Word Walls
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Key Points
- Word Walls use no punctuation.
- Word Walls tend not to use plural nouns.
About Word Walls
A Word Wall, sometimes referred to as a qethsegol, is a stone in Skyrim that contains a Word of Power. Word Walls usually contain a short inscription telling of an ancient Nordic hero or historical event. They can be excellent practice for learning the alphabet and basic vocabulary. This lesson explores a small selection of the Word Walls found in the game and their translations.
Animal Allegiance
Qethsegol V4rukiv k9 sarvirra zok krin r1n alun w4 fon1r odus frod 4rk ofan ok sil f4 ok drog
Qethsegol vahrukiv key Sarvirra
(This) stone commemorates (the) horse Sarvirra,
zok krin raan alun wah fonaar
(the) most courageous animal ever to charge
odus frod ahrk ofan ok sil fah ok drog
(the) snowy field and give his soul for his lord.
Laknir Maltu w4l1n qethsegol 1r3 v4rukt bon1r Vakeeza wo v1t m7 w4 jun do k9z1l 4rk d7 ko sadon grav5n
Laknir Maltu wahlaan qethsegol
Laknir Little-Hammer has raised (this) stone
aarii vahrukt bonaar Vakeeza wo
(in) his servant's memory, humble Vakeeza who
vaat mir wah jun do Keizaal
swore allegience to (the) king(s) of Skyrim
ahrk dir ko sadon gravuun
and died in gray autumn.
Het d7 brun3k rek groh3k ulf2dr kr3d muz 4rk sunv1r brun3k kinbok s4qon t4
Het dir bruniik rek grohiik Ulfeidr
Here died (the) savage she-wolf Ulfeidr,
kriid muz ahrk sunvaar
slayer (of) men and beast(s),
bruniik kinbok sahqon tah
savage leader (of the) crimson pack.
Fire Breath
Qethsegol v4rukiv k3r jun jafnhar wo los ag n4l1s n1l yol do lot dov4 lodunost
Qethsegol vahrukiv kiir jun
(This) stone commemorates (the) child king
Jafnhar wo lost ag nahlaas
Jafnhar who was burned alive
naal yol do lot dovah Lodunost
by (the) fire of (the) great dragon Lodunost.
Aesa w4l1n qethsegol br3n43 v4rukt thohild fin t5r wne smol3n ag frin ol s4qo h2m
Aesa wahlaan qethsegol brinahii
Aesa has raised (this) stone (in) her sister's
vahrukt, Thohild fin toor wen
memory, Thohild the inferno whose
smoliin ag frin ol sahqo heim
passion burned hot as (a) red forge.
Het m4 herfodr shul kr3d s4rot kon4rik do lumn1r do krent h4nu
Het mah Herfodr
Here fell Herfodr
shul kriid sahrot konahrik
Sun Slayer, mighty warlord
do Lumnaar do Krent Hahnu
of (the) Valley of Broken Dream(s).
Kyne's Peace
Het nok kopr1n do hela, f4don w4 p4 siv1s 4rk 1r do k1n 1l rek s3v un4z1l pr1n ko f9kro do h4nu
Het nok kopraan do Hela
Here lies (the) body of Hela,
fahdon wah pah sivaas
friend to all beast(s),
aar do Kaan aal rek siiv
servant of Kyne. May she find
unahzaal praan ko feykro do hahnu
eternal rest in (the) Forest of Dreams.
Nonvul bron d4m1n d1r rot do fin fod3z borm4 dr1l ni f4 drem f4 grik los hind do s4lo 4rk niv4r3n
Nonvul bron dahmaan daar rot
Noble Nord, remember these word(s)
do fin fodiiz bormah draal ni
of the hoar father. Pray not
fah drem fah grik los hind
for peace, for such is (the) wish
do sahlo ahrk nivahriin.
Of (the) weak and cowardly.
Het m4 sp1n v4din valkrys wo krif voth 4krin nuz lost fol1s w4 ov mul1g do bod3s tuz
Het mah spaan vahdin Valkrys
Here fell (the) shield maiden Valkrys,
wo krif voth ahkrin nuz los folaas
who fought with courage but was wrong
wah ov mulaag do bodiis tuz.
to trust (the) strength of (a) borrowed blade.
In the above Word Wall, "los" is used to mean "was". This is a rather rare case. The vast majority of the time, you will see "lost" to mean "was".
Storm Call
4rk ond dr9 s4rot h2mverlund m9z nol hevno brom med strun do uzn4g1r n4kr3n nol sonvgarde nim1r
Ahrk ond drey sahrot Heimverlund
And lo did (the) mighty Heimverlund
meyz nol hevno brom med strun do
come from (the) brutal north like (a) storm of
uznahgaar nahkriin nol Sovngarde nimaar
unbridled vengeance from Sovngarde itself.
Het m4 hrothmar b4 groh3k do brun3k pind1r 1l ok sil rov1n sovngarde m4faer1k
Het mah Hrothmar bah grohiik do
Here fell Hrothmar Wrath-Wolf of
bruniik pindaar aal ok sil rovaan
(the) savage plains. May his soul wander
Sovngarde mahfaeraak
Sovngarde forever.
Qethsegol v4rukiv s4sun1r do dan3k vundeh2m ag n4l1s n1l qo do unsl1d krosisk
Qethsegol vahrukiv sahsunaar
(This) stone commemorates (the) villager(s)
do daniik Vundeheim ag nahlaas
of (the) doomed Vundeheim, burned alive
naal qo do unslaad krosis
by lightning of eternal sorrow.
Grammatical Patterns in Word Walls
Much of what we know about the dragon language comes from the writings on these Word Walls. They demonstrate the lack of verb conjugation ("I fight", "he fights", etc.) and that present tense and simple past are the same ("I fight", "I fought"). They also demonstrate the usual omissions of fin and aan. Word Walls go even further by cutting other words, such as some prepositions. The dragon language tends to be very brief, and Word Walls are a good example of how context is used to develop full meaning.
One pattern that is specific to Word Walls is the blending of singular and plural nouns. Again, this is done to make for shorter language and lets context imply the plurals. Dragon language that is well-written will make as much use out of context as possible.
Exercises
1. Using everything you have learned so far, translate the following Word Wall into English.
Nafni wahlaan qethsegol
bormahii vahrukt Rognvald
wen zii fen mahfaeraak aak
ok brod ahrk folook ok hokoron.
Nafni has raised this stone
in his father's memory, Rognvald
whose spirit will forever guide
his clan and haunt his enemies.
2. Write out this Word Wall in the Roman alphabet, then translate it into English:
Het nok Yngnavar G1f Kod1v Wo dr9 y4 moro nau frod Do krosis nuz sinon s3v Dinok 4rk duk1n
Het nok Yngnavar Gaaf Kodaav
wo drey yah moro nau Frod
do Krosis nuz sinon siiv
dinok ahrk dukaan
Here lies Yngnavar Ghost Bear
who did seek glory on the Field
of Sorrow but instead found
death and dishonor.