#gobbledegook

So I have a google doc full of HP goblin lore that I developed for a fic and then never really ended up using most of it rip. But I thought it would be interesting to share, in case anyone needs to include a line of Gobbledegook in their own writing or something! I know next to nothing about linguistics so I'm sure from that perspective it's probably full of errors but anyway, I had fun.

PART ONE: GOBLIN LANGUAGE

BASIC INFO:

Gravakeluk, or Gobbledegook (a human bastardisation) is the standard language used by most of the goblin population worldwide. (more on this in part 2)

The language is based heavily on compound words— short sounds can be interpreted in a variety of ways to transmit a specific meaning. 

For instance, the only word we're given in canon is 'bladvak,' meaning pickaxe. This can be broken down into "blad" (blood, ore) + "vak" (axe), so "bladvak" is translated as "ore axe." "Blad" + "vak" + "den" (carrier/wielder) means "miner" or, literally, "pickaxe-carrier."

For a more complex example, "Rravk" can be translated as "sword" but also "power/might." The word Vvargdenrravkrak is broken down as: "Vvarg" (wand) + "den" (carrier) + "rravk" (power) + "rak" (place), and means Ministry of Magic. Literally, "wand carrier power place."

Pronunciation: Gobbledegook sounds harsh and aggressive to many humans. The language is guttural and consonants are created from the back of the throat, producing a rasping effect that almost sounds like the words are being spat at you. This is just how Goblins talk, however, and many phrases that were not intended as especially aggressive have been interpreted as such over the years by wizards.

Writing: Goblins use a runic semi-syllabic script—  partially behaving as a syllabary and as an alphabet, similar to Paleohispanic scripts from the Iberian peninsula. Some characters represent syllables, while others represent specific phonemes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-syllabary

 A note— “uk” is often spelt “ook” by wizards, but there is no distinction in Gobbledegook, as there is one character for the sound “uk”. This is why something like Griphuk is often spelt as Griphook in English.

GLOSSARY:

Ak – The, or A. Usually to give importance or emphasis to the subject at hand, as it’s not grammatically necessary. “Ak Varld Vvargden” is a well-known publication that translates to “A World of Wizards”

-ak – a pluralising suffix. This is only used for certain words as many nouns (such as the words for goblin or wizard) can be used both as a plural and a singular noun. Rravk (sword) becomes Rravkak (swords). Since the “ak” sound is so common in the goblin language, it can sometimes be tricky for the untrained ear to distinguish it as a plural, an ability that is gained with time and familiarity.

Blad – ore, blood (ore is analogous blood in goblin culture)

Bladrak - mine, literally “ore place”

Bladvak – pickaxe (ore axe)

Bladvakden – miner, literally "pickaxe carrier"

Braz – whereupon, or “and then.” Used frequently to describe a connected sequence of events, where in English “and” might simply be used. “I went to the bank whereupon I took out a loan.”

Brun – bronze

-den – suffix meaning "carrier" or “wielder of”. For instance, bladvakden means “pickaxe carrier” or “miner”. More famously, “Vvargden” meaning wizard, translates literally as “wand-carrier”

Ek – on, in

Eluk –  tongue, language

Eskarr – thank you. Humans don’t typically hear this word.

Euskaldunak – the Basque people (see Vvargdeneluk below)

Fell – city

Gorak – loan/transaction (Goblins view the sale of any items to wizards as the object simply being on loan, but really belonging to its makers.)

Gra – people, often used to mean goblins in general, “the people”. Not used for non-goblin people.

Grauld – Elder, member or members of the Council of Elders.

Gravak – Goblin

Gravakeluk- the goblin tongue, once misinterpreted rather carelessly and condescendingly by wizards as “gobbledegook,” which then stuck and simply became the English word for the goblin language.

Gravakrak – Goblin place, anywhere goblins dwell or control

Gu – our, us, we

Ka – I, mine, my

Kagra – return

Kavktta – death/die

Kuld – gold/money

Kuldden - banker (literally “gold carrier”)

Kuldrak – bank (literally “gold place”)

Leshak – liberation, freedom

Nad – nothing

Nadden - Muggle, literally “nothing-carrier”

Rak – place. Can be added as a suffix to mean “place of”, as in “kuldrak” (gold place, bank)

Rifa – silver

Rrantz – foul, rancid

Rravk – sword, might/power

Shor – hammer

Shorden – smith, “hammer carrier”, artisan

Shorrak - forge, literally “hammer place”

Uld – old

Vak – axe

Varld - world

Vvarg – wand

Vvargden – “wand-carrier”, or wizard.

Vvargdeneluk –  any language spoken by humans. In general Goblins believe it is not worth differentiating between them. In the case of British goblins, English is only spoken by the few goblins who have regular dealings with wizards. The only known exception are goblins living in the Basque Country, who have assimilated words from Euskera (the Basque language) into their own parlance. Some of these words have even filtered over time into Standard Gobbledegook. In general, goblins like the sound of Basque and some wizarding historians theorise that Basque wizards and goblins once enjoyed a better relationship than in other parts of the world. Therefore, there does exist a word for this particular human language:

Euskaldunakeluk – the Basque language

Vvargdenrak – anywhere inhabited or controlled by wizards, literally “wizard place”

Vvargdenrravkrak – The Ministry of Magic, literally "wizard power place"

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Example sentence:

English: “Return our swords to us, foul wizards, and then die upon them” Gobbledegook: “Gu Rravkak kagra, rrantz vvargden, braz kavktta ek.” Literal translation: “Our swords return(to), rancid wand-carrier, whereupon die on(it).”

They might as well end the franchise now.