Intriguing. I've played with this sort of thing a bit myself, as "throwaway" touches for stories that'll never get written anyway. I came up,
for instance, with a snatch of national anthem for one imaginary country:
Gwyrr, ka vahal do kedru;
Daaz - voi sh'vesno kedru;
Gwyrr, ai kos tanshish fermu;
Idore.
Which translates as:
Rise, for the Homeland's calling;
Swift - all the hills are calling;
Rise, or our Night is falling;
Idore.
Idore being the name of their country. One of the things I decided is that the word "tanshish" in the third line doesn't mean
lowercase "night," the period between sunset and sunrise. That word would simply be "shish." With the intensifying prefix
"tan," however, it means "night without end" or "final doom" -- which is why, in the translation, "Night" is
capitalized.
Incidentally, if you're curious about the tune to which it's sung, watch the Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings. The orcs besieging have a
battle chant ending in "Mordor," and the tune of that was the model for this.
While I'm boring you, here's another example. I envisioned a passage (in another story entirely) in which the hero briefly refers to a certain
empire by its native name -- reasonable, since he was a fugitive from there. The background ... got out of hand, resulting in this little glossary:
Khiros Majial - the Empire of Khiros, or Khiral Empire.
Majian saa-Khiral - Imperial Khiral citizen (plural Majian saa-Khiralur).
The word Majian, "Imperial," is seldom omitted by Khiral citizens, as this would be regarded as at least mildly disloyal. Majian Khiral, without the saa- prefix (abbreviated from the word Sastar, "Citizen"), is an adjective referring to,
for instance, the army, navy, ministries - anything Imperial Khiral other than the citizens and the Emperor himself (even the Imperial Consort is
designated Majian Khiral Tolanné).
Majiostis-Voianh Khiral - Khiral Witch-Emperor (an Empress reigning in her own right would be Majiostéin-Voianh
Khiral). Although Voianh commonly translates as "Witch," the Elvréid-Haidule dynasty's power, as that
of all its predecessors, is based not on true witchcraft but on sorcery, usually of the diabolic variety. It is
treason to use the imperial title in the abbreviated form "Majiostis-Voianh" without the specification
"Khiral." (Typical forms of address are Alterru, "Sire"; Shelis Vonn, "Blood Lord";
Yathen Khaikos, "Unholy Majesty"; and the full imperial title.)
Tadaz
Kwerranur - The elite bodyguard of the Majiostis-Voianh Khiral
and his immediate family, as well as of the highest ministers of the state. The name is usually translated as
"Steel Spectres," although Kwerran also has aspects of "vampire" or "demon."
Within the
Tadaz Kwerranur is a further elite of the elite, the Rethos Kibellan or Inner Guard, whose proactive style of protecting state security
involves espionage upon and assassination of elements both outside and especially inside Khiros Majial which could threaten the regime.
-----
Big Brother is watching you. And damn, you are so bloody BORING.
for instance, with a snatch of national anthem for one imaginary country:
Gwyrr, ka vahal do kedru;
Daaz - voi sh'vesno kedru;
Gwyrr, ai kos tanshish fermu;
Idore.
Which translates as:
Rise, for the Homeland's calling;
Swift - all the hills are calling;
Rise, or our Night is falling;
Idore.
Idore being the name of their country. One of the things I decided is that the word "tanshish" in the third line doesn't mean
lowercase "night," the period between sunset and sunrise. That word would simply be "shish." With the intensifying prefix
"tan," however, it means "night without end" or "final doom" -- which is why, in the translation, "Night" is
capitalized.
Incidentally, if you're curious about the tune to which it's sung, watch the Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings. The orcs besieging have a
battle chant ending in "Mordor," and the tune of that was the model for this.
While I'm boring you, here's another example. I envisioned a passage (in another story entirely) in which the hero briefly refers to a certain
empire by its native name -- reasonable, since he was a fugitive from there. The background ... got out of hand, resulting in this little glossary:
Khiros Majial - the Empire of Khiros, or Khiral Empire.
Majian saa-Khiral - Imperial Khiral citizen (plural Majian saa-Khiralur).
The word Majian, "Imperial," is seldom omitted by Khiral citizens, as this would be regarded as at least mildly disloyal. Majian Khiral, without the saa- prefix (abbreviated from the word Sastar, "Citizen"), is an adjective referring to,
for instance, the army, navy, ministries - anything Imperial Khiral other than the citizens and the Emperor himself (even the Imperial Consort is
designated Majian Khiral Tolanné).
Majiostis-Voianh Khiral - Khiral Witch-Emperor (an Empress reigning in her own right would be Majiostéin-Voianh
Khiral). Although Voianh commonly translates as "Witch," the Elvréid-Haidule dynasty's power, as that
of all its predecessors, is based not on true witchcraft but on sorcery, usually of the diabolic variety. It is
treason to use the imperial title in the abbreviated form "Majiostis-Voianh" without the specification
"Khiral." (Typical forms of address are Alterru, "Sire"; Shelis Vonn, "Blood Lord";
Yathen Khaikos, "Unholy Majesty"; and the full imperial title.)
Tadaz
Kwerranur - The elite bodyguard of the Majiostis-Voianh Khiral
and his immediate family, as well as of the highest ministers of the state. The name is usually translated as
"Steel Spectres," although Kwerran also has aspects of "vampire" or "demon."
Within the
Tadaz Kwerranur is a further elite of the elite, the Rethos Kibellan or Inner Guard, whose proactive style of protecting state security
involves espionage upon and assassination of elements both outside and especially inside Khiros Majial which could threaten the regime.
-----
Big Brother is watching you. And damn, you are so bloody BORING.