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Shath'Yar

Grammar

All example sentences in this section use official translations.

Compound Words

One function of the apostrophe (') is to form compound words. For example, the compound word shath'yar, referring to "old gods" or the language used by the old gods, is composed of shath (old) and yar (god).

Case System

Nominative, accusative, and possessive cases:

Similar to English, the nominative and accusative cases of the second person pronoun have the same form:

When the compound word consist of a possessive pronoun and a noun is used as an object, the apostrophe is omitted:

Verbal System

ma means "are" or "do," with negative form maq:

However, maq is not used with first person pronoun. Use noq instead:

It is unknown if ma is used with first person pronoun. Maybe no is instead of ma based on the corresponding pair of ma and maq, but nothing is found in the corpus to support this guess.

The future tense of ma is qi:

Let's analyze this sentence. First, mark all known words:

Iilth (you) qi (will) mah'shar fhn oorql (glimpse) N'Zoth!

Part of the word mah'shar is known, mah means first. Also, shg'fhn is known, meaning "outside (the) cycle". I guess shg means outside, and fhn means cycle. Now considering mah'shar fhn corresponds to "(the) first of many", then I guess shar means inside or within. Therefore, mah'shar means "first within", and mah'shar fhn means "first within (the) cycle" (first of many). As for the madness, I guess a glimpse of an old god such as N'Zoth implies madness.

Also, qi can be used as a prefix to denote future tense of verbs:

The sentence "Ilith qi'uothk shn'ma yeh'glu Shath'Yar!" needs some analysis. As usual, mark all know words:

Ilith (you) qi'uothk (drown) shn'ma yeh'glu (blood) Shath'Yar (Old Gods)!

So the only unknown word is shn'ma, corresponding to "in" in the translation. Considering the word shn is appeared in the following sentence: Yoq'al (perpetuity) shn (in) ky (which) ywaq (they) nuul (dwell). I guess shn'ma is similar to shn, perhaps shn is used with abstract things.

A similar word to qi is gag:

I doubt that the difference between qi and gag is that gag is more emotional, often used in curses.

And there is a noun ga which is translated as "will" (noun):

I think here the will of N'Zoth is like a curse.

What's more, agth means shall:

The second example sentence literally translates to: You fall, many shall take place.

The word sythn indicates progressive tense:

In the second example, Y'za sythn oou literally translates to "I am dying". The undead constantly decay, and constantly approaching death, which can be considered undying or dying.

An- Prefix

The prefix can be used with nouns, meaning "into":

Vocabulary

tense

Shu = A prefix denoting past tense;
Sythn = A prefix denoting progressive tense;
Qi = A prefix denoting future tense;
Agth = Denoting future tense for plural and uncountable nouns;
Gag = Exact equivalent of English word "Will";
Maq = Negative prefix for personal pronouns;
Noq = Negative prefix;

conj.

Zz = And;
Iir = Or;
Xig = (Suffix)How;

prep.

An = Into;
Cul = (Suffix)On;
Ksh = Atop;
Qwor = Above;
Shg = Beyond;
Shn = In;
Thoq = For;
Uulg = After;

pron.

Y = My;
Hoq = Me;
Ag = We;
Ak = Our;
Iilth = You;
Ilfah = (Objective)You;
Sk = Your;
On = It;
Ywaq = They;
Ky = Which;

v.

Amqa = Come;
Eqnizz = Drive;
Erh = Choke;
Et = Rule;
Fssh = Replace; Glorify;
Guulphg = Sustain;
Gul'kafh = Gaze;
Huqth = Sate;
Iggksh = Oppose;
Kyth = See;
Lwhuk = Devour;
Magg = Wander; Suffer;
Nuq = Adorn;
Nuul = Dwell;
Oorql = Glimpse;
Oou = Die;
Phgwa = Whisper;
Plahf = Know;
Qam = Return;
Sshk = (auxil.v.)Do; (=Sshoq?);
Sshoq = Twist;
Thyzak = Reclaim;
Uothk = Drown;
Vorzz = Sing; Sing of;
Vwah = Fall;
Yawifk = Strengthen;
Worg = Fade;
Zaix = Praise;
Zyqtahg = Corrupt;

adj.

Anagg = Endless;
Aqev = Mad;
Eth = Light;
H'iwn = All;
Iiqaath = Curse;
Kssh = Bleakest;
Mah = First;
Mh = Only;
Mg = Writhing;
Naggwa = Unending;
Ormz = Last;
Qor = Endless;
Shath = (adj. form of Shel?); Black; Old;
Sshoq = Twisted;
Syq = Real;
Uhnish = (adj.)Many; Endless;
Vwyq = (adv.)Once; Once more;
W'ssh = (=W'ssht)Eternal; (adv.)Eternally;
W'ssht = (=W'ssh)Eternal; (adv.)Eternally;
Woth'gl = Faithful;
Ye = (adv.)Again;

n.

Agash = Despair;
Agthshi = Number;
Agthu = World;
Awan = Illusion;
Fhn = Cycle; Many of the cycle;
Fssh = Glory;
Gaz = (=Yu'gaz)Servant;
Halahs = Body; Corpse;
Hnakf = Wind; Shivering Wind;
Iiyoq = Will;
Kaaxth = Thousand;
Luk = Road;
Ma = Millennia;
Mag = Empire;
Magg = Suffering; Torment;
Mah = The first;
Maqdahl = Sorrow;
Meg = Banner; Flesh-banner;
Naus = Hunger;
Okom = Run through; Run;
Ongg = Earth; Land;
Or = Hundred;
Ormz = The last;
Paf = Prisoner;
Paf'qi'ag = One who will be our prisoner;
Pahg = Kingdom;
Phquati = Destroyer;
Puul = Drink;
Qen = Spiral;
Qornaus = Endless hunger;
Qov = Heart;
Razzqi = Light;
Shath'mag = The Black Empire;
Shath'Yar = Old Gods;
Shath'yar = Language of Old Gods;
Shel = Void;
Shgla'yos = They who dine on lost souls; Yogg-Saron;
Shgn = Fear;
Shfk = Howl;
Shuul = Death;
Ssaggh = Live;
Tek = Skull;
Uq = Power;
Uull = (=Uulwi)Shadow; Darkness;
Uulwi = (=Uull)Shadow;
Uuyat = Agony;
Vra = Chitter;
Vwahuhn = Reckoning; (Vwah + Uhn)Many fallens; Too many;
Wah = Wing;
Yahf = Soul;
Yar = God;
Yeh'glu = Blood;
Yel = Citadel;
Yoq'al = Perpetuity;
Yu'gaz = (=Gaz)Servant;
Yyqzz = Throne;
Za = Place;
Zig = Depth; Deeps;
Zuq = Life;
Zzof = Victory;

The above vocabulary list, adapted from the Old God Language Writing Incomplete Guide·Revised Second Edition by Ningyou. is for reference only. I have different interpretations of some words. Also, some words are missing in the vocabulary list. For example, Ez means O or Oh.

Corpus

See WOWPedia

Quiz

Translate the following sentences.

Q1:

Hello world!

Q2:

See you soon.

Q3:

Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.

-- Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

Q4:

May the force be with you.

-- Star Wars

Answers

A1

Ez, agthu!

A2

Since the word for "soon" is unknown, translate it as "see you again":

Kyth ilfah ye.

A3

The following vocabulary are unknown: fire, loin, and sin. Use words close in meaning instead: fssh (glory), qornaus (endless hunger), uull(darkness).

Razzqi ifis zuq, fssh ifis qornaus. Ifis uull. Ifis yahf.

The alliteration of the original text is not preserved.

A4

Similarly, work around with unknown vocabulary.

Uq agth eqnizz ilfah.

This literally translates to "Power shall drive you." The closest translation I can think of.