Old Tongue

The Old Tongue is a fictional language from Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. It is depicted as a now-dead language, spoken only by scholars and certain nobles, but still plays a role in the plot of the books.

History

The Old Tongue was spoken during and shortly after the Age of Legends. Due to the ensuing turmoil of the Breaking of the World, the Trolloc Wars, and the War of the Hundred Years, the records of this time period are generally fragmentary at best; however, it seems that a sufficient knowledge of the language itself has survived for those who wish to learn it to learn it. Many nobles, for example, are expected to learn at least a few phrases of the Old Tongue, though few do so. A fair number of Aes Sedai seem to have some knowledge of it as well, (probably taught to them in the White Tower) to say nothing of the scholars to whom such things are of great interest.

But though it has long since passed out of use, its importance should not be underestimated. It is the language of such great figures as Artur Hawkwing, Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions, as well as that of the Forsaken. It was spoken by a society that was, by all remaining accounts, quite advanced in most respects, and it was the language of those who struggled to mend their shattered societies in the aftermath of the Breaking. It did nothing less than survive a minor armageddon, and usher in the dawn of a new world.

At present, the Old Tongue can still be seen through names of places (e.g. Manetheren or Aridhol, or even Alcair Dal), things (e.g. names of Aiel warrior societies), inscriptions (e.g. "Tia mi aven Moridin isainde vadin"), and in certain phrases used in conversation, especially by Matrim Cauthon, who inherited fluency in the language from the memories he received from the Eelfinn, but even before that knew the language piecemeal.

Phrases and translations

Below is a list of some of the Old Tongue words and phrases used in the Wheel of Time books.

• "Dovie'andi se tovya sagain." (It's time to toss the dice.) Said by Mat Cauthon from time to time, generally before battles. He started using it after he was released from the dagger.

• "Carai an Caldazar! Carai an Ellisande! Al Ellisande!" (For the honor of the Red Eagle! For the Honor of the Rose of the Sun! The Rose of the Sun!)^[1] - shouted by Mat in the first fight against Trollocs, just after they left the Caemlyn Road; the ancient battle cry of Manetheren.

• "Mia ayende, Aes Sedai! Caballein misain ye! Inde muagdhe Aes Sedai misain ye! Mia ayende!" (Release me, Aes Sedai! I am a free man! I am no Aes Sedai meat! Release me!)^[2] - shouted by Mat during his Healing of his contact with the dagger of Shadar Logoth.

• "Muad'drin tia dar allende caba'drin rhiadem! Los Valdar Cuebiyari! Los! Carai an Caldazar! Al Caldazar!" (Footmen prepare to pass cavalry forward! Forward the Heart Guard! Forward! For the Honor of the Red Eagle! The Red Eagle!)^[3]- appeared in Mat's dreams after he was freed of the dagger, a phrase used in a battle of Manetheren against the Trollocs.

• "Sene sovya caba'donde ain dovienya." (Luck is a horse to ride like any other.)

• "Tia mi aven Moridin isainde vadin." (The grave is no bar to my call.) - inscription on the Horn of Valere. (This sentence is from Book One, The Eye of the World)

• "Tia avende alantin" (Brother to the Trees, or Treebrother; typically shortened to alantin, Brother.) This is the ancient name for Ogier used in the Age of Legends, and as such, Selene (aka Mierin Eronaile, from the Age of Legends) calls Loial alantin in the second book, The Great Hunt.

• Lanfear, Moghedien, Moridin, Cyndane, Ishamael, Sammael (Daughter of the Night, the Spider, Death, Last Chance, Betrayer of Hope, Destroyer of Hope, respectively) The names of the Forsaken.

• "Sa souvraya niende misain ye." (I am lost in my own mind.)^[4]

• Shaidar Haran (Hand of the Shadow) see Shaidar Haran.

• Tai'shar ... (True Blood of ...) - Followed by the name of a nation or people, this term is used as a compliment, to tell the addressee that (s)he exemplifies the positive traits associated with his people. Examples include Tai'shar Malkier, Tai'shar Manetheren, Tai'shar Andor and Tai'shar Kandor. The term is used almost exclusively by Lan and other Borderlanders.

• Daishar (Glory) - Used as a name by Egwene al'Vere for her horse.^[5]

• Jeade'en (True Finder) - Used as a name by Rand al'Thor for his horse.^[6]

• Tai'daishar (True Glory) - Used as a name by Rand al'Thor for his horse.^[7]

• Mandarb (Blade) - Used by Lan Mandragoran for his horse.^[8] Also, the first name Faile claimed to be hers.

• Aldieb (West Wind) - Used by Moiraine Damodred for her horse.^[9]

• Atha'an Miere (Those Bound to the Sea) - Old Tongue word for the Sea Folk.

• Aiel (Dedicated)

• Jenn Aiel (True Aiel)

• Siswai (Spear) - Used by Aviendha for her horse.^[10]

• Mageen (Daisy) - Used by Aviendha for her horse.^[11]

• Aan'allein (One Man OR Man Who Is an Entire People OR A Man alone) - Name used by the Aiel for Lan Mandragoran, the last of the Malkieri.^[12]

• Serenla (Stubborn Daughter) - Name given by Siuan Sanche for Min Farshaw to use while traveling incognito.^[13]

• Chalinda (Sweet Girl) - Name suggested by Siuan Sanche for Min Farshaw to use while traveling incognito.^[14]

• Ordeith (Wormwood) - Name used by Padan Fain while with the Children of the Light.^[15]

• Atha'an Shadar (Those Bound to the Shadow) - Seanchan term for Darkfriends.^[16]

• Car'a'carn (Chief of Chiefs) - Aiel name for the man who fulfills their prophecies and unites their clans, Rand al'Thor.^[17]

• Faile (Falcon) - Zarine Bashere's adopted name as a Hunter for the Horn.^[18]

• M'Hael (Leader) - Title adopted by Mazrim Taim as leader of the Asha'man^[19]

• Tsorovan'm'hael (Storm Leader) - Title adopted by Charl Gedwyn as a high-ranking officer among the Asha'man.^[20]

• Baijan'm'hael (Attack Leader) - Title adopted by Manel Rochaid as a high-ranking officer among the Asha'man.^[21]

• Mashiara (My Lost Love) - Term of endearment used by Lan Mandragoran to refer to Nynaeve al'Meara.^[22]

• Shaiel (She who is Dedicated) - Rand al'Thor's mother, formerly named Tigraine Mantear.^[23]

• Shadar Logoth (Place of Shadow) - See Shadar Logoth

References

Bibliography

• Jordan, Robert. The Eye of the World. Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., 1990
• Jordan, Robert and Patterson, Teresa. The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time. Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., 1997

External links

• The Compleat Old Tongue
• Dictionary of the Old Tongue