gich'klis - thoroughly unpleasant, large (4' plus) predator resembling a cross between a lizard and a land-fish that lives under the sand, lurking in wait for prey. Its fangs inject its prey with paralysing venom, then it lays its eggs in the living creature's abdomen: the larvae eat their way out slowly once hatched. Saiya-jin are poisonous to gich'klis!
ha'shi'a- a very gentle call to attention. Haa'shti'i is a more serious command: zhaa'shti'in signifies an urgent situation and must not be ignored.
he'zk'aan - a grave insult to the zhaneer, implies an individual of no taste, no intelligence, and no ki.
h'kven - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) mild exclamation, equivalent to 'Shit!'
h'k'vierch - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) equivalent to 'fucking bastard'.
hri'vken - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) 'one who ingests his own wastes': strong insult.
hv'viien - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) mild insult, equivalent to 'wimp'.
hv'vrn - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) a thing, something useless, of no value, contemptible, expendable.
spa'ah - to be engaged in a leisure activity, to play, to relax.
sshai'hashri - exclamation of satisfaction, with undertones of relief.
Ssii'iin - equates to king, chief ruler. The Ssi indicates high status, the iin part (in any word) indicates a person with power and/or authority.
Ssii'irin - equates to prince, child of a ruler. Ssii'irin'shi indicates next in line to the rulership, the Ssii'iin's chosen successor.
Ssii'iir - (pl. Ssii'iir'aa) equates to lord/lady, an individual of high status, wielding a measure of authority within specified limits (limits usually indicated by the terms accompanying the title in spoken or written zhaneer).
skria'shiin - equates to 'honoured guards'.
Sthia'hr'is'Ssii'iin - full title for lord ambassador of the zhaneer.
zh'antich'a - sweet, charming, romantic, loving, wonderful, adorable… Implies the willingness to make oneself vulnerable in order to show one's devotion to and love for another.
zchk'in - huge dragon-like lizard, not often seen (though not rare). Its meat is a luxury item, its blood can be mixed with spirit to make a fiery liqueur.
Terms of affection and relationship.
The zk suffix means love.
h'hzien - native R'ren'nkh'ia-go term for the partner with whom one shares living space, food, even a bed, but to whom one is not bonded. Except in very rare cases the relationship is close but non-sexual.
maazi - host, the one bearing the hostlings.
maa'ziin - host-sib.
machii - a degree of relationship. Best described with an example: Zha'haabron is 'haabron's sire ('father'), and Za'rayne's host ('mother'), so the children are related but aren't sire-sibs or host-sibs: machii is the general R'ren'nkh'ian term indicating this relationship (which is a very common one).
ma'issin - comprised of ma - protector, nurturer and issin - 'lord of my body'. Overall meaning something along the lines of one to whom you have given control, often an inferior who you make an equal by the term. Friend, mentor, possible lover.
shi'iin - sire-sib.
skai'tan - 'my twin', a term of affection. Rarely used, and only of physical twinship.
ssa'an - 'little one', specifically used by a younger to an older individual, either affectionately or to draw attention to the fact that the elder is doing something childish/reprehensible.
sthi'ma'ziss - mother/protector/nurturer, a term of respect and admiration.
zh'el - how one refers to one's h'hzien: loosely translates as 'friend', 'mate', 'partner'.
zhi'ma'a - relatives, family-by-blood. Ti'aasaan is not zhi'ma'a, but his hostlings by Zha'haabron are.
zhi'maa'chin - adopted family, outsiders who are welcomed in.
zk'aida - more-than-love, 'you are all of me'.
zkai'da - (pl. zkai'daa) more profound than above, a deeper level, implying that the speaker cannot live without the bondmate. Traditionally this term was not employed until after the bonded individuals had survived a life-or-death crisis, but with the liberation of the zn'hre it has become more common, often now used simply of and by bonded mates.
zkai'din - (pl. zkai'din'aa) chosen mate, beloved: usually indicates mated but not bonded individuals.
zk'aivansith - beautiful, exquisite, moving to tears, exciting, arousing.
zk'iinan - (pl. zk'iinan'aa) zn'hre term, temporary mate, host or sire of one's hostlings.
zk'vils - a pretty little winged insect with a nasty sting, the wings and scales sometimes used to make jewellery, specifically given to lovemates. zk'vils has come to be used affectionately to mean 'little pest', 'nuisance'.
zk'viss - sweetheart.
zk'vissin- precious, beyond price.
zvi'ch - treasure - an endearment.
Terms for combat
hg'kcha - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) fight, physical or ki, general term.
hg'vyan - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) training fight, physical, light spar.
hg'glin - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) training fight, physical, friendly combat, more intense than above.
hg'istin - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) training fight, physical, serious, competitive.
hg'svan - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) training fight, physical, very serious, usually resulting in injury.
hg'vol - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) combat to the death.
shth'aan - ritual combat (physical)
shth'ataan - ritual combat (ki)
z'si'iin - war. (The z'si suffix indicates hatred, violence, overwhelming negative emotion.)
Terms for nutrition
ga'gach - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) food, general term.
hn'spa - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) meat, general term.
ho'igh - (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) drink, general term.
zk'issza - water, precious fluid.
st'a'al - wine, intoxicating liquid.
Musical terms
zhai - traditional musical composition, consisting of:
1 zhi'ian- a short, choral overture,
2 sthi'ntia- a slow instrumental movement (usually played on the st'aa'n, see below)
3 shoi'in- a short solo piece,
4 shstyen - a livelier instrumental movement,
5 staz'a'an - a duet, sometimes accompanied, sometimes not,
6 sh'ath'anas - a triumphal final piece, utilising all singers and instruments, played crescendo.
(A great deal of variety is possible within this basic structure.)
tha'an - cross between a drum and a rattle, played by striking with the hand or a padded stick: sounds a little like waves striking and shifting over sand.
zth'ihihn - wind instrument, made from bone - looks like two penny whistles joined side by side, with one mouthpiece, but sounds like a flute.
st'aa'n - the basic R'ren'nkh'ian musical instrument. The original was a pipe with holes that was hung where the breeze could blow through it: later this was developed into a wind-instrument something like a recorder and played in much the same way. As time went by more and more complex versions were created, in a host of different sizes. What Bri'seiyis uses, however, works rather more like a Terran organ: air is forced through a full range of pipes (mounted together on a stand) electronically, the individual pipes, and all the stops, operated by a complex keyboard.
A note about structure - and names...
Waaaay back in the Third Chronicle Zha'haarak *said* to Hijau:
At the time I translated this, roughly, as
"You are my world, my reason for existing, the one who holds my life within his hands: without you I wither and die, am nothing… my life begins and ends in you, beloved."
Here, finally, is a slightly more detailed breakdown of the structure of the prince's declaration of trust and love.
Sth'ish'tisiinAnd on the subject of names…
Comprised of the elements sth - foundation, base, ish - blossoming, bringing forth goodness/life (ref. also the Ish- clan, Ish'nadris, Ish'ayi), and isiin - 'one to whom I have given myself'. The t shows that the giving was done freely. Lit: the one who owns me, who is my foundation and the source of my wellbeing.
zv'ah'hi'a
Comprised of the elements zv'a - dryness, aridity, the desert, h'hi - desiccated, withered, without liquid, and the final 'a - indicates absence, the void. Lit: a void within the desert, without life.
shamai
Death, which is always seen as the gateway to a new and different form of existence. Also used to indicate cycles of time.
maas
Comprised of the elements ma - protector, nurturer, and as - lifeforce, spirit. Lit: the one who safeguards my soul.
shan't'ia'mis
Comprised of the elements shan - Life, t'i - brightness (yes, that's where the Ti- clan - Ti'aasaan, Ti'zheenan etc - get their names from) and a'mis - 'yours'. Lit: means both 'you are responsible for the brightness (joy, health, pleasure, love) in my life' and 'the brightness of my life I give to you'.
br' is wealth, while bri' indicates that the wealth is other than material;
chy' means high (distance);
dhr' implies control;
fa' implies travelling great distances;
gh' indicates knowledge;
gli' implies wisdom;
kk' (native R'ren'nkh'ia-go) implies difficulties overcome;
la' means gentle;
sh' implies comfort, while ssh' implies luxury;
tal' indicates tractability, rationality;
vi' implies 'worthy of trust';
y' means guard (a command) while ye' means guarded, protected;
zh' is strength, while zha' is power.
More to come!
© 2003 May 13th Joules Taylor
The First Alliance Chronicle
The Second Alliance Chronicle
The Third Alliance Chronicle
The Fourth Alliance Chronicle
The Fifth Alliance Chronicle
The Sixth Alliance Chronicle
The Seventh Alliance Chronicle
The Eighth Alliance Chronicle
