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Updated 1/6/99 This version of The Old Tongue Dictionary is current up through and including The Path of Daggers, the short story New Spring and The World of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Guide. The assumption has been made that the normal word order for Old Tongue sentences is *predicate-verb-subject* for all sentences after The Eye of the World. Mr. Jordan apparently did not begin to provide a consistant basis for the Old Tongue until after this book, as evidenced by phrases such as the one on the Horn of Valere and many words which are inconsistant with others from later in the series. Of course, what do we know? He's the one who made up the language. KEY: "???" = uncertainty "lit." = literally Definitions within parentheses indicates a general meaning or clarification as opposed to a literal translation A a = (a preposition or article) a'dam = the leash (see dam) a'vron = watcher(s) (see Ma'vron, vron) aan = one aan'allien = one man (see aan, allein) aes = to all aesdaishar = glory to all aethan = shields (see aethan dor) aiel = dedicated ailen = ??? (see ta'maral'ailen) ain = is (see Note 1) Ajah = sisterhood of Aes Sedai ajah = informal or temporary group of people gathered together for a common purpose or goal, or by a common set of beliefs al = the /or/ of the al'cair'raheinallen = The Hill of the Golden Dawn (former name of Cairhein) alantin = brother alcair = the golden aldazar = the eagle (see dazar) aldieb = the westwind (lit., this means "The wind" which indicates that the Westwind is the most important one.) algai = fighters algai'd'siswai = lit. The Fighters of the Spear (see gai, siswai) algode = cotton allein = man allen = hill allende = (adj.) forward (see Muad'drin tia dar allende caba'drin rhadiem) aman = dragon an = 1. (pluralization) 2. of the angreal = (tool of the Power- not sure on lit. translation) aridhol = ??? (a city of the second covenant) asa = you asha'man = guardian(s) (probably lit. "sword-blade"; see ashan, man) ashan = sword ashandarei = lit. sword-spear (Mat's weapon of choice) asmodean = ??? (contraction of real name?) aso = it atha = person atha'an = people (see atha, an, atha'an miere, tuatha'an) aven = call avende = tree avendesora = Tree of Life avendoraldera = Cutting/Sapling of Tree of Life ayende = freedom /or/ release B baijan = attack bajad = ??? (see bajad drovja) balthamel = ??? (a Forsaken) be'lal = ??? (a Forsaken) bekkar = blood C ca= do ca'lyet = do come cab = free caba = horse caba'donde = a horse to ride caba'drin = horsemen /or/ cavalry caballien = free man cadin = clothes cadin'sor = working clothes cair = golden cal = red caldazar = red eagle calhar = red hand calichniye = welcome callandor = the sword that is not a sword (unsure on lit. translation) car = chief car'a'carn = Chief of Chiefs carai = for the honor of carn = chiefs carneira = first (In the Borderlands, this word aquired the meaning of First Lover) cha = talon chalinda = sweet girl choss = ??? con = banner concion = summons conde = ??? (see sha'mad conde) conje = type of needle cor = night Corenne = The Return corenne = return cour = trap cour'souvra = mind trap cova = owner /or/ one who owns covale = owned /or/ property cuande = ??? cue = heart (the body organ) Cuebiyar = the Heart (as in the heart of a people or nation- spirit, morale) cuebiyar = heart /or/ my heart (the spirit or soul) cuebiyari = hearts cuendillar = heartstone cueran = ??? cyndane = last chance D d'ma = of the da = one who is da'covale = one who is owned (slave) da'es = great (possibly lit. "one who is all"; see da'es daemar) da'shain = peaceful one da'tsang = despised one dadaranell = ??? (see phrase "mafal dadaranell") daemar = game (see da'es daemar) daghain = fear dai = battle daien = ??? (type of dancer) Daishar = Glory dal = bowl dam = leash damane = leashed one daori = long cord of woven hair (unsure of lit. translation) dar = ??? (see Muad'drin tia dar allende caba'drin rhadiem) dar = sister darei = spears dareis = spear dazar = eagle de = sun (see Carai al ellisande) demandred = ??? (a Forsaken) der = (adj.) master /or/ experienced der'morat = master handler der'sul'dam = master leash holder Deyenieye = Majesty dieb = wind din = brother(s) diynen = sounder diynen'd'ma'purvene = sounder of the horn do = over domashita = warms domorakoshi = language don = ??? (see tarmon gai'don) donde = to ride doon = black dor = red dore = dancer dornat = (a hunting creature - unsure of lit. translation) dovie = (related to luck - unsure of lit. translation) (see dovie'andi, dovienya) dovie'andi = dice dovienya = luck drelle = river of drin = soldiers drovja = ??? (see bajad drovja) duadhe = water duente = holds dyu = by E e = and ellis = rose (see Carai al ellisande) ellisande = rose of the sun (see Carai al ellisande) en = (pluralization) (see jeade'en, shae'en m'taal, Note 2) era = blue es = all (see da'es daemar and Aes Sedai ) F faile = falcon far = of /or/ for G ga = is gai = battle gai'don = ??? (something to do with battle; see tarmon gai'don) gai'shain = pledged to peace in battle gaidin = lit. battle brother (warder) gavane = what graendal = ??? (a Forsaken) H hadori = braided leather ribbon worn on the forehead (unsure lit. translation) hailene = forerunners hama = mountain har = hand haran = hand of hei = always I in ?= (pluralization) (see Note 2) inde = no /or/ not iro = we isain = is isainde = isn't isha = betrayer ishamael = betrayer of hope (a Forsaken) (see isha, mael) J je = sharp point /or/ edge jeade = ??? (unsure lit. translation- contraction of jenn and something) (see jeade'en) jeade'en = true finder jegal = (a scaled animal) jenn = true /or/ truly jhin = ??? (see so'jhin) ji = honor K kardon = (green skined fruit from a leafless spiny plant) ki'sain = ??? (those who remembered Malkier, signifying themselves by wearing a painted dot on their face) kiserai = glory kjasic = ??? (expletive) ko'di = the oneness kodome = here L lanfear = daughter of the night (a forsaken) logoth = waiting los = (v.) forward lyet = come M M'Hael = leader (see Note 4) m'taal = stone ma = (contraction) (see ma'vron) ma'vron = watchers (see a'vron and Note 4) machin = ??? (see machin shin) mad = ??? (see sha'mad conde) mael = hope mafal = ??? (see mafal dadaranell) mahdi = seeker mahdi'in = seekers mai = maiden(s) man = (rel. to sword or blade) mandarb = blade manetheren = mountain home manetherendrelle = waters of the mountian home manshima = sword maral = ??? (see ta'maral'ailen) marath = those who must be marath'damane = those who must be leashed mashadar = (creature in Shadar Logoth) mashiara = beloved of heart /or/ love lost mera = (suffix meaning without) mera'din = the Brotherless mesaana = ??? (a Forsaken) mi = my mia = my mia'cova = my owner miere = sea /or/ ocean (see atha'an miere and Do miere a'vron) misain = am moghedien = spider (a forsaken) morat = handler (as in a handler of beasts) mordero = death Moridin = the grave (ie. Death) moridin = a grave or tomb mosiev = downcast /or/ lowered muad = foot muad'drin = foot soldiers muaghde = meat N n'dore = dancers nai = knife nar'baha = fool box (this is probably not lit., but I am unsure as to lit. translation.) ni = ??? (see Kodome calichniye ga ni Aes Sedai hei) niende = lost niente = your niento = your no = me no'ri = (strategy game, now called "stones") nor = slicer /or/ cutter nosane = speak O oosquai = whiskey (or some alcoholic drink) ordieth = wormwood P pas = none purvene = horn R rahein = dawn rahvin = ??? (a Forsaken) rhadiem = prepare (see Muad'drin tia dar allende caba'drin rhadiem) rhyagelle = those who come home S sa = 1. superlative prefix. 2. in sa'angreal = (very strong Power focal object- unsure lit. translation) sa'sara = (very "infamous" dance- unsure lit. interpretation. See sa, sara) saa = ??? (black flecks in eyes- result of channeling True Power) sag = time sagain = it is time sai = ??? (related to Power- unsure lit. interpretation) saidar = female half of the One Power saidin = male half of the One Power sam = destroyer sammael = destroyer of hope (a Forsaken) (see sam, mael) sar = she sara = dance se = to (infinitive indicator) sedai = servant segade = cactus sei = eye(s) sei'cair = goldeneye sei'mosiev = "lowered eyes" /or/ "downcast eyes" (one who has lost honor) sei'taer = "straight eyes" /or/ "level eyes" (one who has gained honor) seia = eyes seiera = blue-eye semirhage = ??? (a forsaken) sene = like /or/ as serenla = stubborn daughter sha = ??? (see sha'mad conde) sha'je = ??? (type of dueling sport- unsure lit. translation) sha'mad = ??? (see sha'mad conde) sha'rah = (a strategy game) shadar = shadow shae = dog shae'en = dogs shai'tan = the Dark One (possibly lit.) shaidar = dark shaiel = she who is dedicated shain = peace shambayan = chamberlain shan = lord shar = blood (see tai'shar) shari = bloods (plural of "shar") shatayan = chatelaine (mistress of a manor) shen = band (group) shoufa = dustveil siedre = the Way of the Leaf sin = he siswai = spears siswai'aman = spears of the dragon so = ??? (see so'jhin) so'jhin = a height among lowness (the hereditary upper servants of Seanchan) sofar = ??? sor = working sora = life sorda = rat sorei = runner(s) souvra = mind souvraya = my own mind sovin = hands sovya = another staera = (copper scraping stick) sul = holder sul'dam = leash holder suravye = ??? (see Suravye ninto manshima taishite) sursa = chopsticks T t'mat = tomato ta = (related to Pattern) ta'maral'ailen = web of destiny ta'veren = (focal point of Pattern) taal = ??? (see m'taal) taer = straight /or/ raised (up) tai = true (see tai'shar) Tai'daishar = Lord of Glory tai'shar = true blood tain = (probably a more important form of tai) taishite = ??? (see Suravye ninto manshima taishite) tar = ??? (see tar valon) tarmon = ??? (see tarmon gai'don) tcheran = (a strategy game) tel'aran'rhiod = world of dreams /or/ unseen world ter = ??? (see ter'angreal) ter'angreal = (a director of the Power) ti = (prep.) to tia = (prep.) to toh = obligation /or/ duty tovya = roll tsag = ??? (expletive) tsorovan = storm tuatha = (contraction involving atha) tuatha'an = the Traveling People V vadin = bar /or/ barrier val = guard valdar = ??? (rel. to val- unsure lit. translation) valon = guard veren = ??? (see ta'veren) vron = watcher(s) W Wansho = Builders (ie. the Ogier) Y ye = I Z zemai = maize or corn Notes Note 1. "Ain", "misain", and "isain" are all conjugations of "to be." Note 2. -n, -i, -an, -en, and -in are all pluralization modifiers. Note 3. -da and -sa are superlative modifiers. Note 4. "M-" seems to be an indicator of increased importance, as in "Ma'vron" and "M'Hael". Phrases Aes Sedai = Servant of all This is probably literally "of all, servant." Thus "aes" would mean "to all" and be a contraction of "a" ("of") and "es" ("all"). "Sedai" is then "servant." Aethan dor = Red shields (An aiel warrior society) The "-n" suffix indicates pluralization, thus "aethan" is "shields" and "dor" is another word for "red" in addition to "cal". Al caldazar = The Red Eagle (The sign of Manetheren) "Cal" means "red" and "dazar" means "eagle". Al ellisande = The Rose of the Sun (The sign for Aemon's wife, Eldrene) "Ellisande" means "rose of the sun", but I am unsure of the literal translation. (see Carai al ellisande) Alcair dal = The golden bowl (An aiel meeting place) Word for word translation. "Cair" means "golden" and "dal" means "bowl". Atha'an miere = The sea folk Literally "people of the sea". "Atha'an" is plural, meaning "people", and "miere" means "sea". Bajad drovja = ??? This is an expletive of some sort, but no words cross-reference. Caballien misain ye = I am a free man It has been suggested that "caballien" is a contraction of "caba" ("horse") and "allein" ("man") meaning "horseman". The use of it as "free man" then becomes a cultural thing. This avoids the creation of the "cab" meaning "free". "Misain" means "am" and "ye" means "I". Carai an caldazar = For the honor of the Red Eagle "Carai" means "honor", "an" is a preposition, in this case "of", "cal" means "red", and "dazar" is "eagle". Carai al ellisande = For the honor of the Rose of the Sun "Carai" means "honor", "al" is a preposition, in this case "of", "ellisande" means "rose of the sun", but I am unsure of how this word is divided. My guess is that "ellis" means "rose", and "de" is "sun", with the "an" in the middle serving as "of the" (see an), but this is pure speculation with no cross-referencing words. Cor darei = Night spears (An Aiel warrior society) "Cor" means "night" and "darei" is "spears". Da'es daemar = The great game /or/ The game of houses Literal translation of this word is uncertain. We have "da", one who is, from da'shain, da'tsang, and da'covale. "Es" is probably all, from Aes Sedai(a + es = of all). Then, if "daemar" is game, we have "the game that is all" or something like that, which is not far from "the great game." Da'shain aiel = lit. one who is dedicated to peace (original name for the Aiel) "Da'shain" means "peaceful one" or something similar, since "da" is a "one who is" and "shain" means "peace". "Aiel" means "dedicated". Dai shan = Battle lord "Dai" means "battle" and "shan" means "lord". Deyeneiye, dyu ninte concion ca'lyet ye = Majesty, by your summons do I come Translation is almost word for word. "Deyeneiye" means "majesty", "dyu" means "by", "ninte" means "your", "concion" is "summons", "ca'lyet" means "do come" with "ca" meaning "do" and "lyet" meaning "come", and "ye" means "I". Do miere a'vron = The watchers over the waves Probably literally translated "over waves (ocean), watchers". "Do" means "over", "miere" means "ocean/sea" (the definition "waves" used here is most likely a colloquialism), and "a'vron" means "watchers". Dovie'andi se tovya sagain = It's time to roll the dice Following normal sentence order, this phrase is literally "Dice to roll time it is". "Dovie'andi" means "dice". "Se" is "to" - an infinitive indicator. "Tovya" means "roll". "Sag" is "time" and "ain" means "is". Duadhe mahdi'in = Water seekers (An Aiel warrior society) "Duadhe" means "water" and "mahdi'in" is the pluralization of "mahdi" which means "seeker". Far aldazar din = Brothers of the eagle (An Aiel warrior society) Literally "of the eagles, brother". "Far" means "of", "dazar" is "eagle", and "din" means "brothers". Far Dareis mai = Maidens of the spear (The Aiel female warrior society) Literally "of the spear, maidens". "Far" means "of", "dareis" is "spear", and "mai" means "maidens". Hama n'dore = Mountain dancers (An Aiel warrior society) The "-n" pluralization means "n'dore" is "dancers", which makes "hama" mean "mountain". Inde muaghde Aes Sedai misain ye = I am no Aes Sedai meat Probably literally "No Aes Sedai meat am I". "Inde" means "no"- or a general negation. "Muaghde" means "meat", "misain" means "am", and "ye" means "I". Jenn aiel = Truly dedicated (The name for the "tribe" of Aiel who built Rhuidean.) "Jenn" means "true" or "truly" and "aiel" means "dedicated". Kiserai ti Wansho = Glory to the Builders "Kiserai" means "glory", "ti" means "to", and "Wansho" is "Builders". Kodome calichniye ga ni Aes Sedai hei = Here is always a welcome for Aes Sedai Literally, this is translated "Here welcome is for Aes Sedai always". "Kodome" means "here", calichniye" is "welcome", "ga" means "is", "ni" means "for", and "hei" is "always". However, this is a phrase from The Eye of the World and so the word order and the words are not standard. The "ga" verb is not related to the "ain" family of "to be" verbs. If this phrase were in standard form, it would read something like: "Calichniye ni Aes Sedai kodome ain hei". Los caba'drin = Forward horsemen/calvary "Los" means "forward", "caba" is "horse", and "drin" means "soldiers". Los Valdar Cuebiyari = Forward Heart Guard "Los" means "forward", "valdar" is "guard", and "cuebiyari" means "heart". Machin Shin = The Black Wind No idea on word order. Most likely not lit. Mafal dadaranell = old name for Fal Dara. No idea on any word. Mia ayende, Aes Sedai = My freedom, Aes Sedai "Mia" means "my" and "ayende" is "freedom" or "release". Mia dovienya nesodhin soende = ??? "Mia" means "my" and "dovienya" is "luck", but the other words are unkown. In normal sentence order, "nesodhin" is the verb and "soende" is the subject. (Mat says that this sounded like a "fervent wish".) Mordero daghain pas duente cuebiyari = Death fear none holds my heart. Translation is word for word. I think this is supposed to read "No fear of Death holds my heart" in English, but I'm not positive. Muad'drin tia dar allende caba'drin rhadiem = Footmen prepare to pass calvary forward This one is almost pure speculation. Probably literally "Foot soldiers to pass forward, cavalry prepare". "Muad'drin" means "foot soldiers", "tia" means "to", and "dar" is "pass". "Allende" most likely means "forward", but since the word "los" means "forward" also, my guess is that "allende" is an adjective and "los" is a verb; there is little basis for this assumption, "Caba'drin" is "cavalry" and "rhadiem" means "prepare". However, based on the book's translation, this is not in standard word order- even though it is from The Dragon Reborn. It should probably read "Tia dar caba'drin allende rhadiem muad'drin" ("To pass cavalry forward, prepare footmen"). Ninte calichniye no domashita = Your welcome warms me Literally "Your welcome me warms". "Ninte" means "your", "calichniye" is "welcome", "no" means "me", and "domashita" is "warms". This is another phrase from tEotW, so again it is non-standard (Pred-Verb-Subj) word order. It should probably read "No domashita ninte calichniye" ("Me warms your welcome"). Nosane iro gavane domorakoshi, Dinyan'd'ma'purvene? = Speak we what language, Sounder of the Horn? Translation is word for word. "Nosane" means "speak", "iro" means "we", "gavane" is "what", and "domorakoshi" is "language". My guess on "Dinyan'd'ma'purvene" is that "d'ma" is "of the", with "Dinyan" being "Sounder" and "purvene" meaning "horn", in this case, the Horn of Valere. "D'ma" is, however, the third seperate word translating to "of the", and it is unrelated to the other two ("an" and "al") Rahien sorei = Dawn runners (An Aiel warrior society) "Rahien" means "dawn" and "sorei" is "runners". Sa souvraya niende misain ye = I am lost in my own mind Literally "In my own mind lost am I". "Sa" means "in", "souvraya" is "my mind", "niende" means "lost", "misain" means "am", and "ye" means "I". Seia doon = Black eyes (An Aiel warrior society) "Seia" means "eyes" and "doon" is "black". Sene sovya caba'donde ain dovienya = Luck is a horse to ride like any other Literally "Like another horse to ride is luck". "Sene" means "like/as", "sovya" is "another", "caba" means "horse", "donde" is "to ride", "ain" means "is", and "dovienya" is "luck". Shaidar haran = Hand of the dark "Shaidar" means "dark", and "haran" is "hand of". Sha'mad conde = Thunder walkers (An Aiel warrior society) Unsure of literal translation. Shadar logoth = Shadow's waiting "Shadar" means "shadow" and "logoth" means "waiting". I am unsure as to whether "waiting" is in this case a verb or a noun (ie. waiting place). Shae'en m'taal = Stone dogs Because of the "-en" modifier, "shae'en" means "dogs" and "m'taal" is "stone". Shen an calhar = The band of the red hand "Shen" means "band", "an" means "of the", "cal" is "red", and "har" is "hand". Sovin nai = Knife hands (An Aiel warrior society) "Sovin" is "hands" and "nai" means "knife". Suravye ninto manshima taishite = Peace favor your sword I am unsure of the literal translation. "Ninto" means "your" and "manshima" probably means "sword" because it is related to "mandarb" (which means "blade"). However, the sentence structure is non-standard, so I am not sure what the other two words mean. Tain shari = True bloods (An Aiel warrior society) "Tain" is a more important form of the word "tai", but still literally means "true". "Shari" means "bloods". Tar Valon = Tower guard "Valon" is related to "val" so it probably means "guard". "Tar" would then mean "tower". Tarmon gaidon = The last battle "Gai" means "battle" which would seem to imply that "tarmon" means "last". However, "last battle" may not be (and probably isn't) a correct literal translation. Tia avende alantin = Brother to the trees Probably literally "To the tree, brother". "Tia" means "to", "avende" is "tree", and "alantin" is brother. I have a few problems with this phrase. Firstly, refer to "Far aldazar din" and "Far dareis mai" and you see that "tia" is probably not the correct way to begin this phrase. Secondly, "alantin" (which is definately "brother"- ie. it is the term by which Lanfear called Loial in The Great Hunt) is probably closer to "a friend as close as a brother" since the word "din" also means "brother". This is pure speculation though. Tia mi aven Moridin isainde vadin = The grave is no bar to my call Probably literally "To my call, Death isn't bar". "Tia" means "to", "mi" means "my", "aven" is "call", "Moridin" means "Death", "isainde" means "isn't", and "vadin" is "bar" or "barrier". This phrase is from tEotW and is not in the standard word order. In the *Pred-Verb-Subj* order, this would read "To my call, Bar isn't death". However, this is obviously wrong because Mr. Jordan himself has said "Moridin" is "Death". Thus "vadin" has to mean "bar". If correct, the sentence would be "Tia mi aven vadin isainde Moridin". Valdar cuebiyari = Heart guard "Valdar" means "guard" and "cuebiyari" means "heart". I am sure there are numerous errors in this document. If you find one of these errors or can help me translate any of the words marked "???" please email me and let me know. Also, if you disgree with any of the speculations, please let me know which ones and why. I am always open to any suggestion which will improve this work. Thanks. |