ON THE ORIGIN OF NAMES:
To the casual observer, the various names an intrepid traveler will encounter throughout Alagaësia might seem but a random collection of labels with no inherent integrity, culture, or history. However, as with any land that different cultures—and in this case, different species—have repeatedly colonized, Alagaësia acquired names from a wide array of unique sources, among them the languages of the dwarves, elves, humans, and even Urgals. Thus, we can have Palancar Valley (a human name), the Anora River and Ristvak’baen (elven names), and Utgard Mountain (a dwarf name) all within a few square miles of each other.
While this is of great historical interest, practically it often leads to confusion as to the correct pronunciation. Unfortunately, there are no set rules for the neophyte. Each name must be learned upon its own terms, unless you can immediately place its language of origin. The matter grows even more confusing when you realize that in many places the spelling and pronunciation of foreign words were altered by the resident population to conform to their own language. The Anora River is a prime example. Originally anora was spelled äenora, which means broad in the ancient language. In their writings, the humans simplified the word to anora, and this, combined with a vowel shift wherein äe (ay-eh) was said as the easier a (uh), created the name as it appears in Eragon’s time.
To spare readers as much difficulty as possible, the following list is provided, with the understanding that these are only rough guidelines to the actual pronunciation. The enthusiast is encouraged to study the source languages in order to master their true intricacies.
PRONUNCIATION:
Aiedail—AY-uh-dale
Ajihad—AH-zhi-hod
Alagaësia—al-uh-GAY-zee-uh
Arya—AR-ee-uh
Carvahall—CAR-vuh-hall
Dras-Leona—DRAHS lee-OH-nuh
Du Weldenvarden—doo WELL-den-VAR-den
Ellesméra—el-uhs-MEER-uh
Eragon—EHR-uh-gahn
Farthen Dûr—FAR-then DURE (dure rhymes with lure)
Galbatorix—gal-buh-TOR-icks
Gil’ead—GILL-ee-id
Glaedr—GLAY-dur
Hrothgar—HROTH-gar
Islanzadí—iss-lan-ZAH-dee
Jeod—JODE (rhymes with code)
Murtagh—MUR-tag (mur rhymes with purr)
Nasuada—nah-soo-AH-duh
Nolfavrell—NOLL-fah-vrel (noll rhymes with toll)
Oromis—OR-uh-miss
Ra’zac—RAA-zack
Saphira—suh-FEAR-uh
Shruikan—SHREW-kin
Sílthrim—SEAL-thrim (síl is a hard sound to transcribe; it’s made by flicking the tip of the tongue off the roof of the mouth.)
Teirm—TEERM
Trianna—TREE-ah-nuh
Tronjheim—TRONJ-heem
Urû’baen—OO-roo-bane
Vrael—VRAIL
Yazuac—YAA-zoo-ack
Zar’roc—ZAR-rock
THE ANCIENT LANGUAGE:
adurna—water
Agaetí Blödhren—Blood-oath Celebration
Aiedail—The Morning Star
Argetlam—Silver Hand
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.
Atra guliä un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waíse skölir fra rauthr.—May luck and happiness follow you and may you be a shield from misfortune.
Atra nosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya.—Let us be warded from listeners.
blöthr—halt; stop
Brakka du vanyalí sem huildar Saphira un eka!—Reduce the magic that holds Saphira and me!
brisingr—fire
Dagshelgr—Hallowed Day
draumr kópa—dream stare
Du Fells Nángoröth—The Blasted Mountains
Du Fyrn Skulblaka—The Dragon War
Du Völlar Eldrvarya—The Burning Plains
Du Vrangr Gata—The Wandering Path
Du Weldenvarden—The Guarding Forest
dvergar—dwarves
ebrithil—master
edur—a tor or prominence
Eka fricai un Shur’tugal.—I am a Rider and friend.
elda—a gender-neutral honorific of great praise
Eyddr eyreya onr!—Empty your ears!
fairth—a picture taken by magical means
finiarel—an honorific for a young man of great promise
Fricai Andlát—death friend (a poisonous mushroom)
Gala O Wyrda brunhvitr/Abr Berundal vandr-fódhr/Burthro laufsblädar ekar undir/Eom kona dauthleikr …—Sing O white-browed Fate/Of ill-marked Berundal/Born under oaken leaves/To mortal woman …
gánga aptr—to go backward
gánga fram—to go forward
Gath sem oro un lam iet.—Unite that arrow with my hand.
gedwëy ignasia—shining palm
Gëuloth du knífr.—Dull the knife.
haldthin—thornapple
Helgrind—The Gates of Death
hlaupa—run
hljödhr—silent
jierda—break; hit
kodthr—catch
Kvetha Fricai.—Greetings, Friend.
lethrblaka—a bat; the Ra’zac’s mounts (literally, leather-flapper)
letta—stop
Letta orya thorna!—Stop those arrows!
Liduen Kvaedhí—Poetic Script
Losna kalfya iet.—Release my calves.
malthinae—to bind or hold in place; confine
nalgask—a mixture of beeswax and hazelnut oil used to moisten the skin
Osthato Chetowä—the Mourning Sage
Reisa du adurna.—Raise/Lift the water.
rïsa—rise
Sé mor’ranr ono finna.—May you find peace.
Sé onr sverdar sitja hvass!—May your swords stay sharp!
Sé orúm thornessa hávr sharjalví lífs.—May this serpent have life’s movement.
skölir—shield
Skölir nosu fra brisingr!—Shield us from fire!
sköliro—shielded
skulblaka—dragon (literally, scale-flapper)
Stydja unin mor’ranr, Hrothgar Könungr.—Rest in peace, King Hrothgar.
svit-kona—a formal honorific for an elf woman of great wisdom
thrysta—thrust; compress
Thrysta vindr.—Compress the air.
Togira Ikonoka—the Cripple Who Is Whole
the Varden—the Warders
Vel eïnradhin iet ai Shur’tugal.—Upon my word as a Rider.
Vinr Älfakyn—Elf Friend
vodhr—a male honorific of middling praise
vor—a male honorific for a close friend
Waíse heill.—Be healed.
Wiol ono.—For you.
wyrda—fate
Wyrdfell—elven name for the Forsworn
yawë—a bond of trust
zar’roc—misery
Akh sartos oen dûrgrimst!—For family and clan!
Ascûdgamln—fists of steel
Astim Hefthyn—Sight Guard (inscription on a necklace given to Eragon)
Az Ragni—The River
Az Sweldn rak Anhûin—The Tears of Anhûin
Azt jok jordn rast.—Then you may pass.
barzûl—to curse someone with ill fate
Barzûl knurlar!—Curse them!
barzûln—to curse someone with multiple misfortunes
Beor—cave bear (elf word)
dûrgrimst—clan (literally, our hall/home)
eta—no
Etzil nithgech!—Stop there!
Farthen Dûr—Our Father
Feldûnost—frostbeard (a species of goat native to the Beor Mountains)
Formv Hrethcarach … formv Jurgencarmeitder nos eta goroth bahst Tarnag, dûr ensesti rak kythn! Jok is warrev az barzûlegûr dûr dûrgrimst, Az Sweldn rak Anhûin, môgh tor rak Jurgenvren? Né ûdim etal os rast knurlag. Knurlag ana …—This Shadeslayer … this Dragon Rider has no place in Tarnag, our holiest of cities! Do you forget the curse our clan, The Tears of Anhûin, bears from the Dragon War? We will not let him pass. He is …
grimstborith—clan chief
grimstcarvlorss—arranger of the house
Gûntera Arûna—Gûntera Bless
Hert dûrgrimst? Fild rastn?—What clan? Who passes?
hírna—likeness; statue
hûthvír—double-bladed staff weapon used by Dûrgrimst Quan
Ignh az voth!—Bring the food!
Ilf gauhnith.—A peculiar dwarf expression that means “It is safe and good.” Commonly uttered by the host of a meal, it is a holdover from days when poisoning of guests was prevalent among the clans.
Ingeitum—fire workers; smiths
Isidar Mithrim—Star Rose
Jok is frekk dûrgrimstvren?—Do you want a clan war?
knurl—stone; rock
knurla—dwarf (literally, one of stone)
Knurlag qana qirânû Dûrgrimst Ingeitum! Qarzûl ana Hrothgar oen volfild—He was made a member of Clan Ingeitum! Cursed is Hrothgar and all who—
knurlagn—men
Knurlhiem—Stonehead
Knurlnien—Heart of Stone
Nagra—giant boar, native to the Beor Mountains
oeí—yes; affirmative
Orik Thrifkz menthiv oen Hrethcarach Eragon rak Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. Wharn, az vanyali-carharûg Arya. Né oc Ûndinz grimstbelardn.—Orik, Thrifk’s son, and Shadeslayer Eragon of Clan Ingeitum. Also, the elf-courier Arya. We are Ûndin’s hall-guests.
Os il dom qirânû carn dûr thargen, zeitmen, oen grimst vor formv edaris rak skilfz. Narho is belgond …—Let our flesh, honor, and hall be made as one by this blood of mine. I do pledge …
otho—faith
Ragni Hefthyn—River Guard
Shrrg—giant wolf, native to the Beor Mountains
Smer voth.—Serve the food.
Tronjheim—Helm of Giants
Urzhad—cave bear
vanyali—elf (The dwarves borrowed this word from the ancient language, wherein it means magic.)
Vor Hrothgarz korda!—By Hrothgar’s hammer!
vrron—enough
werg—an exclamation of disgust (the dwarves’ equivalent of ugh)
THE URGAL LANGUAGE:
Ahgrat ukmar.—It is done.
drajl—spawn of maggots
nar—a gender-neutral title of great respect
