Basic Goblin Vocabulary

This is by no means an exhaustive list. It is intended to provide those interested in the goblin language with the basic skills necessary to communicate or read their writings.

There are certain words which do not translate well, and there are words in the Common tongue for which there is no goblin translation. The following words do not exist in the goblin language; Greed. Steal. Betray. Care or Compassion. Love. Cry. Justice. Gentle. Rape. Please. Mercy. (There are others, these are just some examples.)

Some translations may sound like bastardized Common or Latin. This could be remnants of missionary influence and Imperial occupation from centuries ago, or slang adapted from war contact with humankind.

BASIC GRAMMAR

-Saah Ending a sentence with this gives it a negative or unpleasant meaning; ie, "Hak sava sha rach-saah" means "That slave is soiled," showing displeasure.

-Ho Ending a sentence with this gives it a positive, satisfied meaning; ie, "Ko shati-ho" means "I am drunk," showing pleasure. "Ko shati-saah" would mean "I am drunk" with a negative, unpleasant connotation.

-Ya Ending a word with this makes it masculine. "Yob-Ya" means "Male goblin, age 4-10" Saying "Duunk-Ya" refers to a male horse.

-No Ending a word with this makes it feminine. "Sava-No" means female slave.

-Sho This ending gives a word past-tense. "Ko impah-Sho" means "I marched."

-Ska This ending creates future-tense. "Ko impah-Ska" is "I will march."
(*Using a word by itself indicates present-tense.)

-Ta This sentence ending indicates a question. "Yag impah-Ska-Ta?" is "Will you march?"

-Uk An exclamation at the end of a sentence to show emphasis. "Yag impah-Ska-Uk!" means "You will march!"

‘H This is a possessive, spoken at the end of a word as a breathy "Huff." For example, "Pah'H sava" means "The Pah's slave." Or "Ya'Ha'H sava" means "His slave."

‘Cha This ending makes a word formal, showing respect due to superior position. It is often followed by the word "Seti," which is a title of respect. For example, "Hoy'Cha Pasha-Seti" is a formal hello to a tribal Pasha. (If the word already ends in ‘Cha, it is added again; " ‘Cha-‘Cha")

‘S Goblin plurals are easy. Stick an "S" on the end.

Bachian Glacier Field A region in the northern Steppes where Steppeskrieg goblins hunt Rhemorhaz.

Battlelord Title of a Raketooth Brigade leader.

"B'Braaga" The throwing of axes.

Billy Beetle In Trann, a large, slow-moving beetle with a soft underbelly, used as a food source.

Biter Box A torture device created by the Bloodhand for the torment and execution of prisoners through the use of spiders.

Black Fallow Dreaded fortress of the Bloodhand Pah in Gristmil.

Bloodboars Elite military, boar-mounted cavalry of the Blood Hand.

Bloodchief Title of a Raketooth Brigade subleader.

Blood Challenge Ritualized fight to the death for control of a family (Dihn).

Bloodgunners Heavy crossbow specialists of the Raketooth Brigade.

Blut Bread Loaves soaked in blood and dried, a food source.

Brutes Huge, violent berserkers of the Raketooth Brigade.

Bull Male goblin age 15+, who has not yet assembled a Pride.

Children of D'Vahli Elite military, light infantry of the Nine Fist sworn to the service of the D'Vahli and their mystics.

"Choppa" An exclamation, roughly translated as, "Look at what I did!"

Clan Challenge Ritualized fight to the death for control of a clan.

"D'Ark Vjaada" An inland, saltwater sea near Qe-Tare'.

D'Drooga Warbeast Enormous land mammals bred for labor, transport and combat.

Deep Water The term used for the vast, unexplored seas to the east and west of the Grimme.

Digger Common term applied to any Steppeskrieg male.

"Dihn" The basic family unit

"Drogue" Military school-style collective of goblin males aged 10-15.

Dump Chickens&nbs Seagulls, a source of food for the Hack Sling.

D'Vahli Mystics Priests (clerics) of the D'Vahli faith.

First (1st) Guards Elite military, heavy infantry and ceremonial guard of the Nine Fist.

Fist Cluster Garrisons of Nine Fist troops and observers in other-clan encampments, cities and theatres of war.

"Gelflin" The term used to describe the race of ½ goblin/ ½ elves.

"Gibbet" Also called "Goblin Gibbets," small, oblong gold coins valued at 1gp each.

"Goh-Bahlin" Mythical race of early goblins.

Grand Imam High spiritual leader of the D'Vahli Mystics.

Great Khana Title of the female ruler of the Steppeskrieg clan.

"Gulag" A simple, alcoholic beverage known among human troops as "swill."

Haz-Blooded Elite Steppeskrieg warriors who have killed a Rhemorhaz in melee combat.

"K'Aag" The river running from Kurst to Qe-Tare' and out to the sea.

"Kaska" The word for Tribe.

"Khana" Title of Steppeskrieg tribal leaders.

Khorne God of War, chief among the D'Vahli.

"Krag-Karak" The Razorfang support fortress beneath Pire (Butcher's Pass.)

Lion The dominant male in the family unit.

Littermates Goblin young of the same litter.

"Mastifs" "Great Houses," the term used when referring to the "nobility" of goblin culture.

Mother's Trench Fjord which links the inland sea of D'Ark Vjaada with the "Deep Water."

"Naaska" Literally translated as, "To part one's hair down the center." Used in the Bloodhand festival of B'Braaga Naaska, where live victims are targeted for axe throwing competition (highest scores go to those hits which completely bisect the head.) Targets of this competition are said to be "Getting a Naaska."

Night Boars Elite military, boar riders of the Nine Fist.

Oysters A generic food term among the Razorfang, referring to any roasted testicles.

"Pah" Title of a Clan leader.

Pancakes A Razorfang food term referring to any internal organs beaten flat, marinated and pan fried.

"Pasha" Title of a Tribal leader.

Pasha Challenge Ritualized fight to the death for control of a tribe.

"Pihg" The youngest, or newest, female member of a Pride.

"Pihg Pence" A dowry paid by a male to the sire of a female goblin in order to Pride-Claim her.

Pit Truffles A Razorfang food term depicting large gray maggots dug out of dung heaps.

Potstickers In Trann, a food term which refers to leeches stuffed into balls of dough and boiled.

Prickly Poppers A Razorfang food term describing hedgehogs, eaten live and whole.

Pride The harem-style collection of females bound to a Lion.

Pride-Claimed When a female is taken as a Pride-wife.

Pride-Wife An individual female within a Lion's Pride.

Pups Goblin young aged 0-3.

"Qua-Set" Literally translated as "Water which takes life," it is the name of a north-flowing river that begins at the Tomb of the Ancient Kings near the Alps, and travels over 100 miles into Hack Sling territory.

Raketooth Brigade Elite military, "special forces" of the Blood Hand.

Rod of the 8th Doom A magical rod of terrible, evil power crafted specifically for the Spider Shamans of the Hack Sling.

Seige Mongers Elite military, siege engine and sapping specialists of the Blood Hand.

Slavechains The term used to refer to any collection of slaves belonging to an individual, family, tribe or clan.

Soldier's Pie Generic food term for any internal organs baked in a crust.

Steppeskrieg The "5th Clan," a culture of female-dominant goblins in the Steppes of the Boarsbach Mountains.

The "Dench" The title of the Goblin King.

The "D'Vahli" Living goblin gods sequestered in the forbidden city within Kurst.

The Eighth (8th) Doom Elite military, Spider Shamans of the Hack Sling.

Trann Rangers Elite military, Trann-based rangers and ambush specialists of the Blood Hand.

Tribal Challenge Ritualized, non-lethal fight for the right to form a new tribe.

"Tuska" Scab. Also the term used to describe the race of ½ goblin/ ½ humans.

"V'Jaadason" Viking-style, Hack Sling coastal raiders.

"Vood" A barren female, of no use to the family unit, often given to slaves.

Vorsemen Barbarian humans who live in the Westvahl.

Warpstone Highly malleable, super-hard mineral used by the Razorfang to craft extra sharp weapons and extra durable armor.

"Wattish" A simple gruel, a staple of goblin diet.

Wench Bugs A Razorfang food specialty, large white grubs mashed into paste.

Westvahl Human lands west of the Shadowfahl.

Wild Pihg A solitary female caught in the open and captured for male entertainment, usually by a group of Bulls.

"Wonga" A term used in the Trann region of the Grimme to describe any sort of centipede used as a food source.

Worgruhn Regiment Elite military, worg riders of the Nine Fist.

"Yob" Goblin young aged 4-10 (or 13 for females).