Written Elvish upon a column
The Elven language, or Elvish,[1] refers to the language of Elvhenan, the ancient elven empire. It was largely lost following the empire's fall to the Tevinter Imperium in -975 Ancient and the subsequent millennium-long enslavement of its people. When the elves settled their second homeland, the Dales, in -165 Ancient, they tried to restore their lost language and lore, but the Dales fell as well after the Exalted March of the Dales declared by the Chantry in the early Glory Age.
The Elvish of the Dragon Age is thus a fragmented remnant, a few words that are thrown into conversation rather than a working language used to conduct everyday life. The Dalish elves, self-appointed custodians of the elven language and lore, use more Elvish than their City Elf brethren. Some clans, such as the ones encountered in Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, speak it fluently and exclusively. Living among humans, the City Elves now retain only a few old Elvish words whose origin is almost forgotten, such as shem—derived from shemlen, the old Elvish term for humans meaning "quickling" or "quick children,"—and hahren—the leader of an Alienage, meaning "elder" in Elvish.
It has been observed that "Elven is often a game of intents, not direct mapping of phonetic meaning. That means it's a mess" and that it tends "to meander".[2]
Written Elvish
Battle map from the Fourth Blight, featuring a rare example of written Elvish
Though a number of ancient sites, including the Temple of Mythal, have recently been found to contain examples of Elvish writing, these are few and far between, and jealously guarded by the Dalish. Some Circles have also come to possess old elven texts.[3] In the Dragon Age, clan Keepers are generally the only ones who know the secret of writing Elvish.[4]
Elven alphabet as featured in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Written Elvish in Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age: The Veilguard uses an alphabet that can be deciphered.[5] However, while actual sentences can be deciphered this way, they should not be taken as being in-universe but as fourth-wall breaks (otherwise they would have been written in elven rather than English).[6]
Elvish phrases
- Amae lethalas: Meaning unknown.[7]
- Andaran atish’an: "Enter this place in peace." A formal elven greeting.
- Aneth ara: A sociable, friendly, informal greeting, more commonly used among the Dalish themselves rather than with outsiders.
- Ar ghilas vir banal: "Where I am going is terrible"[8]
- Ar dirthan’as ir elgara, ma’sula e’var vhenan: Meaning unknown.[9]
- Ar lasa mala revas: "You are free."[10] More literally "I give you your freedom."
- Ar lath ma, vhenan: "I love you, heart/my heart"[11]
- Atish'all vallem: Meaning unknown.[14]
- Atish'all Vir Abelasan: "Enter the path of the Well of Sorrows."[15]
- Banal nadas. Ar lath ma, vhenan: "There is no fate but the love we share."[8]
- Bellanaris Din'an Heem: "Make you dead."[18]
- Dareth shiral: farewell; literally "Safe journey."
- Din elvhen emma him?: Meaning unknown.[9]
- Dirth ma banal. Mar solas ena mar din: "You have learned nothing. Your pride will be your death/downfall." A Dalish saying.[19]
- Dirth ma, harellan. Ma banal enasalin. Mar solas ena mar din: Roughly means: "Your pride is responsible for everything that has gone wrong; you will die alone."[20][21]
- Dirth'ena enasalin: "Knowledge that led to victory"; the Elvish term for the Arcane Warrior or, more recently, Knight Enchanter disciplines.[22]
- Dirthara-ma: "May you learn." Used as a curse.[23]
- Emma salin: "I want you within me."[24]
- Emmasalin var suledin evanura: A message of support, meaning unknown.[25]
- Emma solas him var din'an: "Arrogance became our end."[26]
- Ellasin selah: Meaning unknown.[27]
- Essana ellath vallan. Vallasan inall lasa!: Meaning Unknown.[28]
- Falon’Din enasal enaste: A prayer for the dead.[29]
- Fen'Harel ma ghilana: "Dread Wolf guides you." Indicates someone being misled.
- Fen'Harel ma halam: "Dread Wolf ends you." A threat.
- Garas quenathra: "Why are you here?/Why have you come?" Spoken by the voices of the Vir'abelasan
- Ghil-Dirthalen: "One who guides seekers of knowledge true."[32]
- Ghilan'him banal'vhen: "The path that leads astray": a derogatory term for Arcane Warriors among those elves who eschewed physical combat.[33]
- Ghilas dennar!: Meaning unknown.[34]
- Halam'shivanas: The sweet sacrifice of duty.[35]
- Ilass san fenethan.: Meaning Unknown.[36]
- Ir abelas: I am sorry.[37]
- Ir abelas, ma vhenan: "I am filled with sorrow for your loss, my heart."[38]
- Ir sa tel'nal: I am empty, full of nothing[41]
- Ir tel'him: I'm me again.[42]
- Lasa ghilan: Grant/give guidance.[43]
- Lasa hedallin ghellara fenathra mellas: Meaning Unknown.[44]
- Lathbora viran: Roughly translated as "the path to a place of lost love," a longing for a thing one can never really know.[45]
- Ma banal las halamshir var vhen: You do nothing to further our people.[47]
- Ma banal'evanuris. Ma salin ar ghilana?: Meaning unknown, spoken by Solas to Elgar'nan.
- Ma harel, da’len: You lie, child.[49]
- Ma harel lasa!: You lied to me.[50]
- Ma ghilana mir din'an: Guide me into death.[42]
- Ma melava halani: You helped me.[42]
- Mana. Ma halani: Help me.[51]
- Mas enasalin lasa revas evanura: Meaning unknown.[52]
- Mala suledin nadas: Now you must endure.[42]
- Malas amelin ne halam: I hope you find a new name.[54]
- Ma nuvenin: As you say.[55]
- Ma vhenan: My heart; sometimes shortened simply to vhenan, "heart"; a term of endearment.[56]
- Ma serannas: My thanks./Thank you.
- Masal din'an: A threat, meaning unknown.[57]
- Ma vallas ban! Shev gar, Fen'Harel!: Meaning unknown, spoken by Elgar'nan to Solas.
- Na abelas: You'll be sorry.[60]
- Na din'an sahlin!: Your death is come![61]
- Na melana sahlin: Your time is come.[62]
- Nuvenas mana helanin, dirth bellasa ma: Meaning unknown.[63]
- Penshra! Ghilas vellathan!: Politely translated as "I prefer that you remain close."[64]
- Seran viar malas shivera mellavar!: Meaning unknown.[34]
- Sulevin ghilana hanin: Roughly translates to "purpose guides to glory". This is an inscription on the back of the Dalish shield called "The Path to Glory".[65]
- Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris.: Dalish marriage vows.[66]
- Tel'abelas: I'm not sorry.[42]
- Tel banal ar ama. Vir shiral malasa, bellanaris.: "It won't be terrible if you're with me. We make this journey together, always."[8]
- Tel garas solasan: Come not to a prideful place.[26]
- Telanadas: Nothing is inevitable.[67]
- Var lath vir suledin!: Our love will endure[68]
- Vir enasalin!: We [will] win![69]
- Vir sumeil: We are close.[70]
- Virthar ma: Meaning unknown.[71]
Elvish vocabulary
A
- Abelas: Sorrow; to be sorry.[72]
- Adahl/Adhal: Tree.[73]
- Adahlen: Wood.[74]
- Alas: Earth, dirt.[citation needed]
- Anvallenim: Womb.[75]
- -an: Suffix indicating place or location.[76]
- Ar: First person pronoun; I, me.[77]
- Aravas: Meaning unknown.
- Aravel: A wagon used by the Dalish; also a physical and spiritual path, a journey with purpose.[72] Humans call them "landships."
- Arlathan: The major city of Elvhenan, original homeland of the elves; from the phrase "ar lath’an" meaning, "This place of love".
- Arlathvhen: Meeting of the Dalish clans that occurs every ten years. Means "for love of the people."[72]
- Assan: Arrow.[74]
- Atish’an: Peace.[78]
- Athim: Humility.[26]
- Awell: Meaning unknown.[79]
B
- Banal: Never.[80]
- Banalhan: A name for the Blight or its place of origin; the place of nothing.[72]
- Banal'ras: Shadow.[81]
- Boranehn: Lost joy.[83]
- Bor'assan: Bow.[74]
D
- Da: Diminutive prefix; small.[80]
- Dar: To be.[citation needed]
- Da'len: Little child; little one.[84]
- Dahl'amythal: Tree of Mythal from which Dalish Keepers’ staves are cut.[85]
- Din: The dead.[72]
- Din'anshiral: A journey of death.[87]
- Dirth: A term for knowledge or secrets; tell; speak.[citation needed]
- Dirthara: Learn;[23]
- Dirthavaren: The promise; the Elven name for the Exalted Plains.[88]
- Dirthera: To tell tales.[89]
- Dirthsal: Covenant.[90]
- Durgen: Stone.[citation needed]
E
- Elgar: Spirit.[92]
- Elgara: Sun.[84]
- Elvhen: Elven name for their own race; our people.[95]
- Elvhenan: The name of the elven civilization before the arrival of humans in Thedas; the place of our people.[96]
- Enasal: Joy in triumph over loss; a variation of joyful relief.[72]
- Enasalin: Victory.[97]
- Enansal: Blessing.[31]
- Enaste: Favor.[26]
- Enfenim: To fear.[84]
- Era'harel: Demon-mage; similar to an arcane horror.[98]
- Eth: Safe.[citation needed]
- Evanuris: Leader;[80] Translated by Dorian in context as "mage leader";[99] what the elvhen called their gods.
F
- Falon: Friend.[100]
- Felandaris: Demon weed.[101]
- Felassan: Slow arrow.[102]
- Fen: Wolf.[103]
- Fenedhis: Meaning officially undefined as of yet; a common curse.[30]
G
- Garas: Come.[26]
- Ghilana: To guide.[42]
- Ghilas: To go.[84]
- Glandival: Meaning unknown.[104]
H
- Hahren'al: A gathering of hahrens during the Arlathvhen.[105]
- Hahren: Elder; used as a term of respect by the Dalish as well as by city elves for the leader of an alienage.
- Halamshiral: The capital of the second elven homeland in the Dales; the end of the journey.[106]
- Halani: Help.[42]
- Hamin: Rest.[107]
- Hanal'ghilan: Elven name for the mythical golden halla said by the Dalish to appear during times of great need; the pathfinder.[108]
- Harel: To trick or deceive;[72]
- Harillen: Opposition.[109]
- Hellathen: Noble struggle.[109]
- Him: Become.[26]
I
- In: In.[107]
- Ir: I am.[110]
- Iras: Where.[84]
- Irassal: Wherever.[84]
L
- La: And.[107]
- Lath: Love of being; to be in love.[72]
- Lethallin/Lethallan/Lethallen: Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar; generally, lethallin is used for males while lethallan is used for females;[111] lethallen has been stated to be the appropriate gender neutral term.[112][113] Lethallin can also mean "brother" while lethallan means "sister".[40]
Note: Though "lethallin" is usually used for males and "lethallan" for females, as stated above, there are instances where this is not the case. For example, in the Dragon Age Dalish Elf Origin opening scene on 
, your fellow clansman, Tamlen, will once refer to you as "lethallin" for a female warden, and as "lethallan" for a male[114]. And in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Solas will refer to a female elf Inquisitor as lethallin a few times, as does Minaeve in Haven. However it is unclear if this is intentional or a production error.
, your fellow clansman, Tamlen, will once refer to you as "lethallin" for a female warden, and as "lethallan" for a male[114]. And in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Solas will refer to a female elf Inquisitor as lethallin a few times, as does Minaeve in Haven. However it is unclear if this is intentional or a production error.
M
- Ma: Meaning unknown[117]
- Ma serannas: Meaning unknown; from context probably "Thank you" or a similar sentiment.
- Mala: Your.[84]
- Mana: Meaning unknown; see “Mana. Ma halani.”
- Melana: Time.[107]
- Melanada: All time.[118]
- Melava: Time;[84]
- Mi: Blade.[citation needed]
- Mi'durgen: Diamond; literally 'blade stone'.[119]
- Mien'harel: Rebellion; depending on the interpretation, a violent call for justice; a concept that when humans push the elven population too far they must remind them that even a "short blade" must be respected; most commonly a term used by city elf.[120]
- Mir: My.[84]
- Mirthadra: Honored.[121]
N
- Na: Is.[107]
- Nadas: Inevitability; something that must be;[72] used as an expression of obligation, i.e. "must".[42]
- Nadas Dirthalen: The inevitability of knowledge.[122]
- Nan: Elven suffix, meaning unknown.[123]
- Numin: Cry.[107]
- Nuvenin: Say, as in “as you say”.[42]
R
- Renan: Voice.[84]
- Revas: Freedom.[72]
- Revasan: The place where freedom dwells.[124]
S
- Sa: One; one more.[107]
- Sahlin: Now; is come.[107]
- Samahl: Laugh.[107]
- Sa'vunin: One more day.[107]
- She'va dhal: Exclamation, meaning unknown.[126]
- Shem: Quick. Also used as a slang term for humans by both the Dalish and City elves. It can sometimes be intended as a derogatory term or an insult, especially with elves who are distrustful of humans.
- Shemlen: The original name elves use for the human race; continues to see use as a slang term amongst the Dalish clans and the City Elves ("shems") even though its meaning has largely been lost; literally "quick children".
- Shiral: Journey.[106]
- Shivanas: Dedication to duty. Also the name of a Keeper.[127]
- Solas: Pride; to stand tall.[72]
- Solasan: A prideful place.[26]
- Somniar: To dream.[84]
- Sulahn'nehn: Rejoice; joy.[72]
- Sulahn: Sing.[107]
- Sulevin: Purpose.[131]
T
- Tan: Three.[74]
- Taren: Mind.[84]
- Tasallan: Meaning unknown; Merrill's staff in Dragon Age II is called Vir Tasallan.
- Then: Awake; alert.[citation needed]
U
- Uthenera: The name of the ancient practice of immortal elves who would "sleep" once they tired of life; immortal;[72] waking sleep; literally "eternal waking dream".[citation needed]
V
- Vallas: Set, as in the setting of the sun.[84]
- Vallasdahlen: Trees planted in remembrance of those who dedicated their lives to the Dalish kingdom that grew into a mighty wood;[134] life-trees.
- Vallaslin: Blood writing; The art of tattooing adopted by some elves to more prominently display their worship of the traditional elven pantheon.[135]
- Venavis: Meaning unknown[136]
- Vhen: Essence of people.[137]
- Vhenadahl: The tree of the people.[138]
- Vhen'alas: The land itself, as in "the ground"; literally "our earth".[citation needed]
- Vhenan: Heart; often used as a term of endearment.[139]
- Vhenas: Home.[84]
- Vir'abelasan: The place of the way of sorrows; refers to the Well of Sorrows.[140]
- Vissanalla: Meaning unknown.[142]
- Vora'shivan: Hummingbird.[143]
- Vunin: Day.[107]
- Vhenallin: Friends of the People.[144]
Songs
Suledin (Endure)
Suledin is "an elven song about enduring and emerging from sorrow, tied to the loss of their ancient lands, but commonly adapted to express personal struggles as well".[130]
|
Melava inan enansal lath sulevin |
Time was once a blessing |
Note: The translated lyrics are described as a "rough" translation in World of Thedas Vol. 1, and shouldn't be used as a guideline for translation purposes.
Mir Da'len Somniar
A traditional Dalish lullaby found in the children's book The Seer's Yarn, collected by Seer Agata.[145]
|
Elgara vallas, da'len Iras ma ghilas, da'len Tel'enfenim, da'len |
Sun sets, little one, Where will you go, little one Never fear, little one, |
Where Willows Wail
An elven version of a lullaby local to Denerim and nearby villages to the south.[146]
|
Tel’enara bellana bana’vhenadahl, |
We/it lost eternity or the ruined tree of the People |
Note: The above translation is described as not being a literal translation, as "some form of lyrical shorthand is employed throughout" and it is completely different from modern formal Dalish. Thus it is impossible to use it to try to deconstruct the language.
Codex entries
- Codex entry: In Uthenera
- Codex entry: On Skyhold
- Codex entry: Tracing from Temple Doors
- Codex entry: Torn Notebook in the Deep Roads, Section 3
- Codex entry: "I Am The One"
Trivia
- The elven language as used in the games is actually a cipher.[147] As a fictional constructed language using a cipher-style replacement based largely on English, it doesn't necessarily follow the semantic, syntactic, and other linguistic norms of natural languages.
- A differentiating factor between Elvish and other languages in Thedas—particularly as regards aspects like names—is the avoidance of hard consonants.[148]
References
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