

Very simple questions in present tense can use another word order

              O+V+S

 

Again, the preterite changes the word order. This is the basic word order in preterite questions

              V+S+ADV+O

 

Vocabulary

Words without a firmly established meaning are given a comment ‘possible meaning.’ I have not given here those words that do not have any kind of translation at the moment. Many words and terms, such as Koomu Alezer’i, a Redguard holiday, need more work before I add them here.

 

Ajcea                       Downward spiral (n.)

Ansei                       Sword saint (n.)

Anselim                    Turn, turn around (v.); the word apparently has some kind of suffix, perhaps -lim

Ansu                        Turn into something (v.)

Ansu                        Turned, changed (adj.)

Ansu                        A kind of sword saint who has been 'lady-made' or turned into a woman either metaphorically or

                              physically (n.); Source on these saints Lord Vivec's Sword Meeting With Cyrus the Restless

Atomo                      Laws of nature (n.)

Batek                       Soul (n.)

Bateki matana           Soulgem (n.)

Bologra                     Temple (n.); possible meaning

Dan                          Have (v.); possible meaning

Dongo                      Sister (n.)

Duadra                     Staying (verb in gerund form, the verb itself is likely duad-)

Duptra                      Moving or acting restlessly (verb in gerund form, the verb itself is likely dupt-)

Dura-hi                     Eastern magic (n.)

Go                           Good (adj.)

Gurleht                     Woman (n.)

G’ye                         Fabricator (n.)

Hel                           Communion (n.)

Hi                            Difficult (adj.)

Hi                            Magic (n.)

Kogo-hi                    Guild of mages (n.); possible meaning

Kol-hadu-ranga          Lighthouse (n.)

Let                          Determination, spirit (n.); possible meaning

Mangai                     Life (n.)

Mangai                     Live (v.)

Metat                       Wizard (n.); possible meaning

Mitana                      Island (n.)

Mluo                         Cheese (n.)

Mo                            Work correctly (v.); possible meaning

Mong                         Need (n.)

Mongo                       Need (v.)

M’kai                         Sorcerer (n.)

Naha                          Own (adj.)

Napere                       Find (v.); the preposition do ‘of’ is used before the object; napere sa do dongo literally ‘to find

                                   here of sister’, and means ‘here to find [my] sister’

Na-Totambu               The ruling class of Yokuda and early Hammerfell (n.)

Nogo                         Danger, threat (n.)

Nogo                         Dangerous (adj.)

Nogro                        Body (n.)

No lo’igra                   Deceiver (n.)

No shira                     Noble; also an honorific (n.)

Nukatki                      Curse (n.); possible meaning

Nukri                          Pretty (adj.); possible meaning

Nung                         Require (v.); possible meaning

Ongo                         Tell (v.)

Ra                             Great (adj.)

Raga                          Male human, man (n.)

Ra Gada                     Warrior wave (n.)

Sogat kulogo               Resistance, revolution, rebellion (n.)

Sogat kuloto                Resist, fend off, rebel (v.)

Tang                          Help (n.)

To-                            Known, familiar (adj.); prefixed to the word it descripes

Tobr’a                        Useless, evil (adj.)

Togo                          Must (v.); a possible meaning

Toktra                        Searching for (verb in gerund form, the verb itself is likely tokt-)

Trai                           Know (v.)

Trang                         Way, habit (n.); possible meaning

Tro                            True, correct (adj.); possible meaning

Tukta                         Reason, cause (n.)

Tukta-ma’bro               Storyteller (n.); the correct meaning could be excuse-giver

Tuktu                         Guide, councel (v.) ; possible meaning

Tuktura                       Guiding (verb in gerund form) ; possible meaning

Ueetonga                    My son (n.); might be the same as uetonga

Uetonga                      Son (n.); might be the same as ueetonga

Ugakta                        Rage, be angry (v.)

Uhi                             Ability and skill to get things done (n.)

Uta-no-mongo              Unavailable (adj.); possible meaning

Uto-                            Unknown, unfamiliar (adj.); prefixed to the word it descripes

Wutra                         Ask (v.); possible meaning

Zhang-ga                    Destroy, break (v.)

Zhang-gak                   Destruction, breaking (n.)

'Mei                            Place in society (n.)

 

 

Translations of Saban's speech

As an example, here is the latest translation of the first conversation between Cyrus and Saban, with Coyle's quick translations, and some comments. Note that as in similar situations in the real world, Coyle does not give literal translations, but explains them in English, often in much longer way.

 

You might also notice the huge difference in the way Yoku and English express things. Yoku tends to keep things short and simple.

 

Saban: Sura, mong dua? Ueetonga! Hal-ee! Ugo-no-mitana!

Coyle: She thanks you Cyrus; Hayle's soul has passed to the far shores.

Translation: Cyrus, your need? My son! Hayle! Far away from the island!

Comments: 'Your need' is a Yoku compliment.

 

Cyrus: Tell her it was my pleasure.

Coyle: Uhi no Sura.

Translation: [It was in] Cyrus' power.

Comments: Yoku way of saying 'i did it because it was in my power.'

 

Saban: Tang mongo dua?

Coyle: She wishes to know if there is anyway she might repay you?

Translation: You need help?

 

Cyrus: Maybe you can help me find my sister, Iszara.

Coyle: Sura, napere sa do dongo.

Translation: Cyrus (says), here looking for my sister.

 

Saban: Hadi dua tengai.

Coyle: Mother has not seen her since the day she came with Hayle.

Translation: I saw them [with] yours.

Comments: Means 'i saw them two together [your sister and Hayle].' Here she used dua 'yours' to refer to Cyrus' sister.

 

Saban: Budui dupa.

Coyle: But she sees that you will find her.

Translation: Untranslated. I have not been able to offer a translation for this so far.

 

Cyrus: Why was Iszara with Hayle?

Coyle: Den dogo tukta Hal-ee?

Translation: Why was she [with] Hayle?

 

Saban: Dogo tang mongo, Sura. Den hi.

Coyle: She needed mother's help, her magic.

Translation: She needed help, Cyrus. [The help] was magic.

 

Saban: Dua sen ugakta...

Coyle: But mother was so mad about Hayle that she sent your sister away.

Translation: I raged at yours...

 

Saban: Uta-nogo dua hi.

Coyle: Mother does not know what magic your sister needed. I'm sorry, Cyrus.

Translation: Yours' magic was for unknown danger.

 

Cyrus: Saban, could you tell me about the Restless League?

Coyle: Sa dui ongo duptra League?

Translation: Tell about [the] Restless League here?

 

Saban: Hadi na toktra dua napere...

Coyle: She says you might find them...

Translation: Perhaps you find them searching...

 

Saban: Kol-hadu-ranga.

Coyle: ...At the lighthouse.

Translation: [in the] lighthouse.

 

Cyrus: Do you plan to stay here on Stros M'Kai?

Coyle: Duadra na sa do Sanloa M'Kai?

Translation: [Are you] staying perhaps here at Stros M'Kai?

 

Saban: Sanloa M'Kai tang den uta-no-mongo!

Coyle: Mother says Stros M'Kai will need her help.

Translation: Help will be unavailable [in] Stros M'kai!

 

Saban: Den do Sura.

Coyle: And yours.

Translation: Is of Cyrus.

Comments: The regular Yoku way of omitting words in reference to the previous sentence, meaning 'the help will be of Cyrus [and Saban's]'

 

Saban: Mitana den nogo.

Coyle: The island is still in peril.

Translation: [The] island is dangerous.

 

Cyrus: It will be hard to fend off the Empire.

Coyle: Septim sogat kuloto hi.

Translation: Septim [will be] difficult to resist.

 

Saban: Fektigowa nogo uetonga, den.

Coyle: Sometimes my Yoku is bad. She said either, 'It will not be hard, because the son is here' or she said, 'Because the son will be here.'

Translation: Nothing dangerous [with] son, will be.

Comment: Coyle is correct. It is difficult to determine what she actually means, as the sentence can mean either of Coyle's translations.

 

Cyrus: What kind of help can you give?

Coyle: Dua ne tang nogo?

Translation: Will you help against danger?

 

Saban: Sura den go.

Coyle: She says you will know.

Translation: Cyrus will be good.

Comments: In English you could say ’He’ll be OK’

 

Cyrus: Thank you, Saban.

Saban: Tuktu ansei, Sura.

Translation: I am not sure of the translation, but ansei 'sword saint' is mentioned.

 

Cyrus: Goodbye.

Saban: Trangai, Sura.

Translation: Farewell, Cyrus.

Comments: Most likely literally 'farings, Cyrus.'

 

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Joined: 10/11/2011

Here's little something for all those Elven enthusiasts out there. This won't be added to my article about the human languages, just some thoughts the name 'Falkreath' brought up.

 

Falkreath seems to be Ayleid place name, meaning 'The Land of Kreath' with the word 'fal' most likely being cognate to Dunmeri 'fel' as in Dagon Fel, and Dwemeri 'fell' as in Volenfell and Vvardenfell. Dwemeri word 'fell' has a well-known meaning, usually translated as 'city' with the actual meaning being something like 'nation, city-state, kingdom.' It is also possible that the word is seen in the Bosmeri place name Falinesti.

Dunmeri place name Dagon Fel seems to have the Dunmeri form of the same word. I guess the word 'dagon' is an adjectival form of the word 'dagoth' seen in Dagoth Ur. 'Dagon' would mean perhaps 'hostile' referring to the area's environment and climate. Mehrunes Dagon would mean Hostile Mehrunes. 'Dagoth' with its -oth suffix - as seen in the word daedroth, singular of daedra - might mean 'enemy' with perhaps a secondary meaning of 'ferocious warrior' or the like, used in the name of House Dagoth. 'Fel' would have the meaning of 'area, land' and Dagon Fel would then mean 'Hostile Land.'

Dagoth Ur's name could have a double-meaning, referring to the House Dagoth, and in the minds of the other dunmer, 'Ur the Enemy'. Another possibility is that the word 'Ur' means 'powerful, mighty' [hinted by a certain example of Ehlnofex language, saying ...'in the seathe of an Ur word']. This would then give the meaning The Mighty One of House Dagoth.

The original Aldmeri form of the word would then be FEL(L) (or FALL), and would not be a cognate to 'fal' meaning 'snow' as in 'falmer' despite its similarity to Ayleid word 'fal.' If the L sound was pronounced as long in Aldmeri and caused a heavier stress on the vowel than in the word 'fal - snow' that might explain the vowel change from E to A in Ayleid before the second L dropped off. Dunmeri would have lost the second L earlier and kept the original vowel, while Dwemeri either dropped the second L but kept it in the written form of the word, or kept the original vowel sound despite the stress on the vowel.

More work could be done on the very limited amount of information we have on Elven languages. The most information is available on the Ayleid and Dunmeri languages, with occasional words, place names and personal names in Dwemeri, Altmeri, Bosmeri and Aldmeri. One of the most interesting examples is the name of the book 'De Rerum Dirennis' apparently in Altmeri.

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Joined: 11/02/2011

I think you've done a brilliant job here. I doubt the tribes of Al-Gemha, Keptu, Men-of-Ge, Al-Hared, Men-of-Ket are Nedic however, as those names wouldn't sound in line with the other Nedic languages. To me, most of these names sound more simaler to Yaku, suggesting an ancient migration of Yakudans prior to that which occured in Hammerfell (maybe late Merethic). This would be fairlly consistant with the Redguard/Yakudan tendency towards adventure and exploration as sailers and pirates. I've already developed a theory about this, and since I would have to assume that all men (humans) have the same origin and also that the origin may be shared with Mer, I am working on a theory currentlly which unifies the "humanoid" races. Hopefully I can gain more information here and do an essay myself for feedback. Anywho, good work.

Lady N's picture
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Joined: 06/26/2010

Have a few minutes to read and comment. 

 

With time, the Proto-Nibenean tribes spread from Nibenay Valley all the way to High Rock

There are mentions of the Bretons descending from Nords - I would also mention them as well. 

evidenced but the names of early Nibeneans; for example, Bravil was named after an Alessian centurion Teo Bravillius Tasus

What about other Nibeneal names that don't sould latinesque? I would try to break it down by tribe, or, if not enough info is available, at least note that not all tribes sounded latin. 

especially in Cyrodiil and Hammerfell, were enslaved by the Elves as we know from history.

Whats the source on men in Hammerfell being enslaved? 

Old Nibenean in Nibenay and spoken by the armies of Alessia,

Not sure you can separate the Niben from the rest of Cyrodiil at this point, or assign it this level of homogeneity. We know that Aless' armies included multiple tribes. 

Old Nibenean language replaced the Old Colovian but with an Old Colovian substrate.

Sources?

 

Right now, I'd like to see more linguistic support for the merging of languages. It makes sense that the Breton's language is a mix of Nordic, Nedic, and Aldmeri, but can you prove this in the names and words we know? Likewise, a more thorough exploration of the myriad of languages in Cyrodiil would be interesting rather than just mixing it into a "proto-nibenean" group. In other words, work the 2nd part of your paper into the 1st. 

 

I still think Yoku deserves its own article, since its linguistic evolution is wholly separate and we have more info about it than about the other languages. I'd like to see your thought process behind some of the translations. 

Fiore1300's picture
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Joined: 07/24/2011

First, are we certain the "fal" in "Falmer" means "snow"? Would it be revolutionary to say "Falmer" means "City Elves"? That aside, isn't it a bit of a stretch to connect Falkreath to "fell" and "fel" when it is much easier to believe it stands for "snow" here just as it does in "falmer"? I mean, fell and fel predominantly occurs at the end of a word anyway, and Falkreath is in Skyrim. In all likelyhood, it simply means "snow-____".

 

Also, you didn't mention the other non-cyrodiilic tribes of men: Orma, Yespest, and Horwalli. Not that we have any information on their language. Its possible that they were close to the Kothri, given that they inhabited Black Marsh.

 

Lastly, I eagerly wait to see what Skyrim (and its expansions) will contribute to this article. I have a feeling we'll be in for a deluge of not meerly dragonish language revelations, but also insight into Nordic, Dwemer, and possibly Falmer and Giant lingual traditions...

 

EDIT: Not a big deal, but I used "dragonish" rather than "dragonic" or "draconic" because that's how the language is displayed in Daggerfall. I dunno if anything said recently about Skyrim has used a different term. Though it may be best just to stick to prescedents until newer lore says otherwise.

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Joined: 10/11/2011

Thank you for those answers!

 

@Corj: As I said in the article, there is no way of telling whether Al-Gemha, Keptu, Men-of-Ge, Al-Hared, and Men-of-Ket are Nedic, Tamriel natives or something else, and I dare not to start guessing. The earliest times of human and elven races are a very interesting subject of course, but there is so little information that it's difficult to say anything on the matter. Waiting for your article though, sounds interesting.

 

@Lady N: I took a bit of time to ponder at this, and here are my answers.

1. On the Breton descenancy: I'll update my text to mention that too.

2. About Nibenean names: Trying to assign the place names and personal names in the early Nibenay Basin to individual tribes would be nearly impossible. I would love to do that, and if I could, I would already be working on conlangs for my own amusement. Clarifying that there were non-latinesque tribes in the Nibenay area is a good idea though.

3. Enslavement in Hammerfell: I will change that. I will mention that it seems the area was more or less completely under Elven rule, but leave the enslavement out.

4. Language of Alessian army: Yes, true... I will clarify that the rebel army most likely spoke a wide variety of languages, but apparently the latin-sounding Nibenean became a dominant language and in time the other unknown tribal languages died out as there is no trace of them today.

5. About Colovian substrate: There are no sources on this matter.The whole language matter in Elder Scrolls lore is more or less ignored on the part of the designers. If the early Colovians spoke a Colovian language or languages and Nibeneans spoke their own languages (evidence mentioned in my article, although you can dispute it if you want), with the latin-sounding one becoming the dominant language in Nibenay area in time and later replacing the Colovian language(s), those replaced languages must have left traces in the modern Cyrodiilic. That kind of language shift rarely happens without influences, even if it is just a dozen of loan words. We know almost no words in the Cyrodiilic language, but we know that there a large number of Colovian place names and personal names in the western Cyrodiil.

6. More evidence of merging and more in-depth linguistic analysis: Yes, that is exactly what I intend to do. But I would also like to keep this article on the more general level, going in-depth in later articles. This article is already quite long. Or what do you think? Whatever the case, I have to take a closer look on all kinds of names in Nibenay area and Colovia. Perhaps I'll come up with more information on different local languages, or with underlying sound-structures of thos early languages, especially Colovian versus Nibenean. The language or languages of High Rock require quite a lot of work and there's not much information to be had, altough I will explore them too. A few books might give some information, and place-name analysis is also one of my tools.

7. About Yoku: I have thought about this and you are right. Moving the part on Yoku to its own article is a good idea. I will only mention it here on general level. On the article about Yoku I would also have a good opportunity to write a chapter on my translations and the thought-processes. I also want to emphasise that the Yoku translations are still heavily under work, and some or many parts of it can still change. I will not object if anyone has new thoughts on the Yoku translations. I also want to mention that knowning a wide variety of languages from different language families with very different grammars, ways of deriving words and expressing things in real world helps with this stuff. I don't think I would be researching this if I knew only one language.

 

@Fiore1300:

You are completely right. 'Falmer' could mean 'city elves' or Falkreath could mean 'Snow-kreath.' It was just an idea. The occurence of fal/fell/fel in different positions in different names is still possible even with the same general meaning. The original Ayleid form could have been 'Fal Kreathe' with the word Kreath being in genitive form and meaning 'Land of Kreath.' Although it could also just mean 'snow.'

Hmmm. Those non-Cyrodiilic tribes you mentioned (Orma, Yespest and Horwalli) are completely new to me. I have never heard of them which is why I did not mention them. Where did you find the information?

Trust me, I'm eagerly waiting for linguistic revelations in Skyrim! I hope to find more information especially on Dwemeri and Nordic, but Giant and Falmeri would be interesting too. If we are lucky, there could even be individual terms from Altmeri if the Thalmor plays any part in the game. Dragonic is not the most interesting language on my opinion, but its influence on Nordic seems to be heavy.

 

@all of you who answered

I'll wait for your answers before I will update my article or move the Yoku to a new article. I'll write the new version and the separate Yoku article already, but will wait with the update here.

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The latest version of Atmoran and Tamrielic human languages, now without the Yokudan part. I have made it into a separate article. I have not yet had time to analyze the personal names and place names of the Reachmen in Skyrim, but that is under work.

 

 

About the languages of Men

UPDATED VERSION, with polished style and the amount of information greatly expanded. Remember to read past the side notes, the article does not end there.

 

I am a long time anonymous lurker here in the Imperial Library, and as an enthusiast to Tamrielic history and languages, i finally decided to publish my research into the known languages of Men in Tamriel.

 

This is an essay about the languages of humans in Tamriel, on their structure and vocabularies, and on their history. I have assumed here that all English/German/French/Spanish etc. (depending on the language version of your copy of Oblivion) place names are just “translations” of their “real” names, so West Weald is not the actual Cyrodiilic name, but a translation of it.

 

Feel free to critize it, and to share your thoughts.

 

 

As we now know, in prehistoric times, before the arrival of people from Atmora, humans native to Tamriel lived in Nibenay Valley and southern Cyrodiil, and spoke early native languages. The tribes included at least the Kothringi and a people I have named Proto-Nibeneans for the purposes of the essay. There were naturally other human tribes too in the Ayleid-controlled Cyrodiil, mentioned in Adabal-A, such as Al-Gemha, Keptu, Men-of-Ge, Al-Hared, Men-of-Ket, and other unnamed tribes, but there is not much information available on them, so we cannot say for sure if all of these tribes are native to Tamriel or belong to the Nedic peoples of Atmora.

 

With time, the Proto-Nibenean tribes spread from Nibenay Valley all the way to High Rock, taking their language with them, later ending up being subjugated by the Aldmeri in Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Hammerfell. Some of these tribes spoke an early latinesque language1, evidenced by the names of early Nibeneans; for example, Bravil was named after an Alessian centurion Teo Bravillius Tasus (see Daughter of Niben), althought there were more native tribal languages, such as Kothringi, not resembling Latin. It seems likely that the other native tribes, including the Kothringi who were later known to live in Black Marsh, stayed in the southern Cyrodiil, and must have lived there for some time even after being subjugated by the Elves, as their language shows heavy Aldmeri influence.

 

Later the Nedic tribes arrived from Atmora in waves, speaking their own languages, and in time spread to Skyrim, Colovia and Hammerfell, and sharing a commong cultural heritage. At least some tribes can be defined; the early Nords, Men-of-‘Kreath2, and Colovians. Judging by the fact that the Men-of-‘Kreath - while part of the larger Colovian group of tribes - were a tribe of their own, it is also possible that the Colovians too were a group of separate tribes who later found the kingdoms of Chorrol, Skingrad, Kvatch, and Anvil, before the unification of Cyrodiil. Many Nedic tribes, especially in Cyrodiil, were enslaved by the Elves as we know from history, and most likely were under Elven influence in Hammerfell also. As it is mentioned in certain sources that Bretons are descended from Nords and considering names with Nedic origins of modern Bretons, it is highly likely that the original tribes of High Rock mixed with Nedic arrivals.

 

At the time of Alessian Rebellion, there were already a myriad of different human languages in Tamriel; Kothri and other possible native languages in southern Cyrodiil, Old Nibenean in Nibenay and spoken by the armies of Alessia, Ancient Breton in High Rock, all descended from the original native languages, and heavily influenced by Elven languages. Ancient Nord, perhaps influenced by Dragonic, spoken in Skyrim, Old Colovian3 language or languages in Colovia and Falkreath, and unknown Nedic languages spoken in Hammerfell before the arrival of the Redguards, all descended from Atmoran.

 

The rise of the Skyrim Empire and unification of Cyrodiil under the First Empire brought new changes. The Nords brought their influence to High Rock, and Morrowind. The original Reachmen of the Western Reach were likely from these times, and originally Nords mixed with Bretons, later mixed with more Aldmeri blood when the Western Reach was retaken by the Elves during the collapse of Skyrim Empire. Also the Skaal inhabited Solstheim during or after these times. When the Nibeneans finally managed to make the Colovian kingdoms part of the Empire, the Old Nibenean language replaced the Old Colovian but with an Old Colovian substrate. Thus the Old Cyrodiilic was born, an in time evolved into modern Cyrodiilic.

 

When the Redguards arrived from Yokuda, they brought their language Yoku with them. At that time, unknown Nedic languages were spoken in Hammerfell. As the need for a language of trade with the surrounding nations quickly rose, the Nedic languages, perhaps including the Old Cyrodiilic, started to replace the Yoku as the spoken language. Already at the start of the 3rd Era, Yoku was mostly a language of ritual, as seen in TESA. Despite this, large amount of Yoku place names and old personal names turned into Cyrodiilic pronunciation can still be found all over Hammerfell.

 

 

Side notes:

 

1 modern Cyrodiilic is some form of Latin, and as at least most of the Bretons speak some version of French, they seem to be descended from the same prehistoric Proto-Nibenean peoples.

2 a tribe mentioned in Adabal-A, and reported to be imported from the North. They were most likely a North Colovian tribe living in the area of modern Falkreath. This is likely, as Falkreath has been historically considered a part of Colovia, not Skyrim.

3 there is no single definite proof for the existence of a Colovian language, but is in my mind evidenced by many other facts; their Nedic heritage, the strong cultural diffenrences in Nibenay and Colovia, and old place names and personal names clearly not Nibenean in sound structure, or general feeling. Examples of names remaining of the Old Colovian language seem to be names ending in –av, as in Rislav Larich, a First Era king of Skingrad born in 1E 448, and mentioned in Rislav the Righteous. Other good examples of the language are the names of Skingrad, and Kvatch, and the name of Rislav’s father Mhorus. Of course, while the old names are still in use, being inherited during the times when Old Colovian was still in use, the language itself is long dead, serving only as a substrate to Old and modern Cyrodiilic.

 

 

 

More on the individual languages

 

Cyrodiilic

 

Modern Cyrodiilic was born when the Old Nibenean language replaced the Old Colovian, and was modified by the Old Colovian substrate. What can be said of the modern Cyrodiilic is a short vocabulary of Latin words, collected from names, terms, and phrases. We also know that the language has borrowed words especially from Elven languages, but individual terms from other languages too. At the moment, there is no possibility to translate any words of Old Colovian origin, so we are left with the ones of Nibenean origin.

 

Some examples of vocabulary:

 

Bruma – ‘The winter solstice’; city name

Cloaca – ‘Sewer’; Bravil as described by Gilgondorin

Das – ’Day’; in the names of the weekdays, such as Fredas. Old form of this word is said to be ’detha’ as in Tibedetha ’Tiber’s Day’.

Interregnum – ‘A period of time between the reigns of the empire’; Tamrielic history

Magicka – ‘Magical energy’; a word of Elven origin

Penitus Oculatus – ‘Internal Eyes’; the emperor's agents in the early 4th Era; Infernal City, Skyrim

Simulacrum – ‘An image, likeness, effigy’; in Imperial Simulacrum

 

A short but quite interesting insight into the Cyrodiilic language is the name of the book Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum. It shows the word manifestum in declined form, and the last word is in plural genitive. It also shows that the name Cyrodiil is not declined.

 

Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum – ‘Manifest of the Vampires of Cyrodiil’; a book name

 

 

The only hint of the pronunciation

 

There is not much we can say of the pronunciation of the modern Cyrodiilic, but a conversation that can be overheard in the Mages Guild. A mage says that he is not sure how the word ‘Daedra’ should be pronounced. What this tells us is that the written form of the modern Cyrodiilic does not completely match what the word sounds like. It still does not tell us whether the difference is as strong as in English or French, or as small as in German.

 

 

 

 

Kothri

 

Kothri is an interesting language and native to southern Cyrodiil. The Kothringi must have moved to Black Marsh after living under an Ayleid rule, as their language is influenced by the Ayleid language. They also seem to have left at least some place names behind.

 

The only but quite revealing sample of the language in its 1st Era stage comes from Water Getting Girl, the favorite childhood story of Tiber Septim. I’ll introduce some interesting specifics of the language here, but will not analyze the whole grammar. If there is a desire for more in-depth research into Kothri grammar, I will do that in a separate article.

 

First of all, the influence of Ayleid language is clear. Some of these words are unattested in the known fragments of Ayleid language, but are known from other Elven languages. Note the following words:

 

Aka – ‘Adult’; a word of Aldmeri origin but with a more specific meaning here

Ald’ald – ‘Too long’; the Ayleid word ald is duplicated here

Aurbex – ‘The Around-Us, World’; borrowing from Elven

Bal – ‘Stone’; an Ayleid word for stone

 

Some words hint at the common ancestral origin of Proto-Nibenean and Kothri. The words are different enough not to be loan words, and similar enough to have been developed from a common ancestral language by a regular sound change.

 

Examples of possible cognates between Cyrodiilic and Kothri are presented here. Note that the Cyrodiilic words are actually unattested Latin words, so this theory cannot be taken as a definite proof of anything.

 

Kothri Unattested Cyrodiilic

seb ‘down’ sub ‘under’

ke ‘who, that’ qui ‘which’

fex ‘face’ facies ‘appearance, form, face’

ge ‘I, me’ ego ‘I’

yn ‘just, only’ un- ‘one’

synd ‘for’ siquidem ‘if indeed, because’; this is an unlikely cognate

 

Also another interesting detail is the word for ‘river’, which is ‘topali’. The early people of southern Cyrodiil might have called the river just ‘River’, which then stayed behind in the name of Topal Bay. The name of the bay would then originally have meant ‘the Bay of the River’ and the story of the bay being named after Torval the Pilot would be just folk etymology.

 

 

 

Languages of High Rock

 

High Rock has always been a place were different peoples, cultures, and languages mix. The ‘French’ style language of the Bretons have been influenced by Aldmeri, Nordic, and Cyrodiilic and by an unknown number of other Nedic languages. For example, few names of Nordic or Nedic origins are Eduard, Norbert, Roderic, Ulrich and the surname Eardwulf.

 

Some place names, such as Gwynnen, possibly hint at the historical Nedic languages of High Rock, brought by the Nords and other Nedic tribes. Whether there are other languages still spoken in the area in addition to Breton is unknown.

 

 

 

 

Nordic

 

Nordic is a Nedic language, brought by the settlers from Atmora during ancient times. A short guess-work vocabulary can be formed from the known place names, personal names, phrases, and terms.

 

Also, the language of dragons have influenced the Nordic tongue. One example is the word Thu’um, borrowed into Nordic from the Dragonic.

 

Some examples:

 

Dalk – ‘Knife’; in the Infernal City

Grahl – ‘A type of frost troll’; a troll in Solstheim

 

Then there are many words that can be given tentative translations, but nothing conclusive, they are still guesses:

 

Frysehag – ‘Frost witch’; a type of witch in Solstheim

Moesring – ‘Maiden’s ring’; mountains in Solstheim.

Ondjage – ‘Ill Hunt’; the name of the terrible wolf Ondjage

Skyrim – ‘Sky ice’; the name of the country of Skyrim.

Sovngaard – ‘The world of sleep’; Nordic afterlife for warriors, literally Sleep-Yard

Stahlrim – ‘Steel ice’; a special form of ice used by ancient nords in their burial rituals

 

Examples of currently untranslatable names:

 

Felsaad

Hirstaang

Saarthal

 

Without any examples of spoken Nordic, it is difficult to say more.

 

 

 

Old Nibenean

 

Old Nibenean was one of the languages of the Alessian armies, and a descenant of the native languages of Tamriel. During Alessia’s days, it was a latinesque language, with good examples in old place names of the Nibenay area, and Nibenean personal names mentioned in old texts. It can also be considered the older stage of the Cyrodiilic language. In Alessia’s time, it was spoken alongside the other native languages, but apparently became dominant. The result was the death of other native languages, none of which remains today.

 

Good examples of the language are the names of the river Larsius and lake Canulus, and an Alessian centurion named Teo Bravillius Tasus, after whom the city of Bravil was named.

 

In its early stage, language was heavily influenced by the language of the Ayleid masters. It can be seen in Elven place names, such as Cyrodiil, Niben, and Rumare, and loan words such as ‘magicka’.

 

After the unification of Cyrodiil, Old Nibenean replaced the language of Colovia, but was influenced by it, likely both in the vocabulary – as seen in the names borrowed from Old Colovian – and sound structure of the language, as it now allows words like Kvinchal to exist.

 

 

 

Old Colovian

 

Old Colovian was the language or languages of the Nedic tribes who settled in Colovia after their arrival from Atmora. Evidence for the language can be seen in local place names and personal names clearly not of Nibenean origin.

 

Place names such as Skingrad, Sutch, Kvatch, and Chorrol are a clear memory of the language, although we have no idea of their meanings.

 

There are also name personal names of Old Colovian origin. Of historical names, good examples are Rislav, Mhorus, Hrol, Juilek, Brazollus Dor, and perhaps Cuhlecain too. Of modern names, Fralav, Gerich, Kastav, Natch for males, Britta, Etira, Schlera for females, and Abor, Bincal, Goneld, Hassildor, Kvinchal, Vlinorman, Wotrus for surnames, give us a glimpse of the language.

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I just realized I never answered your question:

 

http://imperial-library.info/search/node/Orma

 

There are all the references to the Orma, Yespest, and Horwalli.

 

Also, regarding some other human "races", I think there might be a couple words for the Reachmen language in Skyrim. But I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just imagining things.

 

Also also, I was fairly disappointed at the lack of additional insights into Tamrielic language in Skyrim. Obviously they outdid themselves with Dragon Language, but I don't remember seeing much for anything else.

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Thanks for the references on those three peoples. I think I'll have to add a mention of them into the next version of this article.

 

A chapter on the language of the Reachmen will be in the next version for sure. Sadly there's not much else but personal names and place names in the Reachmen language in Skyrim, but at least they are easy to spot as the language is based on real-world Celtic languages. I just have to travel to the Reach and start collecting the linguistic material, perhaps I will also find a word or two in the language.

 

Yeah, I was also disappointed by the fact that there's almost nothing new of Tamrielic language in Skyrim. I also hoped that there would be something on the Altmeri language as the Thalmor play a part in the game, but so far I have seen nothing. And there's no use of even dreaming of finding a single word in Falmeri.

 

In addition to the Reachmen names and Dragonic language, the only other linguistically interesting thing in the game might be some place names in Falkreath, such as Lake Ilinalta and perhaps Helgen. They might be originally Nedic place names, given by the ancient Men-of-Kreath. Although in that case translating the names is impossible, as is translating the Nedic place names in western Cyrodiil.

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Just want to make sure if skyrim really stands for sky+ice/sky+hrim what so ever. I know it works on Swedish or Danish.

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I know, I have to change parts of my article; remove some things and add some things. But right now real life (mostly work) and my fan fiction-language projects are taking my time. I have to find time to update this article...

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Does anyone know where to find notes on Spriggan language??

 

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I have no knowledge on Spriggan language. There have been no examples of Spriggan in any Elder Scrolls game I've played. I have not played Online.