Language/spoilers
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Deciphering Ancient is largely made possible because individual characters, or "glyphs," convey meaning. For instance, the glyph meaning "person" connected to the character for "one" creates the word "I" or "me." Adding the glyph indicating possession changes it to "my." More complex words are created by combining multiple glyphs, sometimes using their connotative rather than their literal meanings.
Glyphs
Atoms are extracted from the game output file, from lines such as this:
TransModelWord: Word: [PrototypeWordModel: englishWord=Goddess, atoms=person,joinGlyph2,Knowledge]
Glyph | Atom | Type | Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
; | quality | Part of speech | Adjective |
" | verb | Part of speech | Verb |
) | noun | Part of speech | Noun, basic/concrete Standalone word: "thing." |
( | property | Part of speech | Noun, complex/abstract |
? | query | Part of speech | Questions, conditionals |
' | of | Relationship/ Category |
Possession Standalone word: "of" or "as" |
x | not | Relationship | Negation: no, none, not |
. | joinGlyph2 | Relationship | Connects glyphs within a word. Appears after Category-type glyphs. |
: | joinGlyph1 | Relationship | Connects glyphs within a word. Indicates a subject/object relationship; the following glyphs explain the previous one in more detail. |
, | primitive | Relationship | Indicates that the previous glyph's meaning is the meaning of the entire word. "Itself." |
w | and | Relationship | And Often appears as an independent word. |
j | Being | Relationship | Any present form of the verb "to be" (am, is, etc.) Often appears as an independent word. |
0 | 0 | Number | Zero, none, nothing |
1 | 1 | Number | One Also used to indicate first person, relating to the speaker. |
2 | 2 | Number | Two Also used to indicate second person, relating to the listener/reader. |
3 | 3 | Number | Three Also used to indicate third person, relating to others. |
4 | 4 | Number | Four |
5 | 5 | Number | Five |
6 | 6 | Number | Six |
7 | 7 | Number | Seven |
8 | 8 | Number | Eight |
9 | 9 | Number | Nine |
f | many | Number | Many, multiple, plurality Sometimes used as an intensifier, ie, "very." |
t | plant | Category | Plant, nature |
u | place | Category | Location, place |
c | time | Category | Time |
y | mineral | Category | Editors uncertain: likely means either "tool," "metal," or "charged." Seems to be made of glyphs for "light" and "rock," hence "sparkling rock." |
r | person | Category | Human, person (made up of the glyphs for "creature" and "knowledge") |
k | creature | Category | Animal, nonhuman |
g | Say | Category | Communicate. Similarity to "knowledge." |
= | Water | General | Liquid, water May also represent speed or value |
z | Heat | General | Fire, flame, heat Metaphorically, anger or violence |
v | Rock | General | Rock, ground, earth |
h | Light | General | Light, happiness |
s | Motion | General | Movement, travel, path |
l | Life | General | Life, living |
o | Circle | General | Complete/whole, cyclical, round, loop |
q | Food | General | Food |
i | High | General | Height, up |
p | Knowledge | General | Knowledge |
b | past_tense | General | Past, history Also used to mark past tense on verbs. |
d | Beginning | General | Beginning |
e | Possession | General | Hold, carry |
n | Join | General | Together, joined, near |
m | Separate | General | Separate, divided, far |
a | Truth | General | Truth, correct Metaphorically, goodness, justice, or beauty |
Words
Word | Meaning | Logic | Subword(s) | Word/Morpheme |
---|---|---|---|---|
;'sc.xd | across | toward [the] end | '.s (toward) c.xd (end) | |
" | act / do | |||
b" | acted / did | |||
"y.s | activate | |||
"by.s | activated | |||
c(.w | again | time-more: [one] more time | (.w (more) | |
'.su.d | ahead | toward [the] front | '.s (toward) u.d (front) | |
"'sr.el | aid/save/restore | give-life | "'sr.e (give) | |
)i, | air | |||
of | all/every | complete-multiple: whole [of] many | ||
s'.i | along | |||
c.of | always/forever | time-all: [for] all time | of (all) | |
;fc | ancient/old | many/much-time | ||
w | and | |||
(r.z | anger | property-person-heat: heated emotion | ||
;(r.z | angry | quality [of] anger | (r.z (anger) | |
1(.w | another | |||
)fr."el | army | many-soldiers | r."el (soldier) | |
'.o | around | |||
"u.vs | arrive/land/enter | ground-motion: go (to the) ground | "u.v (ground) | |
'.?.)s | as if | as-if | ?.)s (if) | |
"?."g | ask | |||
'.e | at/in | of-possession | ||
;m, | away/apart/distant/far | |||
"'sr.esu.x'e | banish | send-outside | "'sr.es (send) u.x'e (outside) | |
"b'sr.esu.x'e | banished | |||
;(.h(.al | beautiful | |||
(.h(.al | beauty | |||
;'ex'e:)"p | because | |||
;bd | before | |||
"c.d | begin | |||
"pa | believe | |||
"ju.l | belong | |||
(."xa | betrayal | |||
u.' | between | |||
;bc.xd | beyond | |||
;'.f | big | |||
"mq | bite | |||
"'.r.p | bless | |||
)"'r.p | blessing | |||
;r.x:"ph | blind | |||
)l= | blood | |||
")si | blow | |||
)s:)si | boat/ship | |||
)r | body | |||
)'.p | book | object of/with knowledge | ||
u.xi | bottom | |||
"e:)i | breathe | |||
;h, | bright | |||
;'of:;h | brightest | |||
;"bzm | broken | |||
"nv | build | |||
)vu.l | building | |||
"bnv | built | |||
"bu.vxs | buried | |||
xw | but | |||
"e:"e | buy | |||
"(.gj | call | |||
"b(.gj | called | |||
"bsu | came | |||
?." | can | |||
x?." | can-not | |||
"c.xd | cease | |||
y.)n | chain | |||
"t."l | change | |||
r.;ec | child | |||
)o, | circle | |||
r.':)s:)si | citizen | |||
"xhs | close | |||
"bxhs | closed | |||
;xz | cold | |||
"su | come | |||
"bc.xd | completed | |||
"n, | connect | |||
"'sr.e:)xl:"= | corrupt | |||
"ph(.1w1 | count | |||
r.")xl"p | coward | |||
rt.)rt.i | craftsman | |||
(.;xr."le | cruelty | |||
)"= | cup | |||
;)mo | curved | |||
(."e)xl | danger | |||
;(."e:)xl | dangerous | |||
;)xh | dark | |||
)xh | darkness | |||
)ih | dawn | |||
)c.o | day | |||
;)xl | dead | |||
)xl | death | |||
"gxa | deceive | |||
(.xa | deception | |||
(."as | decision | |||
"v:"g:)s | declare | |||
;fxi | deep | |||
"u.l | defend/protect | |||
"g:"ex | demand | |||
"bg:"ex | demanded | |||
"xp:)i | deny | |||
"xl | die | |||
"be:;'ex'eh | discovered | |||
x" | do-not | |||
("hs | door | |||
"=, | drink | |||
"xl= | drown | |||
;"xl | dying | |||
)of | each | |||
k.i | eagle/bird | |||
'.k.i | eagle's | |||
)r."p:)i | ear | |||
)t.v | earth | |||
;ykr.)'pr | efficient | |||
r.)pr | emperor | person (who makes the) law | )pr (law) | |
'r.)pr | Emperor's | |||
ur.)pr.)fr | Empire | |||
'ur.)pr.)fr | Empire's | |||
c.xd | end | |||
;c.of | endless | |||
"(r.h | enjoy | |||
;ff'f | enormous | |||
)"hs | entrance | |||
;1's1 | equal | |||
"b:)ils | escaped | |||
)c.of | eternity | |||
of) | everything | |||
);'f:)z | explosion | |||
)r.h | eye | |||
";x:"ph | fade | |||
"bxe:)si | failed | |||
"sxi | fall | |||
;b:"sxi | fallen | |||
;=, | fast | |||
")xl:"p | fear | |||
"'sr.eq | feed | |||
"bsxi | fell | |||
utu.v | fields | |||
"r.z | fight | |||
"u.'eof | fill | |||
"e:;'ex'eh | find | |||
r."e;'ex'eh | finder | |||
;'of:;(.al | finest | |||
)z, | fire | |||
c.1 | first | |||
;x:)'o | flat | |||
"bsu.)hi | flew | |||
"s= | flow | |||
t.a | flower | |||
"su.)hi | fly | |||
"'.s | follow | |||
"xep | forget | |||
;)il | free | |||
)il | freedom | |||
r."le | friend | |||
(r."le | friendship | r."le (friend) | ||
k.si | frog | |||
x'.s | from | |||
;':"c.xd | full | |||
ut | garden | |||
rut | gardener | |||
);'f:)"hs | gates | |||
"b'sr.e | gave | |||
)"'sr.e | gift | |||
"'sr.e | give | |||
r."'sr.e | giver | |||
"s, | go, goes | "motion", set apart with" (indicates verb) and , ("itself") | s | |
);(.=:)"= | goblet | |||
'.r.p | God's | |||
r.p | god/goddess | person and knowledge | phys | |
;(.al | good | |||
;(."ph(.;r."le | grateful | |||
"bt."l | grew | |||
u.v | ground | place rock | ||
r."u.l' | guardian | |||
"k.si:"p | guess | |||
;r.n | hale | |||
)"r | hand | |||
;(r.h | happy | |||
;v, | hard | |||
")m:)r | harm | |||
)"eq | harvest | |||
"e, | have/hold/own/carry/take | |||
)'.pr | head | |||
"n) | heal | |||
"p:)i | hear | |||
)"le | heart | |||
'u.)hi | heaven's | of place [where there are] star[s] | )hi (star) | bo-cataliti |
ur.1 | here | place [near] me | r.1 (I/me) | |
;"xj:"ph | hidden | |||
"xj:"ph | hide | |||
;i, | high | |||
;'of:;r.p | holiest | |||
;r.p | holy | godly (adjective of god) | r.p (god/goddess) | |
u.l | home | place [where one] lives | catya | |
;of(.al | honest | |||
(.of(.al | honesty | |||
)"sii | hopper | |||
)u.l | house | |||
kr | human(s) | creature [who is] intelligent-being | meke | |
25i2 | hundred | |||
r.1 | I/me | first person | ||
)=:;xs | ice | water not moving | ||
)pi | idea | |||
?.)s | if | |||
"h, | illuminate | |||
;ia | important | |||
)m:)r | injury | |||
"bg:)'o | intended | |||
j | is | |||
xj | is-not | |||
rk | it | |||
'.rk | its | |||
)hiv | jewel | |||
)"s:)s | journey | |||
(r.h | joy | |||
)"mqru | key | |||
"el | kill | |||
"bel | killed | |||
r.a | king | |||
)u.)so:)sr | knee | |||
";xi:)u.)so:)sr | kneel | |||
)v:)n | knot | |||
)p, | knowledge | |||
u.lo | land/moon/world/globe | el | ||
"bu.vs | landed | |||
c.x1 | last | |||
")(.gi:;(r.h | laugh | |||
"c.d:"s:)s | launch | |||
)pr | law | |||
"g:)s | lead | |||
"ep | learn | |||
"ms | leave | |||
"'sr.e:"hs | let | |||
u.)'p | library | |||
)l, | life | |||
"si | lift | |||
)h, | light | |||
)ho | line | |||
"bh | lit | |||
"bl | lived | |||
)'.v | load | |||
;'.fs | long | |||
"xe | lose | |||
;"xe | lost | |||
"le | love | |||
;xi | low/below | |||
;of:)"le | loyal | |||
(.of:)"le | loyalty | |||
;ft | lush | |||
(.i= | luxury | |||
y.) | machine | |||
f | many | |||
)':"zm | mark | |||
?c." | may | |||
"r.f1n | meet | |||
'r."'sr.ee | merchant's | |||
(."'sr.e"le | mercy | |||
y.v | metal | |||
u.mv | mine | |||
"c.ofn | mix | |||
(.w | more | |||
"nv:)'o | mould | |||
)iv | mountain | |||
)d:)=:)si | mouth | |||
(.gi | music | |||
ac." | must | |||
xac." | must-not | |||
'.r.1 | my / mine | belonging to me | r.1 (I/me) | boyauki |
);"xj:"ph | mystery | |||
;xm | near | |||
)fhi | Nebula | |||
':)fhi | Nebula's | |||
c.x | never | |||
;ec | new | |||
21 | next | |||
;r."le | nice | |||
)bc.o | night | |||
0 | no | |||
r.0 | no-one | |||
r."r.s | nomad | |||
xof | not-all | |||
)0, | nothing | |||
c.)r.1 | now | |||
u.x | nowhere | |||
;")pr | obedient | |||
(.")pr | obedience | |||
"b:)pr | obeyed | |||
u.f= | ocean | |||
' | of/by/as/with/than | bo | ||
'.i | on | |||
1c | once | |||
1 | one | |||
;'.1 | only | |||
"hs | open | |||
?.w | or | |||
"vsu | organise | |||
)xr.1 | other | |||
'.r.f1 | our | |||
x'.e | out | |||
"l:;(.w:;m | outlive | |||
rykr."asr | overseer | |||
"be | owned | |||
ur.)pr | palace | place [of the] emperor | r.)pr (emperor) | |
r.e;ec | parent | |||
c.b:" | past | |||
)s, | path | |||
u.x:"r.z | peace | |||
)fr | people | |||
)zk.i | phoenix | |||
(.xof | piece | |||
r."sur.p | pilgrim | |||
'r."sur.p | pilgrim's | |||
)u | place | cat | ||
)u, | place | |||
t | plant | |||
)xl:"= | poison | |||
u.xs | port | |||
r.)"nvv | potter | |||
)y.h | power | |||
y.h | power | |||
"gr.p | pray | speak [to] god | r.p (god) | |
)"gr.p | prayer | |||
;(.= | precious | |||
;a:;x'f | precise | |||
rc."r.a | prince | |||
"b:;(.al:"l | prospered | |||
)u.d:)s:)si | prow | |||
"'sr.es | push/send | |||
;g:;x'f | quiet | |||
"e:;m | reach | |||
"p:)i:)"gxg | read | |||
")"eq | reap | |||
u.xd | rear | |||
y.)"g | recording | |||
"xsu | remain | |||
"r.p | remember | |||
"br.p | remembered | |||
"xu | remove | |||
"bxu | removed | |||
"buc(.w | replaced | |||
"u.xd:"s | return | |||
"bg:)s | revealed | |||
)"r.o | ring | |||
)=:)si | river | |||
':)=:)si | river's | |||
)=,:)si | river(s) | water [that moves with the] wind | )si(wind) | |
'.ykr | robot's | |||
ykr | robot(s) | inorganic human | kr (human) | myameke |
)v, | rock | |||
)n, | rope | |||
"bsi | rose | |||
"b'sr.e:)pr | ruled | |||
;u.l | safe | |||
(.;u.l | safety | ;u.l (safe) | ||
"s:)s | sail | |||
)"e:)si | sailcloth | |||
"bs:)s | sailed | |||
)=v | salt | |||
t.d | seed | |||
"'sr.ee | sell | |||
"m, | separate | |||
"bm | separated | |||
'ktu.v | serpent's | |||
c.7 | seventh | |||
"zm | sever | |||
"bzm | severed | |||
xc." | shall-not | |||
)'.o | shape | |||
"sef | share | |||
;y."zm | sharp | |||
;(.w:;y."zm | sharper | |||
"'sr.eh | shine | |||
c." | should | |||
)'prt | shoulder | |||
"(.gi | shout | |||
;r.)xl:"= | sick | |||
)':"ph | sight | |||
;0g | silent | |||
"xs:;xi | sit | |||
4i2 | sixteen | |||
u.)hi | sky | |||
rykr | slave | person + robot | ykr (robot) | |
")hi:)pi | sleep | |||
r.")hi)pi | sleeper | |||
ktu.v | snake | |||
)xx | so | |||
xx | so | |||
r."el | soldier | |||
)(.gi | song | |||
k.)(.gik.i | songbird | |||
;xmc | soon | |||
(.xr.h | sorrow | |||
u.)d | source | |||
"g, | speak | |||
(.;= | speed | |||
"bg | spoke | |||
)hi | star | |||
'.)hi | star's | |||
)hih | starlight | |||
c.d | start | |||
"xs | stay | |||
"ktu.v:"e | steal | |||
;xs | still | |||
)b, | story | |||
r.x:"le | stranger | |||
);)ov | strength | |||
"'sr.e:)"el | strike | |||
;)ov | strong | |||
"e:")m:)r | suffer | |||
"be:")m:)r | suffered | |||
u.ho | sun | |||
'.u.ho | sun's | |||
))i:;)xh | sunset | |||
)i:;)xh | sunset | |||
"xr.z | surrender | |||
"l, | survive | |||
y."zm | sword | |||
;)v:)n | taut | |||
)r.)=v | tears | |||
ur.p | temple | |||
"'sr.e:"t."l | tend | |||
)r.2 | that | |||
'.r.3 | their | |||
r.f2 | them | |||
ur.2 | there | |||
r.3 | they | |||
r."ktu.v"e | thief | |||
) | thing | |||
"p, | think | |||
)r.1 | this | object [near] me | r.1 (I/me) | |
3 | three | |||
")n | tie | |||
)c, | time | |||
;x'.f | tiny | |||
"le:"= | toast | |||
'.n | together | |||
u.)xl | tomb | |||
c.1)c.o | tomorrow | |||
)"gr | tongue | |||
)"mqr | tooth | |||
'.s | towards | |||
r."xa | traitor | |||
t.i | tree | |||
;a, | true | |||
(.a | truth | |||
2c | twice | |||
"u.)so | twist | |||
2 | two | |||
;(.xr.h | unhappy | |||
;xr."le | unkind | |||
c.'.s | until | |||
i | up | ali | ||
") | use | |||
(.= | value | |||
"sii | vault | |||
;'ex'e | via/by/through | in [and then] out [of] | 'e(in) x'e(out) | |
)"g | voice | |||
"c.xd:")hi:)pi | wake | |||
"r.s | walk | |||
)vxs | wall | |||
"ex | want | |||
"bex | wanted | |||
;xvz | warm | |||
bj | was | |||
"ph | watch | |||
"bph | watched | |||
)=, | water | |||
'.= | water's | |||
r.f1 | we/us | first person many | ||
':;x:)ov | weaker | |||
"sefl | wed | |||
"=:;(.xr.h | weep | |||
"r.f1gn | welcome | we say meet/join | r.f1 (we) | |
u.;xi= | well | |||
?.) | what | |||
?c | when | |||
?u | where | |||
?r | who | |||
;"hs | wide | |||
)si | wind | movement [at] height | ||
'.)si | wind's | |||
)"=:)l= | wine | |||
)k.i:)er | wing | |||
;p, | wise | |||
)hi:)pi | wish | |||
;"t."xl | withering | |||
u.'.e | within | |||
x' | without | |||
);"gxg | word | |||
y.s | work | |||
"gxg | write | |||
;"gxg | written | |||
;xa | wrong | |||
r.2 | you | |||
'.r.2 | your |
Spoken
Work on translating spoken Ancient is ongoing, so nearly everything in this section should be considered tentative and subject to change. If a translation is followed by a question mark, it is even more tentative.
Word/Morpheme | Meaning | Subwords | Written |
---|---|---|---|
ali | up | i | |
aliya | exalted | up-life | il |
ang | knowledge | p | |
angset | answer | knowledge-speech | pg |
bo | of, as, with | ' | |
bo-cataliti ifarali | heaven's vault | of-heaven vault/jump | 'u.)hi "sii |
boyaiki | your | of-you | '.r.2 |
boyauki | my | of-me | '.r.1 |
cat | place | u | |
catkis | place of kings | place-leader | ur.a |
catiokis | place of princes | place-future-leader | urc."r.a |
catya | home | place-life | u.l |
el | land/moon/world/globe | u.lo | |
elboreth | moon of thieves | globe-of-thieves | |
en | hold? | e | |
far | move, go | s | |
farwet | traveller? visitor? | ||
hua | true? | ;a, | |
huameke | ?? | true?-person | |
humenyaqi | withering | plant-negation-life | ;"t."xl |
i | is/are (any present form of 'to be') | j | |
ieni-hua | good faith? | ||
i-ensi | want | verb-have-negation | "ex |
ifarali | vault/hopper | verb-travel-up | "sii |
ki | person/intelligent being | r | |
Kibenya (water goddess) | one who gives life? | ||
kis | king/leader/ruler | person-truth | r.a |
malifar | fall | negation-go-up | "sxi |
meke | person/people/human | creature-intelligent being | kr |
mori | near | negation-apart/far | ;xm, |
mya | machine/artificial/inorganic | y | |
myameke | robot | inorganic-creature-person | ykr |
mykis | better | ?-leader | |
phys | |||
re | thing, object | ) | |
refar | path/route | noun-motion | )s, |
reth | take | ||
ri | |||
salle | sailor | r.':)s:)s | |
sallehua | |||
set | speak | g | |
si | not, no | x | |
siang | question | negation-knowledge | xp |
siboar | from | negation-of/by-go | x'.s |
sifar | wait | negation-go | "xs |
sliset | silence | no-speech | (;0g |
ti | light | h | |
tifar | door, entrance | light-go | ("hs |
ya | life | l | |
yaiki | you | r.2 | |
yauki | me, I | r.1 |