Messages

46

Introductions / Re: Fanfic writer wants his Dothraki quotes accurate

« on: January 09, 2014, 02:39:53 pm »

To clarify, the fanfic is in English with some Dothraki words and phrases added

http://archiveofourown.org/works/802600
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9291697/1/Queen-In-The-North

Basic plot: Rhaego is born healthy. The dragons hatch. Daenerys keeps much of Drogo's khalasar. They head straight to Westeros, where they find Robb, who is still unmarried.

47

Beginners / Re: Some substitutes for words not in Dothraki

« on: January 09, 2014, 01:08:29 am »

I like how my inexperience with the language is in-character for novice speakers and perhaps natives simplifying for outsiders.

I figured some of these had to exist even though David Peterson hasn’t made a word for them. Good point about him not wanting to end up contradicting later books/episodes.

Yer chomoe anna is a good one. Just the kind of information I was looking for.

I admit trying to make a verb a noun was awkward. madaktawaki seems to mean sewing metal, which seems to fit with 'steel dress' as the word for 'armor'.

Yeah, breaking down dosh khaleen seems close but not quite for me too. It does seem similar to allative.

vojjor X for god of X does seem interesting in general. I wonder why you seem to pluralize death.

I came up with the consort one to distinguish Daenerys' second husband from Dothraki-specific meanings of khal.

mahrazhis fini ondee khogar shiqethi, men who wear iron suits, from Drogo's epic S1E8 rant, might be great for disparaging use.

48

Introductions / Re: Fanfic writer wants his Dothraki quotes accurate

« on: January 09, 2014, 12:22:23 am »

Yeah, I've heard of GRRM's anti-fanfic attitude.  However, I couldn't avoid mentioning my writing as a reason for why I'm looking at the Dothraki language.

I disagree with GRRM's reasoning, but I didn't want to dwell on that here. I haven't heard your particular defense of GOT fanfic before.

I have the same user name on FFN and AO3, and I notice FFN has some blacklisted authors but GRRM is not one of them.

49

Beginners / Some phrases I've made

« on: January 08, 2014, 06:21:26 pm »

Some phrases I've made, are these any good?

Gaezo Rhaegar ma mahrazhkem Drogo - Brother Rhaegar and husband Drogo
Maisi khal Rhaesh Andalhi athjahaki rizh - The mother of the Westerosi King must be proud of such a son
Vezhven vazh zala! - The Great Stallion wants it!
Khaleesi asta ildates! - The queen says we strike!
Khal Rhaesh Andahli koalakeesi! - The Westerosi King’s healing woman! (I notice –eesi is an ending for the female form of some words besides khal)
Lajak Andahli Halah! – The Knight Of Flowers (I know Halah is non-plural, but Halahi, which seems like the correct plural, has a separate dictionary entry as ‘tree that can blossom’) * I use 'Andal warrior' for 'knight' in general
Rakharo ma Aggo thiri - Rakharo and Aggo live
Fekh nem Ave, Mai, Lajak, Nayat, Movee, Khaleen, ma Athdrivar – (The) Seven are Father, Mother, Warrior, Maiden, Smith, Crone, and Stranger”
Sekke davra ma kohol ma loqami! (literally ‘very good with bow and arrows’) – superb archer

Layafi asshekhqoyi - Happy Birthday, layafi being second person of layafat, to be happy

50

Beginners / Some substitutes for words not in Dothraki

« on: January 08, 2014, 06:14:17 pm »

Sometimes I've wanted to translate a word that's not in the Dothraki dictionary. Here are some examples and what I've come up with. Is the word actually in the dictionary in some form. Does anybody have any ideas for a better substitute?

Conjugations of Allayafat (to please) - ‘thank you’
Nayat (girl) – Maiden
Movee (3rd person singular of to make by hand, to create) – Smith *
Khaleen (crones, the ‘dosh’ in ‘dosh khaleen’ means ‘council’) – Crone, how do I depluralize?
Athdrivar (death) - Stranger *
title of regnant followed by kemak (spouse), mahrazhkem (husband) or chiorikem (wife) – Consort
Lajak Andahli (Andal warrior) - Knight

* Maker and Death wouldn't be good general translations for Smith and Stranger, but they fill similar roles in the Faith Of The Seven. (Am I guilty of blaspheming the Great Stallion for discussing this? )

51

Introductions / Fanfic writer wants his Dothraki quotes accurate

« on: January 08, 2014, 05:48:31 pm »

As a big ASOIAF/GOT fan, I soon started writing fanfic for it. Some of this involved the Dothraki, namely Daenerys' khalasar.

I wanted to use the language to add flavor and represent communication difficulties or cultural differences in general, especially when they're interacting with non-Dothraki.

The wiki has been very helpful for providing the dictionary and being a reference on grammatical issues like verb conjugation and noun cases. I came to the forum to help learn if I’m doing things right, if I’m following the wiki properly.

I have found myself learning some things about language in general. I’ve never learned a language besides English. I never took well to Spanish classes in school. I’ve never been this obsessed about a fictional world that had a constructed language. I’m hardly ashamed about the high level of nerdery, but I find it odd I’m interested in this and not a regular language.