Alagaesia: Ancient Language

The Ancient Language was once a language of all beings in Alagaësia, but was later used only by the elves and some humans, as well as the dwarves in the crowning of their king. It was the language of the Grey Folk but then, somehow, they managed to tie their language with magic. It was used to command and regulate magic. Each act of magic was linked to a specific word; therefore, it was generally true that the more knowledge one had of the Ancient Language, the more magic they could perform. It was also possible for experienced magicians to utilize Non-verbal manipulation, although this was extremely dangerous.

It was impossible to lie in the Ancient Language because words spoken in the language were unquestionably true. Although it was said that the elves were masters at saying one thing and meaning another (for example, the swordsmith, Rhunön, said she would never make another weapon but made one through Eragon). Because of the candid nature of the language, oaths of allegiance and similar contracts were usually conducted in it, ensuring they would not be broken, though they could be twisted to be ineffective if the one who made the oath left enough loopholes in their wording.

Names in the Ancient Language were "true names" and the knowledge of such a title was a source of power and control. The same holds true of the name of the Ancient Language itself: the knowledge of the name allows one to change the meaning of its words. The name was found by Galbatorix, and subsequently used against him in the final struggle against him.

History

The Ancient Language was once spoken by all beings in Alagaësia, with the originators of the language being the Grey Folk. Prior to being intertwined with magic, magic was controlled exclusively by the thoughts of a spell-caster, usually only the elves, with the rare exception on a dragon. This resulted in numerous opportunities for accidents, as a wielder of magic could inadvertently shift their thoughts in the midst of casting a spell, diverting the flow of energy. When Alagaësia was nearly destroyed because of an accidental spell of non-verbal magic, the Grey Folk bound the Ancient Language to the very basis of magic.

The language was forgotten after the departure of the Grey Folk, but was reintroduced when the elves brought it back over the sea from Alalëa. By the time of the Dragon War, it was universally recognized as the elven language, yet could still be spoken among other beings.

Real-world connections

Author Christopher Paolini based the Ancient Language on the languages of the ancient Norse and Celtic peoples. It is not certain which ones he used, however, since his statement on the origin of the name "Galbatorix" says that it is the combination of the Welsh words "galba" - meaning "big" - and "torix" - meaning "king". No such words (or even the letter 'x') exist in the Welsh language. In Paolini's own words:

"When I was writing the first draft for Eragon, I needed to invent a word that meant fire; it was supposed to come from an “ancient language” that is almost always used with magic." (Some very skilled masters of magic can use it without using the language, although risking a stray thought or feeling distorts the results of the spell, which could be deadly.) "Since my parents owned a dictionary of word origins, I pulled it off the shelf and flipped through it. Eventually I found an obscure Old Norse word, brisingr, that meant fire, and because I loved it so much, I decided to base the rest of my language on Old Norse. To find more words, I went online and dug up various Old Norse dictionaries, although I have been known to invent a word now and then when the story requires it! As far as the grammar and pronunciation of my “ancient language” go, they bear absolutely no resemblance to Old Norse as I wanted to give it my own twist."

Many have criticized the Ancient Language, however, maintaining that it consists mostly of Old Norse words replacing English words in a sentence. The Ancient Language is almost translated to fit the semantic meaning of each English word exactly. The language when used by elves contains a number of suffixes to identify social standing, similar to Japanese honorifics.
Christopher Paolini has cited Ursula Le. Guinn's Earthsea books as "inspiration," so he probably got the idea of true names for people and things from there. (The language of Ged - the protagonist in Earthsea - and his race, has this same property like the Ancient Language).

Translations

Ancient Language to English

Words

Ancient Language	English
abr	of
ach	do, does
adurna	water
agaetí	celebration
aí	a
Aiedail	The Morning Star
älfa	elf
älfr	he
älfrinn	she
andlát	death
aptr	backward
arget	silver
Argetlam	Silver Hand
äenora	broad
atra	may, let
beorn	bear
bjart	bright
Bjartskular	Brightscales (an honorific for a dragon)
blaka	flap/flapper
blödh	blood
Blödhgarm	Blood-wolf
blödhren	blood-oath
blöthr	halt, stop
böetk	broad
böllr	a round object, an orb
brakka	reduce
breoal	family, house
brisingr	fire
brun	brow
brunhvitr	white-browed
burthr	birth
burthro	born (past tense of birth)
celöbra	honor
celöbreya	honors
Dagshelgr	Hallowed Day
dag	day
datia	mists
dauth	death
dauthleikr	mortal
deloi	earth
delois	a green-leafed plant with purple flowers
deyja	die
domia	dominance
dras	city
draumr	dream
Drottning	Queen
Drottningu	Princess (Not the exact translation according to Arya)
du	the
dvergr	Dwarf (plural. dvergar)
ebrithil	master
einradhin	v. resolved
Edoc'sil	unconquerable
edur	a tor, prominence
eitha	go, leave
ekar	oaken
eka	I, me
Elda	gender-neutral honorific of great praise
eldrvarya	burning
eld hórnya	listeners
eld jeirda	breaker
eld moi	changer
Eldunarí	heart of hearts
eom	to
ero	was
er	is
esterni	good fortune
ethgri	invoke
evarínya	stars
eyddr	v. empty
eyreya	ears
fairth	picture (more specifically, a picture taken by magical means)
flauga	fly (v.)
frá	from
fram	forward
fricai	friend plural. fricaya
fells	mountains
fethr	feather
fethrblaka	bird (literally feather-flapper)
Finiarel	an honorific phrase for a young man of great promise
freohr	death
fyrn	war
finna	find
gala	chant, sing, scream, yell, etc.
gánga	go
garjzla	light
garm	wolf
gata	path, passage
gath	v. unite
Gedwëy	shining
geuloth	v. dull
grind	gate
gülia	luck
haldthin	thornapple
haina	harm
heill	heal
helgr	hallowed, sacred
Helgrind	The Gates of Death
hjarta	heart
hlaupa	run
hljödhr	silent
hugin	thought or knowledge
huildr	hold
hvass	sharp
hvitr	white
iet	my (informal)
ignasia	palm
ilia	happy
ilian	happiness
ilumëo	truth
istalri	flame
jierda	break, hit
kalfya	calves
knifr	knife
kvetha	greetings
kveykva	lightning
kvaedhi	script
kvistr	branch
kodthr	catch
kόpa	stare
kona	woman
könungr	king
kyn	kind (as in race, mankind, elfkind, etc.)
lam	hand
laufsbläd	leaf (plural. laufsblädar)
lethr	leather
Lethrblaka	a full-grown Ra'zac (literally leather-flapper), a bat
letta	stop (imperative)
Letta du Bullts!	Stop the bullets!
liduen	poetic
Liduen-Kvaedhi	Poetic Script used by elves to write the Ancient Language
líf	life
lífa	live
lífs	life's
losna	release, loosen
ma'mor	unlock
maela	quiet
malthinae	to bind or hold in place; confine
manin	memory
moi	change
mor'amr	open
mor'ranr	peace
nagz	blanket
nalgask	a mixture of beeswax and hazelnut oil used to moisten the skin
Nángoröth	Blasted
neo	not
nosu	us
nuanen	beautiful
ono	you (Your; onr)
orono	or
hethr	has
oro	arrow, plural. orya
orúm	serpent
pömnuria	my (formal)
rakr	mist
ramr	strong
raudhr	red
rauthr	misfortune
reisa	raise/lift
ren	oath
reona	reaper
rïsa	rise (imperative)
seithr	witch
sé	may
sem	that
Shur'tugal	Dragon Rider (plural. Shur'tugalar)
Silbena	Sighing
sitja	stay
sja	look, looking
skölir	shield (plural skoliar)
sköliro	shielded
skul	scale (plural. skular)
skulblaka	Dragons, scale flapper (literally)
solus	sun
sundavrblaka	The Beast, shadow flapper
slytha	sleep
snalglí	giant snail
stenr	stone
stydja	rest, stay, remain
sundavar	shadows
sverd	sword (plural. sverdar)
Svit-kona	a formal honorific phrase for an elf woman of great wisdom
taka	give
tauthr	follow
taune	take
thelduin	v. rule over, v. reign
thorna	those
thornessa	this
thringa	rain
thrysta	thrust, compress
Togira	cripple
treavam	tree
un	and
unin	in
undir	under
vandr-fodhr	ill-marked
vanta	lack, need
vanyali	magic (elf in dwarvish)
varda	watch over, guard
Varden	The Warders
vardo	warded
vel	easily
ven	sight
vindr	air, wind, twist, compress
vinr	friend
Vinr-Alfakyn	Elf-Friend
vodhr	a male honorific of middling praise
vöndr	a thick, straight stick
vollar	plains, fields, ground
Vor	a male honorific for a close friend
vrangr	wandering, awry
welden	forest
wilae	will
wiol	for
waíse	be
weohnata	will
wyrda	fate
Wyrdfell	elven name for the Forsworn
yawë	a bond of trust
Zar'roc	misery

Phrases

Ancient Language	English
Agaetí Blödhren	Blood-oath Celebration
Ach neo eitha orono ie wilae yauna onr lifa	Do not go or I will take your life.
Aí varden abr du Shur'tugalar gata vanta.	A warden of the Riders lacks passage.
älfr ach thornessa	He does this
älfrinn ero aí koma ramrsja	She was a strong-looking woman.
Atra du evarínya ono varda, Däthedr-vodhr.	May the stars watch over you, honored Däthedr.
Atra esterní ono thelduin, Eragon Shur'tugal.	May good fortune rule over you, Eragon Dragon Rider.
Atra esterní ono thelduin. Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr. Un du evarínya ono varda.	May good fortune rule over you. Peace live in your heart. And the stars watch over you. (an Elven greeting)
Atra gülai un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse skölir frá rauthr.	May luck and happiness follow you and may you be a shield from misfortune. (Eragon's mis-translated blessing)
Atra gülai un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse sköliro frá rauthr.	May luck and happiness follow you and may you be shielded from misfortune.
Atra nosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya.	May we be warded from listeners.
boetq istalri!	Broad fire!
Brakka du vanyali sem huildar Saphira un eka!	Reduce the magic that holds Saphira and me!
Brisingr, iet tauthr.	Fire, follow me.
Brisingr raudhr!	Red fire!
Deloi moi!	Earth, change!
Domia abr Wyrda	Dominance of Fate (book)
Draumr kópa	dream stare (spell for scrying)
Du deloi lunaea.	Smooth the earth/dirt.
Du Fells Nángoröth	The Blasted Mountains
Du Fyrn Skulblaka	The Dragon War (Dragons vs. Elves)
Du grind huildr!	Hold the gate!
Du Namar Auroboda.	The Banishing of the Names.
"Du Silbena Datia"	"The Sighing Mists" (a poem song)
Du Súndavar Freohr	Death of the Shadows
Du Völlar Eldrvarya	The Burning Plains
Du Vrangr Gata	The Wandering Path (literally, The Path Wandering)
Du Weldenvarden	The Guarding Forest
Eka eddyr aí Shur'tugal... Shur'tugal... Argetlam.	I am a Dragon Rider... Dragon Rider... Silver Hand.
Eka aí fricai un Shur'tugal!	I am a Rider and a friend!
Eldhrimmer O Loivissa nuanen, dautr abr deloi/Eldhrimmer nen ono weohnataí medh solus un thringa/Eldhrimmer un fortha onr fëon var/Wiol allr sjon.	Grow O beautiful Loivissa, daughter of the earth/Grow as you would with the sun and rain/Grow and put forth your flower of the spring/For all to see.
Eyddr eyreya onr!	Empty your ears! (deafening spell, most likely irreversible)
Fethrblaka, eka weohnata néiat haina ono. Blaka eom let lam.	Bird, I will not harm you. Flap to my hand.
Fricai Anglát	death friend (a poisonous mushroom)
Fricai onr eka eddyr.	I am your friend.
Gala O Wyrda brunhvitr/Abr Berundal vandr-fodhr/Burthro lausblädar eja undir/Eom kona dauthleikr...	Sing O white-browed Fate/Of ill-marked Berundal/Born under oaken leaves/To mortal woman...
Ganga aptr	Go backward.
Ganga fram	Go forward.
Garjzla, letta!	Light, stop! (same as empty your ears but with one's eyes and getting blinded.)
Gath sem oro un lam iet	Unite that arrow with my hand.
Gath un reisa du rakr!	Unite and raise the mist!
Gedwëy ignasia	shining palm
Gëuloth du knífr!	Dull the Knife!
Jierda theirra kalfis!	Break their calves!
Kuldr, rïsa lam iet un malthinae unin böllr.	Gold, rise to my hand and bind into an orb.
Kvetha Fricaya	Greetings, friend.
Letta orya thorna!	Stop those arrows!
Liduen Kvaedhí	Poetic Script
Losna kalfya iet	Release my calves.
Manin! Wyrda! Hugin!	Memory! Fate! Thought!
Moi stenr!	Stone, change!
Nagz reisa!	Blanket, rise!
Nen ono weohnata, Arya Dröttningu.	As you will, Princess Arya.
Osthato Chetowä	the Mourning Sage
Reisa du adurna.	Raise/Lift the water.
Ristvak'baen	Place of Sorrow (baen—used here in Urû'baen, the capital of the Empire—is always pronounced bane and is an expression of great sadness/grief)
Sé mor'ranr ono finna	May you find peace.
Sé onr sverdar sitja hvass!	May your swords stay sharp! (Note: Sverð, in Icelandic, also means sword, sitja means to sit, and hvass means sharp.)
Sé orúm thornessa hávr sharjalví lífs.	May this serpent have life's movement.
Skölir nosu fra brisingr!	Shield us from fire!
Skulblaka, eka celöbra ono un malabra ono un onr Shur'tugal né haina. Atra nosu waíse fricai.	Dragon, I honor you and mean you and your Rider no harm. Let us be friends.
Stenr reisa!	Raise stone!
Stenr, rïsa!	Stone, rise!
Stydja unin mor'ranr, Hrothgar Könungr.	Rest in peace, King Hrothgar.
Thorta du ilumëo!	Speak the truth!
Thrysta adurna	Compress the water.
Thrysta deloi	Compress the earth.
Thrysta vindr	Compress the air.
Thverr stenr un atra eka hórna!	Traverse stone and let me hear!
Togira Ikonoka	The Cripple Who Is Whole
Tuatha du orothrim	Tempering the fool's wisdom (level in the Riders' training)
Vel eïnradhin iet ai Shur'tugal.	Upon my word as a rider.
Vinr Älfakyn	Elf Friend
Waíse heill!	Be healed!
Waíse neiat!	Be not!
Wiol ono.	For you.
Wiol pömnuria ilian.	For my happiness

All adjectives are used after nouns (ex. 'the strong woman' would literally translate as 'the woman strong').

Connections

By using simple knowledge it is also possible to find out other words in the Ancient Language.
Such as:

Fethrblaka = bird/Feather-flapper

Lethrblaka = Ra'zac's mounts/Leather-Flapper/ bat

Skulblaka = Dragon/Scale-Flapper

So, Fethr means Feather, Lethr means Leather, Skul means Scale, and -blaka means flap.
Also, the word sundablaka—shadowflapper—appears in the Eragon movie.


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