Terra Fera Terms and Definitions
These are common terms, words, and phrases used across Terra Fera and by characters in the series, plus their meaning, use, and origin.
The Ancestors/Stars: Spirits of the dead Fae and animals (so all creatures, but humans who have souls), who many believe watch over the living, and are visible at night as stars.
"By the Stars": Used by Fae and all beast races who believe in the Ancestors, a common expression of awe, anger, or other various emotions. Examples: By the Stars, I'm going to regret this! By the Stars, what have you done?!
Sometimes shortened to just "by Stars".
"By the gods": Similarly used like "by the Stars", but by those who still believe in the ancient gods. Common in Northern Niana.
The Ancestors/Stars: Spirits of the dead Fae and animals (so all creatures, but humans who have souls), who many believe watch over the living, and are visible at night as stars.
"By the Stars": Used by Fae and all beast races who believe in the Ancestors, a common expression of awe, anger, or other various emotions. Examples: By the Stars, I'm going to regret this! By the Stars, what have you done?!
Sometimes shortened to just "by Stars".
"By the gods": Similarly used like "by the Stars", but by those who still believe in the ancient gods. Common in Northern Niana.
Ancient Tongue
Basics
Everything is backwards!
Yes, you heard me, backwards. Well, sort of.
Let's take the goddess Iet for example. Her full name is Mariet, which means "She has warmth" or "She is warmth". Her name broken up is Mar and Iet, Mar meaning "warm" or "warmth", and Iet mean "she". Get what I mean now by "everything is backwards"? There are weird exceptions though, like the word Kachezdaira, which is "one who sees the dead". Broken up, it's Ka("sees"), Chez("one who"), and Daira ("[the] dead"). Ka is an odd word/prefix that always goes at the beginning. There are other exceptions, like the prefix that is used in names of various races. Teli means people, and in Telosi ("people of peace"), or Tellez("people of the plains"), or Tellia("people of light"), Teli(or just the root Tel in this case) is always first.
Or hyphens can be used! In a name like Mariet, it could be Iet-Mar instead. This is rarer, however.
There are male and female versions of every word!
Basically comes down to adding an "o" at the end for male names, and a "a" for female names. If female and the word/name already ends in "a", add an "h" and put emphasis on the "ah".
Alternately, the "he/his/him" and "she/her/hers" suffix can be added. Male would be tieo and female is iet.
Ancient Tongue Words
Ka: sees(verb)/watcher(noun). Pronounced "kaw"
Kan: seen. Pronounced "kawn"
Dara: death, often specifically meaning Death as in the entity or deity of legends. Pronounced "dar-rah"
Daira: dead. Pronounced "dair-rah"
Dez: dry place, or in other words, a desert. Pronounced "dez"
Lez: plains, referring to grasslands. Pronounced "lez"
Carmn/Karmn: marsh. Pronounced "kar-m"
Mian: water. Pronounced "meye-an"
Kian: murk/mud. Pronounced "keye-an"
Mi: rain. Pronounced "meye"
Serr: shadow. Pronounced "sər"
Moae: dark. Pronounced "moh-ay-ee"
Moaeri: "Darkness", refers to a complicated term that can either mean evil or sin, or a force of nature that is neither good or evil by default. Fire is often used as an example, as it can be destructive, but can also refine and purify. Pronounced "moh-ay-ee-reye"
Utura: mother, or also the name given to Nature often. Pronounced "oo-tur-ah"
Otho: father. Pronounced "ohth-oh" (Like "oath oh")
Da: daughter. Pronounced "dah"
Do: son. Pronounced "doh"
Othotho: grandfather. Pronounced "ohth-ohth-oh"
Ututura: grandmother. Pronounced "ut-oo-tur-ah"
Zerith: tame/a pet. Pronounced "zər-rith"
Jeliah: light. Pronounced "jel-leye-ah"
Zarah: beauty(noun)/beautiful(verb). Pronounced "zair-rah". This word is wolf in origin, and it's said that it is impossible for a human to properly pronounce the word. "zar-rah" or "zair-rah" are considered acceptable subsitutes for the proper pronunciation.
Iet: she (she who, she is, hers, etc.). Pronounced "eye-et"
Tioe: he (he who, he is, his, etc). Pronounced "teye-oh"
Wai: I (myself, me, I am, mine, etc.). Pronounced "way-eye"
Lytos: tide, also the original name of the deity of storms, lightning, and thunder, called Thor by the Nians. Pronounced "leye-tohs"
Kytos: sea. Pronounced "keye-tohs"
Berkon: warrior. Pronounced "bər-kawn"
Neri: warrior, referring to a worthy opponent. Pronounced "neer-eye"
Otarg: heart. Pronounced "oh-targ"
Mly: storm. Pronounced "mleye"
Mar: warm/warmth. Pronounced "mar"
Mor: cold. Pronounced "moor"
Teli: people. Pronounced "tel-eye"
Kei: the name given to "beast races" in general. Any race/species that is an animal or animal like, but intelligent. Pronounced "kee-eye"
Keliah: wolf. Pronounced "keleye-ah"
Ketio: lion. Pronounced "ket-eye-oh"
Ketep: leopard. Pronounced "keh-tep"
Losi: peace. Pronounced "lohs-eye"
Eit: little. Pronounced "eet"
Tekois: wealth, also one of two forms of currency in the Capareon Empire. Pronounced "tekoh-eyes"
Heturi: land. Pronounced "het-tur-eye"
Etahor: magic. Pronounced "et-tay-or"
Vyta: dream. Pronounced "veye-tah" (Like in "vitamin")
Everything is backwards!
Yes, you heard me, backwards. Well, sort of.
Let's take the goddess Iet for example. Her full name is Mariet, which means "She has warmth" or "She is warmth". Her name broken up is Mar and Iet, Mar meaning "warm" or "warmth", and Iet mean "she". Get what I mean now by "everything is backwards"? There are weird exceptions though, like the word Kachezdaira, which is "one who sees the dead". Broken up, it's Ka("sees"), Chez("one who"), and Daira ("[the] dead"). Ka is an odd word/prefix that always goes at the beginning. There are other exceptions, like the prefix that is used in names of various races. Teli means people, and in Telosi ("people of peace"), or Tellez("people of the plains"), or Tellia("people of light"), Teli(or just the root Tel in this case) is always first.
Or hyphens can be used! In a name like Mariet, it could be Iet-Mar instead. This is rarer, however.
There are male and female versions of every word!
Basically comes down to adding an "o" at the end for male names, and a "a" for female names. If female and the word/name already ends in "a", add an "h" and put emphasis on the "ah".
Alternately, the "he/his/him" and "she/her/hers" suffix can be added. Male would be tieo and female is iet.
Ancient Tongue Words
Ka: sees(verb)/watcher(noun). Pronounced "kaw"
Kan: seen. Pronounced "kawn"
Dara: death, often specifically meaning Death as in the entity or deity of legends. Pronounced "dar-rah"
Daira: dead. Pronounced "dair-rah"
Dez: dry place, or in other words, a desert. Pronounced "dez"
Lez: plains, referring to grasslands. Pronounced "lez"
Carmn/Karmn: marsh. Pronounced "kar-m"
Mian: water. Pronounced "meye-an"
Kian: murk/mud. Pronounced "keye-an"
Mi: rain. Pronounced "meye"
Serr: shadow. Pronounced "sər"
Moae: dark. Pronounced "moh-ay-ee"
Moaeri: "Darkness", refers to a complicated term that can either mean evil or sin, or a force of nature that is neither good or evil by default. Fire is often used as an example, as it can be destructive, but can also refine and purify. Pronounced "moh-ay-ee-reye"
Utura: mother, or also the name given to Nature often. Pronounced "oo-tur-ah"
Otho: father. Pronounced "ohth-oh" (Like "oath oh")
Da: daughter. Pronounced "dah"
Do: son. Pronounced "doh"
Othotho: grandfather. Pronounced "ohth-ohth-oh"
Ututura: grandmother. Pronounced "ut-oo-tur-ah"
Zerith: tame/a pet. Pronounced "zər-rith"
Jeliah: light. Pronounced "jel-leye-ah"
Zarah: beauty(noun)/beautiful(verb). Pronounced "zair-rah". This word is wolf in origin, and it's said that it is impossible for a human to properly pronounce the word. "zar-rah" or "zair-rah" are considered acceptable subsitutes for the proper pronunciation.
Iet: she (she who, she is, hers, etc.). Pronounced "eye-et"
Tioe: he (he who, he is, his, etc). Pronounced "teye-oh"
Wai: I (myself, me, I am, mine, etc.). Pronounced "way-eye"
Lytos: tide, also the original name of the deity of storms, lightning, and thunder, called Thor by the Nians. Pronounced "leye-tohs"
Kytos: sea. Pronounced "keye-tohs"
Berkon: warrior. Pronounced "bər-kawn"
Neri: warrior, referring to a worthy opponent. Pronounced "neer-eye"
Otarg: heart. Pronounced "oh-targ"
Mly: storm. Pronounced "mleye"
Mar: warm/warmth. Pronounced "mar"
Mor: cold. Pronounced "moor"
Teli: people. Pronounced "tel-eye"
Kei: the name given to "beast races" in general. Any race/species that is an animal or animal like, but intelligent. Pronounced "kee-eye"
Keliah: wolf. Pronounced "keleye-ah"
Ketio: lion. Pronounced "ket-eye-oh"
Ketep: leopard. Pronounced "keh-tep"
Losi: peace. Pronounced "lohs-eye"
Eit: little. Pronounced "eet"
Tekois: wealth, also one of two forms of currency in the Capareon Empire. Pronounced "tekoh-eyes"
Heturi: land. Pronounced "het-tur-eye"
Etahor: magic. Pronounced "et-tay-or"
Vyta: dream. Pronounced "veye-tah" (Like in "vitamin")