Elven language

Elven language

Written Elvish upon a column

The Elven language, or "Elvish", was largely lost when Elvhenan fell to the Tevinter Imperium and its people were enslaved around two millennia before the Dragon Age. When the elves settled their second homeland, the Dales, they aimed to restore their lost language and lore, but the Dales fell after an Exalted March declared by the Chantry in the early Glory Age. The Elvish of the Dragon Age is thus a fragmented remnant, a few words that are thrown into conversation rather than a working language used to conduct everyday life. The Dalish Elves, self-appointed custodians of the elven language and lore, use more Elvish than their City Elf brethren. Some clans, such as the ones encountered in Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, speak it fluently and exclusively. Living among humans, the City Elves now retain only a few old Elvish words whose origin is almost forgotten, such as shem—derived from shemlen, the old Elvish term for humans meaning "quickling" or "quick children,"—and hahren—the leader of an Alienage, meaning "elder" in Elvish.

A differentiating factor between Elvish and other languages in Thedas—particularly as regards aspects like names—is the avoidance of hard consonants.

It has been observed that "Elven is often a game of intents, not direct mapping of phonetic meaning. That means it's a mess" and that it tends "to meander".

Written Elvish

Battle map from the Fourth Blight, featuring a rare example of written Elvish

Though a number of ancient sites, including the Temple of Mythal, have recently been found to contain examples of Elvish writing, these are few and far between, and jealously guarded by the Dalish. Some Circles have also come to possess old elven texts. In the Dragon Age, clan Keepers are generally the only ones who know the secret of writing Elvish.

Elvish phrases

Amae lethalas: Meaning unknown.

Andaran atish’an: "Enter this place in peace." A formal elven greeting.

Aneth ara: A sociable or friendly greeting, more commonly used among the Dalish themselves rather than with outsiders.

Ara seranna-ma: A way to excuse oneself, such as after a sneeze or belch.

Ar dirthan’as ir elgara, ma’sula e’var vhenan: Meaning unknown.

Ar lasa mala revas: "You are free." More literally "I give you your freedom."

Ar lath ma, vhenan: "I love you, heart/my heart"

Ar-melana dirthavaren. Revas vir-anaris: Fen'Harel’s secret greeting. Meaning unknown.

Asha'bellanar: "The Woman of Many Years." How the Dalish refer to Flemeth.

Atish'all vallem: Meaning unknown.

Atish'all Vir Abelasan: "Enter the path of the Well of Sorrows."

Banal nadas: Nothing is known for certain. Not necessarily.

Bellanaris Din'an Heem: "Make you dead."

Dareth shiral: farewell; literally "Safe journey."

Din elvhen emma him: Meaning unknown.

Dirth ma banal. Mar solas ena mar din: "You have learned nothing. Your pride will be your death/downfall." A Dalish saying.

Dirth ma, harellan. Ma banal enasalin. Mar solas ena mar din: Roughly means: "Your pride is responsible for everything that has gone wrong; you will die alone."

Dirth'ena enasalin: "Knowledge that led to victory"; the Elvish term for the Arcane Warrior or, more recently, Knight Enchanter disciplines.

Dirthara-ma: "May you learn." Used as a curse.

Emmasalin var suledin evanura: Meaning unknown.

Ellasin selah: Meaning unknown.

Falon’Din enasal enaste: A prayer for the dead.

Fenedhis lasa: Meaning officially undefined as of yet. A common curse.

This section contains spoilers for Dragon Age: The Masked Empire.

Fen'Harel ma ghilana: "Dread Wolf guides you." Indicates someone being misled.

Fen'Harel ma halam: "Dread Wolf ends you." A threat.

Garas quenathra: "Why are you here? or Why have you come?" Spoken by the voices of the Vir'abelasan

Ghil-Dirthalen: "One who guides seekers of knowledge true."

Ghilan'him banal'vhen: "The path that leads astray": a derogatory term for Arcane Warriors among those elves who eschewed physical combat.

Ghilas dennar: Meaning unknown.

Halam'shivanas: The sweet sacrifice of duty.

Ir abelas: I am sorry.

Ir abelas, ma vhenan: "I am filled with sorrow for your loss, my heart."

Ir tel'him: I'm me again.

Lasa ghilan: Grant/give guidance.

Lathbora viran: Roughly translated as "the path to a place of lost love," a longing for a thing one can never really know.

Ma banal las halamshir var vhen: You do nothing to further our people.

Ma harel, da’len: You lie, child.

Ma harel lasa: You lied to me.

Ma ghilana mir din'an: Guide me into death.

Ma melava halani: You helped me.

Mas enasalin lasa revas evanura: Meaning unknown.

Mala suledin nadas: Now you must endure.

Malas amelin ne halam: I hope you find a new name.

Ma nuvenin: As you say.

Ma vhenan: My heart; sometimes shortened simply to vhenan, "heart"; a term of endearment.

Ma serannas: My thanks. or Thank you.

Mana. Ma halani: Help me.

Masal din'an: A threat, meaning unknown.

Melana en athim las enaste: Now let humility grant favor.

Mythal'enaste: Mythal's favor.

Na abelas: You'll be sorry.

Na din'an sahlin: Your death is come!

Na melana sahlin: Your time is come.

Nuvenas mana helanin, dirth bellasa ma: Meaning unknown.

Penshra! Ghilas vellathan: Politely translated as "I prefer that you remain close."

Seran viar malas shivera mellavar: Meaning unknown.

Sulevin ghilana hanin: Roughly translates to "purpose guides to glory". This is an inscription on the back of the Dalish shield called "The Path to Glory".

Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris.: Dalish marriage vows.

Tel'abelas: I'm not sorry.

Tel'dellan sa Vir Dirthara.: Meaning unknown.

Tel garas solasan: Come not to a prideful place.

Telanadas: Nothing is inevitable.

Var lath vir suledin.: Our love will endure.

Viran se lan'aan? Ir annala for ros... Nae! Ga rahn s'dael! Ga rahn! Ir emah'la shal! Ir emah'la shal.: Meaning unknown.

Vir enasalin.: We [will] win.

Vir sumeil: We are close.

Virthar ma: Meaning unknown.

Elvish Vocabulary

A

Abelas: Sorrow; to be sorry.

Adahl/Adhal: Tree.

Adahlen: Wood.

Alas: Earth, dirt.

-an: Suffix indicating place or location.

Ar: First person pronoun; I, me.

Aravas: Meaning unknown.

Aravel: A wagon used by the Dalish; also a physical and spiritual path, a journey with purpose. Humans call them "landships."

Arlathan: The major city of Elvhenan, original homeland of the elves; from the phrase "ar lath’an" meaning, "This place of love".

Arlathvhen: Meeting of the Dalish clans that occurs every ten years. Means "for love of the people."

Assan: Arrow.

Atish’an: Peace.

Athim: Humility.

Awell: Meaning unknown.

B

Banal: Never.

Banalhan: A name for the Blight or its place of origin; the place of nothing.

Banal'ras: Shadow.

Bellanaris: Eternity.

Boranehn: Lost joy.

Bor'assan: Bow.

D

Da: Diminutive prefix; small.

Dar: To be.

Da'len: Little child; little one.

Dahl'amythal: Tree of Mythal from which Dalish Keepers’ staves are cut.

Delltash: Meaning unknown; possibly used as a curse.

Din: The dead.

Din'an: Death; end.

Din'anshiral: A journey of death.

Dirth: A term for knowledge or secrets; tell; speak.

Dirthara: Learn;

Dirthavaren: The promise; the Elven name for the Exalted Plains.

Dirthera: To tell tales.

Durgen: Stone.

Durgen’len: Children of the stone; the Ancient Elvish term for the dwarves.

E

Elgar: Spirit.

Elgara: Sun.

Elgar'arla: Spirit-trap; a binding circle to hold a spirit or demon.

Eluvian: Mirror; literally "seeing glass."

Elvhen: Elven name for their own race; our people.

Elvhenan: The name of the elven civilization before the arrival of humans in Thedas; the place of our people.

Enasal: Joy in triumph over loss; a variation of joyful relief.

Enasalin: Victory.

Enansal: Blessing.

Enaste: Favor.

Enfenim: To fear.

Era'harel: Demon-mage; similar to an arcane horror.

Eth: Safe.

Evanuris: Leader; Translated by Dorian in context as "mage leader"; what the elvhen called their gods.

F

Falon: Friend.

Felandaris: Demon weed.

Felassan: Slow arrow.

Fen: Wolf.

Fenedhis: Meaning officially undefined as of yet; a common curse.

G

Garas: Come.

Ghilana: To guide.

Ghilas: To go.

Glandival: Meaning unknown.

H

Hahren'al: A gathering of hahrens during the Arlathvhen.

Hahren: Elder; used as a term of respect by the Dalish as well as by city elves for the leader of an alienage.

Halamshiral: The capital of the second elven homeland in the Dales; the end of the journey.

Halani: Help.

Hamin: Rest.

Hanal'ghilan: Elven name for the mythical golden halla said by the Dalish to appear during times of great need; the pathfinder.

Harel: To trick or deceive;

Harellan: Trickster; used by the Dalish to mean "traitor to one's kin".

Harillen: Opposition.

Hellathen: Noble struggle.

Him: Become.

I

In: In.

Ir: I am.

Iras: Where.

Irassal: Wherever.

L

La: And.

Las: Grant; give.

Lath: Love of being; to be in love.

Lethallin/Lethallan/Lethallen: Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar; generally, lethallin is used for males while lethallan is used for females; lethallen has been stated to be the appropriate gender neutral term unless otherwise stated later in canon, though it is likely to remain the same.

Note: Though "lethallin" is usually used for males and "lethallan" for females, as stated above, there are instances where this is not the case. For example, in the Dragon Age Dalish Elf Origin opening scene on, your fellow clansman, Tamlen, will once refer to you as "lethallin" for a female warden, and as "lethallan" for a male. And in Dragon Age: Inquisition, Solas will refer to a female elf Inquisitor as lethallin a few times, as does Minaeve in Haven. However it is unclear if this is intentional or a production error.

Lethanavir: Another appellation of Falon'Din.

M

Ma: Meaning unknown

Mala: Your.

Mana: Meaning unknown; see “Mana. Ma halani.”

Melana: Time.

Melanada: All time.

Melava: Time;

Mi: Blade.

Mi'durgen: Diamond; literally 'blade stone'.

Mien'harel: Rebellion; depending on the interpretation, a violent call for justice; a concept that when humans push the elven population too far they must remind them that even a "short blade" must be respected; most commonly a term used by city elf.

Mir: My.

Mirthadra: Honored.

N

Na: Is.

Nadas: Inevitability; something that must be; used as an expression of obligation, i.e. "must".

Nan: Elven suffix, meaning unknown.

Numin: Cry.

Nuvenin: Say, as in “as you say”.

R

Renan: Voice.

Revas: Freedom.

Revasan: The place where freedom dwells.

S

Sa: One; one more.

Sahlin: Now; is come.

Samahl: Laugh.

Sa'vunin: One more day.

Setheneran: Land of waking dreams; a place where the Veil is thin.

She'va dhal: Exclamation, meaning unknown.

Shem: Quick.

Shemlen: The original name elves use for the human race; continues to see use as a slang term amongst the City Elves ("shems") even though its meaning has largely been lost; literally "quick children".

Shiral: Journey.

Solas: Pride; to stand tall.

Solasan: A prideful place.

Somniar: To dream.

Somniari: Dreamer.

Sulahn'nehn: Rejoice; joy.

Sulahn: Sing.

Suledin: The concept of finding strength in enduring loss or pain; endure.

Sulevin: Purpose.

T

Tan: Three.

Tarasyl'an Te'las: The place where the sky was held back; Ancient Elven name for Skyhold.

Taren: Mind.

Tasallan: Meaning unknown; Merrill's staff in Dragon Age II is called Vir Tasallan.

Then: Awake; alert.

Theneras: Dream.

U

Uthenera: The name of the ancient practice of immortal elves who would "sleep" once they tired of life; immortal; waking sleep; literally "eternal waking dream".

V

Vallas: Set, as in the setting of the sun.

Vallasdahlen: Trees planted in remembrance of those who dedicated their lives to the Dalish kingdom that grew into a mighty wood; life-trees.

Vallaslin: Blood writing; The art of tattooing adopted by some elves to more prominently display their worship of the traditional elven pantheon.

Var: Our.

Venavis: Meaning unknown

Vhenadahl: The tree of the people.

Vhen'alas: The land itself, as in "the ground"; literally "our earth".

Vhenan: Heart; often used as a term of endearment.

Vhenas: Home.

Vir: Way; we.

Vir'abelasan: The place of the way of sorrows; refers to the Well of Sorrows.

Vissanalla: Meaning unknown.

Vunin: Day.

The following information is only mentioned in Dragon Age Tabletop. Certain portions of this media may no longer reflect currently established lore.

Vhenallin: Friends of the People.

Suledin (Endure)

Suledin is "an elven song about enduring and emerging from sorrow, tied to the loss of their ancient lands, but commonly adapted to express personal struggles as well."

Melava inan enansalir su aravel tu elvaralu na emma abelasin elgar sa vir manain tu setheneran din emma na lath sulevinlath araval enaarla ven tu vir mahvirmelana ‘nehnenasal ir sa lethallin

Time was once a blessingbut long journeys are made longerwhen alone within.Take spirit from the long agobut do not dwell in lands no longer yours.Be certain in need,and the path will emergeto a home tomorrowand time will againbe the joy it once was

Note: The translated lyrics are described as a "rough" translation in World of Thedas Vol. 1, and shouldn't be used as a guideline for translation purposes.

Mir Da'len Somniar

A traditional Dalish Lullaby found in the children's book "The Seer's Yarn", collected by Seer Agata.

Elgara vallas, da'lenMelava somniarMala taren aravasAra ma'desen melar Iras ma ghilas, da'lenAra ma'nedan ashirDirthara lothlenan'asBal emma mala dir Tel'enfenim, da'lenIrassal ma ghilasMa garas mir renanAra ma'athlan vhenasAra ma'athlan vhenas

Sun sets, little one,Time to dreamYour mind journeys,But I will hold you here. Where will you go, little oneLost to me in sleep?Seek truth in a forgotten landDeep with in your heart. Never fear, little one,Wherever you shall go.Follow my voice--I will call you home.I will call you home.

Where Willows Wail

An elven version of a lullaby local to Denerim and nearby villages to the south.

Tel’enara bellana bana’vhenadahl,Sethen’a ir san’shiral, mala tel’halaniIr sa’vir te’suledin var bana’vallaslin,Vora’nadas san banal’him emma abel revas. Ir tela’ena glandival, vir amin tel’hanin.Ir tela las ir Fen halam, vir am’tela’elvahen.

We/it lost eternity or the ruined tree of the PeopleTime won’t help when the land of dreams is no longer our journeyWe try to lead despite the eventual failing of our markings. To the inevitable and troubling freedom we are committed.When we could no longer believe, we lost glory to war.When the Wolf failed/won, we lost the People to war.

Note: The above translation is described as not being a literal translation, as "some form of lyrical shorthand is employed throughout" and it is completely different from modern formal Dalish. Thus it is impossible to use it to try to deconstruct the language.

Notes

The elven language as used in the games is actually a cipher. As such, it doesn't always follow traditional linguistic rules.

Codex entries

Codex entry: In Uthenera

Codex entry: On Skyhold

Codex entry: Tracing from Temple Doors

Codex entry: Torn Notebook in the Deep Roads, Section 3

Codex entry: "I Am The One"