Volume IX: Dictionary — Chapter 8: Proper Names
"A name is the shortest sentence in the language. It already contains a subject, a predicate, and a testimony." — Guild of Scribes, "Rules of Naming," +1,400 Y.E.
Related sections: → see [Volume I, Ch.03, "The Planet Théxar"], → see [Volume VIII, Ch.09, "Political Domains"], → see [Volume V, "Mythology"]
8.1 The Principle of Naming
Many traditional names contain recognisable roots. Older pronunciation, borrowing or a forgotten local meaning can nevertheless make a name opaque to a modern speaker.
Three classes:
| Class | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmonyms | root + root (hyphen or apostrophe) | Khar'Vex ("Light-Giver") |
| Toponyms | geo-root + determiner | Kharak-Thar ("Light-Force") |
| Anthroponyms | root + root, occasionally + suffix | Khal-Ven ("Action-Truth") |
The apostrophe in writing (Khar'Vex, Xha'Ruun) marks a sacred or self-naming status; the hyphen marks ordinary composition.
8.2 Cosmonyms
| Sha’Ruun | Object | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Khar'Vex | the home star | khar (light) + vex (to give) — "Giver of Light" |
| Théxar | the home planet | the (earth) + xar — "Land of the Living" |
| Serrin | the large moon | ser (near) + rin — "the Near One" |
| Thel | the small moon | thel — "Wanderer" (a captured asteroid) |
| Kharmo | astronomical unit | khar + mo — "light-measure" |
| Kharen-the | orbit | kharen + the |
| Kharven-ak | constellation | kharven + -ak |
| Morel-khar | the galaxy, Milky Way | morel + khar — "eternal light" |
| Thelven | comet | thel (wanderer) + ven |
| Kharthin | artificial satellite | kharthe + -in |
8.3 Continents and Oceans
| Sha’Ruun | Object | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Kharak | northern continent (34.2M km²) | khar + -ak — "multitude of light" |
| Rhuval | central continent (21.7M km²) | rhu (archaic root "river") + val |
| Vexar | southern continent (18.5M km²) | vex + ar — "the creating one" |
| Thalas | Northern Ocean (94.2M km²) | thal + as — "the depth" |
| Gharra | Southern Ocean (87.5M km²) | ghar (darkness) + ra — "dark waters" |
| Khar-Tor | principal range of Kharak | khar + tor — "Mountains of Light" |
| Verksan | planetary high point (7,820 m) | vex + san — "Giving Summit" |
| Moraat | high point of Rhuval (6,490 m) | mor + at |
| Sharrus | high point of Vexar (6,110 m) | sha + rus |
| Raal | plateau of Rhuval | raal (archaic root "level") |
| Irkhen | mountain chain of Vexar | ir + khen |
| Shan | central desert of Kharak | shan — "dryness" |
8.4 The Eight Domains
| Sha’Ruun | Translation | Continent |
|---|---|---|
| Kharak-Thar | Light-Force | Kharak, northeast |
| Kharak-Tor | Light-Mountain | Kharak, center and west |
| Rhuval-Ven | People-Truth | Rhuval |
| Rhuval-Irkhen | People-Fire | Rhuval, south |
| Vexar-Shan | Creator-Flame | Vexar |
| Vexar-Mor | Creator-Time | Vexar, east |
| The-Rassak | Domain of Waves (insular) | archipelagos |
| Thal-Kharel | Domain of Ice (polar) | polar caps |
8.5 Cities
| Sha’Ruun | Analysis | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Khar-Vexar | khar + vexar | "Bright Creator" — seat of the Council of Unity, 18.6M |
| Ven-Khal | ven + khal | "Truth-Action" — 4.2M |
| Khal-Ven | khal + ven | "Action-Truth" — capital of Kharak-Tor, 3.8M |
| Thar-Thal | thar + thal | "Force of the Deep" — port |
| Rass-Vexthe | rass + vexthe | "United East" |
| Mor-Venmor | mor + venmor | "Archive of Time" — city of the Keepers |
| Torin-The | torin + the | "Small Place" — settlement |
| Thevexthe | thevex + the | "Place of Matter" — industrial center |
8.6 The Seven Voices (Pantheon)
| Sha’Ruun | Analysis | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Khar-Vex | light + giver | space, creation |
| Thar-Mor | force + time | time, fate, cycles |
| The-Xa | earth + life | matter, nature |
| Ven-Ash | truth + limit | law, knowledge, judgment |
| Rass-Ul | unity + eternity | harmony, peace |
| Ghal-Thar | war + force | entropy, conflict |
| Nur-Vek | birth + wisdom | life, death, rebirth |
Note that the names of the deities are written with a hyphen, while the star's name takes an apostrophe (Khar'Vex). The distinction is deliberate: the star is a physical body; Khar-Vex is the Voice that sang space. Orthodoxy insists on the strict separation; folk tradition conflates them (→ see [Volume V, "Religion"]).
8.7 Personal Names
An Xha'ruun personal name consists of two roots joined by a hyphen. The first is lineal (conferred by the parents' Guild); the second is personal (chosen at majority, at 18 mormor).
| Name | Analysis | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Khal-Ven | action + truth | "one who acts by truth" |
| Ven-Thara | truth + force | "strong in truth" |
| Sharin-El | small-word + unity | "one who unites by word" |
| Rhaal-Ven | archaic-level + truth | "steady truth" |
| Xha-Morin | mind + instant | "quick of mind" |
| Vexal-Ar | to create + agent | "the maker" |
| Thel-Kharin | wanderer + small-light | "one who follows the light" |
| Rass-Xarin | unity + child | "child of unity" |
Lineal suffixes:
| Suffix | Meaning |
|---|---|
| -ar | line of artisans and makers |
| -en | line of scholars |
| -in | junior branch of a lineage |
| -el | line of Keepers |
Chapter Summary
| Section | Entries |
|---|---|
| Cosmonyms | 10 |
| Continents and oceans | 12 |
| Domains | 8 |
| Cities | 8 |
| The Seven Voices | 7 |
| Personal names | 8 |
| Lineal suffixes | 4 |
| Total | 57 |
When naming the Moryn, the commission of +2,000 debated how to render another people’s self-designation in its own language. The adopted word entered usage alongside other borrowings; its history records a negotiation between linguistic habits.