Eldest: Book Two (The Inheritance cycle 2)

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.

Bjartskular—Brightscales

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

THE DWARF LANGUAGE:

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