Languages under Malane

There are many languages under the sky called Malane. Events in The Mindruler novels take place in three nations, so it is those languages that appear from time to time in the stories: Dûrian, Selmian and Grûzhack. Another language that is mentioned but not quoted (except for specific terminology) is Dorbian.

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The Dûrian and Selmian languages are members of the wider Dûrai language group, which also includes Thrinari, Marûvin and Pandian. These I have studied a little: I share some of my findings here (see the sub-pages for Glossaries, Pronunciation Guides, Phonological Descriptions [to be added], and other material). Grûzhack and Dorbian, however, are completely unrelated either to each other or to the Dûrai languages; so I have simply tried to transcribe as accurately as possible what I heard.

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To give you  flavour of these languages, here are a few examples:

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Dûrian: Hây! Atenámbaret collinathar sen hinnay! (The local people hail Shiván and Lannie as Atenámbaret: The Mindruler, chapter 2)

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Selmian: Kyelarisa! Ambelu Dulurinu tematari! (Kyenu’s exclamation on seeing the Ambon: The Strongholder, chapter 38)

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Grûzhack: Dakhileyn shezik ghân, Brakhól! (Shakhere rebuking Brakhól, which leads eventually to their departure from Stillárre:

The Strongholder, chapter 8)

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Dorbian: Hrarborgh (‘Father of Warriors’—Shiván’s Dorbian title) / Bankhez (‘Eldest’, ‘Great Father’—title of the Dorbian leader).

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If, like me, you’re fascinated by languages, you’ll find plenty to whet your appetite in the sub-pages of this section—and maybe you can work out exactly what some of the above quotations are saying!