Stygian Language

Yogah of Yag

Mongoose
In eager anticipation of the (hopefully) upcoming book on Stygia...

This thread is intended to be used for discussions of references to anything Stygian in the REH Conan saga, especially matters pertaining to Stygian Language (RL=Ancient Egyptian).
Toward that end, I have located a word-list in Ancient Egyptian with German translations at

http://www.wordgumbo.com/aa/egy/index.htm

Please note that the file is very rough and, since the file was apparently translated with automated translation software, there are MANY mistakes in the English translations of the German. Therefore, if given time, I would like to revise/edit the document to make it more accurate and useful. This could serve as an excellent source of inspiration for those RPGers who wish to create authentic-sounding Stygian personal names or place names. Needless to say, native German speakers who are also REH/Conan enthusiasts are most welcome to offer their assistance in "cleaning up" the above document.

For example, I have perused the listing seeking out words which could pertain to Set and his worship in Stygia and elsewhere.

The list has the entry abS, "snake", which could be transliterated more suitably as 'Abesh (the apostrophe+a representing perhaps a throaty sound similar to Arabic 'ain).

Additionally the entry jAbt.t, "Goddess of Snakes", could be rendered as Iabtet. This could serve in a campaign for a consort of Set, or even a priestess of that deity who resides in his temple.

I have some experience working with Ancient Egyptian in the past. As an undergraduate, I did roughly 1 year of study of the language and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt. Unfortunately this was 16 years ago and my previous fluency with the language and its mode of writing has diminished over the years. I hope to recover my competence in this subject by reviewing the above word-list.

A convention which could be used by Stygian (N)PCs is the use of the respectful, honorific phrase nb.i, or Nebi, Nebee, etc. for the address "my lord." Also nb.t.i, or Nebti, Nebtee, for "M'lady."

I also have a very dog-eared copy of Budge's 1920 two-volume opus, An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary (repr. Dover Publications), now considered terribly out-of-date, but useful in comparisons with the above word-list. Intermittently I will be adding references to his text in my own copy.

Anyone interested may make submissions or suggestions at leisure.


---Yogah.
 
good job there; It would be nice if Mongoose would put such useful reference type info on the site, maybe in it's own folder or something.
 
Various terms for "Snake, Serpent, Viper, &c."

Some of the below terms can be used for the god Set himself, his female consorts (if any are deemed to exist in Hyboria or in former ages), the so-called "sons of Set" (see AE Bestiary section for stats), or his followers. The terms can also be employed by Stygian scholars who wish to conjure or call upon a serpent-god or being via sorcery.

NOTE FOR GMs: Some suggested RPG renderings can be used for "Eastern Stygian" dialects while others for "Western Stygian" Dialects, or local varieties found in certain habitations, cities, etc.

As in Hebrew or Arabic, it appears that the bulk of meaning in most Ancient Egyptian words resided in the consonants --that is, the roots-- and select vowels. Thus, to aid in pronunciation the vowel e is inserted.

Ancient Egyptian transliteration........................Suggested RPG rendering(s)

jar.t...............................................................Ia'art, Ya'aret, Yart, Iart, Yaret, Iaret
ibhAhiti...........................................................Ibhahiti, Ibhaheetee
jmn................................................................("a god in the guise of a serpent") Imen, Yemen, Imon
jmn.tj.............................................................Imenti, Yementi, Yementee, Imonti, Imontee
jx.t-wt.t..........................................................Yekht-Utet, Iekhtootet, Yekhtutet
ixr..................................................................("a snake-headed spirit") Ikhr, Ikher, Yekhr, Yekher, Yekhor
jqrw...............................................................Iqru, Iqroo, Yeqru, Yeqroo, Ieqeru, Yeqeroo, Yoqeru

anar.t.............................................................'An'art, 'An'aret, Anart, Anaret
arar.t..............................................................'Ar'art, 'Ar'aret, Arart, Araret
aHaw..............................................................'Ahh'a-u, 'Ahhau, 'Ahhaw, Ahow

waD.t.............................................................("snake goddess of Lower Egypt") W'adjet, Wadjet, Oo'adjet
wfj.................................................................Ufi, Ufee, Ufey, Wefey
wr-jtn.t..........................................................Ur-Yetenet, Ooryetet, Wer-Itenet, Wer-Yetent
wt.t................................................................Utet, Ootet, Wetet, Wett

bTw...............................................................("term for a poisonous snake") Betchew, Bechu, Bechoo, Beche-u, Bichu, Becheyu

fnT.................................................................("worm, snake, maggot") Fenetch, Fenech, Fnetch, Fenoch

mn.ty............................................................("the wretched serpent") Menti, Men-ti, Men-ty, Men-Tee, Monti, Menetee, Mene-Ti
mnsr.............................................................Menser, Meneser, Mnesr
mHn..............................................................Mehhen, Mehen
mHn-tA..........................................................Mehhen-Tah, Mehen-Ta, Mehenta, Mehentah, Mehhenta
mqr.t.............................................................Meqrt, Meqeret, Meqert, Meqrot

na.t................................................................N'at, Ne'at, Neat
naw................................................................Naw, N'aw, N'aoo, Nau, N'au
nb-ss.............................................................Nebses, Neb-sis, Nebsos, Nebss, Nebeses
npn................................................................Nepn, Nepen, Nepon, Nopen
nnj.................................................................Neney, Neni, Nenee, Noni
nhp................................................................Nehep, Nohep, Nehop
nHb.t-kA........................................................Nehhebt-Kah, Nohebt-Kah, Nehbetka, Nehbet-Ka
nxj.................................................................Nekhi, Nekhey, Nekhee, Nokhi
nxn.w............................................................Nekhenu (plural "young serpents")
nsr.t, nzr.t.....................................................Nesert, Neseret, Neserit, Nesurt, Nezert, Nezeret
nsr-Hr...........................................................Neser-Her, Nesor-Her

rA..................................................................Rah
rfrf................................................................Refref, Ref-Ref, Referef, Rofref, Rofrif, Refrof
rnn.t.............................................................("goddess in the form of a snake") Rennt, Renent, Renenet, Rennet
rrw................................................................Rerew, Reru, Reroo, Roru, Roruw

hAhw.tj.........................................................Hahhu-ti, Hahuti, Hahooti, Hahootee, Hahewti
hpjw.............................................................Hepiw, Hepeeoo, Hepeyew, Hopyu, Hepyeew, Hepyew
hpnw.............................................................Hepenu, Hepenoo, Hepnu, Hepnoo
hmT..............................................................Hemetch, Hemech, Homech (and a feminine form: hmT.t......Hemetchet, Homchet)
hnw.t.............................................................Henut, Hnut, Henoot, Henewet
hhm..............................................................(literally, the hissing of a snake) Hehem, Hohem, Hehom
hkj................................................................Hekey, Hekee
hkr.t..............................................................("female snake") Hekeret, Hekret, Hekert

HfA.t..............................................................Hefaht, Hfaht
HfA.w.............................................................Hefahu, Hefahoo, Hefau, Hefaw
Hfn.w.............................................................Hefnu, Hefnoo, Hefenoo, Hefenu
Hfnn.t............................................................("female snake") Hefenent, Hefnent, Hofenent
HnbAA............................................................Henbah-ah, Henebah, Henebah-Ah
Hnkz.tj...........................................................Henkez-Ti, Henekz-Ti
Hrj-X.t............................................................Heri-Khet, Hri-Khet, Heree-Khet
Hrr.t...............................................................Herert, Hereret, Horert
Hkn.wt.t.........................................................Hekenutet, Heknutet, Hoknutet

x.tj.................................................................Khti, Khtee, Kheti, Khetee, Khe-Ti
xaj.................................................................Kh'ay, Khay, Kh'ahy, Khe'ay
xprj................................................................Kheperi, Kheperee, Khopri, Khopree Kheprey
xnpj.t............................................................Khenepit, Khenepeet, Khnepit, Khnepeet
xntj-Hr.........................................................Khenti-Her, Khenetee-Her, Khneti-Hor
xsbD(.w)......................................................Khesbedj, Khesbej, Khesebedj, Khesbedju, Khesbedjoo, Khesebedju

Xrj-jA.t..........................................................Khri-Yaht, Kheree-Yaht, Khori-Yat

zA-tA.............................................................Zahtah, Zah-Tah

sAb.t.............................................................Sahbt, Sahbet, Sahbit
sjar.t..............................................................Sey'art, Sey'aret, Si'art, Si'aret
sptxw.............................................................Septekhu, Spetekhu, Septekhoo, Spetekhoo, Septekhu, Sepetekhu, Sepetekhoo
sfj..................................................................Sefey, Sefye, Sfeye, Sefi, Sefee
snn.................................................................Snen, Senen, Senon, Sonen
srjw................................................................Seryu, Sereyu, Seryoo, Sereyoo, Sereyew, Sriu, Seriu
sHrr.t..............................................................Sehhreret, Sehreret
sSmj................................................................Seshmi, Seshemi, Seshmee, Seshemee
sk-rA...............................................................Skrah, Sekrah, Sekra, Sekerah
zkzk.................................................................Zekzek, Zekezek
sgr..................................................................Seger, Segr, Soger, Segor, Sger
sTw.................................................................Setchu, Setchoo, Sechew
sDr.w..............................................................(plural, snakes) Sedjeru, Sedjeroo, Sedjru, Sedjroo

Sar...................................................................Sh'ar, She'ar
Sm(m).............................................................Shemm, Shemem, Shmem
Smmyt.............................................................Shememyet, Shmemeyet
SnT...................................................................Shenetch, Shenech, Shnetch

qAbj..................................................................Qahbi, Qahbee, Qabey
qbH.t................................................................Qebeht, Qebehet
qrr....................................................................Qerr, Qerer
qrH.t.................................................................Qereht, Qreht, Qerehet ("Goddess from primoeval times, in the form of a snake")
qtj.....................................................................Qeti, Qetee

kA......................................................................Kah
kmj....................................................................Kemi, Kemey

tpj....................................................................Tepi, Tepey
tpj.w-rA............................................................Tepiu-Rah (literally, "the teeth of the serpent")
tm....................................................................Tem, Tmeh
tkA-Hr...............................................................Tekah-Her, Tekah-Hor
tkAj.t.................................................................Tekayt, Tekait

dpj.t..................................................................Depeyt, Depit, Depeet
dns-Ha.w...........................................................Denes-Haw, Dens-Hau
dndn.................................................................(literally, "The Wrathful" [?], a name of the Egyptian god Seth) Denden, Deneden
dndnj.t.............................................................(name of a snake goddess) Dendenit, Dendeneet, Denedenit
ddj...................................................................Dedi, Dedee, Dedey

D.t....................................................................("viper, snake") Djet
DAd.t.................................................................Djahdet
DbA.wt.t.............................................................Djebahwtet, Djebautet
Dsr.....................................................................Djesr, Djesir
Dsr-tp.................................................................Djesr-Tep
Dsr-jrw................................................................Djeser-Yeru, Djesr-Ieru
 
Various terms for "Ship, boat", etc.

For use in naming Stygian craft (merchantmen, warships, religious barges, pleasure boats, etc.)


AE transliteration.............Suggested RPG Spellings

Atj......................("Ship of the Sun"), Atey, Ati

jmw.....................Yemu, Imu, Iemew
jdp.......................Idep, Yedep, Iedep

aHA.t...................("warship") 'Ahhat, Ahat
aHa......................'Ahh'a, Ahhah
aqAj.....................("transport, merchant ship, cargo vessel") 'Aqay
aqw......................'Aqu, 'Aqoo

wjA.......................Uya, Ooyah
wjA-n-HH...............("Ship of the Sun") Uya-en-Heh, Ooyah-'n-He
wr.t.......................Urt, Oort, Uret, Ooret, Oorit
wsr-HA.t................("Ship of Amon") User-Hat, Oosr-Haht
wsx(.t)..................("cargo ship") Wesekh, Usekh, Oosikh, (or Wesekht, Usekht, Oosikht)
wTz-nfr.w...............("term for a holy ship") Utchez-Neferu, Oochez-Nefroo
wTs-HA.t................("term for a holy ship") Utches-Haht, Ooches-Hat

bAw.......................Bahw, Baw
bjk.........................Beyek, Beyk, Byek, Bik, Beek
ba..........................B'a, Be'ah
baHt.......................B'ahht, Be'ahet, B'ahhet
br...........................(seagoing vessel) Ber, Bere, Bre

mj.t.........................Meyet, Meyt, Myet
ma.t........................M'at, Me'at
manD.t....................("Ship of the Sun at Morning") M'anedjet, M'andjet
mnw........................Menu, Menoo, Mnu, Mnoo, Menew
mnS........................Menesh, Mnesh, Monesh, Mnosh
mr...........................Mer ("sea-going vessel") {Budge I.307b}
mr.t.........................Mert, Meret, Moret
mH..........................Mehh, Meh
mXA........................Mekhah
mskt.t......................("Ship of the Sun at Dusk and Night") Meseketet, Mesketet, Mesktet
mstj.........................Mesety, Mesty, Mesetey, Mestey
mSa.........................("warship") Mesh'a, Meshe'ah
mk...........................Mek, Meke
mkr..........................("[merchant-] ship" ?) Meker, Mekr

Hwa..........................Hew'a, Hw'a
HbA..........................("Ship of the Gods in Heaven") Hebah
Hn.ty........................Henti, Hentee, Henty, Hentey
Hnbw........................("Ship of the Sun") Henbu, Henboo, Henebu
Hrj.w-mw..................(plural "ships") Heriu-Mu, Heryu-moo, Heriyumu
Hrj.t-mw....................Herit-Mu, Hereyt-Mu

xwx.t.........................Khukhet, Khewekhet, Khewekht
xmn.tj.......................Khementi, Khmenty

sAT...........................(transport ship, cargo ship) Satch, Sahch
smH..........................Semeh, Smeh
shr.t..........................Seheret, Sehert, Sehret
shrj.t.........................Seherit, Sehereet, Sehrit
zHj.t..........................Zehhit, Zehheet
sxn............................(ship of the dead, funerary barge?) Sekhen
sk.tj...........................Sekti, Sekty, Sektee, Sketi, Skety, Sketee
sk.t.t..........................("Ship of the Sun") Sektet, Sketet
sk.tw..........................("sea-going vessel") Sektu, Sketu, Sektoo, Sketoo

SAb.t..........................Shabt, Shabet

qAqA.w.......................("river-boat" ?) Qahqau, Qaqaw
qwr.............................("cargo-ship") Qewer, Qur, Qoor, Qwer
qr................................("cargo-ship") Qer
qrr...............................Qerr, Qerer, Qrer

kbn..............................Keben, Kebn, Kebin
kbn.t............................("large sea-going vessel") Kebent, Kebnet
kftjw.............................("sea-going vessel") Kefetiu, Kefetyu, Kefetyoo, Kefteyu
kz.................................Kez
tA-twbj..........................("Ship of the Sun") Tah-Tubi, Tatoobee
tzm...............................("small ship/boat") Tezem, Tezm

Trt................................("small ship/boat") small(er) boat/ship (than tzm, above?) Tchert, Tcheret, Cheret, Chert

dp.t...............................Dept, Depet
dp.w..............................Depu, Depew

DAj................................("riverboat, river vessel") Djay, Djai
 
Astoundig work there, Yogah. Especially the transliteration which are very helpful.

Amazing they had som many words for snakes: quite like the inuits and snow one would think :p I suppose this is because the list draw on material collected from various periods?
 
Etepete said:
Amazing they had som many words for snakes: quite like the inuits and snow one would think :p I suppose this is because the list draw on material collected from various periods?

You are probably right.
Egyptian society and language lasted for several thousands of years.
They had a lot of time to talk about snakes...and other things! :D
 
Yogah of Yag said:
Etepete said:
Amazing they had som many words for snakes: quite like the inuits and snow one would think :p I suppose this is because the list draw on material collected from various periods?

You are probably right.
Egyptian society and language lasted for several thousands of years.
They had a lot of time to talk about snakes...and other things! :D

- "Snakes, I say. Black snakes maybe, or the tiny green ones. Oh, I like the green ones."

- "Snakes, yes, quite. Boats though..."

- "Ah! Yes! Boats! Boats... and snakes!"

...those were the days
 
Words denoting "Magic, Sorcery, Spells"

The section of the online dict. (http://www.wordgumbo.com/aa/egy/index.htm) had the following section (after edits):

HkA...................Hekah, charm; to charm/ensorcel someone
HkA.t.................Hekat, spell-book, slip of paper with charm-saying
HkA.w................Hekaw, Hekau, magician, sorcerer
HkAw.t...............Hekaut, Hekaut, sorcery

The above entries are similar to those on pp. 514-515 of Budge's Dictionary, Vol. 1:

h.eka, utter charms, or spells, or incantations, to recite words of power, to bewitch
h.ekai, enchanter, magician, sorcerer
h.ekait, sorceress
h.eka, magic, the power of working magic, sorcery, spell, incantation, charm, word of power
H.ekau, a god -- the author of spells, incantations, words of bewitchment, etc.


These may make for authentic sounding names of sorcerous (N)PCs. :twisted:

Ur-Hekai............."Great Sorceror" (for NPC name perhaps?)
Ur-hekai-nakht-er-netcheru........."Great Sorceror Mightier than the Gods" (for a very egotistical villainous NPC! :twisted: )


One could also make a proper noun of a verb-phrase as

Hak-ef, "He enchants, He Who Casts Spells"

jaxw......................................Iakhu, Yakhoo, words of power, protective formulae, spells, magical words {a.akhu: Budge I.22b infra}

sAw.......................................Sau, Saw, Sahw, magician {Bakir, 20}

-----------------------------------
Makes one wonder if there is a connection with the word Hex.
Also Greek goddess Hecate.
Hhhmm...
 
Etepete said:
Amazing they had som many words for snakes: quite like the inuits and snow one would think :p I suppose this is because the list draw on material collected from various periods?

Reminds me of the novel Smilla's Sense of Snow. Not a bad book.
I had to read it in a lit. class in college within 24 hours! :shock:
 
hi guys...
its very nice and awesome link shared having great useful information,..
its helpful material to many others looking for this kind of stuff,....
 
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