Brad Derrick is the Audio Director on Elder Scrolls Online. He has been with the studio since 2009 and is still there as of 2023. He posts on the official forums as ZOS_SoundMaster.
What is the language and lyrics of the ESO:Morrowind intro? (05/26/17)
Lyrics, in Ald Chimeris..."Ald Chimeris" being the Elvish precursor tongue of the Dark Elves that’s similar to Ayleidoon and descended from Ehlnofex. (Thanks to LoreMaster Lawrence Schick for that LoreMorsel.)
Resdayniil kan tarcel
Ghardooni ye fevel
Arcta nu malatanya
Vengha ehlnada-dra
Nu nu vane metananeLyrics, in English
Resdayniil kan tarcel
— Elder Scrolls Online official forums
Ghardooni ye fevel
Arcta nu malatanya
Vengha ehlnada-dra
Nu nu vane metanane
On the Cliff Strider song (06/14/17)
The chorus for that song was deliberately written to be reminiscent of [Oblivion's Cliff Racer song].
The idea was...that fella in Oblivion was singing the song from ESO, hundreds of years later and slightly misremembered.
— Elder Scrolls Online official forums
Does the Summerset theme have translatable lyrics? (06/20/18)
The singing in the main theme is somewhere between "wordless" and "actual lyrics". With the exception of the singing in the Morrowind theme, most of the vocalizations in ESO's music are sung in a syllabic "dead language" that we came up with for the game. That is - they are words and syllables, but they don't actually translate to anything meaningful. So don't go crazy trying to figure out what they mean. 🙂
— Elder Scrolls Online official forums
What is the language sung when one dies in ESO? (06/05/19)
The language you're hearing is one that we created for ESO...a kind of "dead language of Tamriel", akin to Latin being a "dead" language of Earth. 🙂 It's the same language that is sung in much of the soundtrack music.
I hate to disappoint, but it doesn't actually translate to anything.
Which is just a fancy way of saying - yes, it's gibberish.
— Elder Scrolls Online official forums
Translation of Elsweyr's Song of Kingdoms (06/18/19)
You're in luck! This one actually is translatable. 🙂
++++
Swift paws of Ne-Quin-Al
Rimmen gold rains down
Green Riverhold has farms
Blessed-moons of DuneClever-Smile Orcrest in Dessert
Verkarth Strong-Warrior stand
Must-smile drinks for Meirvale
Helkarn has wary eyesWise words Alabaster praise
River people of Bruk’ra
Pray Pa’alatiin of reverence
Corinthe carving woodGreen forests of Tenmar
— Elder Scrolls Online official forums
Torval renowns the Mane
Sweet Khenarthia has fish
Senchal ocean traders
