"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.
Ruun-ak rass: → rhu [Thexar-I, Ruun 13, "The-Xar-Ak Théxar"], → rhu [Thexar-VIII, Sha-El 09, "Ven-Khal Rass-El"], → rhu [Thexar-V, Sha-El 06, "Vokh-Shan The-El"]
Mor-ven: Many traditional names contain recognisable roots. Borrowing, older pronunciation and lost local meanings can make other names opaque to modern speakers.
Archive of the river cities
08.1 The Principle of Naming
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")
08.2 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
08.3 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"
08.4 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
08.5 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
08.6 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
Deities are written with a hyphen; the star takes an apostrophe (Khar'Vex). 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 (→ rhu [Thexar-V, Sha-El 06, "Vokh-Shan The-El"]).
08.7 Personal Names
A personal name = two roots joined by a hyphen. First lineal (conferred by the parents' Guild); second 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
08.8 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.
