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whiskeyrose88 · 7 years

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{Trollin' Thursdays} Watch yo' language! Zandali Words & Phrases

This list is brought to you by The Sen'jin Literary Society, a group of RPers from the the troll RP board I was on that got together and, using the in game translator, came up with a list of Zandali words and phrases. Most of these words are not canon, but some are and can be found in game and RP books.

A side note about writing Zandali v. Orcish: It has been my experience in RP–and a commonly accepted headcanon among most troll RPers/writers–that when a troll’s speaks in “troll speak” they are speaking in a non-Zandali language with a Zandali accent. When a troll’s dialogue is written with proper grammar and lack of phonetic pronunciations, they are speaking in Zandali.

Example: A troll speaking Zandali: I would like to buy this mango. A troll speaking another language with an accent: I be wantin’ ta buy dis mango.

Most trolls that belong to the Horde or have had interactions with orcs will speak Orcish as a second language. Outside of these particular tribes, a troll’s secondary language will depend on what race they are most exposed to. For instance, Shatterspear trolls may speak Darnassian because of their proximity to night elf lands and the “peace agreement” they held with them for centuries. Farraki trolls may speak Goblin and/or Common because of interactions with goblins and humans from Gadgetzan. The degree of accent with which a troll speaks will vary depending on their mastery of the language. If a troll is fluent in Orcish and speaks without a Zandali accent, their words would be written just as proper as Zandali.

Also, troll speak can be interpreted as “low Zandali”, Zandali that is a less formal/proper dialect.

Speaking of which, there are various dialects and forms of Zandali that vary depending on the tribe/empire. Amani-Zandali does not sound the same as Gurubashi-Zandali or Drakkari-Zandali, and even within those dialects there are variations; but they are similar. So consider this list as a “base dialect” of Zandali from which the other dialects derived unless specified.

Have you made up your own Zandali words and would like to see them added to this list? Submit them here!

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Greetings and Politeness

honnah - hello (casual); ex. Honnah, mon! Nice weathah we be havin’.

godehsi - hello (formal); ex. Godehsi, Vol'jin.

obeah - thanks (casual); ex. Dis food be great. Obeah, bruddah!

fus'obeah quashi- thank you (formal); ex.Yo’ words be appreciated, priestess. Fus'obeah quashi.

Family and People

fen - female

fen'di - (little) girl; fen'dir - (little) girls

fen'da - woman; fen'dai - women

‘aka - “Daughter of”, though not always in the literal sense. In regard to family, it can mean a female who is the daughter of her parents just as it can be used to refer to her relationship to other blood relatives or the tribe at large (as in ”Daughter of the Tribe”)

mem - male

mem'ki - (little) boy; mem'kir - (little) boys

mem'ko - man; mem'kon - men

‘ako - “Son of”, though not always in the literal sense. In regard to family, it can mean a male who is the son of his parents just as it can be used to refer to his relationship to other blood relatives or the tribe at large (as in ”Son of the Tribe”)

muuka - mother; mima/mama - mommy/mama

muuai - grandmother, or more literally “older mother”; can be any female, blood related or not, that is seen as a mother figure that is much older

muuge - “other mother”; any female, blood related or not, that is seen as a mother figure that is usually close in age to one’s mother (similar to aunt)

muudi - sister (of blood relation; this distinction is not frequently used unless necessary for context or emphasis that a female shares the same parentage as the speaker)

muuki- any female, blood related or not, of the same generation that a strong or blood-related bond is shared with (i.e. cousin or close female friend)

chaako - father; chaako'do/chaade/baba - daddy/dad

chaadoi - grandfather, or more literally “older father”; can be any male, blood related or not, that is seen as a father figure that is much older

chaage - "other father”; any male, blood related or not, that is seen as a father figure that is usually close in age to one’s mother (similar to uncle)

chaadi - brother (of blood relation; this distinction is not frequently used unless necessary for context or emphasis that a male shares the same parentage as the speaker)

chaaki - any male, blood related or not, of the same generation that a strong or blood-related bond is shared with (i.e. cousin or childhood friend)

Mama/Papa - An informal, but polite name of endearment given to an elder of familial or friendly relations; can be used for grandmothers/fathers, aunts/uncles, as well as family friends; usually added to the front of the name (ex. Mama Sian or Papa Teo)

bebe - baby

mon - a unisex casual term used to refer to a person instead of their name; ex. Mon, come ovah here!

fu - you/me/he/she/their; Because trolls live in a heavily tribe-centered culture, their language does not have a word that denotes a difference between the self and others. Fu refers literally to "a person” whether it be he/she/me/you and its exact meaning is largely contextual. Trolls usually refer to themselves in the third person when they feel emphasis or clarification is necessary in conversation.

dim - denotes a person who the speaker is close to, but not a family member, such as a very close friend or a lover; can be used as a suffix; ex. Nok'dim is ma friend.

Honorifics and Statuses

Zul’ - a master of voodoo/witch doctor (prefix) ex. Zul'Faraji: Witch Doctor Faraji

Zuf'li - a female witch doctor; originally used in a derogatory sense, as females were not allowed to be witch doctors, though females in more gender-equal tribes have began using the term with pride; ex. Zuf'li Mashaka: Witch Doctor Mashaka

‘jin - a tribal chief, leader, or respected elder (suffix); ex. Vol'jin: Tribal Chief Vol

'ju - “mastery or master”; a troll who has mastered a certain art and is a teacher (suffix)’ ex. Shobe'ju: Master Shobe

'ji - “learning”; student or person in training (suffix); ex. Mal'ji: Student Mal

'kai - “of the shadow(s)”; a rogue or shadow priest who has earned the highest honors in their sect (suffix); ex. Nok'kai: Nok of the Shadows

'aka - “daughter of”; a priestess or female follower (suffix); ex. Kuthalia'aka, a priestess of Ayida

'fon - “loner/alone”; a troll who has been outcast or shunned by/from their tribe, whether voluntary or involuntary (suffix); ex. Takar'fon: Takar the Loner

'fi - “little”; used as a term of endearment with children or younger friends and family members (suffix); ex. Mal'fi: Little Mal

'ai - “the beloved/devoted ones”; usually used to refer to a group that is devoted to a certain spirit or cause; a religious sect (suffix); ex. Atal'ai: the sect of trolls who worshiped Hakkar and tried to resurrect him

Atal - great or honored; used to refer to the Greater Loa (prefix); ex. Atal'Damballa - The Great Damballa, loa of the Shadows and snakes

Places

Zul’ - a city, usually larger than a village (prefix); ex. Zul'Drak, Zul'Farrak, Zul'Kunda

Zeb’ - a village; Amani-Zandali (prefix); ex. Zeb'Nowa and Zeb'Tela, both forest troll villages

'Watha - a large village or small city; Amani-Zandali (prefix); ex. Hiri'watha, Agol'watha, Shaol'watha, all forest troll villages

'Alor - a temple or place of worship; ex. Mazra'Alor: a forest troll temple in Eastern Plaguelands

Battle

siame - blood

rohk - destroyer/destruction; can you be used as a suffix to denote a powerful warrior; ex. Jin'rohk: Jin the Destroyer

thraze - blade

sang - deflect

sul - lash/strike/cut

jang - protect

Spirituality

yuutee - spirit (not Loa)

yuutee/Loa atuad ju - “Spirit’s/Loa bless us.”

t'ief - earth

difus - water

ackee - fire

mek - air

e'ko - the life energy of a living creature

juju - a fetish, charm, or amulet

kaz'kah - death totem/headstone

rush'kah mask - a ceremonial mask worn only by Shadow Hunters

mojo - physical stamina, often used when referring to fighting or sexual prowess

ju'kai - A combination of the word ju denoting a master or mastery of something and kai, shadows. Literally this means “shadow mastery” and in context refers to marks or tattoos given to a rogue to denote his level of training or expertise. It is feasible to assume that other classes or casts within troll culture and tribal life could use the same conjunction: ju'yuutee - spirit master(y); ju’t'ief - fire master(y); etc.

Love and Sex

lok'dim - a term of endearment; ie: darling, dearest, beloved

wassa'dim - a loved one

Bal'a - “beloved”; pet name used in serious relationships

wassa - love

riva - lust

riva'dim - “person I lust for” or “lover”

smadda - fervor; passion; also used as a crass slang term to refer to any number of messy fluids involved in or the result of sex; ex. “Clean yo’ smadda offa mah couch, mon!”

hinky - backwards; inside out; also a slang term for “gay” or “homosexual”

Insults and Bad Language

e'chuta - shit

vask - shit, in the sense of being worthless or unpleasant

vekk - means crooked or dishonourable, but can also be used as an expletive when referring to an untrustworthy

fen'zi - a derogatory term for an inexperienced or unskilled female, usually used by males when the female is trying to “overstep her bounds”

yudo - fuck

quashi- stuipid; idiot Vol'jin’s honor guard are called the siame-quashi, but this doesn’t mean their name translates to “Stupid Blood”, but rather “Those of Foolish Blood”. Quashi isn’t to be taken derogatorily in this context as meaning idiotic or stupid; the Siame-Quashi are so devoted to their tribe and chieftain that they are willing to give up their lives without question. Hence the “foolish” aspect of the name, but it is quite an honor to be referred to as such.

nehjo - dirty; a promiscuous person

Phrases & Slang

d'zana - literally means tusks; “to have the tusks” means to have the courage to do something.

draks - testicles/balls/scrotum; the word can also imply courage/nerve/bravery, usually applied to males; ex. Grow a pair o’ draks, mon!

having the hot shivers - to be sexually aroused

irie - feeling good or well; usually used to refer to a person’s state of being, physically or emotional; ex. Ya feelin’ irie, mon?

ku'ca - breasts

kuji - personal style or countenance; “the way one does/is”

Mira lahk - “Look at that.”

Taz'dingo - a cheer of victory or triumph

Objects & Other Things

noh - elf

tanponi - pillow(s)

iman - cold

avani - river

hima - snow

Grammatical terms

fus - a prefix or suffix of emphasis. Can be added to any word to increase the strength of its meaning or to give it emphasis in a sentence. ex: fus'quashi - extremely stupid; fus'nehjo - filthy (physically or sexually).

'so - a suffix denoting possession Taki'so - beloning to Taki/ Taki’s; fu'so - his/hers/yours. In the proper context this could be used to refer to a person as the mate/partner of another. Taki'so would refer to Vo'jya, Taki’s long term lover. This is a rather familiar, tongue-in-cheek way to address or refer to someone, and could be used as much as a jibe as anything else.

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