Elder Speech

Hen Llinge 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 Edit

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.^[1]

The author invented the language for orcs and elves,^[2] but so far only the latter have appeared in the official continuity.

Dictionary Edit

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 Edit

Elder Speech	English
a'baeth	kiss, to kiss
ar	of
ard	mountain, mountainous, upper, top, or "the highest" (From Irish: High)
aark, aark	phonetic presentation of the sound ravens/crows make
abb	mouth (of a river)
addan, adan	dance; dancer; dancing
adhart^[3]	forward
aé	first person singular subject personal pronoun I (dryad dialect)
aecáemm^[3]	to follow
aedd	shard, piece
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 sledge/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 (mostly used for marking hereditary ties)
aép	in, to
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
arse	arse (UK), ass (US), butt, rump

B Edit

Elder Speech	English
ban	peak, summit, place/village? (context dependent) (From Welsh: ban/fan)
beag^[3]	little (From Irish: beag)
beanna	woman (From Irish: bean)
beann'shie	banshee (From Irish: bean sí)
belean'graec^[3]	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^[3], breoga^[4]	frog (From Welsh: broga)
Brokiloéne	of Brokilon, Brokiloni

C Edit

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 The Witcher 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^[3]	empire (of Nilfgaard)
ceann	head, tip; end (as in end point) (Irish: ceann)
cerbin	raven
cinerea	Ilyocoris
col	pass (mountain pass) (From Welsh: dol)
coram	lion
conyn	stalk (as in plant stem) (From Welsh: coesyn)
craag	rock/cliff (From Welsh: careg/craig)
creasa	must, necessity, obligation, inevitability, duty
crevan	fox

D Edit

Elder Speech	English
daerienn^[3]	sorceress, sorceresses
darganfod^[3]	discover, discovery, discovered (From Welsh: darganfod)
darl'len^[3]	read (From Welsh: darllen)
dearg	red (From Irish: dearg) (Ellylon)
dearme	sleep; good night (phrase) (From Italian: dormire)
deien^[3]	to serve
deireádh	end (noun), last, finish (From Irish: deireadh)
deith	flame
deithwen	white flame
dh'oine	human (in The Witcher also in form dh'oinne)
dhu	black (From Welsh: du, Irish: dubh)
dice	to speak, to talk (From Spanish: dice)
dol	dale, dell, vale, valley (Welsh: dôl)
d'yaebl	devil (in The Witcher both a sword and a wolf bear this name) (From Spanish: diablo)

E Edit

Elder Speech	English
easnadh	sigh (Ellylon)
eate	summer
eigean	necessary, must, have to (From Irish: is éigean)
eimyr	hedgehog
elaine	fair, beautiful (From Irish: álainn)
elle	of alder(s)
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)
evellienn	everything, all, everybody, everyone
evn'gesaen^[3]	ambassador

F Edit

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
fraeren	brothers ? (perhaps from Italian: fratelli)

G Edit

Elder Speech	English
gaeth	gate, portal ?
gàidh (genitive: gaidth)^[3]	garden
gar'ean	note; consider; be careful
geas	curse; geis is a magical obligation/prohibition in Irish mythology. Also; geas, geasa
geehaet^[3]	hard
ghar^[3]	word
gláeddyv (plural: glaeddyvan)	sword (From Welsh: cleddyf)
glean	bottom, low (From Welsh: glan)
gleanna	valley, possibly genitive: valley's, of valleys
gloir^[3]	glory (From French: gloire)
glosse	to look, watch, stare
gvaern^[3]	mistress
gvalch'ca	Falka / Falcon
gwen, gwyn	white (also -wen) (From Welsh: Gwyn)
gwennelen	alabaster (in genitive?)
gynvael	ice
gwynbleidd	White wolf

H Edit

Elder Speech	English
hael	greeting (long life to...); health (From English: hail, hale)
haela	medicine; drug?
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 (From Welsh: hen)
het^[3]	it, that
holl^[3]	all (From Welsh: holl)

I Edit

Elder Speech	English
ichaer	blood (From English: ichor)
inis	island (From Irish: inis)
invaerne	(in) winter (From Italian: inverno)

K Edit

Elder Speech	English
kelpie	kelpie

L Edit

Elder Speech	English
laeke, loc	lake
laith	lady (Ellylon)
lara	seagull
ledwedd^[3]	painting
lionors	lioness (Skellige jargon)
llamas	maturing
llinge	language, tongue (from Italian: lingua)
loa'then^[3]	hate (From English: loathing)
loc'h	lake (Ellylon)
Loc'hlaith	Lady of the Lake (Ellylon)
luned	daughter / young girl

M Edit

Elder Speech	English
marw^[3]	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)
modron	mother (Skellige jargon)
morc	book, tome
muire	sea (From Italian: mare)

N Edit

Elder Speech	English
na	or (From Irish: ná)
naev'de	nine of (From Italian: nove di)
neén	no, not
nell'ea	?
ninnau^[3]	we, us; ourselves (From Welsh: nina/ninau)
n'te	do not

P Edit

Elder Speech	English
pavienn	ape
pest	pestilence, plague, blight
pherian	Halfling, hobbit (from Sindarin: perian, plural periannath)
pont	bridge (From Welsh: pont)

Q Edit

Elder Speech	English
que	that (From Italian: che, French: qui/que)
quirk, quirk	phonetic representation of the sound sparrows make

R Edit

Elder Speech	English
raenn	run
rhena	queen
rhenawedd^[3]	queen's daughter/son, princess/prince ?
Roethainne^[3]	Redanian
ruadhri	riders, horsemen (Ellylon)

S Edit

Elder Speech	English
salah^[3]	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)
shaent	sing (From French: chanter)
sidh	elf (dryad dialect) (From Irish: Sidhe)
sledd	sled
sor'ca	little sister
spar	shoot (verb) (From Italian: sparare)
spar'le	(order) fire; attack
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 Edit

Elder Speech	English
taedh	bard, poet
te	you
tearth	fear
tedd	time, age, season
thaesse	shut up
thu^[3]	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
tuathe	whisper (Ellylon)
tvedeane	twelve, dozen
twe^[3]	two

U Edit

Elder Speech	English
uniade^[3]	union, uniting, joining; merger (From Welsh: Uniad)

V Edit

Elder Speech	English
va	go (From French/Italian: va)
va'en	trip, journey
vaer'trouv^[3]	to hope, to trust
va fáill	goodbye, farewell
vara	wares; goods
varh'he^[3]	bitch
vatt'ghern	witcher
veloë	fast, quick; quickly (From Italian: veloce)
voe'rle	stop, halt?
vort	further, away (from oneself), still

W Edit

Elder Speech	English
wedd	child
weddin	diminutive form of 'wedd', child; kiddo
wen	white (From Welsh: Wen/wyn)
woed, woéd, woedd	wood; forest (From Welsh: Coed/Coedwig, also English: wood)

Y Edit

Elder Speech	English
y	of
yeá	yes, so
yghern	Giant centipede
ymladda^[3]	combat, fight (From Welsh: Ymladd)
yn	on, over, upon, one
ys	downward, from below
ysgarthiad^[3]	shit, excretion

Z Edit

Elder Speech	English
zireael	swallow (bird)
zvaere	swear (to take an oath)

'Edit

Elder Speech	English
'ere	here (Dryad dialect)

Names Edit

Elder Speech	English
Aedd Gynvael	Shard of Ice
Aen N'og Mab Taedh'morc	"Practices for a Young Bard"
Aen Elle	Alder Folk, People of the Alders
Aen Saevherne	Sage
Aen Seidhe	Hill Folk, People of the Hill
Aen Woedbeanna	Woman of the Woods
Aenyell'hael	Baptism of fire, also the name of a novel
Aevon y Pont ar Gwennelen	River of Alabaster Bridges, Pontar
Ard Carraigh	High Rock
Aymm Rhoin^[3]	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 (Blood of Elves, 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
Glyswen	White River
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)^[5]
Midaëte	Midsummer
Midinvaerne	Midwinter
Muire d'yaeblen^[3]	Drowner
Saovine	'Soul day'?; the first savaed in the elven calendar
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 Edit

Elder Speech	English
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.^[3]	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!^[6]
Caemm 'ere!	Come here! (Dryad dialect)
Caen me a'baethe?	Give me a kiss?^[6]
Ceádmil, Wedd Brokiloéne!	Greetings, Child of Brokilon!
Dubhenn haern am glândeal, morc'h am fhean aiesin	My glare will pierce through darkness, my brightness will scatter the shadow
Duettaeánn aef cirrán Cáerme Gláeddyv. Yn á esseáth	The Sword of Destiny has two edges. You are one of them
Elaine tedd a'taeghane^[6]	Lovely weather we're having. Literally: a nice time today
En'ca minne	Little love (a term of endearment/pet name, akin to 'darling')
Ess've vort shaente aen...^[6]	Sing me a song about...
Gar'ean! N'te va!^[6]	Watch out! Don't go in there!
Glaeddyv vort, beanna	Drop the sword, woman
Glaeddyvan vort!	Drop the swords!
Ire lokke, ire tedd	Another place, another time
Ledwedd varlledu cyall, no ghar^[3]	Paintings should convey emotions, not words (Ellylon)
Lambert caen me a'baeth aep arse	Lambert can kiss me in the ass
N'aen aespar a me^[6]	Don't shoot me
Ni'l ceim siaar^[3]	Don't let them escape (Ellylon)
N'te dice'en^[6]	Don't say anything
N'te va	Do not go / stop / halt
M'aespar que va'en, ell'ea?^[6]	Are you going to shoot me or what?
Mir' me vara^[6]	Show me your goods
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?	?
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?^[6]	We'll go for a sleigh ride, alright?
Va'esse deireádh aep eigean, va'esse eigh faidh'ar	Something ends, something begins

Writings Edit

Elder Speech	English
Darl'len, Aen Seidhe!^[3] Neen evelienn Scoia'tael marw. Cáemm aep woedd, holl Aen Seidhe. Darganfod an uniade ninnau. Ymladda dh'oine. Ess'tedd, esse creasa.^[3]	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^[3]	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']
Thomas Moreau, Professor Ellas k'havani allder aen Dol Naev'de, ellas allder n'corrason. Glorsann a'Aelirenn.^[3]	Thomas Moreau, Professor Salvation lies not in Dol Naev'de [Valley of the Nine] but in our hearts. Glory be to Aelirenn.

References Edit

↑ "Nie bądź, kurwa, taki Geralt" - community interview
↑ Historia i Fantastyka interview
↑ ^3.00 ^3.01 ^3.02 ^3.03 ^3.04 ^3.05 ^3.06 ^3.07 ^3.08 ^3.09 ^3.10 ^3.11 ^3.12 ^3.13 ^3.14 ^3.15 ^3.16 ^3.17 ^3.18 ^3.19 ^3.20 ^3.21 ^3.22 ^3.23 ^3.24 ^3.25 ^3.26 ^3.27 ^3.28 ^3.29 ^3.30 ^3.31 ^3.32 ^3.33 ^3.34 ^3.35 ^3.36 ^3.37 ^3.38 ^3.39 ^3.40 CD Projekt's The Witcher franchise
↑ Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
↑ The Baptism of Fire, chapter one
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 ^6.4 ^6.5 ^6.6 ^6.7 ^6.8 ^6.9 A Fractured Land: Tales of the Northern Realms by Marcus T. K. Hodgson

Sources Edit

Polish Witcher Wikia
Elder Speech Glossary (Elder Speech to Polish)

[interview1-0] "Nie bądź, kurwa, taki Geralt" - community interview

[1] Historia i Fantastyka interview

[games-2] 3.00 ^3.01 ^3.02 ^3.03 ^3.04 ^3.05 ^3.06 ^3.07 ^3.08 ^3.09 ^3.10 ^3.11 ^3.12 ^3.13 ^3.14 ^3.15 ^3.16 ^3.17 ^3.18 ^3.19 ^3.20 ^3.21 ^3.22 ^3.23 ^3.24 ^3.25 ^3.26 ^3.27 ^3.28 ^3.29 ^3.30 ^3.31 ^3.32 ^3.33 ^3.34 ^3.35 ^3.36 ^3.37 ^3.38 ^3.39 ^3.40 CD Projekt's The Witcher franchise

[3] Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

[4] The Baptism of Fire, chapter one

[game_book-5] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 ^6.4 ^6.5 ^6.6 ^6.7 ^6.8 ^6.9 A Fractured Land: Tales of the Northern Realms by Marcus T. K. Hodgson

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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