Language Dictionary: Language of the Dead

Argent Dawn
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Nearly all races in World of Warcraft have their own language, and even some classes have their own specific language; such as Demon Hunters. I have been playing, and roleplaying a Death Knight for quite some time in the past, and now return it back into roleplay. That got me to think:

“Why is it that today classes get their own language, but the old ones have not been updated to have this niché?”

So I began my research on languages on the different encyclopedias (Wowwiki and Wowpedia) and found the Language of the Dead, one which the Scourge used as a secret language. Yet as the Scourge was created by the Nazhrezim (Dreadlords), serving the Burning Legion, the Language of the Dead would either be a form of Nazhrezim or Demonic. Without any luck on finding any words within the Nazhrezim language (other than Unseen Guest), I moved onwards to Demonic and started writing up the translated words and phrases, separated them, and searched for any synonyms on each of the separated words to make a more headcanon like dictionary.

I can only wish that Blizzard would make this an actual language for Death Knights, functioning the same way as Demon Hunter’s Demonic to function cross-faction.

Evidence:

[…] The Language Of Death is commonly believed to be a form of ancient runic, and unholy writing, commonly used by the Scourge […] a variation of Demonic, possibly the main language used by the Dreadlords of the Burning Legion who where known to raise the dead and created the original Scourge. […] Language of Death has also been cited in the original Warcraft series.

Sources:
https://wowwiki.fandom.com/wiki/Language_of_Death
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Eredun

Translation Dictionary:

A

A = I

Achor = Feast
Synomyms: dine; entertain

Amir = Test
Synonyms: analyze; assess; check; confirm; demonstrate; investigate; prove; question; try; verify

Anakh = Miserable
Synonyms: gloomy; pathetic; sad; tragic; wretched

Azrathud = Patience
Synonyms: composure; diligence; endurance; fortitude; grit; humility; moderation; perseverance; persistence; poise; resistant; self-control; tolerance

D

Draen = Exiled
Synonyms: banish; displace; drive out; evacuate; expel; extradite; ostracize; oust; outlaw; relegate

E

Ei = One

Ered = Doom
Synonyms: calamity; cataclysm; catastrophe; disaster; downfall

G

Gal = All
Synonyms: everyone; everything; group; total

Gul = Not

Gor’om = Meddle
Synonyms: hinder, impade; impose; infringe; intrude; tamper

H

Haguul = Dog
Synonyms: haunt; hound; plague; shadow

K

Karkun = Mortal
Synonyms: dire; fatal; grievious; grim; lethal; malignant; terrible

Katra = Suffer
Synonyms: deteriorate; endure; experience; get; go through; hurt; undergo

Kiel = Soul
Synonyms: conscience; courage; ego; feeling; genius; heart; intellect; intelligence; life; mind; personality; spirit; stuff; thought; vitality

Kigon = Heart
Synonyms: character; feeling; love; nature; soul

Krosnis = Furnace
Synonyms: boiler; heater; hearting system; incinerator; kiln; stove

Kuren = Redeemed

Kyree = Insect
Synonyms: ant; aphid; bee; beetle; butterfly; cockroach; dragonfly; flea; fruit fly; gnat; grasshopper; ladybug; mite; mosquito; moth; pest; spider; termite; tick; vermin

M

Man’ari = Unnatural
Synonyms: abnormal; bizarre; incredible; odd; outlandish; outrageous; perverse; preposterous; stilted; strange; unusual

N

Nash = Legion

O

Or = Refuge
Synonyms: asylum; fortress; haven; hideaway; hideout; hiding place; protection; resort; sanctuary; security; shelter; stronghold

R

Rakeesh = Butcher

Ruin = Guard
Synonyms: defender; escort; warden

Rul = Will
Synonyms: attitude, character, decision, desire, determination, discipline, feeling, inclination, intention, mind, passion, power, resolution, resolve, wish

S

Shach = Eat
Synonyms: attack; bite; chew; devour; dine; feed; ingest; inhale; nibble; pick; swallow

Shat = Light
Synonyms: brighten; ignite; kindle; light up; put on; shine; turn on

Shaza = Surrender
Synonyms: abandon; capitulate; cede; commit; concede; give in; hand over; leave; quit; relinquish

She-ki = Pet
Synonyms: caress; coddle; cuddle; fondle; pamper

Shukil = Perish
Synonyms: cease; crumble; disappear; disintegrate; pass away; rot; succumb; vanish; wither

T

Tak = Hail
Synonyms: address; greet; salute; signal; welcome

Tar = Born

Trath = Dwell
Synonyms: bide; exist; hole up; inhabit; reside; squat

X

Xi = My

Z

Zil = And

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You know too much.

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As far as I am aware, no.
The Scourge was created by the Lich King, which was in turn created by Kil’Jaeden to ‘amplify’ Ner’zhul’s power while keeping him in chains (in a sense.)

The Nathrezim, however, do know Necromancy and experimented upon it with the Night Elves back in the War of the Ancients.

The Language of the dead is a simple thing for a tome. In your logic, we’d be speaking Draenei, or whatever their language is. I do believe, it is mostly a sort of ‘language’ used within the Scourge to make sure no one is discovered. As a sort of ‘Hail Hydra’ type of greeting.

I might be wrong, though. If I am, well, shame on me!

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How do you say “Begone Thot” in dead ?

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“Draen haguul” I reckon *shrugs*

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Draen haguul

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Can you provide a source for these words? As language of the dead has no known words in it at all. And like Ari said we do not speak Eredun…

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Yeah, the Language of Death as the Scourge call it, is something we know very little about lorewise. Though what we know as you said usually is used to convey messages between the Scourge. Sometimes it is written in blood in flesh-bound tomes which were basically books made from the skins and flesh of others, sort of like the Ogma-Infinium from the Elder Scrolls series. Its entirely possible its a language that mirrors Shath’yar which is the tongue of the Void/Old Gods so if the Void has their language, perhaps Death has its own too.

Apart from that, its entirely up for speculation, however my guess is that necromancers use this language for incantations in their spells, whether it be runes, rituals etc.

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Here you go:

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I often have my character mutter incantations under her breath when casting a reanimation spell or the likes. I figure its more common with Initiates to the Ebon Blade who are still new to the whole process.

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is commonly believed to be a form of ancient runic, and unholy writing, commonly used by the Scourge

Commonly believed, is the keyword here.
Otherwise, as Vhily said:

Plus, as I said:

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https://ia902902.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/10/items/WorldOfWarcraftChronicleVolume3/World%20of%20Warcraft%20Chronicle%20%28Volume%203%29_jp2.zip&file=World%20of%20Warcraft%20Chronicle%20%28Volume%203%29_jp2/World%20of%20Warcraft%20Chronicle%20%28Volume%203%29_0016.jp2&scale=4&rotate=0

The Dreadlords created the Lich King by Kil’jaedens command or it was really combined effort would be better way to express it.

During WotLK and early Cataclysm I did temporary use Nerubian language to communicate between Death Knights due to Scourge assimilated a lot of Nerubian stuff into its own.

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I never argued this point, at all.

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I get that and acknowledge it.

This is more a niché idea, that might be headcanon, but perhaps, could be used in spell casting, or even information sharing between Ebon Blade members.

I am just trying to add some spice to the roleplay community.

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It is mostly headcanon, that is the problem.

As I said:

Which you see in the quest - as the commander says, he knew those orcs ‘for years’ and BAM! Cult of the Damned! Get bamboozled.

That is much appreciated. But let us for now, try to mend the community - then, we will work on spicing it up!

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Mend it? I wasn’t aware that it had issues.

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Isn’t always a wise idea, As it can sometimes break lore as we know it in turn. I’m not against the idea but yeah, it’s better to not always put certain things into real stuff.

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Actually Kil’jaeden himself created the Lich King, he just sent the dreadlords to keep an eye on him while he did other things.

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To oversee the entire Scourge, even. Even ‘control’ it. See that all was going ‘according to plan’.
Spoiler alert. It didn’t.

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