[Teresa Edgerton]

A NOTE ON THE NAMES AND LANGUAGES

At the time of the story, most of the world from Phaôrax in the south to Skyrra in the north spoke mutually intelligible dialects of the same language. This was the language of the Empire of Alluinn, a tongue descended from Niadhélen, the Old Tongue, believed to be the first language. While this was also true of most other tongues, the common speech of Alluinn was considered to be the least corrupted of living languages.

Although many of the names in this account are based on the Allunian language, many others arose from more localized tongues, which had fallen into disuse long before. Some of these had been spoken languages only, and though scholars in other lands had recorded a smattering of their words, for the most part these languages were lost. In general, then, names based on these languages (in particular, names in Skyrra, Arkenfell, and Mistlewald) are incapable of translation. It is just possible that the anonymous chronicler who wrote this account, between fifty and a hundred years after the events, knew a few of these meanings,which had been handed down as part of an oral tradition. If so, he must have assumed that his readers knew them, too, for he did not bother to record them.

There were also names in pure (or nearly pure) Niadhélen. Names of this kind were generally given to children born to the wizards on Leal -- such children were often born with magical gifts and went on to study wizardry themselves. And it was also the case that some wizards born elsewhere took Niadhélen names when they were first entered as students at the Scholia. However, this was neither mandatory nor expected, and many chose to retain birth names based on localized tongues.

A GUIDE TO PRONOUNCING THE NAMES OF SOME PRINCIPLE CHARACTERS AND PLACES

Alluinn (al-oo-WIN)

Anerüian (an-eh-ROO-yon)

Apharos (af-FAY-rows)

Camhóinhann (cah-VHOYN-ahn)

Cuillioc (QWILL-ee-ahch)

Dyonas (dye-OH-nahs)

Éireamhóine (AIR-ah-voyhn)

Faolein (FAY-oh-LINE)

Furiádhin (FOO-ree-AHD-in)

Guenloie (gwen-LOW-ee)

Iobhar (EYE-oh-vhar)

Kivik (KIV-ick)

Leal (leel)

Maelor (MAY-lore)

Mistlewald (MIST-el-vahld)

Mirizandi (meer-ah-ZAHN-dee)

Ouriána (oh-ree-ON-ah)

Phaôrax (FAY-oh-racks)

Ristil (RIZ-till)

Ruan (rune)

Sindérian (sin-DAY-ree-on)

Skerry (rhymes with ferry)

Thäerie (THAY-ree)

Xanthipei (zahn-thip-EYE)





©2007 Teresa Edgerton