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Mando'a
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Mando'a, often referred to as Mandalorian, was the language spoken by the Mandalorian warrior culture and the Ancient Taungs of Coruscant.
- Note: The following section contains words that some may consider to be unsuitable for younglings.
As a special note, it needs to be said that there is no word for "hero" in Mando'a - only a word for those who are not heroes, but "cowards": hut'uun/e.
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Grammar notes
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| Mando'a sentence structure was very similar to Galactic Basic: that is, subject-verb-object. There were a few points of difference, though. Mando'a was intended primarily as a spoken language, and rules were put in place to make it easily pronounceable.
Verbs
The infinitive ends in -ir, -ar, -ur, -or or -er. Removing the "r" usually produces the stem.
Sometimes an apostrophe separates the terminal vowel, to indicate the slight glottal stop of some Mandalorian accents. This apostrophe, known as a beten, or sigh - as in Mando'a - can also indicate breathing, pronunciation, or dropped letters.
Mando'a is predominantly a spoken language, and contractions and pronunciation variations occur just as in any language.
The verb cuyir (to be) is frequently dropped and indicated by word order, as in ni (cuyi) verd - I (am) a warrior. There is no passive form. All verbs are active. If needed, the passive is formed by using the adjective and - if spoken in full - the verb cuyir.
To say "It's good", a Mandalorian will often just say jate (good) rather than bic jate - it (is) good - or the full form with the verb, bic cuyi jate.
To create the negative form of a verb - or, in many cases, a noun - add the prefix n, nu, nu, or even ne (depending on ease of pronunciation) before either the whole sentence or the negative phrase, depending on meaning.
Pronunciation is always a key factor in determining which letters are dropped when spoken. The negative prefix often denotes a negative noun, such as ne'briikase (unhappy).
A summary of the verb forms, using jurir:
- Ni juri kad: I carry a saber.
- Nu'ni juri kad: I don't carry a saber.
- Ni ven juri kad: I will carry a saber.
- Ni ru juri kad: I carried a saber.
- Ke jurir kad: Carry that saber! (Formal.)
- Ke'nu jurir kad: Put that saber down! (Literally, "Don't carry that saber!")
Conjugations
There were two forms of most verbs: the infinitives, which ended in r, and everything else, which do not use the r. For example, one wouldn't have said Ni vorer, but Ni vore. When using auxiliaries like ven or liser, the auxiliary was conjugated and then followed by the infinitive of the full verb. An example would be: "Gar lise jorhaa'ir." ("You can speak.")
Nouns
Gender nouns are the same for men and women. Gender is implied contextually, if relevant. Where gender clarity is necessary, the adjectives jagyc (male) or dalyc (female) are added.
There is no need to make verbs agree with subjects - there is one form only.
A prefix system indicates tenses. Colloquially, Mandalorians use only the present tense, but they adopted the prefixes ru (past) and ven (future) when dealing with species who need specific tenses.
Pronouns
As with nouns, pronouns have no gender. Some are also possessives, such as gar, kaysh and val.
Adjectives from nouns
To turn a noun into an adjective, the suffixes -la (lah) and -yc (sh) could be added, either of which could have been chosen depending on ease of pronunciation. A popular example of this was Di'kut. Di'kut itself meant, essentially, idiot. But to turn it into an adjective, the -la suffix was added, resulting in Di'kutla. The suffix -la was used merely because it merged more easily with Di'kut than would -yc; such remained the case under all similar circumstances.
Plural
Most words in their plural form looked the same, but ended in an e. If the singular noun ended in a vowel, the plural then ended in se. There were exceptions, however, like Gett'se.
The plural diminutive form of ad was Ad'ike because the diminutive was Ad'ika. One would drop the a and put an e there instead.
Word merging
Many words in Mando'a were merged out of two or more other words, but the translations were usually only one word. Literally, those merged words had a normal, sensible meaning. A good example was dar'jetii which, literally translated, was "no longer a Jedi", but which was actually used to mean "Sith." There were no stated rules about word merging, but it remained an important aspect of Mando'a.
An apostrophe was used in words to indicate that two had been put together, as in compound nouns. When a compound word is difficult to say, the speaker would elide; Mando'a was primarily a spoken language, so ease of pronunciation was paramount. Instead of saying vore entye, for example, the phrase became Vor'entye, which was transformed into Vor'e.
Prefixes
In Mando'a, prefixes were freestanding, and preceded other words in a sentence.
For example, tion was the interrogative prefix, so Karen, tion mhi hibira Mando'a iviin'yc? means: Karen, are we learning Mando'a quickly? So the addition of the prefix tion turns a statement into a question.
The prefix ke or k' indicates a command. Using ke with the infinitive is formal, but in everyday colloquial use the verb loses its -r ending.
Articles
The words "the" and "a/an" weren't used much in Mando'a, except for emphasis. There were a few Mando'a words for "the," the main one being te, and "a/an" translated to "eyn".
Superlatives and comparatives
Comparatives and superlatives tended to be constructed from adjectives with the suffix -shy'a for the comparative (e.g. dralshy'a: brighter, stronger) or -ne for the superlative (e.g. jatne: best).
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Pronunciation
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| Mando'a is pronounced much as Basic, with a few exceptions. There is no "f," "x," or "z," although some regions do pronounce "p" almost as ph and "s" as z. Those letters have been added to the Mandalorian written alphabet to aid the transliteration of foreign words. Occasionally, the pronunciation of "t"s and "d"s are swapped. "T" is the modern form; "d" is archaic. "V" and "w" are also sometimes interchangeable, as are "b" and "v"-another regional variation. "J" is now pronounced as a hard "j" as in joy, but is still heard as "y" in some communities.
The initial "h" in a word is usually aspirated, except in its archaic form in some songs and poems, and "h" is always pronounced when it occurs in the middle of a word.
The stress on syllables shown in the lexicon is as commonly spoken, but many Mandalorians place stress on different syllables.
Other points to note:
- -uy: pronounced oo-ee
- u: oo
- cye: shay
- -yc: sh after a vowel
- c: k, when it comes before a at the beginning of a word
- c: s, when it comes before other vowels at the beginning of a word or in the middle of a word
- cy: sh or ch
Pronouncing terminal consonants varies in songs. They often become extra syllables. For examples, tor becomes to-rah and tang becomes tan-gah to maintain rhythm and meter.
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Vocabulary
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| The following are a few of the known Mando'a words, and the most accurate possible translations thereof.
For the full Mando'a dictionary, see: Karen Traviss' Mando'a pages
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Mando'a - Basic
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Verbs
- atiniir (ah-teen-EER) - to endure, to stick with, to tough it out
- baatir (BAH-teer) - to care, to worry about
- beten - to sigh
- brokar - to beat (heartbeat, drumbeat)
- cuyir - to be, to exist
- dinuir (DEE-noo-eer) - to give
- duraanir - to look down upon, to hold in contempt, to despise
- duumir - to allow
- ganar - to have
- gaan - to want
- hettir - to burn
- hibirar - to learn
- hukaatir (HOO-kaht-EER) - to protect, to cover, to shield
- jehaatir - to lie
- jurir - to bear, to carry
- jorhaa'ir - to speak
- jurkadir - to mess with someone (lit: to brandish a saber)
- kar'taylir - to know
- liser - to be able to, can
- motir - to stand
- narir (nah-REER) - to act (carry out), to do
- nartir (nah-ree-TEER) - to place, to put
- nau'ur (also: sometimes seen as naur) (now-00R) - to light up
- nau'ur kad - to forge a saber
- nynir - to hit, to strike
- parjir - to win, to be victorious
- shabiir - to screw up
- shukur - to break, to smash/tear apart, to crush
- susulur - to hear, to listen
- takisir - to insult
- trattok'o - fall, fail
- udesiir - to relax, to rest, to be peaceful
- verborir - to buy, to hire, to contract
- vorer - to accept
Adjectives and adverbs
- a'denla - vengeful
- adenn - merciless
- ani'la - ultimate
- aruetyc (ah-roo-ay-TEESH) - traitorous
- atin (ah-TEEN) - stubborn
- briikase - happy
- dar (dahr) - no longer
- darasuum - eternal/eternally, forever
- di'kutla - foolish, idiotic (severe)
- draar (drahr) - never
- dral - bright
- dralshy'a (drahl-SHEE-ya) - stronger, more powerful
- ge'tal - red
- hettyc - burning
- hut'uunla (hoo-OON-lah) - cowardly
- iviin'yc - fast, quickly
- jate - good
- jatne (JAT-nay) - best
- kandosii - indomitable, noble, ruthless
- mirdala - clever
- nau - before
- ne'tra - black
- ori (OH-ree) - big, extreme, very
- racin - pale
- shabla - screwed up (offensive)
- shukla - crushed
- solus - one, alone, each, individual, vulnerable
- sol'yc - first
- talyc - bloody (can be used to describe meat as "rare")
- teroch - pitiless
- tome - together
- tracyn'la - grilled, chargrilled, scorched
- troch - certainly
- ures - without
Nouns
- abesh - east
- abiik - air
- a'den - wrath, rage
- adu - sons (archaic)
- ad - son, daughter, child
- ad'ika - kid, lad, boy, sweetie, darling
- aka (AH-kah) mission
- akaan - war
- akaan'ade (AH-kahn-AH-day) army
- aliit (ah-LEET) - family, clan
- aruetii (ah-roo-AY-tee) - traitor, outsider, comparable to "them"
- aruetiise (ah-roo-ay-TEE-say) - Aruetii, plural
- ba'buir - grandfather/grandmother
- ba'vodu - uncle
- beroya (bair-OY-ah) bounty hunter
- beskar - Mandalorian iron
- beskar'gam - armor (literally "iron skin")
- Bes'uliik - Basilisk (literally "iron beast")
- behot - a citrus-flavored herb, antiseptic, and mild stimulant
- birgaan - backpack
- buir (boo-EER) - father/mother
- burc'ya (BOOR-sha) - friend
- buy'ce (BOO-shay, s.); buy'cese (pl.) - helmet; colloquial: pint, bucket
- ca - night
- chakaar - thief, petty criminal, scumbag, bitch, bastard, bugger, (lit: "grave robber")
- chig (CHEEG) - any kind of hot drink, an infusion
- Coruscanta - Coruscant
- cyar'tomade - fans, a group of people with affection for something
- carasuum (dah-RAH-soom) - eternity
- dar'buir (DAHR boo-EER) - no longer a father (very shameful)
- dar'manda (dahr-MAHN-da) - a state of being "not Mandalorian"; not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and soul
- dar'jetii - no longer a Jedi (Sith, Dark Jedi)
- dar'yaim - a hell, a place you want to forget
- dha (dah) - dark
- di'kut (dee-KOOT) - a foolish, idiotic, useless individual (severe); context-dependent:can mean jerk, moron, idiot, etc. (sometimes vulgar)
- droten (DROH-ten) - people, public.
- entye (ENT-yay} - debt
- gal - ale
- gayi'kaab - radio
- gayiyli - resurrector
- gett - nut
- ge'verd (ge-VAIRD) - almost a warrior
- gihaal (gee-HAAL) - fish-meal
- gra'tua (gra-TOO-ah) - revenge, vengeance
- hut'uun (hoo-TOON) - coward
- ib'tuur - today (lit: "this day")
- jai'galaar - shriek-hawk
- Jetii (Jay-tee) - (the) Jedi
- Jetiise - (the) Republic, plural "Jedi"
- ka'ra - stars
- ka'rta - heart
- kad - saber
- kad'au (kahd-OW) - lightsaber
- kama - backside, back, belt-spat
- Kaminiise - Kaminoans
- kando (KAHN-do) - importance, weight
- ke'gyce - command, order
- kom'rk - gauntlet
- kot - strength
- kote - glory, might
- kyr'am - death
- Mand'alor - Mandalore (leader of the Mando'ade)
- Manda'yaim - Mandalore (planet)
- Mando'ad - Mandalorian (lit: Son/Daughter/Child of Mandalore)
- Mar'eyce - discovery
- mirshe - brain, brains
- mirsh - brain cell
- ne'tra gal - black ale
- norac - back
- ori'ramikade - Supercommandos (lit: Super-raiders with sabers)
- or'dinii - complete lunatic
- osik - crap, poodoo (sometimes vulgar)
- parjai - victory
- prudii - shadow
- rang - ash
- runi - soul
- shebs (shebs, s.); shebse (SHEB-say, pl.) - backside, rear, butt (sometimes vulgar)
- Siit - Sith
- Shuk'om - Crushgaunt
- tal - blood
- tar - starfield, space, star, sky
- tat - brother (Concord Dawn dialect for vod)
- Taungsarang - the ash of the Taung
- tihaar (TEE-har) - an alcoholic drink; a strong, clear spirit made from fruit
- tor - justice
- tracinya - flame
- tracyn - fire
- troan - face
- tsad - alliance, group, organization
- tuur - day
- uj'alayi (OOH-jah-LIE-ee) - a very dense, very sweet cake made from crushed nuts, dried fruit and spices, and then soaked in a sticky scented syrup called uj'jayl. Colloquially known as an Uj cake.
- uj'Jayl (ooh-JAI-ul) - a sticky scented syrup
- ven - future
- verd - warrior
- vhett - farmer
- vod (VOHD) - brother, sister, comrade
- vode (VOH-day) - brothers, sisters, comrades
- vod'ika - little brother, little sister
- Werda - shadows (archaic)
Other words
- a - but
- an - all
- ashi - other
- ast - itself
- bal - and
- bah - to
- be - of
- cuun (koon) - our
- kaysh (kaysh) - him, his
- ke - imperative prefix
- ke nu - "don't" prefix
- lo (loh) - into
- elek (EL-eck) - yes (colloquial: lek, comparable to "yeah")
- gar - you, your
- haar - emphatic definite article (rare)
- ibic - this
- juaan - beside
- meg (mayg) - which, that
- meh (mey) - if
- mhi (mee) - we
- nayc (NAYSH) - no (colloquial: shh, comparable to "nah")
- ner (nair) - my
- ni - I
- par - for
- ra - or
- sa - as, like
- sha or shal - at (when used in front of a consonant)
- te - the
- teh - from
- ti - with
- tion - interrogative prefix
- tion'ad - who, interrogative
- vaii - where
- val - they, their, theirs
- ven - future prefix
Numbers
- solus (SOH-loos) - one
- t'ad (tahd) - two
- ehn (enn) - three
- cuir (KOO-eer) - four
- rayshe'a (ray-SHEE-ah) - five
- resol (reh-SOL) - six
- e'tad (EH-tad) - seven
- sh'ehn (shayn) - eight
- she'cu (SHAY-koo) - nine
- ta'raysh (ta-RAYSH) - ten
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Mando'a Phrases
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- Aliit ori'shya taldin - "Family is more than blood." Mandalorian Proverb.
- Ba'slan shev'la. - Strategic disappearance. Mandalorian Phrase.
- Copaani gaan? - Need a hand?
- "Gar aruetyc jetiise lise nau'ur ca ti jetii'kade, a'a'denla Siite hibira atiniir darasuum." - "You traitorous Jedi can light up the night with your lightsabers, but the vengeful Sith learn to endure forever."
- Gedet'ye - please
- K'atini - Suck it up!
- Kandosii! - "Awesome!"
- Ke'pare, ke baslana meh mhi Kyrayc - "Stand by, (and) get out if we don't make it."
- Ke'pare - "Stand by"
- Udesii - "calm down", "take it easy"
- Su'cuy! - a friendly greeting (lit: "still live," i.e. "so you're still alive.")
- Re'turcye mhi! - goodbye, equivalent to the French au revoir
- Ret'ini - Just in case
- Cuy'val Dar - "Those who no longer exist"
- Vor'e (VOHR-ay.) - thanks, short form of vor entye
- Vor entye - thank you (lit: "I accept your debt")
- Mir'osik - something undesirable where your brains ought to be, i.e. "Shit for brains"
- Wayii, ni mirdala dalal'ika! - "Golly gosh, what a jolly clever girl I am!"
- Haili cetare (HI-lee ket-AH-ray) - Eat up, equivalent to the French Bon appetit (lit: "Fill your boots")
- Mar'e (MAH-ray) - expression of relief colloquial: "At last!"
- Ke'sush (Keh-SOOSH) - "Atten-shun!", the good old army command
- Verd ori'shya beskar'gam. - "A warrior is more than (his) armor" (Mandalorian proverb)
- Ner vod (nair vohd) - "my brother/sister" colloquial: "(my) buddy/pal/lad/chap"
- Duraani, burc'ya? - "Are you looking at me funny, pal?" (colloquial)
- Usenye (oo-SEN-yay) - "Go away!"
- Tion'ad hukaat'kama? (Tee-ON-ahd HOO-kaht-KA-ma) - "Who's watching your back?"
- Ori'jate - "Very good"
- Mirsh'kyramud (MEERSH-keer'AH-mood) - boring person (lit: "brain killer")
- Ke nu jurkad sha Mando'ade, burc'ya! - "Don't mess with Mandos, mate!" (lit: "Don't wave your saber at Mandolorians, mate!" )
- Ke nu jurkad ti Mando'ade, burc'ya! - "Don't cross swords with Mandos, mate!"
- Nu jurkad Mando'ade, burc'ya! - a reassurance, comparable to "Steady, mate"
- N'jurkad - "Don't mess with me"
- Tsad droten - Republic, democracy, even government; context-dependent (lit: "people's organization")
- Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur. - "Today is a good day for some other bugger to die." (lit: "This day (is) the best (for) another person to die.")
- Ke narir haar'ke'gyce rol'eta resol! - "Execute Order 66!" (not a Mando'a saying)
- Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum (nee kar-TILE garh dah-RAH-soom) - colloquial: "I love you."
- Mirdala Mird'ika! - "Clever Mird!" (spoken to Walon Vau's pet Strill, Lord Mirdalan)
- Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it - Truth, Honor, Vision—said when sealing a pact
- Hukaat'kama (hu-KAHT-ka-MAH) - Watch my back, watch my six
- K'uur - Hush, Be quiet
- Nar dralshy'a - Try harder
- Gar ru kaymaru kaysh, di'kut: tion'meh kaysh ru jehaati? You killed him, you moron: what if he was lying? (Said by Kal Skirata to Walon Vau)
- Ni ru kaymaru Niktose. Meh Orjul jehaati, kay kar'tayli me'ni ven kaymaru kaysh I killed the Nikto. If Orjul's lying, he knows I killed him. (Walon Vau to Kal Skirata)
- Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya. - "Train your sons to be strong but your daughters to be stronger." Mandalorian saying.
- N 'oya 'kari gihaal, Buir. (Noy-ah KAR-ee gee-HAAL, boo-EER) - I've been hunting fish-meal, Father.
- Kom'rk tsad droten troch nyn ures adenn, Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu. - "They were the wrath of the warrior's shadow and the Gauntlet of the Republic" (A line Mandalorian war song adapted for the Republic Commandos).
- Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la - "Not gone, merely marching far away" (Mandalorian phrase for the departed)
- Mishuk gotal'u meshuroke, pako kyore. - "Pressure makes gems, ease makes decay." Mandalorian Proverb.
- Ori'buyce, kih'kovid. - "All helmet, no head." (Mandalorian insult for someone with an overdeveloped sense of authority.)
- Mandokarla - You've got the right stuff.
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Songs and Chants in Mando'a
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| A major source for Mando'a have been the various Mandalorian chants adapted by Jango Fett and the Cuy'val Dar for the Clone Troopers.
The five known ones can be found here:
All of these were created by writer Karen Traviss, on whose website can be found a more thorough treatise on the language, its vocabulary and grammar.
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