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Revision as of 07:58, October 9, 2016
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[[File:Writing1.jpg|thumb|371x371px|Written Elvish upon a column]]The '''Elven language''', or "Elvish",<ref>[[Tamlen]] refers to the language as "Elvish" at the beginning of the [[Dalish Elf Origin]]</ref> was largely lost when [[Elvhenan]] fell to the [[Tevinter Imperium]] and its people were enslaved around two millennia before the [[Dragon Age (time period)|Dragon Age]]. When the [[Elf|elves]] settled their second homeland, [[the Dales]], they aimed to restore their lost [[language]] and lore, but the Dales fell after an [[Exalted March]] 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|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''", meaning "quickling", or "quick children" the old Elvish term for humans - and "''hahren''" - the leader of an [[Alienage]], meaning "elder" in Elvish.
[[File:Writing1.jpg|thumb|371x371px|Written Elvish upon a column]]The '''Elven language''', or "Elvish",<ref>[[Tamlen]] refers to the language as "Elvish" at the beginning of the [[Dalish Elf Origin]]</ref> was largely lost when [[Elvhenan]] fell to the [[Tevinter Imperium]] and its people were enslaved around two millennia before the [[Dragon Age (time period)|Dragon Age]]. When the [[Elf|elves]] settled their second homeland, [[the Dales]], they aimed to restore their lost [[language]] and lore, but the Dales fell after an [[Exalted March]] 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|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''", meaning "quickling", or "quick children" the old Elvish term for humans - and "''hahren''" - the leader of an [[Alienage]], meaning "elder" in Elvish.
−
A differentiating factor between Elvish and other languages in [[Thedas]]--particularly as regards aspects like names--is the avoidance of hard consonants.<ref>
Elven
naming conventions
.
http
://social.bioware.com/forum/Dragon-Age-Inquisition/Dragon-Age-Inquisition-General-Discussion/Elven-naming-conventions-17321539-1.html
.</ref>
+
A differentiating factor between Elvish and other languages in [[Thedas]]--particularly as regards aspects like names--is the avoidance of hard consonants.<ref>
{{BWF|author=[[David
Gaider]]|url=https://forum
.
bioware.com/web/%20Elven%20naming%20conventions.%20http
://social.bioware.com/forum/Dragon-Age-Inquisition/Dragon-Age-Inquisition-General-Discussion/Elven-naming-conventions-17321539-1.html
|title=Elven
naming conventions}}
+
</ref>
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".<ref>According to one archivist's [[Codex entry: On Skyhold|notes on Skyhold]].</ref>
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".<ref>According to one archivist's [[Codex entry: On Skyhold|notes on Skyhold]].</ref>
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:{{LanguageRow|Felassan||slow arrow.<ref>As explained by [[Felassan]] in [[The Masked Empire]]</ref>}}
:{{LanguageRow|Felassan||slow arrow.<ref>As explained by [[Felassan]] in [[The Masked Empire]]</ref>}}
:{{LanguageRow|Fen||wolf.<ref>[[Fenris]]</ref>}}
:{{LanguageRow|Fen||wolf.<ref>[[Fenris]]</ref>}}
−
:{{LanguageRow|Fenedhis||undefined common curse. Possibly the equivalent of "crap."<ref>[https://twitter.com/PatrickWeekes/status/624013938800246784
Patrick Weekes Twitter].
</ref>}}
+
:{{LanguageRow|Fenedhis||undefined common curse. Possibly the equivalent of "crap."<ref>
{{Twitter|author=[
[
Patrick Weekes]]|url=
https://twitter.com/PatrickWeekes/status/624013938800246784
}}
</ref>}}
:{{LanguageRow|Fenedhis lasa||an expansion on Fenedhis, a common curse.<ref>In a banter between [[Solas]] and [[Sera]]</ref>}}
:{{LanguageRow|Fenedhis lasa||an expansion on Fenedhis, a common curse.<ref>In a banter between [[Solas]] and [[Sera]]</ref>}}
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== Suledin (Endure) - an Elven Song ==
== Suledin (Endure) - an Elven Song ==
−
The elven song Suledin is played during the dungeon escape portion of the ''[[Leliana's Song]]'' [[Downloadable content (Origins)|DLC]]. (This is yet to be confirmed, for the only thing close enough to Suledin in Leliana's Song is Inon Zur's "Captivity". It does include the lines "lath aravel ena" and "ir sa lethalin", but otherwise the lyrics are different - the ni-la/neela part, for example) The song is about enduring and emerging from sorrow, tied to the elves' loss of their ancient lands. It is adapted to personal struggles, as well.<ref>[http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/4595798%26lf%3D8#4600000
| Post by Dragon Age writer Lukas Kristjanson in the BioWare forums]
</ref>
+
The elven song Suledin is played during the dungeon escape portion of the ''[[Leliana's Song]]'' [[Downloadable content (Origins)|DLC]]. (This is yet to be confirmed, for the only thing close enough to Suledin in Leliana's Song is Inon Zur's "Captivity". It does include the lines "lath aravel ena" and "ir sa lethalin", but otherwise the lyrics are different - the ni-la/neela part, for example) The song is about enduring and emerging from sorrow, tied to the elves' loss of their ancient lands. It is adapted to personal struggles, as well.<ref>
{{BWF|author=
[
[Lukas Kristjanson]]|url=
http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/4595798%26lf%3D8#4600000
}}
</ref>
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== I Am the One ==
== I Am the One ==
Played at the end credits of ''[[Dragon Age: Origins]]'' and included in the [[Dragon Age: Origins (soundtrack)|soundtrack]], 'I Am the One' features elven lyrics written by [[Inon Zur]]. A translation for the song can be found in [[Codex entry: "I Am The One"]].
Played at the end credits of ''[[Dragon Age: Origins]]'' and included in the [[Dragon Age: Origins (soundtrack)|soundtrack]], 'I Am the One' features elven lyrics written by [[Inon Zur]]. A translation for the song can be found in [[Codex entry: "I Am The One"]].
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{{Note|The lyrics of this song weren't written by the Bioware writers; as a result, they are not representative of the elven language.<ref name="DGTumblr">{{Tumblr|author=[[David Gaider]]|url=http://fenxshiral.tumblr.com/post/106036862413/incidentally-the-big-reason-i-am-the-one|title=Incidentally, the big reason I am the One...}}</ref>}}
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== Notes ==
== Notes ==
−
* With the release of ''Dragon Age II'', and Merrill's speech patterns, it has been
determ
that pronouns most likely carry an implied possessive. What this means for translation is that words like "ma" and "ar" can carry a "have" with them - "you have", "I have" - without actually needing to add in the "have" as a separate word.
+
* With the release of ''Dragon Age II'', and Merrill's speech patterns, it has been
determined
that pronouns most likely carry an implied possessive. What this means for translation is that words like "ma" and "ar" can carry a "have" with them - "you have", "I have" - without actually needing to add in the "have" as a separate word.
−
* The elven language as used in the games is actually a cipher<ref
>As
stated
by David Gaider [http:
/
/fenxshiral.tumblr.com/post/106036862413/incidentally-the-big-reason-i-am-the-one on Tumblr].</ref
>
.
+
* The elven language as used in the games is actually a cipher
.
<ref
name="DGTumblr"
/>
== References ==
== References ==