Steppe Language

**Steppe Language** is a fictional language spoken by the Kin in the universe of *Pathologic*. While containing some invented words, the language borrows many words from Buryat and Mongolian, as well as Tibetan.

## Alphabet

* *Nejel-wa (Нэджэл-ва)*: The “nejel-wa” sigil stands for “the line” or “he who follows the lines.” He who follows the lines needs not know of their existence; his path is still preordained.
* *Samn (Cамн)*: The “samn” sigil stands for the circle of life and its many forms. By the blood of the living creatures does the earth feed; but then it gives birth to herbs, that feed the living back.
* *Soom (Cум)*: The “soom” sigil stands for “living emptiness.” This is what the lull between two heartbeats is called.
* <~> Brand: This type of brand denotes concepts connected with death.
* <^> Brand: This type of brand is exceedingly rare.
* <O> Brand: This type of brand iron is relatively common. Its meanings include the concepts of birth, motherhood, cycle, and earth.
* A physical copy of Steppe sigils; some do not have translations
* A cleaned version of the previous image
* A row of sigils

### Unknown Meanings

These symbols, referred to as "tavro" and "rune", do not currently have meanings applied to them, but are present in either the games or their promotional material.

* Variation of the <O> brand.
* Variation of the Nejel-wa.

## Dictionary

### A

* Aba (Аба) — father
* Abgai/Abgay (Абгай) — elderly sister/elderly woman
* Akhar (Ахар) — short, unequal
* Akshan (Акшан) — mother
* Amaa tat, khonzohon (Амаа тат, хонзохон) — shut your mouth, asshole [note: khonzohon doesn’t directly translate to asshole]
* Aman (Аман) — mouth
* Ankhadaghaa aman boloshohon (Анхадагhаа аман болошохон) — ... the mouth becomes/is ?
* Aydahamne khүrene / Aydahamni khurene (Айдахамни хүрэнэ) — fear, horror

### B

* Baarhani (Баарhaни) — poor thing
* Bagshaa/Bagshaah (Багшаа) — teacher
* Bai Uraggha (Бай Урагга) — an old man in Steppe folktales, said to have the head of a bull and cow's hooves instead of hands
* Barbaaday (Барбаадай) — thumb
* Basaghan (Басаган) — girl, maid, bride
* Bayarlaa (Баярлаа/Бьярлаа) — thank you
* Bayartay (Баяртай) — goodbye
* Baygalday (Байгалдай) — ? to miss the point (possibly derived from Mongolian байг алдах)
* Bayna (Байна) — to be, to exist
* Be (Би) — I
* Be khara/Be kharanab (Би хара/ Би харанаб) — I see, I observe
* Be naydamtay bolokho (Би найдамтай болохо) — I am sure of it
* Be oylgono ugyb (Би ойлгоно угыб) — I don't understand
* Be tatgalzah (Би татгалзах) — I refuse
* Berkhe (Бэрхэ) — hard, difficult, complicated
* Bi khareeb (Би хэреэб) — I'm awake
* Bish (Биш) — no/not
* Bide (Бидэ) — we[x]
* Bide kharaan (Бидэ хараан) — we see; behold, everyone
* Boddho (Бодхо) — Earth
* Bodozho baynam (Бодожо байнам) — I get up? /literal translation: I am thinking/
* Bohir (Бохир) — dirty, filthy
* Boleesh (Болииш) — stop, don't [do something]
* Bolokho (Болохо) — to become, to turn
* Booha (Буха) — bull
* Boohe/Bookhe (Бүхэ) — strong, durable
* Boös (Боос) — someone bull-like or a master of bulls
* Boozarlakhaa (Бузарлахаа) — to desecrate, to pollute, to soil
* Bos — bull
* Bos Turokh (Бос Турох) — the bull that created the world
* Bosooly/Bosooli (Босооли) —deserter, rat, refugee, runaway [x]
* Bou khara (Бу хара) — don't look
* Bou shagna (Бу шагна) — don't listen
* Buha-noyon (Буха-нойон) — auroch
* Byy (бүү) — don't [do something]
* Byy alysh (Бүү алыш) — don't kill

### D

* Duugai (Дуугай) — silent
* Dүү (Дүү) — younger sibling or cousin
* Dүү khүbүүn (Дүү хүбүүн) — younger brother

### E

* Eghe-Gola (Эгэ-Гола) — the rise near the cattle breeding camps, days away from the Town. *Eghe* and *gola* mean, respectively, 'to return' and 'river'
* Ekhene (Эхэнэ) — woman
* Emshen (Эмшен) — doctor, healer; someone who knows the Lines (a term of respect)
* Ene (Энэ) — this, that
* Ene shi yuun khun geeshebshe (Энэ ши юун хун гээшэбши) — what kind of person are you?
* Erdem (Эрдэм) — scholar, scientist; a wise man who doesn't know the Lines
* Ereebshe (Ерээбши) — [someone] comes, derived from ерэхэ (to come)
* Esegher/Etseg eyh (Эсегер/Эцег эйх) — father
* Ezhe (Эжи) — mother

### G

* Golghoy Khen (Голгой-хэн) — ? the former name of Andrey Stamatin's pub (possibly a small river)
* Golgur (Голгур) — ? the name of the spring in the Stone Yard; Vlad the Younger notes that "[t]he etymology of the word is unclear, but it means something along the lines of "a smooth mouthful""
* Gorkhon (Горхон) — river

### H

* Holaeghe-ut golghoy ekh gerkhen syakhyl! Oluhn ekhe-barag! (Холэге-ут голгой эх герхен сяхыл! Олун эхе-бараг!) — ? dialogue which an angry butcher addresses to the Bachelor (*Pathologic*)
* Hoog-zhoya (Хугжойа) — music
* Hюmhan (Хюмхан) — fingernail

### I

* Ime beshe (Имэ бэшэ) — it's not that, it's not like that

### K

* Khachirkhel (Хачирхэл) — strange things, impossible things
* Khamgyin khachirkhaltay zүyl yuu veh (Хамгийн хачирхалтай зүйл юу вэ) — what is the strangest thing in the world?
* Khandro (Кхандро) — ? (possibly divine being, derived from Tibetan)
* Khara bosooly (Хара босооли) — ? look at...
* Kharaa (Хараа) — to see
* Kharaldaa (Харалдаа) — to look, to see
* Kharyysh (Харыыш) — look past
* Khatanghe (Хатангэ) — the Kin; plural of Khatangher
* Khatangher (Хатангэр) — member of the Kin
* Khatar naada (Хатар наада) — dancing
* Khatar naada hoog-zhoya (Хатар наада хугжойа) — to dance to the music
* Khaya dee (Хайа дээ) — it is so
* Khayaala (Хаяала) — brother
* Khayratay inagni (Хайратай инагни) — beloved friend, dear friend
* Khayud (Хайюд) — big trouble
* Kheerkhen/Khөөrkhen (Хөөрхэн) — dear, dearest, cute
* Khelekhe (Хэлэхэ) — to talk; to tell (a story, a tale)
* Khetey (Хэтэй) — sister-elder
* Khodo khara (Ходо хара) — it is clear, it could be clearly seen
* Kholboön (Холбоон) — link; to establish a link, a connection; a linked one
* Khooloy (Хоолой) — throat
* Khurganuudni untarna (Хургануудни унтарна) — ? my fingers are numb
* Khybyyn (Хүбүүн) — son, boy
* Khyn/Khun (Хүн) — man, person, human being
* Khyygedi (Хүүгэди) — children
* Khyygedi be oshokho (Хүүгэди би ошохо) — to go to the children (to care for one's children)
* Khyyr (Хүүр) — carcass

### M

* Mara (Мара) — an evil spirit; see also Shabnak *(Pathologic)*
* Mededeg zurlaa (Мэдэдэг зурлаа) — ? to know the lines
* Medene ugye, kharaa ugyb (Мэдэнэ угые, хараа угыб) — I don't know, I haven't seen [it] /or: “i’ll only tell you what i know”/
* Medenegshe (Мэдэнэгши) — ? conjugation of Mongolian *мэдэх* ("to know"). Likely imperative from context
* Medrel (Мэдрэл) — nerves
* Mendee (Мэндээ) — greetings
* Menkhu (Менху) — those who know the lines of the body; who have the right to make cuts; who know how to disjoint joints in a way that pleases earth
* Meriyg medekh (Мөрийг мэдэх) — to know the lines
* Mes zasal (Мэс засал) — surgery
* Mes zaslysh emch (Мэс заслын эмч) — surgeon
* Mete (Мэтэ) — Layer
* Moga (Могой) — snake
* Mounkhe (Мунхэ) — eternity; possibly "in circles" or "cyclically"
* Muu Shubuun (Муу Шубуун) — "the wicked bird," the bird costume that Executors wear
* Myy (Mүү) — bad
* Myy uymen (Mүү юүмэн) — bad thing, something is bad

### N

* Naayze (Наайзе) — friend
* Nara (Нара) — the Sun
* Nastail (Мерхост) — an evil spirit, written as "Merkhost" in Pathologic (2005) *(Pathologic)*
* Naydamtay (Найдамтай) — confident, reliable, happy
* Nenpa gu dzom (Нэнпа гу дзом) — ? "Nine Bad Omens"
* Nokhoin duun oyrto-o (Нохойн дуун ойртоо) — everything is coming to an end (literally "dog's barking is getting closer")
* Noukher (Нухэр, нөхөр) — partner, friend
* Noukherne/Nookherni (Нухэрни) — my friend
* Nүnehen zayla/Nүnekhen zayla (Hүнэhэн зайла) — terrified

### O

* Odongh (Одонг) — any member of the Kin who herds cattle, sometimes used to mean Worms; plural "odonghe"
* Olgoy (Олгой) — appendicitis, appendix, used incorrectly by Maria Kaina to address the Haruspex instead of "oynon".
* Olon zuun jeley urda te'e hunde ubshen shulu'un de'egu'ur ebakha (Олон зуун жэлэй урда тээ хундэ убшэн шулуун дээгуур эбаха) — ? many centuries ago a disease swiftly spread... (*Pathologic*)
* Olonngo (Олоннго) — ford; a Steppe name for the Abattoir
* Өөriy kheleer yar (Өөрий хэлээр ярь) — speak your own language (imperative)
* Ontokho (Онтохо) — fairytale
* Ontokho khelekhe (Онтохо хэлэхэ) — tell a fairytale (imperative)
* Oshysh daa (Ошыш даа) — go (imperative)
* Oynon (Ойнон) — a title of respect used for doctors or scientists, meaning 'wise man' (likely derived from Mongolian, *oi (ой)* meaning 'mind')

### S

* Sahba-ötün/Sahba Usp'tae (Эспэ-инун/Саба Успнэ) — 'the Queen of Worms'
* Sayn baina (Сайн байна) — hello
* Segne dehe (Сэгнэ дэхэ) — to be valuable
* Shabnak/Shabnak-adyg/Shabnak-adyr (Шабнак/Шабнак-адыг/Шабнак-адыр) — an evil spirit wearing woman's flesh over its bones
* Shagnalda (Шагналда) — reward
* Shalzha (Шалжа) — to be rewarded
* She/Shi (Ши) — you [wiki]
* Shee yuunde yereebshe/She yuunded ereebshe/She yuunde ereebshe/Shi yuunde yereebshe/Shi yuunde ereebshe (Ши юундэ ерээбши) — why did you come?
* Shekhen (Шэхен) — ear
* Shoohan (Шуhан) — blood
* Shudkher/Shudher (Шудхэр) — damn it! [literal translation: devil; demon]
* Shuu dee/Shүү dee (Шуу дээ/Шүү дээ) — it is so [used in conjunction, cannot be used as a sentence on its own]
* Souvilag'sh (Cувилагш) — "the one who teaches how to walk" (nurse, sister, guardian, caretaker in Mongolian)
* Sugagh Khadugh (Сугаг Хадуг) — a spring on the boundary between the Steppe and the Rotten Field. *Khad* *(хад)* means 'crag' in Mongolian, and *sug* means 'water' in Tuvan
* Suok (Суок) — a Steppe deity

### T

* Taglur (Таглур) — defined variously as "a circle" or "a kin circle". It also refers to a pagan game described as a "roundelay of sorts". Notably, Simon Kain had a chosen group of *taglur,* various people bound by fate, who then formed the Bound of the protagonists, and who were also referred to as *Gobo's Taglur (*Gobo being a character from an epic local to the Town-On-Gorkhon*)*. In German, the verb *tagen* means 'to convene' and the noun *Tagung* means 'conference'.
* Tangher (Тангэр) — a term of address, likely short for "Khatangher"
* Tegdegh (Тэгдэг) — yes, it is so
* Tohonto (Тоонто) — umbilical cord; birthplace
* Tekhe (Тэхе) — the clot between the warm and the cold; a soul, only smaller and able to talk
* Teleghyy yaakhav, naayze (Тэгэлгүй яахав, наайзе) — certainly, friend
* Tenegh (Тэнэг) — a fool; foolish, stupid
* Tiimel daa (Тиимэл даа) — that's right, it is so
* Tom naymaa (Том наймаа) — big deal, trade
* Toonto nuutag (Тоонто nютаг) — birthplace, native land; home, family
* Toukhai (Тухай) — about, of
* Tsoe she daa (Цсои шэ даа) — who are you?
* Typkhe (Тыпхе) — the name of the spring in the Spin-a-Yarn Square; Vlad the Younger translates the name simply as "a well"

### U

* Ubshe (Убшэ) — sickness; a sick one
* Udhar/Udkhar (Удхар) — a warm vessel; succession, continuity
* Udhey/Udey (Удэй) — ? whip, thong; a ritual bone given to menkhu as the sign of their power
* Udurgh (Удург) — a big body; a special body; a body that contains a lot
* Ukherney ereed baina gyy (Ухэрнэй ерээд байна гүү) — ? did a bull come? /literal translation: are the cattle mooing?/
* Ukhedel/Үkhedel (Ухэдэл/Үхэдэл) — corpse
* Ulmar (Улмар) — tincture
* Unente (Унэнтэ/Унэнте) — it's true, it is so
* Untarna (Унтарна) — to numb, to dim, a light burning out
* Urmaan (Урмаан) — spirit
* Ushkhaan (Ушхаан) — lungs
* Uymen (Юүмэн) — thing, something

### Y

* Yuunde (Юундэ) — why
* Yadaral (Ядарал) — vein
* Yag iim baina (Яг ийм байна) — just like that
* Yamar (Ямар) – which; can be used as an interjection
* Yamar berkhe basaghan bai! (Ямар бэрхэ басаган бай!) — What a difficult woman!
* Yamar goe be/Yamar goe bee (Ямар гое бэ/Ямар гое бээ) — it is great! (used as an exclamation not a neutral sentence)
* Yamar yuumen toukhai (Ямар юумэн тухай) — what kind of [tale would you like]
* Yargachin (Яргачин) — ripper; butcher (or surgeon) /this would be derogatory in irl Khalkh Mongolian dialect and surgeon would be “mes zasalch”/
* Yas (Яс) — bone

### Z

* Zobolon/Sobolon (Зоболон) - Agony, anguish
* Zobolon/Sobolon boozarlakhaa (Зоболон бузарлахаа) — To defile anguish/agony?
* Zürkh (Зурх, зүрх) — ?; used for "blood" layer tinctures (see Mongolian зурх — "heart")
* Zurkhen (Зурхэн) — heart

## Sounds

### Phrases

* Steppen phrase from the game
* Steppen phrase from the game
* Steppen phrase from the game

### Songs

* Steppen song from the game
* Steppen song from the game
* Steppen song from the game
* Steppen song from the game
* Steppen song from the game

## Notes

* A community curated resource for Steppe Language can be found here: Steppe Language Dictionary
* The alphabet of the Steppe Language is sometimes referred to as Longmark; "circles or copious brands".

## References

1. ↑ The Steppe Alphabet
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *Pathologic 2 Artbook*
3. ↑ *“Nejel-wa” Wax Seal Stamp*
4. ↑ *“Samn” Wax Seal Stamp*
5. ↑ *“Soom” Wax Seal Stamp*
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 **Aspity:** "Khetey" means "sister-elder." Is that what you mean to call me? Bayarlaa, thank you. You still remember something of your people's ways? (*Pathologic 2*)
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Direct translation from Mongolian
8. ↑ **Haruspex:** Bish. I do not want to. (*Pathologic 2*)
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 Direct translation from Buryat
10. ↑ **Vlad the Younger:** He is a boös, a bullman and a master of bulls.(...) (*Pathologic* Bachelor Route Day 12)
11. ↑ **Haruspex:** Duugai. "Silent." I hope you remain such. (*Pathologic 2*)
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 **Haruspex:** "Emshen" means "a doctor," or someone who knows the Lines. "Erdem" means "a wise man," who doesn't know them. Speaking in more modern terms, "erdem" would refer to a scientist. (Infected organ touch quote, *Pathologic 2*)
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 **Haruspex:** I'm no erdem. "Emshen" would be more accurate… but not especially humble. Usually, we call surgeons "yargachins," as in butchers. (*Pathologic 2*)
14. ↑ **Haruspex:** I'll call you Hюmhan. A creature made of fingernails. (*Pathologic 2*)
15. ↑ **Haruspex:** I'll call you Khooloy. I'll give you a throat. (*Pathologic 2*)
16. ↑ **Haruspex:** "Medrel." You mean the nerves? (*Pathologic 2*)
17. ↑ **Tumbler Human:** A body is governed by three Layers. Whatever illness grips the body turns this harmony into a conflict between them, and thus kills. Look inside a body, and you shall see. \nThese Layers are called "mete." (*Pathologic 2*)
18. ↑ **Shaazgai:** Look, brethren. A snake-man comes. Let us call him Moga. (*The Marble Nest*)
19. ↑ **Haruspex:** Mounkhe, that's what I'll call you. "Eternity." (*Pathologic 2*)
20. ↑ "...so that his heart might rejoice forever (lit. “in circles”, cyclically; the steppe people have no concept of eternity)" (*Pathologic 2 Artbook*)
21. ↑ Executor Mask description (*The Marble Nest*); **Mark Immortell:** We have a ton of steppe theatre costumes in the storeroom. Especially those wicked birds, Muu Shubuun. The ones that symbolize death. Do steppe people like the play with death? (*Pathologic 2*)
22. ↑ **Dancer Girl:** The locals believed that if the Steppe doesn't accept a freak back into her womb, they'll creep out again as an evil spirit—a nastail, a mara, or a shabnak-adyr. *(Pathologic)*
23. ↑ [1]
24. ↑ **Haruspex:** I'll call you Noukher. "Partner." So that you won't let me down, khayaala. (*Pathologic 2*)
25. ↑ Tuvan Talking Dictionary - sug
26. ↑ Tag - Wiktionary
27. ↑ **Aspity:** "I leave you to your grief, now. Come to my home if you need me. I will wait for you, night and day. For as long as I remain, tangher, I will stand behind your shoulder." and other examples (*Pathologic 2*)