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Lore:Nordic

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Nordic was the language spoken by the Nords.[1] It is sometimes referred to as the northern tongue, referring to Skyrim.[2]:22 The Nordic god Jhunal is considered the father of languages.[3]

Nordic first saw use in the Late Merethic Era.[4][5] It was considered an old tongue by Second Era,[6] but saw limited use into even the Fourth.[2]:22 Next to nothing was known of Atmoran by the Second Era, with instances of the language being increasingly hard to find.[7]

Language Family and Genetic RelationshipEdit

The original Atmoran tongue likely descended from Ehlnofex, with both tongues using the term Talos,[8] and was entirely oral, bearing no written form until the Late Merethic Era. Ysgramor, the first human historian, created the runic alphabet of Atmoran speech using the principles of Elvish.[1][7] When the Dragon Cult established its firm grip and dominion over Skyrim, Dragon-tongue became the dominant language. Use of the tongue was regulated by the ruling Dragon Priests, who prevented the usage of certain words.[4] Nords copied the Dragon alphabet after watching the Dragons themselves carve the runes with their claws. They used this script for works of importance, such as burials,[9] but used a lettering system, colloquially referred to as ancient Nord, for other, common purposes.[10][11][12] Nordic likely descends from the Atmoran tongue, with the two languages sharing some words.[8][13] It developed around the same time as the ancient Nord variation of Dragon-tongue, as words for Dragon from both languages were used around the same time.[4]

Nordic DictionaryEdit

Bare-sarks 
the Bare-Chested, Berserkers[14]
Dalk 
Knife[2]:22
Dov-rha 
Dragon[5]
Dunmereth 
Land of the Dunmer[15]
Manmeri 
Half-Elves, Bretons[16]
Merethic 
Era of the Elves[1]
Reaver 
Bandit[17]
Season Unending
"War" or "War without end". Comes from the word "Evgir Unslaad" in the Dragon language.[18][19]
Skald 
Bard[6]
Talos 
Stormcrown[13]
Ysmir 
Dragon of the North, King[8]

Atmoran DictionaryEdit

Herma-Mora 
debated translation of 'Woodland Man' and 'That Which Speaks in the Wastes'[7]
Mereth 
Land of the Elves[20]
Talos 
Stormcrown[8]
Wittestadr 
debated translation of 'Whit's Daughter' and 'Wit Shatter'[21]
Wuuthrad 
Storm's Tears[22]

GalleryEdit

NotesEdit

  • ^1.  According to a fan named Athelas, who is a scholar and educator of the real world languages Old English and Old Norse, this rune script borrows from real world Old Norse language, and can be translated to English roughly as: "And (the) Ash of the Wulf, they recognize that doom." The script then repeats two additional times.[LANG 1]
  • ^2.  According to Athelas, this rune script can be translated to English roughly as: "Ysgramor (went) forth higher and they rowed inwards up : Ysgramor they made a pull of the oar; they recognize that doom."[LANG 1]

See AlsoEdit

BooksEdit

ReferencesEdit

Note: The following references are derived from fan translations of terms and phrases in The Elder Scrolls which are seemingly derived from real world languages, and thus are entirely unauthoritative in nature.