Goblin (language)

Goblin
Script	Goblin
Spoken by	Goblinoids (Bugbears, Goblins, Hobgoblins), various monstrous races in Khorvaire (Orcs, Ogres, etc.)

Goblin is a language spoken by various goblinoids (bugbears, goblins, hobgoblins) of Khorvaire, as well as numerous other monsters found on the continent.

History

Goblin was the common tongue of Khorvaire during the Age of Monsters where it was spread by the Dhakaani Empire, and was replaced by Common with the establishment of the Kingdom of Galifar.

Glossary

This article or section is about elements from

• Keith Baker's commentary.

This is not considered Eberron canon, but is included for interest and inspiration for your own Eberron games.

The following glossary is reproduced with permission from Exploring Eberron.

Commands

• aazat - “Hold position!”
• aisi itaa - “Forward ranks attack!”
• irii - “Cover me!”
• iroo - “Loose arrows!”
• irzat - “Cease fire!”
• itaa - “Attack!”
• kaasi itaa - “Rear ranks close!”
• romath - “Form up!”
• shaash - “Come together!”
• skiir - “Run!”
• toh - “Beware!”

Common Phrases

• atta so? - “What’s that?”
• ban - “Sure,” “your funeral,” noncommittal agreement.
• chaat'oor - “Defiler,” pejorative term for species not native to Khorvaire, especially humans. Compare to gath'dar.
• cho - “Yes,” “okay,” acknowledgment of a statement, implied agreement.
• gath'dar - “Not dar,” a general term for any humanoid that’s not dar. Compare to chaat'oor.
• khaavolaar! - “Blood of the word!” A curse of frustration or amazement.
• maabet! - An ancient curse whose meaning has never been translated into Common.
• marhu orr! - “Emperor's ears!” An exclamation of surprise.
• mazo - “Absolutely,” “yes,” emphatic agreement; used when discussing plans or acknowledging orders.
• saa - “Hello,” casual greeting.
• saa'atcha - “It’s an honor to meet you,” formal greeting.
• ta muut - “You have honor,” “you do your duty.” The most common form of thanks in Dhakaani culture, it acknowledges that a deed has been performed correctly without any connotation of debt on the part of the speaker. Contrast with Ya panozhii kita atcha.
• taat - A derogatory, insulting term for someone of lesser status than the speaker.
• ya panozhii kita atcha - “I owe a debt to your honor,” an expression of profound indebtedness; this has deep meaning and is never said lightly. Compare with ta muut.

Military Ranks

• marhu - “Emperor,” supreme leader; a position first held by the duur'kala Jhazaal Dhakaan.
• lhesh - “High warlord,” general. In Dhakaani culture, a lhesh is a term for someone with the rank of general, given command of a significant portion of the empire's armies for a set time. In the modern day, Lhesh Haruuc Shaarat'kor has adopted the term as the title of the ruler of Darguun.
• lhevket - “Elder warlord,” colonel.
• lhevk'rhu - “Skilled warlord,” captain.
• lhevk - “Warlord,” lieutenant.
• lhurusk - “War leader,” sergeant.
• thradaask - “Shock trooper,” private; most often guul'dar.
• olhirot - “Spear-bearer,” private.
• rhu - Prefix or suffix indicating higher status, experience, or prestige than others of that rank.

Numbers

• ur - “First.”
• ga - “One,” primary.
• ka - “Two,” a pair.
• kaga - “Three,” two and one.
• aath - “Four.” See also aath in General.
• kaas - “Five.” See also kaas in Parts of Speech and General.
• kron - “Six.”
• hirot - “Seven.”
• kaath - “Eight.”
• gath'mokaas - “Nine.”
• mokaas - “Ten.”

Parts of Speech

• te - “He/him,” masculine pronoun.
• nu - “She/her,” feminine pronoun.
• mu - “They/them,” neutral pronoun.
• ya - “I/me,” first person singular.
• kaas - “We/us,” first person plural. See also kaas in Numbers and General.
• ta - “You,” second person singular.
• taan - “You all,” second person plural.
• mi - “One,” indefinite pronoun, generic you.
• gath- - “Not,” “without,” negative prefix; for example, gath'kal—without end.
• pa- - Prefix indicating something given.
• -mo - Suffix indicating intensity.

General Lexicon

A

• aath - “Corner,” “wall.” Can also mean "four."
• aazat - “Hold position!”
• aisi itaa - “Forward ranks attack!”
• aram - “Wrath,” “righteous anger.”
• atcha - The Dhakaani concept of personal honor, which must be earned and carefully protected. Compare with muut.
• atchot - Look someone in the eye.

B

• ban - “Sure,” “your funeral,” noncommittal agreement.
• ban'na - “I don’t care,” “none of your business.” A Lhazaar explorer once asked the native goblins what their exotic yellow fruit was called; a misunderstanding led to the word “banana” being adopted into Common. Literally, “not mine, your funeral.”
• batuuvk - “Marketplace.”

C

• calabas - “Kennel.”
• chaat'oor - “Defiler,” pejorative term for species not native to Khorvaire, especially humans. Compare to gath'dar.
• chib - “Boss,” “big person.” For non-dar, this can refer to any larger humanoid.
• chit guulen pamuut ran - “There is strength in honoring a sacrifice.”
• chot - “Eye.”
• chot'uul - “Dream watcher,” a monastic order that monitors and protects the Uul Dhakaan, or a member of that order.

D

• daashor - A dar artificer. The techniques of the daashor were previously believed to have been lost with the fall of the Dhakaani Empire, but have been preserved among the Kech Dhakaan.
• daask - “Soldier.”
• dar - “People,” the collective term for the hobgoblin, bugbear, and goblin races of Dhakaan.
• dor - “Never,” eternal negation. This follows the negated term; “gan dor” means “never eat.”
• doovol - “Truth.”
• draal - “City.”
• draguus - “Dragon.”
• duum - A large goblin drum with a deep voice, typically played with short thick rods of brass or heavy wood.
• duur - “Dirge,” “sorrow,” can also mean “song of the past.”
• duur'kala - “Dirge singer.” Duur'kala preserve the history and knowledge of past ages, and their music is the most common form of magic among the Dhakaani. As the magic manifests mostly in females, duur’kala are often called gaanu duur, “daughters of the dirge,” and elders are referred to as niianu duur, “mothers of the dirge.”
• Duur'shaarat - “Blade of Sorrows,” the modern dar name for the ruins of the hobgoblin metropolis that now form the foundations of the city of Sharn. Compare to Ja'shaarat.

G

• ga - “One,” primary.
• gaa'ma - “Wax baby,” a pejorative term for changelings.
• gaanu - “Daughter.”
• gaanu duur - “Daughter of the Dirge,” an alternate title for duur'kala.
• gaa'taat - “Less than a child,” an insult.
• gaate - “Son.”
• gan - “Eat.”
• gantii - “Hungry.”
• gath- - “Not,” “without,” negative prefix; for example, gath'kal—without end.
• gath'atcha - “Without honor.” This can be said as a means of showing contrition, but is a serious insult when said of someone else.
• gath'mokaas - “Nine.”
• ghaal - “Mighty,” with specific connotations of prowess in battle.
• ghaal'dar - “Mighty people,” the ancient name for the hobgoblin species; also the name of the confederacy of goblin clans dominating the nation of Darguun.
• Ghaal’duur - “Mighty Dirge,” a powerful horn fashioned by Jhazaal Dhakaan.
• golin - “Quick,” typically referring to speed, but can also mean intelligence.
• golin'dar - “Quick people,” the ancient name for the goblin species.
• guul - “Strong.”
• guul'dar - “Strong people,” the ancient name for the bugbear species.
• guulen - “Strength.” The name of a legendary artifact also known as the Rod of Kings.

H

• haakar - “Panther.”
• hirot - “Seven.”

I

• irii - “Cover me!”
• iroo - “Loose arrows!”
• irzat - “Cease fire!”
• itaa - “Attack!”

J

• ja - “Bright.”
• Ja'shaarat - “Bright Blade,” the ancient name of the hobgoblin metropolis on the Dagger River that later served as the foundations of the city of Sharn. Compare to Duur’shaarat.
• Jhazaal Dhakaan - The greatest duur’kala in history, she united the Six Kings to found the Empire of Dhakaan and become the first marhu. She created the Uul Dhakaan and crafted Ghaal'duur and other legendary artifacts.

K

• ka - “Two,” a pair.
• kaga - “Three,” two and one.
• kaan - “Helmet,” or more loosely, any head covering.
• kaana - A signal of urgency. Emphasized by repetition—kaana kaana.
• kaas - “Hand.” Can also mean "Five" or “We/us,” in first person plural.
• kaasi itaa - “Rear ranks close!”
• kaath - “Eight.”
• kala - “Singer.”
• kapaa - “Betrayal,” “treachery.”
• Kapaa'vola - “The Treacherous Word.” Created by the daelkyr Dyrrn the Corruptor, this devastating curse severed the surface dar from the Uul Dhakaan and caused irrational behavior.
• karda - “Throne.”
• kech - “Bearer,” “clan.”
• Kech Dhakaan - “Keepers of Dhakaan,” also translated “Heirs of Dhakaan,” the collective title for the dar clans that fled from the Kapaa'vola and maintained Dhakaani traditions.
• khaar - “Blood.”
• khaar draguus - “Blood of the dragon,” an ancient Dhakaani term for the lava pools used to forge weapons and armor, now beneath the modern city of Sharn.
• khaavolaar! - “Blood of the word!” A curse of frustration or amazement.
• khesh - “Silent.”
• Khesh'dar - “The Silent Folk,” a clan of golin’dar scouts and assassins. By ancient tradition, the Khesh'dar have always lived apart from the dar of the empire and serve no single clan, instead acting as impartial mercenaries.
• kiirin - A traditional Dhakaani stringed instrument.
• kor - “blood red,” “scarlet.”
• korluat - A highly alcoholic beverage; literally, “hero's blood.”
• kraat - “Smithy,” “forge.”
• kra'uul - “Dream forged,” items that accompany their bearer into the Uul Dhakaan.
• kron - “Six.”
• kron rhukaan - “Six Kings,” the six ghaal'dar warlords who joined with Jhazaal Dhakaan to found the Empire of Dhakaan.
• kron rhukaan'kor! - “Blood of Six Kings!” An oath of sincerity, or an expletive.
• kur - “Key.”
• kurar - “Death.”
• kuur - “Speak.”

L

• lhesh - “High warlord,” general. In Dhakaani culture, a lhesh is a term for someone with the rank of general, given command of a significant portion of the empire's armies for a set time. In the modern day, Lhesh Haruuc Shaarat'kor has adopted the term as the title of the ruler of Darguun.
• lhesh shaarat - “Warlord's blade,” a Dhakaani weapon suitable only for the greatest warriors, finely made and imbued with powerful enchantments. The mere act of drawing a warlord’s blade is a claim to power.
• lheshat - Kingdom; literally, “the reach of a warlord's power.”
• lhevket - “Elder warlord,” colonel.
• lhevk'rhu - “Skilled warlord,” captain.
• lhevk - “Warlord,” lieutenant.
• lhurusk - “War leader,” sergeant.

M

• maabet! - An ancient curse whose meaning has never been translated into Common.
• marhu - “Emperor,” supreme leader; a position first held by the duur'kala Jhazaal Dhakaan.
• marhuat - An empire; literally, “the reach of an emperor's power.”
• marhu orr! - “Emperor's ears!” An exclamation of surprise.
• mazo - “Absolutely,” “yes,” emphatic agreement; used when discussing plans or acknowledging orders.
• mi - “One,” indefinite pronoun, generic you.
• -mo - Suffix indicating intensity.
• mokaas - “Ten.”
• mor - “Life.”
• morguur - “Lifespan.”
• mu - “They/them,” neutral pronoun.
• mur - “Horn.”
• muut - The Dhakaani concept of duty, something owed to the empire and your comrades. Compare with atcha.

N

• na - Something that belongs to someone else. Can be applied as a suffix as emphasis; for example, kur'na means “Not my key.”
• nasaar - “Night.”
• niianu - “Mother,” nunu is a diminutive form.
• niianu duur - “Mother of the Dirge,” an alternate title for a senior duur'kala.
• noon - A starchy grain, often pressed into compact balls. Noon was a staple of the traditional Dhakaani diet, though the clans turned to suur during their long isolation.
• nozhii - “Debt.”
• nu - “She/her,” feminine pronoun.

O

• olhirot - “Spear-bearer,” private.
• orces - “Orc.”
• orr - ears

P

• pa- - Prefix indicating something given.
• paal - “Spell.”
• paaldaask - A spellcaster; literally, “spell warrior.”
• paatcha! - Literally, to offer honor. Typically spoken as a compliment, or delivered as an imperative to troops facing peril.
• piir - General term indicating possession.
• piiroto - “My stuff,” one’s belongings.
• poltaa - “Thought.”

R

• raat - “Story.”
• raat shan gath'kal dor - “The story stops but never ends,” the traditional closing of Dhakaani legends.
• raat shi anaa - “The story continues,” the traditional opening to Dhakaani legends.
• ran - “Sacrifice.”
• rhu - Prefix or suffix indicating higher status, experience, or prestige than others of that rank.
• rhukaan - Crown; literally, “high status head covering.”
• romath - “Form up!”
• roo - “Friendly stranger.” Someone unknown to the speaker, but not obviously an enemy.
• ruuska - “Tiger.” Often used as battle mounts by Dhakaani cavalry.
• ruuska'te - “Tiger man,” a term of endearment for a fierce man (feminine: ruuska'nu). See also taarka'nu.

S

• saa - “Hello,” casual greeting.
• saa'atcha - “It’s an honor to meet you,” formal greeting.
• sar - “Little.”
• sehn - “Riders.”
• shaarat - “Blade.”
• shaarat'dor - A martial art practiced by the Khesh'dar; literally, “no weapons.”
• Shaarat'khesh - An order within the Khesh'dar, golin'dar specializing in espionage and assassination; literally, “Silent Blades.”
• shaash - “Come together!”
• shaat'aar - A small sweet bun filled with honey cream, much loved by golin'dar.
• shava - “Sword brother,” a solemn bond between dar warriors. Accepting the status of shava is a formal bond that carries significant responsibilities and expectations, trusting one another with their lives, and committing to resolve the affairs of a fallen sword brother.
• shi anaa - To continue; literally, “to begin again.”
• shii marhu polto huuntad ka ruuska atchot - “Even an emperor must think twice when looking a tiger in the eye,” a Dhakaani proverb.
• shiftaa - Shifters.
• skai - “Great.”
• skiir - “Run.”
• skuurz'taat - “Pathetic drunkard.”
• sora - “Grandmother,” a term of respect for an elder, even if unrelated to you.
• suur - A fungus, staple of the Dhakaani diet while the clans were deep underground, usually eaten in the form of starchy balls.

T

• ta - “You,” second person singular.
• taan - “You all,” second person plural.
• taarn - Elves.
• taarka - “Wolf,” can also refer to hounds or worgs.
• Taarka'khesh - An order within the Khesh'dar, golin’dar specializing in wilderness reconnaissance; literally, “Silent Wolves.”
• taarka'nu - “Wolf woman,” a term of endearment for a fierce woman (masculine: taarka’te). See also ruuska’te.
• taash - “Razor.”
• taat - A derogatory, insulting term for someone of lesser status than the speaker.
• ta muut - “You have honor,” “you do your duty.” The most common form of thanks in Dhakaani culture, it acknowledges that a deed has been performed correctly without any connotation of debt on the part of the speaker. Contrast with Ya panozhii kita atcha.
• te - “He/him,” masculine pronoun.
• thradaask - “Shock trooper,” private; most often guul'dar.
• toh - “Beware.”
• tohiish - “Dangerous.”
• tuuv - “Buy,” “Own.”

U

• ur - "First."
• uul - “Dream.”
• Uul Dhakaan - The shared dreamscape of the dar.
• uul'kala - “Dream singer,” a dirge singer who specializes in walking in dreams.
• uul'kur - “Dream key,” a token that allows its bearer to remember its dreams in the Uul Dhakaan, and even share with others.

V

• vanon - “Dusk.”
• volaar - “Word,” more broadly, lore or recorded knowledge.
• vus - “Fire.”
• vusrii - “Burn.”

Y

• ya - “I/me,” first person singular.
• ya panozhii kita atcha - “I owe a debt to your honor,” an expression of profound indebtedness; this has deep meaning and is never said lightly. Compare with ta muut.