Lore:High Elvish

High Elvish (alternatively Altmeri, High Elven or Elvish) is the language used by the High Elves of the Summerset Isles. It is descended from Aldmeris, and as such is very similar to its relatives like Ayleidoon, Ald Chimeris or the Falmer language. For the longest time, High Elven was the common language used in all legal documentation until it was later replaced by Tamrielic in 1E 2813. The common tongue of the empire, Cyrodilic, is based on the Altmer's speech and writing. To date, there are no known texts written in this language, but some words are known.

Pronunciation

In Elvish, there is no soft "c", so when a word begins with "Ce" or "Ci" it is pronounced with a /k/ sound. For example "Cey-Tarn Keep" is pronounced like "Kay-Tarn Keep". Similarly, the letter G is always pronounced /ɡ/, never /dʒ/.

Words and Phrases

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

A

Abameld From context, probably "Trespasser" (from Aba, "forbidden", and Meld, "driven") Adma [to] Listen (from "Adma'na" and "Admanen", as in Ayleidoon) Adma'na Poor listener (cf. Ayleidoon "adma"—"hear") Admanen "Listening eye", the fulcrum who balances competing theories, collects evidence and interviews suspects, a member of an examiner's quorum whose role is to inspect and advise Aednavorith Genealogy Aedra Ancestors Alaxon Perfection Ald First, Elder, High (in the sense of a tree being high because it is particularly ancient), Old, Ancient, Elderly Aldarch Religious title given to the High Priest overseeing a High Elvish temple, monastery or other holy ground

Aldmer First Folk, Elder Folk, the Ancients Aldmeris Name of the mythical elven homeland or "Old Ehlnofey", sometimes used to refer to the language of the Aldmer Ald Mora A ruin on Summerset Isle; the name means "old forest" in other Elven languages Aldveyond Beldaburk An old name for Sea Keep, possibly meaning something like "Keep of the Ancient Gray Sea" Alt High, Elder, Tall, Proud, Culturally snobbish, Cultured Altmer High Elves, the Elder Ones, the High Ones, Tall People, Cultured People Altmora Elvish name for the continent of Atmora, the "Elder Wood", an ancient elvish kingdom lost to men in mythic times Aprax Outcast, criminal

Apraxic Social outcast, a shamed outcast Apraxis Exile, the opposite of Praxis, a condemnation for improper and criminal conduct Arata True and noble Aratagnithir True and noble change Arcta Likely means "acknowledge" as in Ayleidoon Ata Father (used in the patronymic part of an Altmer's extended name) Autak An interjection (seemingly expresses negative emotions, possibly disgust), possibly an injonction for the person to "vanish", to "disappear", to "leave" Autameld An exiled individual (lit. "cloud/vanish-driven" in Ayleidoon) Avad

B

Barra Welcome Bela probably "Thunder", "Storm" or "Lightning" (from Ayleidoon "Belle", Thunderous and Bosmeric "Bella", Storm)

Bet Beast

Betmer Beast Folk, Beast People

C

Calan Family Clan Calian A praxic talisman, a symbol of a person's membership in the civilized High Elf society Canonreeve An official title given to diplomats and bureaucrats who administer to county seats, a mayor, a chief administrator Canvaroth Scout

Cerum, Ceruval Unknown, but known usage suggests a polite way to address someone (like "sir" or "madam"); both terms appear to have no gender-specific use Cey "Shadow", same as in Ayleidoon (cf. "Cey-Tarn" and "Ceythalmor") Cey-Tarn Shadow-Portal Ceythalmor "Shadow Thalmor", an unofficial para-military shadow-organisation that existed in 2E 582, secretly led by corrupt officials from inside the Thalmor proper who resented the rulers of the Aldmeri Dominion

Chi probably "Change" or "Changed" Chimer Changed Ones, the Changed Chimera Beast of change Culanda Shining golden crystal used by the Altmer to light their ancient crypts, probably means "Fruit-Stone" (from Falmeric "Cullei", Fruits, and Ayleidoon "Culle", Food, and "Anda", Stone)

D

Daedra Roughly means "Not our ancestors"

Darre Likely means "Mercy" as in Falmeric

De'nt Unknown; usage suggests some form of an insult

E

"Eluvein" written in the Altmer script

Eluvein Another name for the hilas owl, which abandons its eggs after laying them. The term is also used to describe someone who is cold-hearted or aloof Eld Likely means "Old" as in Ayleidoon

En Eye (from "Admanen") Ephem Non-Altmer, outsider Eye Unknown but likely related to the concept of "sanctuary", perhaps "isolation"

Eyevea Sanctuary (made of the two Ayleidoon words "Eye", unknown meaning, and "Vea", the sea)

F

Fala Likely means "Cold" as in Ayleidoon

G

Glan'nt Unknown; usage suggests some form of an insult Gnithir Change (from "Aratagnithir" and "Oegnithir")

Gravia Likely means "Ugly" as in Ayleidoon

Graxifalas Disgraceful "on a scale unimaginable"

H

Hame Lair (from "Tor-Hame-Khard", probably also means Home as in Ayleidoon) Haelia Likely means "Terrible" as in Ayleidoon

Halsoriel Sewer Hul Broken (from "Hulkynd")

Hulkynd Broken child; refers to Altmeri children abandoned by their parents because of their imperfection, such as physical deformity (cf. Ayleidoon "kynd"—"child")

J

Jurisreeve High Examiner, an investigator of the Divine Prosecution, a detective. They always come in a group of three called an "examiner's quorum", composed of a revelator-naganwe, an admanen and a thalmilan.

K

Kamlehal Shrieking terror

Khard Warlord (from "Tor-Hame-Khard")

Kynd Child (from "Hulkynd" and as in Ayleidoon)

M

Malatu Likely means "Truth" as in Ayleidoon

Malondo Shining golden crystal used by the Altmer to contain and replenish magicka, probably a compound word of "Mala" (High or Loving in Ayleidoon) and "Ondo" (of unknown meaning).

Mer Folk, People, Elf, Elves Mera perhaps "Beast"

N

Nagaia Likely means "Death" as in Ayleidoon Naganwe Unknown but likely related to "death"; used in the translingual word "revelator-naganwe", meaning "death seer", whose role in an examiner's quorum is to use magic to solve murders

Naril Likely means "Final" as in Ayleidoon Nebarra Unwelcome (also used as a pejorative reference to outsiders)

O

Oe Bad

Oegnithir Bad change

P

Praxic Proper, conform to the Praxis, part of Altmer society

Praxis Customs or established practices, the set of spoken and implicit rules and guidelines of Altmer society, the act of belonging in Altmer society, also sometimes the practical applications of a field of study (when used outside the context of Altmer society)

R

Riasen A critical witness in a criminal investigation Could probably be break down as Rias (probably related to rias in Falmeric meaning for/because) and en (from Admanen) as to mean someone there for what their eyes saw ("eye witness")

Rielle Likely "Beauty" as in Ayleidoon

S

Sapiarch Sage affiliated with the College of Sapiarchs, an order of keepers of the Crystal Tower, scholars dedicated to specific fields of study, and academics who oversee the Ceremoniarchy of High Elf society by interpreting the Scrolls of Praxis Seliffrnsae Grave and faithful counsel

Shauta Likely means "[to] Come" as in Ayleidoon Sila Likely means "Shining" as in Ayleidoon

Slek An interjection (seemingly expresses negative emotions), an insult Sunna Likely means "Blessed" as in Ayleidoon

T

Tar Likely means "Wood" as in Ayleidoon Tarn Likely means "Portal" as in Ayleidoon (cf. "Cey-Tarn")

Thalmilan Inspector whose job it is to parse clues and render a verdict during an investigation, possibly related to the word "Thalmor" Tor Mountain (from "Tor-Hame-Khard", probably also means Hill as in Ayleidoon)

Tor-Hame-Khard Warlord's Mountain Lair (cf. Ayleidoon "tor"—"hill", "hame"—"home")

V

Vea Sea (as in Ayleidoon, together with the word "Eye", make the compound word "Eyevea" meaning Sanctuary) Vey Likely means "to" (indicating movement), as in Ayleidoon

Veyond Likely "Gray Sea" (from "Vea"+"Yond", Gray in Ayleidoon)

Veyond Wyte

W

Wel Likely means "Sky" as in Ayleidoon

Welkynar The gryphon-riding protectors of Cloudrest; likely related to "Wel", Sky

Wyte

Y

Yond Gray (from "Veyond", as in Ayleidoon)

Sentences

From the Cavern Dwellers:

• "Vey Arillas! Abameld shauta!" - "To Arillas! (The) trespassers (are) coming!"
• "Arcta nagaia!" - "Face death!" (literally: "Acknowledge death!")

Altmer Locations, Settlements and Regions

Below are the Altmeri names (and their translated meanings, where available) of some known locations, settlements and regions of the Summerset Isles.

Alaxon'ald - Ancient Perfection Ald Mora - Old Forest Aldveyond Beldaburk - possibly Keep of the Ancient Gray Sea Alinor Barra'tee - Welcome (?) Bewan Buraniim Calambar Calluis Lar Cey-Tarn - Shadow-Portal Corgrad Dranil Kir Ebon Stadmont Eldbur - Old (?) Eton Nir - Likely related to the Elvish mythical figure Nir from the Anuad Eyevea - Sanctuary Ezduiin Iluvamir Isque Karndar Karnwasten

Mathiisen - Homes (?) Ondil Oyinaam Phaer Quendeluun Rellenthil - Water (?) — the settlement has also been known as Riverfield or Riverfeld, indicating that "Thil" or "Enthil" could possibly mean Field in Elvish Russafeld - Scarlet Shrine in many dialects of Aldmeris, commonly believed to be a shortening or corruption of Dread Temple Silatar - Shining Wood Silsailen - Shine (?) Sil-Var-Woad - Shine-Wood-(?) Tanzelwil Tor-Hame-Khard - Warlord's Mountain Lair Torinaan - Hills/Mountains (?) Vafe Varyllis - Mouth/Wood (?) Vulkhel Wansalen Wasten Coraldale Welenkin - Sky (?)

Altmer Creature Names

Below are the Altmeri names (and their translated meanings, where available) of some creatures, tamed or wild, found in the Summerset Isles.

Belanaril - Final (Thunder, Storm or Lightning) Cel-hinwe - perhaps Red Wind Falarielle - Cold Beauty Darremalatu - probably Merciful Truth (lit. Mercy-Truth) Graveld - Old Ugly or Ugly Elder (lit. Ugly-Old) Haeliata - Terrible Father (identified by Justiciar Farowel as male, and as the mate of Nagravia) Kargaeda - (Shares the same "-eda" suffix as Silaeda. Since most Altmer seem to name their gryphons based on their appearance or magical abilities, Kargaeda's name might be related to his appearance as an Aurulun Gryphon: "A rare, tropical breed with dark plumage highlighted by streaks of vivid orange. Like the last embers of the sun lingering in the night sky.")

Mafremare - Frost (?) (Probably related to Mafremare's plumage, being a Snowcap Gryphon: "A white, alpine breed far from her natural habitat.") Nagravia - Is Ugly (She's identified by Justiciar Farowel as the mate of Haeliata, and her name should probably be translated in context as She-Who-Is-Ugly) Silaeda - Shining (?) (Given the context of its magical abilities and those of its Welkynar master, perhaps Shining Sun or Shining Fire/Flame) Sunnawel - Blessed Sky Welkadra - Sky-(?)-Ancestor (Given its seemingly out of place and unique ability name "Elder Shockwave", perhaps this is what this hechatere's name is meant to translates to, something like Ancestral Sky-Break)

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.