Welcome to my personal insanity project! I'm Denalore, and I'm taking what shreds Blizzard has given us of Darnassian and turning it into a real conlang. Blizzard insists they have grammar rules for Darnassian somewhere in their vaults. I think they are liars. However, I am doing my best to squeeze every drop of extrapolation out of whatever they've given us and filling in the rest myself.
Please feel free to send in asks with questions about grammar I haven't answered yet! Gives me things to think about. Please do not send me suggestions for alterations to make unless I've specifically asked for them, however; much as I appreciate the thought, this is a personal passion project of mine and I will ask if I want help.
Feel free to use whatever I've posted here in writing your own fics or other creative works! (And please tag me if you do so I can see!)
Table of Contents:
The Darnassian Dictionary: the masterpost of all words currently extant in the conlang.
Grammar tag: where I'll be posting information about grammar rules.
Vocabulary tag: posts with new words or affixes (which I plan to post in batches as I come up with them) will go here.
The wordbuilding post, where I go over legal phonemes and syllable structures in Darnassian.
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Today’s update: how to ask and answer yes/no questions and open-ended/“wh-word” questions.
Yes/No Questions
Yes/no questions are marked by starting with the word “nash,” which is a question particle (that is, its only job is to mark yes/no questions). Otherwise the grammar of the sentence remains unchanged. For example:
Nash pel arith-dae?
Is she hunting?
To answer a yes/no question, Darnassian uses echo responses. Darnassian doesn’t have words for “yes” and “no”; instead, one answers by repeating the verb of the question either in the affirmative or negative.
To do this, of course, we need a way to negate verbs - so we get the negation prefix, tae-. Therefore, the answer to the above question becomes either
Arith-dae
Yes (literally “hunting”)
or
Tae-arith-dae
No (literally “not hunting”)
(Tae- can also be applied to adjectives, to express that, for example, something is tae-alil, not purple, or perhaps more usably tae-kavel’el, not wanted.)
It’s also useful sometimes to be able to express that you’re unsure as to the answer. For this we get the uncertainty prefix savi-, which can also be applied either to verbs or adjectives to indicate the speaker’s unsure of whether that verb or adjective is true.
Nash din anash-nah?
Savi-anash.
“Will he learn?”
“I’m not sure.”
(You may notice that the first of these examples preserves the tense suffix, while the second does not. This is up to the speaker and whether they feel it’s necessary for clarity.)
Open-Ended Questions
Often called wh-word questions in English because they use interrogatives that almost all start with wh-, Darnassian uses similar interrogatives which start with fa*. (I’m not sure yet whether this is a proper productive prefix, ie something you can apply to any word to produce “which [noun]?,” or if it’s just a commonality between these specific words.) These are as follows:
Fada = what
Fakil = when
Falame = how
Fandu/falu/fandul = who/whom/whose
Fare = why
Fath = where
It’s worth noting that unlike in English, the word order of the sentence never changes with these words. For example:
“You’re going there.” -> “Where are you going?”
“Ande dath belore.” -> “Ande fath belore?”
These also prompted the creation of a couple new nouns! These are as follows:
ɛ as in set (E at the beginning or middle of a word)
iː as in meet (I)
ɪ as in sit (I)
oʊ̯ as in go (O)
uː as in you (U)
Valid syllable structures
(I did a lot of grindy analysis to get this list. You're just gonna have to trust me that this is what it works out to. You don't want to see the messy behind-the-scenes work on this one.)
Always contain a vowel
Can end on any any consonant except f?, h, j, k, ð?
Can start on any consonant
A syllable can begin with two consonants only in the following consonant pairs:
dɹ ("dr", ex. dris)
kw ("qu", ex. quel - rare, possibly archaic)
st ("st", ex. Constellas - rare, possibly mislabeled as Darnassian)
tɹ ("tr", ex. Astranaar)
A syllable can end with two consonants only in the following consonant pairs:
ks ("x", ex. Althalaxx - very rare)
Phoneme frequency
Calculated from the canon dictionary. Even more messy behind-the-scenes work went into this. You're welcome.
Morphemes (particularly bound morphemes): word parts that modify the meaning of a root word.
Derivational morphemes change the meaning or the part of speech of a word (i.e., they are morphemes by which we “derive” a new word). Examples are un*, which gives a negative meaning to the word it is added to, *y, which turns nouns into adjectives, or *ness, which turns adjectives into nouns.
Inflectional morphemes (sometimes just called "inflections") add grammatical information to the word, such as *s on runs, which tells us that it is 3rd person singular present tense verb, or the *s on boys, which tells us that there is more than one boy.
Here I am using a nonstandard means of marking an affix, which is and asterisk (*) marking the position of the root word instead of the standard hyphen (-); this is because Darnassian uses hyphens as part of the affix sometimes, and so I need to be able to mark when that's the case. So, a suffix that doesn't use a hyphen will be written as *suffix (ex. *s/as + dala -> dalas), whereas one that does will be written as -suffix (ex. -lo + arith = arith-lo).
This is an incomplete list that I expect to continue updating.
Darnassae's inflectional morphemes (with any canon examples):
-dae on verbs: progressive/continuous
-lo on verbs: past tense
-na(h) on verbs: future tense (falah-nah)
-nir = periodic vernal tense (something that occurs consistently in spring)
-ral = periodic autumnal tense (something that occurs consistently in autumn)
*s/*as on nouns: plural (dalas, sharas)
-sher = periodic estival tense (something that occurs consistently in summer)
-thal = periodic hibernal tense (something that occurs consistently in winter)
Darnassae's derivational morphemes:
*ae(/*ssae?) on nouns: "of [noun]" or "from [noun]"? (Darnassae)
*al = possessive adjective/determiner suffix
an*: masculine marker
'do: honorific suffix
'el on verbs: becomes a passive participle (ie the hunted mouse)
in* on nouns: becomes an adjective
me*/mi*: feminine marker
*n/*en on verbs: becomes a noun (agent) (ie hunt -> hunter)
'ne on verbs: becomes an active participle (ie the hunting cat)
sa* on verbs: becomes a noun (abstract) (ie deliver -> deliverance)
savi- = uncertainty prefix
tae- = negation verb/adjective prefix
tho*, sometimes th* on verb: marks a verb affected by a catenative verb (ie I want to run)
Exactly what it says on the tin: all the words currently extant in Darnassian, sorted by word type, then alphabetically. Canon words or words extrapolated directly from canon will be italicized to differentiate them from words I've invented to fill the (numerous) gaps.
This one's gonna be extremely long and eternally updating, so it goes under a cut.
Nouns
Ada ('ɑ.dɑ) = thing (generic)
Adala = light
Al = frost?
May have a finishing vowel elided in Al'anath - otherwise this overlaps with al "to"
Al'anath = Frostsoul (proper)
Alara'shinu = A philosophy defined as "Finding beauty in imperfection."
Alash'anir = Venom and storm (proper)
Alor = lover
Alor'el = Lover's Leaf. (proper)
Ameth = arms
Amir = harmony
Amirdrassil = Crown of Harmony (proper)
An = snow
Anashen = student (general)
Anath = soul
An'da = Papa/Father
Andrassil = Crown of the Snow (proper)
Anej = husband
Anet = unmarried adult man
Anjan = widower
Aran = home - this could mean a lot of things; it's the suffix for a lot of town names as well as for Shal'Aran; I'm choosing to translate it as "home" for now, though it could just as easily canonically be "town," "city," or something similar
Arcana = arcane magic
Arithen = hunter
Arithen-ish-kethas = demon hunter (lit. "hunter of demons")
Ashere = sun
Ashere'kil = estival/summer season (lit. "time of sun/sun's time")
Falah = balance, harmony? (appears in "Andu-falah-dor," "Let balance be restored," and in a noun placement in several untranslated sentences)
Fim = wind
Ileth = cause, reason
Irana'ethil = Shield against the Shadow (proper, likely not literal)
Ishnu = good fortune
Jai'alator = Noble blade of Elune (proper, likely not literal)
Jirjir = squirrel
Kal = star(s)
Kaldorei = Children of the stars people of the stars
Kal'nar = uncle
Ken'da = brother
Ken'dim = brother (close in age, one you were raised with)
Keth = demon
Kil = time, period of time
Kilshashral = autumnal/autumn season (derived from kil-ish-sasharal, lit. "time of harvest")
Kilshathal = hibernal/winter season (derived from kil-ish-sathal, lit. "time of sleep")
Kilshavanir = vernal/spring season (derived from kil-ish-savanir, lit. "time of growth")
Lame = method, way of doing something
Lathar = Sky
Lathar'Lazal = Seat of the Sky (proper)
Lazal = Seat, chair, throne
Lun = moon
Lura = Sea
Mederu = druid (feminine)
Mej = wife
Mejan = widow
Min'da = Mama
Minn'do = Mother Seems to be more formal than min'da, based on the suffix 'do which is shared with shan'do and nahlen'do.
Minet = unmarried adult woman
Nahlen'do = Master of the Fang (refers to the wielder of the Scythe of Elune) (proper)
Nirum = thunder
Nor = heavens, skies
Nordrassil = Crown of the Heavens (proper)
Quel'dorei = Children of Noble Birth (Highborne, High-borne, high elves)
Rol = cervine (elk, deer, moose)
Sarat = rage, fury
Saril = song
Sasharal = harvest
Sathal = sleep
Savanir = growth
Shalla = shadow/darkness/night? Shal in the Darnassian-derived Shalassian means night (shal'dorei = nightborne), and shalla appears in Shalla'tor = Shadow Render
Shalla'tor = Shadow Render (proper, possibly not literal)
Shal'nar = Aunt
Shan = guide
Shanna = truth
Shan'do = Honored Teacher. (A title and term of respect.)
Sharas = Tides (singular should be shar)
Sheken'da (n.) = sibling
Sheken'dim (n.) sibling (close in age, one you were raised with)
Shen'da = sister
Shen'dim = sister (close in age, ie within a few decades)
Shir = cloud
Sil = rat, mouse
Sina = word
Sinaril = language
Shu-halo = tauren (Taur-ahe loanword)
Taren = body
Tel = Earth
Teldrassil = Crown of the Earth (proper)
Tel'shir = fog, mist (lit. "earth's cloud")
Tendil = building (permanent structure)
Thero'shan = Honored student. (A title and term of respect.)
Thora = trouble, difficulty (an instance thereof)
Tithis = rain
Tithum = storm
T'lara = A derogatory term for "a warrior armed only with words"
Vela = love, beloved
Vin = mind
Vor = break
Vordrassil = Broken Crown (proper)
Zin = glory
Zin-Azshari = The glory of Azshara (proper)
Pronouns
Darnassian pronouns have the following conjugations: nominative (subject), object (serves as both direct and indirect), and possessive. Note that the possessive case is only comparable to English's possessive pronouns (ex. mine, theirs, yours) and not its possessive determiners (my, their, your), as Darnassian uses the nominative case for this. (Ex. "my glory" conjugates as anu'zin, but "glory is mine" would conjugate as "zin anul fal.")
Note also that the reflexive pronoun (ex. myself, themselves, yourself) does not properly exist as its own word; Darnassian usually uses "[pronoun's] body" or "[pronoun's] mind" as is appropriate, with rare uses of "[pronoun's] soul" or "[pronoun's] self". (Ex. "Face yourself" as an encouragement along the lines of "face your fears" would translate as "Ande'vin aria"; "I prepare myself" in reference to preparations for combat or travel would translate as "Anu anu'taren bandu.")
Nominative/Subject — Object — Possessive
English examples: "I throw the ball" — "He hit me/He gave a gift to me" — "The car is mine"
I/me/mine: Anu — Alu — Anul
We/us/ours (inclusive): Nal — Nalah — Nalal
We/us/ours (exclusive): Nul — Nulah — Nulal
You/you/yours (singular): Ande — Alah — Andal
You/you/yours (plural): Andas — Alas — Andsal
He/him/his: Din — Dila — Dinal
She/her/hers: Pel — Pela — Pelal
They/them/theirs (singular, unknown/unspecified gender): Ir — Ila — Iral
They/them/theirs (plural): Iras — Ilas — Irsal
It/it/its: Ash — Asha — Ashal
Who/whom/whose: Fandu — Falu — Fandul
Adore = be with, or something similar enough to get translated that way in English (vtr., or possibly actually the adposition "with, accompanying")
Anash = learn (vtr.?)
Aria = to face (something) (vtr.)
Use case: Aria denalore = We face oblivion/devastation (poetic)
Arith = hunt (vtr.)
Bandu = prepare (vtrm.) (appears in "bandu thoribas," "prepare to fight"; we have also a Thalassian sentence with the word "prepare," "band'or shorel'aran," "prepare to say farewell" (roughly), and the similarity slightly inclines me to think bandu the more likely translation for the shared word - but Thalassian often changes word meanings significantly so this isn't a guarantee)
Befir = come (vin.)
Belore = travel, move, go (vin.)
Beshar = go (vin.)
Dor = restore, heal (vtr.?)
Dora(h) = remember (vtr.)
Eleme = reave (vtr.)
Eshevi = gloat, brag (vin.)
Fal = is, am, are, be? (copulative verb) (singular? appears in "Shanna melor'ne adala fal," "the truth is a guiding light")
Imer = whisper (vtr.?)
Ithal = sleep (vin.)
Karath = do? (vtr.)
Kavel = want (vtrm.)
Melor = guide (vtr.)
Miinare = write (vtr.)
Na = is, am, are, be? (copulative verb) (plural? appears in "shu dalas na," "heavy are our hearts")
Om = eat (vtr.)
Ribas = fight (vin.?)
Ril = sing (vin.?)
Sharal = harvest, gather (vtr.)
Sinare = speak, say (vtr.)
Talah = be known, be familiar to (vin.)
Thera = beware
Vanir = grow (vin.)
Adjectives
Alil = purple (very saturated or otherwise out of the range of kaldorei skin tones)
Arva = orange
Avur = gray
Draea = green
Enil = more
Ifil = white
Iri = pink
Inshir = cloudy, clouded (of the sky)
Itel = brown
Lashar = far
Lifir = near
Mala = red
Miir = silent
Quel = high, noble
Saeva = yellow
Shu = heavy
Unir = blue (dark, very saturated, or otherwise out of the range of kaldorei skin tones)
Unur = black
Vir = light purple, light blue (kaldorei skin tones)
Adverbs
Dath = there
Iril = again
Conjunctions
Atha = so that, in order to
Bessaeleth = because
Enshe = but
Fish = as
Inil = or
Ival = so, therefore, in that case
Kifah = after
Kilo = before
Lara = and
Tae = if (pairs with tev, "then")
Tev = then (with tae in if-then clauses)
Prepositions
Adra = below
Al = to
Bessae (bes-AI) = From (the)
Use cases: Bessae Lura = From the sea; Bessae Nazjatar = From Nazjatar (both poetic)
Idi = above
Ish = of, relating to
Kifah = after
Kilo = before
Lashar = far from
Lifir = near to
Sha = at
Numbers
1: Ish
2: Bet
3: Fen
4: Kev
5: Sel
6: Mil
7: Siin
8: Let
9: Dexx
10: Tel
11: Telish
12: Telbet
13: Telfen
…
20: Betel
21: Betlish
22: Belbet
23: Belfen
…
30: Fentel
31: Fenlish
32: Felbet
33: Felfen
…
100: Telvari
101: Telvarish
102: Telvarbet
103: Telvarfen
…
120: Telvarbetel
…
200: Betelvari
201: Betelvarish
…
220: Betelvarbetel
Affixes
*al = possessive adjective/determiner suffix
-dae = progressive/continuous verb suffix
'do = honorific suffix
in* = noun-to-adjective prefix
-lo = past tense verb suffix (enclitic)
-na(h) = future tense verb suffix (enclitic)
'ne = active participle marker suffix
*s/*as = pluralization suffix
tho*/sometimes th* = verb affected by a catenative verb
Function Words
Fada = what
Fakil = when
Falame = how
Fandu/falu/fandul = who/whom/whose
Fare = why
Fath = where
Nash = question particle, marks a yes/no question when placed at the start of the sentence
Honorifics/Titles
Anej = married man
Anet = unmarried adult man
Anjan = widower
Mej = married woman
Mejan = widow
Minet = unmarried adult woman
Nahlen'do = Master of the Fang (refers to the wielder of the Scythe of Elune) (proper)
Shan'do = Honored Teacher. (A title and term of respect.)
Unclear
-ethil/'ethil = appears in both "ande'thoras-ethil," "may your troubles be diminished," and "irana'ethil," "shield against the shadow" (the literal name of the wall walling off Ahn'Qiraj) - most likely a term for shielding or protection
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Most possessives are formed via [possessor]'[possessed], ie Elun'dris = the Eye of Elune. Traditionally this is with the apostrophe, but in some cases it may be elided, particularly in proper nouns such as Teldrassil.
Possessive adjectives/determiners (trying to grasp the difference kind of makes my head hurt) are usually formed by a noun taking the *al suffix (eliminating the final vowel if the word ends on a vowel - kaldorei → kaldoral), but sometimes irregularly take a different ending.
Archaic Darnassian used the opposite word order from modern Darnassian to indicate possession, as well as the *ri suffix which modern Darnassian has dropped. For example, Zin-Azshari = the Glory of Azshara, which modern Darnassian would style Azshara'Zin. This mostly shows up in old place names, as well as the occasional organization put together by an old bitch (looking at you, Illidan).
Basic word order in Darnassian is subject-object-verb, or SOV. This means that where English says "I write words," Darnassian would say "I words write" (or, "Anu sinas miinare").
Adjectives go immediately before the noun they're associated with, and likewise adverbs go immediately before their verb. Both are optionally hyphenated.
Adpositions are placed immediately before their complement and after their noun, usually hyphenated with both, noun-adposition-complement. For example, the English "glory from the heavens" would be structured as glory-from-heavens in Darnassian (or, "zin-bessae-nor").
Catenative verbs, verbs that take another verb as their "object" (ie, "I want to hunt"), cause their "object" verb to take the tho* prefix (sometimes collapsed down into just th*) and immediately follow them. For example, the English "prepare to fight" becomes "bandu thoribas," and the English "I want to hunt" becomes "anu kavel tharith".
