Archmage - Elven Dictionary

"Ah" = In Savah, Leetah, Toorah, Ahdri, etc. Common among the Sun Folk, and so far only among the women.
The Pinis have said that "ah" means "light" in a feminine sense, so that "Leetah" means "Healing light." "Savah" would be "the light (or "illumi- nation") that comes from wisdom, or from memory. We don't know enough about Toorah's role to guess what she could be.
'Ah' also seems to indicate a beneficent power; Leetah could have her name as some sort of hommage to Toorah (and/or Savah).

"Dak" = probably "wings" or "flight," so that "Tyldak" might be "gift of wings" or "gift of flight." On the other hand, Tyldak probably had his name before he got his wings, and the compound word doesn't quite work: it should break Ty-ldak, just as Redlance's daughter is Ty-leet. [the L could be added to make things more pronouncable; this assimilation effect is common in Greek and Latin, although usually with vowels - Archmage]

"Dri" = as in "Ahdri." Perhaps "faithfulness"?

"Ek" = "Rock" (this one we've been given by the Pinis) as in Rayek (aka "Child of˙the Rocks"), Ek-uar, Os-ek, M-ek-da, Yur-ek, etc. "Ahdri" does not, but EK may be masculine. [also, Ahdri had her name long before her rock- shaping powers became apparent, which wasn't before GN #8 - Archmage] (Speculation is that the surviving male Door's truename also has "ek" in it.)

"Leet" = "Healer" or "Healing", as in "Tyleet" ("Healer's Gift"), and of course Leetah (Healing Light).

"Ray" = "Child" as in Rayek ("Child of the Rocks." Or Stone Lad, the LSH Substitute Hero.) (by elimination, since we know Ek" is "Rock," and Rayek is "Child of the Rocks").

"Ree" = meaning unclear, but very common among the Gliders, esp. the Chosen Eight. All of the Chosen Eight we know of had that in their names. Reevol, Kureel [although Reel and Ree may be different words], Aroree, etc., plus another important example: Dewshine, aka Lree!! Could her soul name have prophesied her future Recognition all along?
There has been a lot of speculation on what *ree* stands for: suggestions include *bird*, possibly *song* (or something related to the sound the bond birds make), or *eight* (as in the Chosen Eight). Another suggestion: "light" (as in weight) or "delicate". There is a certain quality of combined fragility and strength which Dewshine shares with many of the Chosen Eight, and Nonna and Adar call the elves "bird bones." This may be a word that embodies that quality (something along the lines of "sapling", used metaphorically).

Yet another suggestion is that it denotes the rank of "Chosen"

"Sav" = Possibly "Memory, making "Savah" "The Light of Memory," or the "Illumination of Memory. [related to the French word for knowing, savoir - Archmage]

"Shen" = Very common among the Sun Villagers (Shenshen, Ahnshen, Shushen). Possibly "sun" or "brightness" making Shenshen "sunny sun," or "very bright," or something equally super-bubbly.

"Tyl" = "Gift" as in Tyleet ("Healer's Gift") and "Tyldak" (whose wings were a "gift" from Winnowill). On the other hand, Tyldak probably had his name before he had his wings.

"Wyl" = obviously "flat butt."

"Yur" = Love/Lover. ("Yurek" = "lover of rocks")


Real Life Origins:
Lord Voll: comes from the Roman languages, where the root word "vol" means flight. Richard added the extra "L" because "voll" just looks so much more appealing. [interestingly, 'vol' is the Dutch word for 'full' - Archmage]

Tyldak: related to the word "pterodactyl," the giant prehistoric flying dinosaur. "Dactyl" means "finger" in Greek; Richard simply reversed the two syllables to create the name.

Compiled by Layla Voll
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