Elder Speech

Hen Llinge, or Elvish, is the language of the Aen Seidhe elves. As it is one of the oldest languages still in use, it is referred to as the Old or Elder Speech while the lingua franca is Common Speech. It is used not only by elves, but also by mages and scholars. Sung versions of Elder Speech are used by dryads, sirens, and nereids. Nilfgaardian, Skellige and Zerrikanian dialects all derive from Elder Speech.
== Real world origins ==
Its vocabulary is based heavily on the Celtic languages of Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, although in some cases Sapkowski has used also connotations with more "popular" languages, like German and English. The two basic verbs, "to be" and "to have", are borrowed from Italian and Latin."Nie bądź, kurwa, taki Geralt" - community interview
The author invented the language for orcs and elves,Historia i Fantastyka interview but so far only the latter have appeared in the official continuity.
For the purpose of , renowned linguist David J. Peterson recreated the Elder Speech as a fully developed constructed language. In contrast with Sapkowski's writings, Peterson's latinization of the language reflects the intended pronunciation in the show, leaving the irregularities to the language's native script (which he had also invented). For example, inváerne is latinized as inveirne and Hen Llinge as Hen Linge.David J. Peterson on Twitter
Note: for the purposes of consistency with the Saga and the games, words coined for the TV series listed below follow the transliteration from Elder Runes rather than Peterson's romanization. For the latter, visit Hen Linge page on the linguist's wiki.
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== Dictionary ==
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ' Names Phrases
=== A ===
Elder Speech 	English
a'baeth 	kiss, to kiss
aark 	floeElder Speech Pocket Dictionary
aark, aark 	phonetic presentation of the sound ravens/crows make
abb 	mouth (of a river) (from Welsh aber)
addan, adan 	dance; dancer; dancing
adhart 	forward
aé 	first person singular subject personal pronoun I (dryad dialect)
aecáemm 	to follow
aedd 	shard, piece
aef 	to have, has
aefder 	later, after
aen 	from, to, for, with, of, in, out of, at, by, down, in, into, until, on, like, as
aen'drean 	enter?
aenye 	fire
aesledde 	ride on a sleigh/sled
aespar 	to shoot (from Italian: sparare)
aëte 	summer (From French: été)
aevon 	river (from Welsh: afon, Breton: avon) (glys in Nilfgaardian language)
aep 	of (From the Welsh patronymic ap)(mostly used for marking hereditary ties)
aép 	in, to
agwetheill / agwethill	to open
aine 	light (possibly enlightened)
an 	small, also an indefinite article: a, an
an'givare 	informer, spy (From Swedish: angivare, a person who reports someone else's criminal actions)
a'taeghane 	today
ar 	of (from Welsh/Irish: on)
ard 	mountain, mountainous, upper, top, or "the highest" (From Irish: High)
arse 	arse (UK), ass (US), butt, rump
=== B ===
Elder Speech 	English
ban 	peak, summit, place/village? (context dependent) (From Welsh: ban/fan, Irish: ben)
beag 	little (From Irish: beag)
beanna 	woman (From Irish: bean)
beann'shie 	banshee (From Irish: bean sí)
belean'graec 	important (Possibly derived from Dutch: belangrijk)
Birke 	the fourth savaed in the elven calendar, also Spring Equinox; related to birch tree
blath 	flower (from Irish: bláth)
blathan 	garland; flowers
blathanna 	Genitive: flowers', of flowers (from Irish)
blathe 	the fifth savaed in the elven calendar; possibly 'flowering'?
bleidd 	wolf (From Welsh: blaidd)
bloed 	blood, silly (From Dutch: bloed to mean "blood") (From German: blöd/bloed to mean "stupid")
bloede 	bloody, gory, damn (UK: bloody hell)
broggha, breoga	frog (From Welsh: broga)
Brokiloéne 	of Brokilon, Brokiloni
=== C ===
Elder Speech	English
caed 	forest; grove (From Welsh: coed)
cáelm 	calm, peaceful, quiet; slowly, quietly; calm, quieten
cáemm 	to go, arrive
caen 	can (verb)
caer 	fortress, castle, keep (kaer in Skellige dialect) (From Welsh: caer)
cáerme 	fate, destiny
Cáerme 	Destiny
carn 	kurgan, barrow, burial mound, cairn
carraigh 	rock (From Irish: carraig)
ceádmil 	greet (in appears as caed'mil; also as caedmill), greetings (possibly from Irish greeting: Céad Míle (failte romhat) meaning "one hundred thousand (welcomes to you)
ceas'raet 	empire (of Nilfgaard)
ceann 	head, tip; end (as in end point) (Irish: ceann)
cerbin 	raven (similar to several languages e.g. Romanian corb)
cinerea 	Ilyocoris
col 	mountain/hill valley? (appears in the name of Col Serrai, a valley or ravine in Brokilon; in a number of languages including Irish and English col refers to a dip between two peaks, ultimately deriving from Latin collum, which means "neck")
coram 	lion
conyn 	stalk (as in plant stem) (From Welsh: conyn)
craag 	rock/cliff (From Welsh: careg/craig)
creasa 	must, necessity, obligation, inevitability, duty
crevan 	fox
=== D ===
Elder Speech	English
daetre 	behind, back
daerienn 	sorceress, sorceresses
darganfod 	discover, discovery, discovered (From Welsh: darganfod)
darl'len 	read (From Welsh: darllen)
dearg 	red (From Irish: dearg) (Ellylon)
dearme 	sleep; good night (phrase) (From Italian: dormire)
deien 	to serve (from Dutch dienen)
deireádh 	end (noun), last, finish (From Irish: deireadh)
deith 	flame
deithwen 	white flame
dh'oine 	human (in also in form dh'oinne) (from the Irish for person/people: duine/daoine)
dhu 	black (From Welsh: du, Irish: dubh)
dice 	to speak, to talk (From Spanish: dice / From Latin: dicere)
dol 	dale, dell, vale, valley (Welsh: dôl)
drád 	face
drelch 	beast
d'yaebl 	devil (in both a sword and a wolf bear this name) (From Spanish: diablo)
=== E ===
Elder Speech	English
easnadh 	sigh (Ellylon) (from Irish osnaigh)
eate 	summer (from French été)
eigean 	necessary, must, have to (From Irish: is éigean)
eimyr 	hedgehog
elaine 	fair, beautiful (From Irish: álainn)
elle 	of alder(s)
ell'ea 	okay, alright, correct (interrogative)
en 	indefinite article (a/an)
en'leass 	laced, tied (Ellylon)
enid 	daisy
ensh'eass 	enchanting, enthralling, charming, glamorous (Ellylon)
ess 	to be, is (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
esse 	will be, will (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
essea 	I am (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
esseath 	you are (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
evall 	horse (From French: cheval)
eveigh 	immortal
evellienn 	everything, all, everybody, everyone
evn'gesaen 	ambassador
=== F ===
Elder Speech	English
feainn 	sun; also the sixth savaed in the elven calendar
feainnewedd 	Sun-Child, Child of the Sun
fen 	meadow, pasture
foilé 	frantic, mad (From Italian/: folle)
folie 	frenzy (From French folie)
fraeren 	brothers ? (perhaps from Italian: fratelli or french: frères)
=== G ===
Elder Speech 	English
gaeth 	gate, portal ?
gàidh (genitive: gaidth) 	garden
gar'ean 	note; consider; be careful
geas 	curse; geis is a magical obligation/prohibition in Irish mythology. Also; geas, geasa
geehaet 	hard
ghar 	word
gláeddyv (plural: glaeddyvan)	sword (From Welsh: cleddyf / Latin: gladius?)
glamarye 	glamour
glean 	bottom, low (From Welsh: glan)
gleanna 	valleys (in genitive?)
gloir 	glory (From French: gloire)
glosse 	to look, watch, stare (From German: glotzen)
glys 	small river, stream
gvaern 	mistress
gvalch'ca 	(she-)falcon (From Welsh: gwalch/walch)
gwen, gwyn 	white (also -wen) (From Welsh: gwyn)
gwent, gwynt 	wind (From Welsh: gwynt)
gwennelen 	alabaster (in genitive?)
gwyd 	sycamore maple
gwynbleidd 	White wolf
gynvael 	ice
=== H ===
Elder Speech	English
hael 	greeting (long life to...); health (From English: hail, hale)
haela 	medicine; drug? (From German: heilen)
hanse 	unit, armed group of friends, gang (From English: hanse)
hav'caaren 	hawker(s); based on Elder Speech word for 'rapacious' (greedy)
hen 	old, oldest, elder (From Welsh: hen)
herba 	herb
het 	it, that (From Dutch: het)
holl 	all (From Welsh: holl)
=== I ===
Elder Speech	English
ichaer 	blood, (from Ancient Greek: ιχώρ; ichor: blood of the Gods, an ether golden fluid, toxic to humans)
imbaelk 	sprouting
inis 	island (From Irish: inis)
invaerne 	(in) winter (From Italian: inverno)
=== K ===
Elder Speech	English
kelpie 	kelpie
=== L ===
Elder Speech	English
laeke, loc 	lake (from Irish: loch)
laith 	lady (Ellylon)
lara 	seagull
ledwedd 	painting
lionors 	lioness (Skellige jargon)
llamas 	maturing
llinge 	language, tongue (from Italian: lingua)
loa'then 	hate (From English: loathing)
loc'h 	lake (Ellylon) (from Irish: loch, Breton: loc'h)
Loc'hlaith 	Lady of the Lake (Ellylon)
luned 	daughter / young girl
=== M ===
Elder Speech	English
marw 	dies, die (From Welsh: marw/meirw) (from Irish: maradh)
me 	me, my, mine (From Irish; mé, meaning I)
meáth 	meet
mid- 	middle, in the middle of
milva 	kite (bird) (from Latin: Milva)
mire 	look, observe (From Spanish: mira)
mistle 	waxwing, or mistle thrush, also one of the Rats
minne 	love (noun) (Means "Love" in old German)
modron 	mother (Skellige jargon)
moigh 	water (perhaps from English: moist or Proto-Semitic: *māy)
morc 	book, tome
morvud 	enemy
muire 	sea (from Irish: muir)
=== N ===
Elder Speech	English
na 	or (From Irish: ná)
naev'de 	nine of (From Italian: nove di)
neén 	no, not (From German: nein)
nell'ea 	am I wrong? (interrogative, negative form of ell'ea)
ninnau 	we, us; ourselves (From Welsh: nina/ninau)
nolla 	earth (from English: knoll, or Proto-Germanic: *knulla-)
n'og 	young
n'te 	do not
=== O ===
Elder Speech	English
oiach 	you all
=== P ===
Elder Speech	English
pavienn 	ape
pest 	pestilence, plague, blight
pherian 	Halfling, hobbit (from Sindarin: perian, plural periannath)
pont 	bridge (From Welsh: pont)
=== Q ===
Elder Speech	English
que 	that (From Italian: che, French: qui/que, Latin: qui/quae) or what ("que suecc's?" - what is going on?)
quirk, quirk	phonetic representation of the sound sparrows make
=== R ===
Elder Speech	English
raenn 	run (From German: renn)
rhena 	queen (Latin: regina)
rhenawedd 	queen's daughter/son, princess/prince ?
rhon/rhoun 	king
Roethainne 	Redanian
ruadhri 	riders, horsemen (Ellylon)
=== S ===
Elder Speech	English
salah 	to pray (From Arabic: صَلَّى (ṣallā))
saov 	spirit, soul, ghost?
savaed 	One eighth of the year in the elven calendar
scoia'tael 	squirrel(s) (From Italian: scoiattolo)
seidh 	hill, mound (From Irish: Sidhe)
seidhe 	of hills, hill's (From Irish: Sidhe); elf
shaent 	sing (From French: chanter)
sidh 	elf (dryad dialect) (From Irish: Sidhe)
sledd 	sleigh
sor'ca 	sister, little sister (from Polish: siostra / siorka)
spar 	shoot (verb) (From Italian: sparare)
spar'le 	(order) shoot him
squaess 	excuse (squaess'me - forgive me. From Italian: scusami); to forgive
stráede 	road, path (From Welsh: stryd/From Italian: strada)
sh'aente 	to sing (From French: chanter)
=== T ===
Elder Speech	English
taedh 	bard, poet
te 	you (From Italian/Latin: te)
tearde 	later
tearth 	fear
tedd 	time, age, season
thaesse 	shut up
thevynn 	heather (plant)
thu 	you (Nilfgaardian language) (From French: tu)
tir 	land, ground; country (From Welsh/Cornish/Breton/Irish: tir)
tirth 	wild boar
tor 	tower (From Italian: torre, From Welsh: twr, From Irish: túr)
torc'h 	power (Ellylon)
treise 	strength, vigour, power (From Irish: treise)
tuathe 	whisper (Ellylon)
tvedeane 	twelve, dozen
twe 	two
=== U ===
Elder Speech	English
ui 	and
uniade 	union, uniting, joining; merger (From Welsh: Uniad)
=== V ===
Elder Speech	English
va 	go (From French/Italian: va)
va'en 	trip, journey
vaer'trouv 	to hope, to trust (From German: Vertrauen)
va fáill 	goodbye, farewell
vaine 	vain
vara 	wares; goods (Possibly from Swedish: vara)
varh'he 	bitch
vatt'ghern 	witcher
veloë 	fast, quick; quickly (From Italian/French: veloce)
vhóel 	death
voe'rle 	stop, halt?
vond 	door
vort 	further, away (from oneself), still (from German fort "away")
vyverne 	wyvern
=== W ===
Elder Speech 	English
wedd 	child
weddin 	diminutive form of 'wedd', child; kiddo
wen 	white (From Welsh: Wen/wyn)
woechin 	glyph
woechina 	glyphs
woed, woéd, woedd	wood; forest (From Welsh: Coed/Coedwig, also English: wood)
=== Y ===
Elder Speech	English
y 	of
yeá 	yes, so
yghern 	Giant centipede
ymladda 	combat, fight (From Welsh: Ymladd)
yn 	on, over, upon, one
ys 	downward, from below
ysgarthiad 	shit, excretion (From Welsh: ysgarthiad)
=== Z ===
Elder Speech	English
zael 	to rise
zireael 	swallow (bird)
zuirseime 	Chaos
zvaere 	swear (to take an oath)
=== '===
Elder Speech	English
'ere 	here (Dryad dialect)
== Names ==
Elder Speech 	English
Aedd Gynvael 	Shard of Ice
Aen Elle 	Alder Folk, People of the Alders
Aen N'og Mab Taedh'morc 	"Practices for a Young Bard"
Aen Saevherne 	Sage
Aen Seidhe 	Hill Folk, People of the Hill
Aen Woedbeanna 	Woman of the Woods/Forest
Aenyell'hael 	Baptism of fire, also the name of a novel
Aenyeweddien 	Child of the Fire
Aevon y Pont ar Gwennelen	River of Alabaster Bridges, Pontar
Ard Gwyd 	Sycamore Mountain
Ard Carraigh 	High Rock
Aymm Rhoin 	Rite of Naming
Belleteyn 	blossoming
Birke 	Spring equinox; the fourth savaed in the elven calendar; 'birch tree'
Ban Ard 	Upper (peak ?)
Ban Gleán 	Lower (peak ?)
Brokiloén 	Brokilon
Caed Dhu 	Black Forest/Grove (From Welsh: Black Woods)
Caed Myrkvid 	Myrkvid Forest/Grove
Caer a'Muirehen 	Old Sea Keep; Keep of the Elder Sea (, UK); Witchers' fortress
Ceann Treise 	a cascade in Brokilon; possibly Point of Vigour
Conynhaela 	a magical cure which enables the rapid regeneration damaged or broken bones
Craag An 	once a village, now a necropolis in Brokilon; meaning uncertain, possibly 'small rock/crag'
Dol Adalatte 	Valley of the Adalatte river.
Dol Blathanna 	Valley of the Flowers.
Duén Canell 	The Place of the Oak
Enid an Gleanna 	Daisy of the Valleys
Glyswen 	White River
Gvaern Ichaer 	Bloody Mistress
Gwenllech 	river: White Stones
Gwendeith 	fortress: White Flame
Gwynbleidd 	White Wolf (From Welsh: Blaidd Gwyn)
Hen Ichaer 	Elder Blood
Imbaelk 	Imbolc, germination; the third savaed in the elven calendar
Lammas 	maturing; the seventh savaed in the elven calendar
Mear'ya 	Maria, Mary (for some reason brings not so nice connotations)
Midaëte 	Midsummer
Midinvaerne 	Midwinter
Mirthe 	Mirt
Muire d'yaeblen 	Drowner
Saovine 	'Soul day'?; the first savaed in the elven calendar
Seidhe Llygad 	Eye of the Mountain
Shaerrawedd 	Shaerra's Child
Tor Lara 	Tower of the Seagulls, Gulls' Tower
Tor Zireael 	Tower of the Swallow, Swallow's Tower
Velen 	autumn equinox; the eighth savaed in the elven calendar
Xin'trea 	Cintra in Elder Speech.
== Phrases ==
Elder Speech 	English
Aen'drean va, eveigh Aine! 	Come, immortal light! I summon you!
Aen me Glaeddyv, zvaere a Bloedgeas, Ard Rhena, Lionors Aep Xintra!	By my Sword, I swear Blood Oath, the Highest Queen, Lioness of Cintra!
(Skellige jargon)
Ayd f'haeil moen Hirjeth taenverde. 	Conquer with courage rather than strength.
A d'yaebl aép arse 	A devil up your arse
Bloede pest 	Bloody plague (imprecation)
Caelm, evellienn! 	Calm, everyone!A Fractured Land: Tales of the Northern Realms, Elder Speech Phrasebook
Caemm 'ere! 	Come here! (Dryad dialect)
Caen me a'baethe? 	Give me a kiss?
Ceádmil, Wedd Brokiloéne! 	Greetings, Child of Brokilon!
Dubhenn haern am glândeal, morc'h am fhean aiesin 	My gleam penetrates the darkness, my brightness disperses the gloom
Duettaeánn aef cirrán Cáerme Gláeddyv. Yn á esseáth 	The Sword of Destiny has two edges. You are one of them
Elaine tedd a'taeghane 	Lovely weather we're having. Literally: a nice time today
Elaine tedd a'taeghane, a va'en aesledde 	The weather today is beautiful, so let's get the sleigh
En'ca minne 	Little love (a term of endearment/pet name, akin to 'darling')
Ess'creasa, sor'ca 	We have no choice, little sister
Ess've vort shaente aen... 	Sing me a song about...
Feainne Ichaer 	Sun's blood
Gar'ean! N'te va! 	Watch out! Don't go in there!
Glaeddyv vort, beanna 	Drop the sword, woman
Glaeddyvan vort! 	Drop the swords!
Geas Muire 	Curse of the Sea
Herba zireael 	Swallow's herb
Ire lokke, ire tedd 	Another place, another time
Ledwedd varlledu cyall, no ghar 	Paintings should convey emotions, not words (Ellylon)
Lambert caen me a'baeth aep arse 	Lambert can kiss me in the ass
Luned aep Hen Ichaer 	Daughter of the Elder Blood
N'aen aespar a me 	Don't shoot me
N'aracche aen woed endicen. 	Let sleeping arachasae lie.
Nell'ea. T'en pavienn, Aen Seidhe. 	No way. You're an ape, elf.
Ni'l ceim siaar 	Don't let them escape (Ellylon)
N'te dice'en 	Don't say anything
N'te va 	Do not go / stop / halt
M'aespar que va'en, ell'ea? 	Are you going to shoot me or what?
Mir' me vara 	Show me your goods
Maethe taerde 	Good luck(?)
Que'ss aen me dicette, Enid? Vorsaeke'llan? Aen vaine? 	What [would you say / are you saying??] to me, Daisy? Forsake them? In vain?
Que glosse? 	What are you looking at?
Que l'en pavienn, ell'ea? 	You're just an ape, yeah?
Que suecc's? 	What's going on?
Squass'me 	Excuse me; forgive me
Thaess aep 	Shut up
va fáill 	goodbye
Va vort a me, Dh'oine. N'aen te a dice'n. 	Get away from me, human. I won't say anything to you.
Va'en aesledde, ell'ea? 	We'll go for a sleigh ride, alright?
Va'esse deireádh aep eigean, va'esse eigh faidh'ar 	Something ends, something begins
zaeleill aep 	rise up
== Writings ==
Elder Speech 	English
Aen verelith cyrre naid. Ader eich blaen eide'me. 	I give you my heart. But I shall take your head.
Darl'len, Aen Seidhe!
Neen evelienn Scoia'tael marw. Cáemm aep woedd, holl Aen Seidhe. Darganfod an uniade ninnau. Ymladda dh'oine. Ess'tedd, esse creasa.	Read, Aen Seidhe!
Not every Scoia'tael is dead. Come to the woods, all Aen Seidhe. Discover and join us. Fight the humans. It is time, it will be the place.
Elaine blath, Feainnewedd
Dearme aen a'caelme tedd
Eigean evelienn deireadh
Que'n esse, va en esseath
Feainnewedd, elaine blath	Beautiful flower, Sun Child
Dream of/in a calm time
Everyone must end
Thus it will be, gone you are
Sun Child, beautiful flower
Va fail, elaine - caed'mil, folie! Glaeddyv dorne aep t'enaid, bunn'droh ithne i'yachus	Good bye beauty, hello madness. Sword thorn of soul, [unknown, ithne may relate to Irish "ith" or eat, i'yachus may relate to Irish "iach" or "eo" or "iachus" in Welsh (healthy)]
Thomas Moreau, Professor
Ellas k'havani allder aen Dol Naev'de, ellas allder n'corrason. Glorsann a'Aelirenn.	Thomas Moreau, Professor
Salvation lies not in Dol Naev'de [Valley of the Nine] but in our hearts. Glory be to Aelirenn.
== References ==
== Sources ==
* Polish Witcher Wikia
* Elder Speech Glossary (Elder Speech to Polish)
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