ON THEORIGIN OFNAMES: To the casual observer, the various names an intrepid traveler will encounter throughout Alagasia might seem but a random collection of labels with no inherent integrity, culture, or history. However, as with any land that different culturesand in this case, different specieshave repeatedly colonized, Alagasia acquired names from a wide array of unique sources, among them the languages of the dwarves, elves, humans, and even Urgals. Thus we can have Palancar Valley (a human name), the Anora River and Ristvakbaen (elven names), and Utgard Mountain (a dwarf name) all within a few square miles of each other. While this is of great historical interest, practically it often leads to confusion as to the correctpronunciation. Unfortunately, there are no set rules for the neophyte. You must learn each name upon its own terms, unless you can immediately place its language of origin. The matter grows even more confusing when you realize that in many places the resident population altered the spelling and pronunciation of foreign words to conform to their own language. The Anora River is a prime example. Originallyanora was spelledenora , which meansbroad in the ancient language. In their writings, the humans simplified the word toanora , and this, combined with a vowel shift whereine (ay-eh) was said as the easiera (uh), created the name as it appears in Eragons time. To spare readers as much difficulty as possible, I have compiled the following list, with the understanding that these are only rough guidelines to the actual pronunciation. The enthusiast is encouraged to study the source languages in order to master their true intricacies. PRONUNCIATION: AiedailAY-uh-dale AjihadAH-zhi-hod Alagasiaal-uh-GAY-zee-uh AlbitrALL-bite-ur AryaAR-ee-uh BldhgarmBLAWD-garm BrisingrBRISS-ing-gur CarvahallCAR-vuh-hall Cuaroccoo-AR-ock Dras-LeonaDRAHS-lee-OH-nuh Du Weldenvardendoo WELL-den-VAR-den Ellesmrael-uhs-MEER-uh EragonEHR-uh-gahn Farthen DrFAR-then DURE (durerhymes withlure ) FrnenFEER-nin Galbatorixgal-buh-TOR-icks GileadGILL-ee-id GlaedrGLAY-dur HrothgarHROTH-gar Islanzadiss-lan-ZAH-dee JeodJODE (rhymes withload ) MurtaghMUR-tag (murrhymes withpurr ) Nasuadanah-soo-AH-dah Niernennee-AIR-nin NolfavrellNOLL-fah-vrel (nollrhymes withtoll ) OromisOR-uh-miss RazacRAA-zack Saphirasuh-FEAR-uh ShruikanSHREW-kin SlthrimSEAL-thrim (slis a hard sound to transcribe; its made by flicking the tip of the tongue off the roof of the mouth) TeirmTEERM Thardsvergndnzmalthard-svair-GOON-dinz-mahl TriannaTREE-ah-nuh TronjheimTRONJ-heem Umarothoo-MAR-oth UrbaenOO-roo-bane VraelVRAIL YazuacYAA-zoo-ack ZarrocZAR-rock THEANCIENTLANGUAGE: Agaet BldhrenBlood-oath Celebration (held once a century to honor the original pact between elves and dragons) lfaelf (plural islfya ) lfakynthe race of elves Atra du evarnya ono varda.May the stars watch over you. Atra estern ono thelduin, Eragon.May good fortune rule over you, Eragon. audrup bllra round object; an orb brisingrfire (see alsoistalr) DauthdaertDeath Spear: name given to the lances the elves made for killing dragons Deloi sharjalv!Earth, move! Domia abr WyrdaDominance of Fate(book) draumr kpadream stare drttningqueen drttninguprincess (roughly; its not an exact translation) duthe Du Fells NngorthThe Blasted Mountains Du Vrangr GataThe Wandering Path Du WeldenvardenThe Guarding Forest ebrithil(ar)master(s) Eka a fricai un Shurtugal.I am a Rider and a friend. Eka elrun ono, lfya, wiol frn thornessa.I thank you, elves, for this gift. eldaa gender-neutral honorific suffix of great praise, attached with a hyphen Elrun ono.Thank you. Erisdarthe flameless lanterns both the elves and the dwarves use (named after the elf who invented them) fairtha picture taken by magical means on a shingle of slate fellmountain finiarelan honorific suffix for a young man of great promise, attached with a hyphen. flaugafly (v.) frethyahide (v.) gngago gnga aptrgo backward gnga framgo forward gnga raehtago right gedwy ignasiashining palm Guli wase medh ono, Argetlam.Luck be with you, Silverhand. HelgrindThe Gates of Death hvitrwhite llgrathrbad hunger islingrlight-bringer/illuminator istalrfire (see alsobrisingr) jierdabreak; hit kaustacome kverstcut Kverst malmr du huildrs edtha, mar frma n thn eka threyja!Cut the metal holding me, but no more than I desire! ldrinopen lettastop Liduen KvaedhPoetic Script mea fragment of a word that Eragon never finished saying nainamake bright Naina hvitr un bllr.Make round white light. Nam iet er Eragon Sundavar-Vergand, snr abr Brom.My name is Eragon Shadeslayer, son of Brom. Ndhwaldragon-like creatures that live in the sea, related to the Fanghur niernenorchid Ono achniat threyja eom verrunsmal edtha, O snalgl.You donot want to fight me, O snalgl. S ono wase ilia.May you be happy. S onr sverdar sitja hvass.May your swords stay sharp. ShurtugalDragon Rider slythasleep snalgla race of giant snails Stenr rsa.Stone, rise. Stenr slauta!Stone reverberate (sound)! (slautais difficult to translate; it is a sharp, cleaving sound, like that of cracking stone, but it can also mean to make such a sound) Stydja unin morranr.Rest in peace. sundavrblakashadow-flapper svit-konaa formal honorific for a woman of great wisdom thelduinrule over theynabe silent thrauthathrow Thrysta vindr.Compress the air. thurradry (v.) unand Vae weohnata ono vergar, eka thet otherm.We will kill you, I swear it. Vaer Ethilnadrasa brown, free-floating seaweed with gas-filled bladders along the joints of its branching stem vaetnascatter/dispel valdrruler vohtslow vermaheat (v.) vrangrawry; wandering Wase niat!Be not! yawa bond of trust THEDWARFLANGUAGE: Az RagniThe River Az Sweldn rak AnhinThe Tears of Anhin barzlcurse someone with ill fate Beorcave bear (elf word) derndnngreetings drour drgrimstclan (literally, our hall, or our home) Erthknurla stone of earth (literally, earthstone; plural isErthknurln ) Fanghurdragon-like creatures that are smaller and less intelligent than their cousins, the dragons; related to the Ndhwal (native to the Beor Mountains) Farthen DrOur Father FeldnostFrostbeard (a species of goat native to the Beor Mountains) grimstborithclan chief (literally, hall chief; plural isgrimstborithn ) grimstcarvlorssarranger of the house grimstnzborithruler of the dwarves, whether king or queen (literally, halls chief) Ilf gauhnith!a peculiar dwarf expression that means It is safe and good! Commonly uttered by the host of a meal, it is a holdover from days when poisoning of guests was prevalent among the clans. Ingeitumfire workers; smiths knurladwarf (literally, one of stone; plural isknurlan ) Nagragiant boar; native to the Beor Mountains (plural isNagran ) thardsvergndnzmalsomething that appears other than it actually is; a fake or counterfeit; a sham TronjheimHelm of Giants Vor Orikz korda!By Oriks hammer! THE NOMAD LANGUAGE: noan honorific suffix attached with a hyphen to the main name of someone you respect THE URGAL LANGUAGE: drajlspawn of maggots nara title of great respect thulqnawoven straps the Urgals use to display the crests of their clans UluthrekMooneater UrgralgraUrgals name for themselves (literally, those with horns)