Dunmeri-Language
Bold: canon Dunmeri word
Italics: fanmade word or translation, but rooted in canon
Default formatting: fanmade Dunmeri word
Generic vocabulary
| Word | Translation | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ald | old | MW dialogue | (2) |
| amur | |||
| armun | |||
| an | |||
| baan | black | TR | |
| bal | stone | MW dialogue | |
| chuzei | |||
| camina | new | (1) | |
| camonna | ancient | (1) | |
| card | ancestors | MW savant dialogue | literally: “undeparted kin-wardens” |
| cardruhn | ancestral tomb | MW savant dialogue | |
| dal | mountain | SLB | |
| dan | land | ||
| dun | dark | ||
| enamor | |||
| gah | great | MW dialogue | Redoran craft gah-julan bonemold armor |
| ge | star | ||
| gnaar | coast | SLB | |
| gor | worm | MD | because of Goris the Maggot King |
| goros | kwama loaf | MD | forager cooked along with its partially-ingested food (4) |
| guhn | district | SLB | |
| gur | vegetation | ||
| guradan | greenland | ||
| isra | row | MW dialogue | location name: Bal Isra |
| julan | benefit | MW dialogue | Redoran craft gah-julan bonemold armor |
| kena | scholar | also functions as a form of address | |
| krag | TR | Kragen Mar; krage bonemold | |
| kogo | unbreakable | ||
| malur | light | TR | |
| mar | |||
| marad | |||
| morag | forester | ||
| moriche | Chimer | (3) | |
| musa | MD, name by Cors? | drink - fermented beetle juice, from scuttle | |
| nammu | no name | ||
| oad | |||
| ouada | TR | ||
| ouda | river | ||
| ouaka | TR | ||
| oyra | TR | ||
| rhun | TR | ||
| ruhn | home, hearth-hall | MW savant dialogue | |
| sadrith | mushroom | ||
| sal | |||
| saliche | High Elves | (3) | |
| sar-shemad | tainted | (1) | |
| sunna | blessed | ||
| tel | tower | MW dialogue | |
| thul | wind | SLB | |
| tong | guild | ||
| val | camp | SLB | |
| yan | young | MD |
(1) source unknown
(2) Ald seems to be related to Redoran, as seen in Ald’Ruhn, Ald Velothi, or Ald Redaynia (however, not exclusively - compare: Ald Sotha, Ald Daedroth).
Bluttier’s thoughts on it: war with the infidels…I mean nords and Cyrodiils makes them appreciate when a stronghold lasts a long time. It means that it can stand on it’s own and is worth fighting for.
MD’s thoughts on it: maybe it’s referring less to the city and more to a concept. “Old Home” respects the ancestral lands of the Redoran by naming it old home even though it is the new seat of power. “Old Velothi”and “Old Resdayn” both honor the old concepts of the Velothi people and Resdayn.
(3) Interview with the Skeleton Man
(4) MD: It’s a smorgasbord of whatever the forager had ingested to bring back to the colony. So it stuffs itself and dunmer catch the slow-moving worm and cook it up with some seasoning. - so a lot of veggies and some miscellaneous meats - that’s why it’s a cheap food
Words related to fire
| Word | Translation | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| foy | lava | ||
| foyada | fire river | refers to the “dry” channel; note: Ashlander term | |
| molag | fire | refers to fire of volcanic origin |
Forms of address, insults, and colloquial exclamations
| Word | Translation | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| b’vek | by the gods! | MW book: The Horror of Castle Xyr | informal exclamation of surprise; contraction of “by Vivec!“ |
| fetcher | fucker | MW dialogue | generic insult; rude but milder than n'wah |
| f’lah | native | MW dialogue | an informal form of address; can be friendly(You look like a f'lah who knows his way around, eh?), neutral (it's smart to get on a f'lah's good side), or mildly insulting(scran, f'lah) depending on the context |
| kena | scholar | MW books: The Horror of Castle Xyr, Poison Song | used to address scholars, mages, tutors; also functions as a generic word |
| khan | leader, chief | MW dialogue | |
| mehra | priest, priestess | (1) | literally: “father”, “mother” |
| muthsera | MW dialogue | a term of respect used mainly towards Dunmer of high status; also often used by slaves to address their masters (2) | |
| nchow | damn, dammit, curses | MW books: The Four Suitors of Benitah, Smuggler's Island | a vulgar exclamation |
| n’wah | slave, foreginer | MW dialogue | impolite for outlanders, extremely insulting to native Dunmer |
| sedura | MW books: The Four Suitors of Benitah, The Marksmanship Lesson | ||
| sera | MW dialogue | a generic term of respect, used to politely address both Dunmer and outlanders | |
| serjo | MW dialogue and books | a term of high respect, used to address Great House nobles, especially councilors | |
| s’wit | idiot, moron, half-wit | MW dialogue |
(1) source unknown
(2) source: Argonian and Khajiit Hello topic (voiced dialogue); in vanilla game, most of it is not filtered for class=slave, but it seems strange that those two particular races had it assigned
RFD’s note: I believe that instead of one list like this with stuff being split later, it would be best to use a common list:
—if a not-fully-canon word/translation is canon-derived, also include that in notes along with direct source (Sha- from Shashpilamat, etc.)
—thin column for A/Y note (Ald-Dunmeri/Yan’Dunmeri)
Where to get existing stuff?
—game files, obv
—MD’s notes
—TR
—existing Dunmeri language notes - would need very careful picking
—Safebox’ mod