Draconic

fantasist.net/draconic.shtml

as taken from Dragon Magazine #284 "Dragontounge: A Draconic Language Primer" by

Sean K. Reynolds with a Draconic lexicon by Author: Owen K.C. Stephens.

Compiler's Note: As a service to D&D players, Dragon Magazine fans, conlangers and
fantasy role-playing gamers everywhere, I have codified and reduced the article that
introduced this language into the basics. This is not my original work, but a presentation
of just the bare essentials and mechanics of this fantasy language.

Alphabet and Punctuation

Mr. Reynolds theorized that Draconic was one of the earliest languages, influencing, or
creating the language of kobolds, lizardfolk, and troglodytes. The script is believed to
have been influenced by the Dwarven runes, but Dragons themselves are unwilling to
admit this connection. Draconic script is also used to write the elemental languages of
Auran and Ignan.

Punctuation is the same as English, with the exception of a special character consisting
of six lines radiating outwards, similar to a fireburst (*). When this character is written, the
word is spoken with both the first and last syllable stressed. Dragons often use this when
referring to themselves, for example, the dragon Karajix would be written *Karajix* and
pronounced "KA-raj-IX".

Basic Grammar
Draconic is a language of hard consonants and sibilants that usually sounds like hissing
when spoken. It inculdes sounds that sound very snake-like to humans, including: sj, ss,
and sv. It also includes a sound similar to a creature clearing its throat, like the German
"ach".

Mr. Reynolds wrote that words which modify other words can be place before, or after, the
words they modify, however the most important word is always placed before, and
sometimes, for added emphasis, might be added after, as well. So, a dragon that wanted
to say a big, black, evil dragon was coming near, but wanted to emphasise might say:
Malsvir darastrix turalisj vutha gethrisj leirith

[evil dragon big black go near]

or, Malsvir darastrix turalisj vutha malsvir gethrisj leirith

[evil dragon big black evil go near]

Genrally, the Draconic sentence follows the order of Subject Verb Object, though the
Subject may be omitted if it is understood or part of a command. Also, if a sentence is a
command, and written, is will often include the previously mentioned "fireburst" symbol
(*).

1/8
Draconic has no word for "my" or "mine", but uses a series of prefixes, depending on the
exact meaning. An object that is claimed a dragon speaker would begin with "veth" or
"vethi", a being with a relationship to the speaker, such as friend or relative, begins with
"er" or "erthe", and all other forms of the possesive begin with "ar" or "ari". For example,
for a dragon to say "my sword", or "the sword is mine", he only needs to say "vethicaex".
Or, to say "my enemy", he would say "arirlim". To indicate possession by another, the
name of the possessor is combined with the object into a single word and prefaced with
"ar" or "ari". For example, to say "my enemy's sword" he would say "arirlimcaex".

Other notes:
Mr. Reynolds wrote in his article that Draconic is one of the oldest languages, according
to the Dragons, second only to the language of the "outsiders". Also, he speculated that
the reason so many reptilian races spoke a form of Draconic was not because they were
related physically to dragons, but because at some point early in their history the dragons
had enslaved them.

There are dialects of dragon for each of the various species of dragon, but the differences
are very small and can often only be heard by dragons themselves. So, someone who
learns Draconic from a red dragon will be able to understand, and make themselves
understood by, a blue dragon or gold dragon.
Draconic itself, he wrote, has not changed in
hundreds of years.

Sample phrases:
The elf says the magic sword we want is in the lich's tomb.

Vaecaesin ner levex caex levex yth tuor persvek arikaegrowaere.

A red dragon! Scram!

Charir *darastrix*! *Osvith*!

Gimli, hit the orc with your axe!

Vargach *ghik* mrith arigimligarunt!

Home Resources Fiction The Alchemist's Attic Web Rings and Awards

AboutUs World Building Conlang Cartography The Fantasist's Scroll

Word List:

Author: Owen K.C. Stephens

Draconic English Part of Speech

svern above prep

2/8
ghent after prep

thrae air n-element

vur and conj

baeshra animal n-creature

litrix armor n

svent arrow n-weapon

vignar ash n

garurt axe n-weapon

waeth bag n

vargach battle n

vorel beautiful adj

aujir bronze n-wealth

ghoros before prep

zara behind prep

vhir below prep

unsinti beside prep

turalisj big adj

vutha black adj-color

valeij bleed v

iejir blood n

ulhar blue adj-color

vaex bow n-weapon

valignat burn v

sveargith bravery n

maurg breed v

durah bribe v

shar but conj

waere cave n-place

3/8
athear celestial n-creature

ierikc century n-time

sunathear cleric n

gix claw n-weapon

rach copper n-wealth

rhyvos cow n-food

faessi coward adj

thurgix crippled adj

vaeri dance n, v

korth danger n

sverak darkvision n

kear day n-time

loex dead adj

urathear deity n-creature

kothar demon n-creature

loreat die v

gixustrat disembowel v

darastrix dragon n-creature

tundar dwarf n-creature

edar earth n-element

vaecaesin elf n-creature

levex enchanted adj

irlym enemy adj, n

malsvir evil adj

sauriv eye n

karif far adj, adv

haurach fate n

lauth few n-number

4/8
ixen fire n-element

osvith flee v

austrat fly v

achthend food n

ihk for prep

caesin forest n-place

hurthi fortress n-place

thurirl friend adj, n

kethend gem n-wealth

majak give v

terunt gnome n-creature

gethrisj go v

aurix gold n-wealth

bensvelk good adj

achuak green adj-color

rauhiss halfling n-creature

jhank hammer n-weapon

dartak hate n, v

irisv heal v

okarthel home n-place

munthrek human n-creature

sjek if conj

persvek in prep

usk iron adj

svent kill v

maekrix leader n

arcaniss magic n

sthyr man n

5/8
throden many n-number

rhyaex meat n-food

verthicha mountain n-place

ominak name n

leirith near adj, adv

thurkear night n-time

thric no adv

thur nor conj

ghontix ogre n-creature

shafaer on prep

ir one n-number

usv or conj

ghik orc n-creature

martivir peace n

thadarsh pillage v

ux platinum n-wealth

oposs rain n

charir red adj-color

ssifisv rest v

sjir scroll n

irthos secret adj, n

ocuir see v

sjach shadow n

orn silver n-wealth

molik skin (hide) n

kurik slaughter v

kosj small adj

othokent smart adj

6/8
zyak so adj, adv, conj

hysver soar v

miirik song n

vorastrix sorcerer n

renthisj speak v

ner spear n-weapon

isk star n

vyth steel adj

ternesj stone n

pok stop v

kepesk storm n

versvesh strong adj

pothoc stupid adj

caex sword n-weapon

clax take v

ukris talk v

virlym thief n

erekess through prep

ekess to prep

earenk tomorrow n-time

ossalur travel v

rasvim treasure n-wealth

oth tooth n-weapon

nurh ugly adj

kaegro undead n-creature, adj

onureth under prep

arux valley n-place

vivex victory n

7/8
 tuor want v

aryte war n

hesjing water n-element

yth we pron

noach wealth n-wealth

laraek weapon n

ausir white adj-color

mrith with prep

levethix wizard n

aesthyr woman n

grovisv wood n

eorikc year n-time

yrev yellow adj-color

axun yes adv

sjerit yet adv

wux you pron

Home Resources Fiction The Alchemist's Attic Web Rings and Awards

AboutUs World Building Conlang Cartography The Fantasist's Scroll

8/8