Thalassian is the primary language of blood elves and high elves.[1] It has both written and spoken equivalents. Individuals who are unfamiliar with the language's proper name may refer to it as high elven.
Like Nazja, Thalassian is derived from the Darnassian language.[1] The elder tongue is almost forgotten.[2] Hence, Thalassian is closely related to Darnassian and there is some overlap between the two languages. Further Darnassian utterances may therefore have been preserved in modern Thalassian.[1]
So far, linguistic scholars have opted to err on the side of caution in documenting Darnassian terms and phrases that are also considered part of the Thalassian language. Certainly this issue, however delicate, merits further research. Nevertheless, addressing a high elf or blood elf with a Darnassian-specific word or phrase can be considered offensive or at the very least rather foolish, and so the speaker must handle the situation with care.[1]
This is one of the four known elven dialects.[3]
Thalassian primer (official translations)
Here are a few common Thalassian phrases and words, for which the translations have been officially confirmed by Blizzard:
- Alar'annalas = Ranger Lord.[4]
- Al diel shala = Safe travels.[1]
- Ama noral'arkhana = Saved by magic. [5]
- Anar'alah = "By the light".[6]
- Anar'alah belore = By the light of the sun.[1]
- Anaria shola = Speak your business.[1]
- Ann'da = Papa.[9]
- Anu belore dela'na = The sun guides us.[1]
- Aranal = Rise. [10]
- Bal'a dash, malanore = Greetings, traveler.[1]
- Ban'dinoriel = "Gatekeeper".[11]
- Band'or shorel'aran — (Roughly) "Prepare to say farewell", spoken by Commander Sarannis, officially translated in the Chinese version of WoW.
- Bash'a no falor talah! = Taste the chill of true death!,[1] Sylvanas Windrunner (WC3)
- Belono sil'aru, belore'dorei = "Shoulder your burdens well, child of the sun". Used to end the appointing ceremony of a ranger lord of the Farstriders.[4]
- Belore = "The sun", though can mean to uncover something hidden or unknown if used in Darnassian.[6]
- Doral ana'diel? = How fare you?[1]
- Dor shar'adore da shando = "I'm surrounded by idiots!", by Magistrix Larynna.
- Elor bindel felallan morin'aminor = "Sleep forever in quiet serenity".[12]
- Elu'meniel mal alann = "May peace calm your heart".[13]
- Felo'melorn = "Flamestrike".[14]
- Minn'da = Mama.[9]
- Quel'dorei = "children of noble birth",[18][19] or "the high elves".[20][21]
- [Quel'Serrar] = High Blade.[22]
- Rea = "And".[23] Used to connect words of the same part of speech, clauses, or sentences, that are to be taken jointly.
- Selama ashal'anore = Justice for our people.[1]
- Shindu fallah na! = They're breaking through!.[1]
- Shorel'aran = Farewell.[1]
- Sin'dorei = Children of the blood. This could also be interpreted as "people of the bloodline", referring to the continuation of the line of the Highborne.[1]
- Tal anu'men no Sin'dorei! = "Death to all who oppose the children of the blood!", said by High Astromancer Solarian in Tempest Keep.[24]
Untranslated words or phrases
- An'daroth — One of the three Ghostlands Darnassian spy encampments. Possibly Darnassian.
- An'owyn — One of the three Ghostlands Darnassian spy encampments. Possibly Darnassian.
- An'telas — One of the three Ghostlands Darnassian spy encampments. Possibly Darnassian.
- Anu bala belore alon — Nethermancer Sepethrea.
- Aranal, ledel! — Prince Keleseth.
- Anara'nel belore — Kael'thas Sunstrider.
- Balamore shanal! — Kael'thas Sunstrider.
- Bandal! — High Nethermancer Zerevor.
- Belesa menoor! — High Nethermancer Zerevor.
- Diel fin'al. — High Nethermancer Zerevor.
- Elrendar — a Quel'Thalas river and a waterfall, both fed by a lake with the same name.
- Endala finel endal! — Nethermancer Sepethrea.
- Endorel aluminor — High Botanist Freywinn.
- Enshu-falah-nah, dorini. — Said by Sky Captain Swayze on the Spine of Deathwing. Possibly Darnassian.
- Falthrien — an arcane academy on Sunstrider Isle.
- Falithas — One of the runestones protecting Eversong from the plague.
- Felomin ashal — Kael'thas Sunstrider in Magister's Terrace.
- Quel'Danas — Island home of the dragonhawks and location of the Sunwell.
- Quel'Danil = High Vale. "Quel" means "High". Danil can be inferred from the name of the Highvale Vindicator, Highvale Sentry, Highvale Swiftblade, and the other removed NPCs of the lodge. It is translated as "High Peak" in the non-canon RPG.
- Quel'Lithien — A quel'dorei lodge in Eastern Plaguelands, and location of the Silvermoon City Register.
- Selama am'oronor! — Said by High Nethermancer Zerevor.
- Selama amor'anore! — Said by Gathios the Shatterer.
- Shalandis — An island off the coast of the western Ghostlands, headquarters of Darnassian spying missions against Silvermoon City.
- Shan'dor — One of the runestones protecting Eversong from the plague.
- Tel'thas — Dagger of the Blood King.
- Thalas'din belore — inscripted on [Fal'inrush, Defender of Quel'thalas], most likely translated as 'Kingdom/Home of the Sun'.
- Thas'dorah — Elven family heirloom once wielded by an infamous Ranger-General.
Thalassian speculation
This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
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Thalassian word parser
This is the list of words created by the in-game language parser for the Thalassian language, and is listed as language number ten (word range 800-901) in the Language text file.
In the in-game translator, the language parser for Thalassian shares similar words with the Darnassian parser.
Note: The language algorithm used by the in-game "translator" merely makes the words look like Thalassian. It does not actually translate words. Therefore, translated in-game speech isn't truly Thalassian.
Number of letters in word | Word List |
---|---|
One-letter words | A, N, I, O, E, D |
Two-letter words | Da, Lo, An, Ni, Al, Do, Ri, Su, No |
Three-letter words | Ano, Dur, Tal, Nei, Ash, Dor, Anu, Fal, Tur, Ala, Nor, Osa |
Four-letter words | Alah, Andu, Dath, Mush, Shar, Thus, Fulo, Aman, Diel, Dieb, Rini, Anar |
Five-letter words | Talah, Adore, Ishnu, Bandu, Balah, Fandu, Thera, Turus, Shari, Shano, Terro, Eburi |
Six-letter words | Dorini, Shando, Ethala, Fallah, Belore, Do'rah, Neph'o, Man'ar, Ishura, U'phol, T'as'e |
Seven-letter words | Asto're, Anoduna, Alah'ni, Dor'Ano, Al'shar, Mush'al, Aman'ni, Shan're |
Eight-letter words | Mandalas, Eraburis, Dorithur, Dal'dieb, Thoribas, D'ana'no, Il'amare |
Nine-letter words | Neph'anis, Dune'adah, Banthalos, Fala'andu, Dath'anar, Shari'fal, Thori'dal |
Ten-letter words | Thero'shan, Isera'duna, Ash'therod, Dorados'no, Shar'adore |
Eleven-letter words | Fandu'talah, Shari'adune |
Twelve-letter words | Dor'ana'badu, T'ase'mushal |
Thirteen-letter words | U'phol'belore |
Fourteen-letter words | Turus'il'amare, Anu'dorannador |
Fifteen-letter words | Asto're'dunadah |
Sixteen-letter words | Shindu'fallah'na |
Seventeen-letter words | Thoribas'no'thera, Ando'meth'derador, Anu'dorinni'talah, Esh'thero'mannash |
Translations speculation
For fan translations see Thalassian (speculation).
Darnassian vs. Thalassian speculation
Of note, Kael'thas greeted Tyrande and Maiev with "Ishnu'Alah" when they met in the Plaguelands. This may mean that some of the words still have the same meaning in both languages, or that some phrases have, over thousands of years, lost their offensive implications in their respective languages.
History speculation
After the high elves were exiled from Kalimdor by the night elves, they set up in the Eastern Kingdoms. There, they lived for millennia, cultivating their culture and their magic. Because of their long life spans, Thalassian, as they called their language, still retains parts of the old language. In fact, it is possible that Thalassian is not therefore a separate language, and is merely a dialect of Darnassian. Even if this were the case, however, the two languages would still not be mutually intelligible.
Thalassian outside the Warcraft universe
Thalass- is Greek for sea or ocean. During the Second War, Elven warships played an integral part in the Alliance's naval power.
An award-winning song from the 2007 Blizzcon Song Contest was "Belore Shala Diel", sung in Thalassian and English, by Phillip Presswood (Xalea).
In the RPG
- Thalassian is also a language spoken by the half elves and half blood-elves.
Translations:
- Quel'Thalas = "High Kingdom" or "High Home".[19]
- Quel'Zaram = "High blade".[27]
High elven names
The past is a burden to the high elves, yet they maintain naming rituals that are millennia old. Many of the names of elven priests and heroes have become the names used for elves in modern times. The high elves share a connection with the sun that is quite prevalent in their choice of family names.
- Male Names: Mariel, Athaniar, Anandor, Tharama, Viridiel, Malanior.
- Female Names: Anarial, Freja, Driana, Coria, Alanassori, Melanion, Azshara.
- Family Names: Boughstrider, Dawnblade, Lightbringer, Morningray, Suntreader.[29]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Thalassian
- ^ Day of the Dragon, 136
- ^ Cycle of Hatred, 67
- ^ a b Blood of the Highborne
- ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter
- ^ a b Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, 231
- ^ Revelations
- ^ Through the Mirror Darkly
- ^ a b Descent, 16
- ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, 227
- ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter (2014-02-14)
- ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter (2014-02-14)
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, 237
- ^ Quest:Kim'jael Indeed!
- ^ Blizzard Entertainment. Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Manual, 38.
- ^ The Last Guardian
- ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Darnassian
- ^ a b Lands of Conflict, 113
- ^ Magic & Mayhem, 16
- ^ Johnstone, Mike. Magic & Mayhem, 16. ISBN 9781588469540.
- ^ WoW TCG BotG, Quel'Serrar flavor text
- ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter
- ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter
- ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, 204
- ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, 238
- ^ Shadows & Light, pg. 172
- ^ Lands of Conflict, 19
- ^ Arthaus. World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 37. ISBN 9781588467812.
External links
Template:Welink
nl:Thalassian ru:Талассийский