Andorian/Graalen

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The Andorians speak a unified language known as Graalen.

Origins of Graalen

It is believed that because they can sense subtle variations in pitch and vibration that Andorian speech is soft and sibilant. This is also believed to be partially due to their language originating from music and partially due to their hearing being different from other races. This theory is lent support by the fact that as a culture Andorians have a great interest in music.

Pronunciation Notes

In most Andorian words, emphasis is usually on the second to last syllable. As dual consanants (such as in tlaal meaning “management” or “government”) often appear at the beginning of words, a type of partial vowel is sometimes added when speaking outloud (like an implied pause, light grunt or glottal-stop). Thus tlaal would be pronounced utlaal, with the “u” being very slight and quick

Examples

Handwritten Graalen.

Below is an example of Graalen, showing the ways in which the four genders are referred to in various situations and through varying levels of politeness.

Apparent Sex	Gender	Polite form of Address	Bondmate Endearment	Parental Name	Offspring Name	Sibling	Parent by Marriage	Child by Marriage
She	Zhen	Zha	Zh'yi	Zhavey	Zhei	Zhi	Zhadi	Zhri'za
She	Shen	Sha	Sh'za	Shreva	Shei	Shi	Shidei	Shri'za
He	Chan	Cha	Ch'te	Charan	Chei	Chi	Chada	Chri'ze
He	Thaan	Tha	Th'se	Thavan	Thei	Thi	Thadu	Thri'ze

Examples taken from the table above include the Andorian equivalents to the Federation Standard "sister", being shi or zhi, depending on gender, and the equivalents for "father" being charan and thavan.

Nouns

• Ahrasath: Hell
• Amtal: "the business of secrecy", also the name of the Intelligence Agency of the Andorian Empire
• Atlirith: Andorian eagle
• Ekathamor: keth (clan) name; i.e. Tisav, Qynallahr
• Ezatamor: personal name; i.e. Vylaa, Piravao
• Hybor: small Andorian mammal, similar to a rabbit
• Kossos: coin, money, lit: a small piece of trade. The native Andorian currency.
• Preshava: Andorian lake monkey
• Shla: child
• Shla’hlast: baby, infant; literally “the outcome of love: a living person”

Word Order

Graalen is a simplistic contextual language. It has no articles; an Andorian would not say "the knife" they would simply say "knife." (Although some nouns have implied articles). In addition, there are no verbs for "is" or "are" in present tense, and Andorians usually refer to themselves and each other by name, even in third person to refer to themselves instead of using pronouns. Others have created gender specific pronouns for convenience, such as "zhe" to refer to a zhen, but they are only used by other languages such as Standard and not by Graalen speakers themselves. Aside from these and a few eccentricities, the sentence structure of Graalen is typically that of Standard.

Syntax Morphology

Graalen is a "consonantal root" language, meaning basic units of meaning (or core concepts) are expressed in the form of a string of consonants. For example, ND-R forms the root of words meaning "world", "planet", or "everything there is." Vowel modifiers, prefixes, and suffixes turn these core concepts into words. Thus, Andor means "world" but Andoria means "The World."

Stops and pauses are only used in the middle of complex consonants "surrounded" by vowel sounds, for emphasis, or for tonal distinction. For example, Am Tal is not two words but one, amtal ("the business of secrecy"). The pause is introduced to break up the complex consonant MT. Less significant pauses are indicated by apostrophes. Apostrophes also indicate when separate words should be pushed together, such as in Lor'Vela ("the woman who brought the law") when such compounds contain an audible pause or tonal shift.

Core Concepts

(Note: This list is from Star Trek Role Playing Game: Among The Clans.)

CH-K: War, violence, destruction (typically large-scale)
CH-LD: Renewal, replenishment
D-GR: Food, agriculture, eating
D-LD: Plants (particularly woody ones), wood, vines
D-LN: Edible plants, fruits, and vegetables
D-R: Escape, shelter, evasion
D-S: Fear, dread
DH-R: Trade, commerce, bargaining
F-L: Passion, emotion
F-RK: Naivete, innocence
FL-N: Creative drive, creative need
FL-V: Happiness, good feeling
GH-L: Masculinity, man
GR-K: Anger, hatred, contempt
GR-L: Communication
HL-S: Fire, heat
HL-SH: Effort, power, energy (physical)
HL-ST: Life, vitality
HR-K: Weakness, frailty, impotence
HR-S: Death, dying
J-L: Vastness, largeness, size
J-TH: Essence, character, flavor
K-L: Beauty, inspiration
K-LN: Dominance, superiority
K-N: Religious observance, worship
K-R: Wonder, excitement, enthusiasm
K-SH: Connection, interaction, interrelationship
K-TH: Community, group, cooperation
K-V: Deception, lies, pretense
L-R: Femininity, woman
L-S: Water, fluid, fluidity
L-TH: Time (measured time)
L-X: Ice, cold
LN-R: Art, creativity
LN-V: Magic, spiritual energy, force of will
LR-N: Music (particularly in the professional sense)
M-KR: Pain, mortal terror
M-R: Identity, labeling, naming
M-RSH: Ambition, motivation
M-X: Exceptions, differences
MD-N: Silence, stillness, peace
MT-L: Secrecy, hidden things
N-R: Regret, sadness
N-N: Deference, obedience, desire to please (often used ironically)
ND-L: Nothingness, emptiness, vacuum
ND-N: Past, previous, remembered
ND-R: World, all, everything
ND-S: Alien, otherworldly, vastly distant
ND-SH: Future, expectations
PR-N: Glory, fame, celebrity
PR-TH: Victory, success despite obstacles
R-L: Illness, injury
R-N: Pleasure, appreciation
R-S: Change (positive connotations)
R-TH: Change (negative connotations)
S-L: Enemy, opponent, antagonist
S-N: Hatred, emotional conflict
S-S: Money, commerce, trade
SH-L: Love, sex
SH-N: Combat, violence, attack (smaller scale than CH-K)
SH-R: Blood relations, family ties, lineage
SH-S: Speed, swiftness
SHL-S: Medicine, healing, hospitals
SHR-S: Friendship, closeness, trust
SK-RK: Stupidity, feeblemindedness
SK-RSH: Compromise, conciliation
T-N: Sight, things visible, appearances
TH-L: Rock, stope, soil, solidity
TH-R: Wisdom, intuition, truth
TH-S: Home, shelter, warmth
TL-L: Leaders, royalty, masters, authority
TL-N: Expertise, skill, authoritative knowledge
TL-R: Hunting, predatory habits
TR-N: Youth, beginnings
V-L: Law, order, stability
VR-N: Organization, administration
Z-N: Individuality, selfishness, loneliness
Z-S: Touch, texture, sensation

Vowel Modifiers

Words in Graalen are produced by separating the consonantal core concepts with vowels. Note the modifiers presented are phonetic in nature, not as they would be transliterated in Standard. EE is typically written as 'i', OO as ""u"", and YA is usually written as ia. K or S usually become c.

-A: (both consonants in the root compressed together, followed by A) The outcome, fate, destination, culmination, or logical outgrowth of the core concept. For example, shla'hlast is an Andorian term for an infant. It literally translates as "the outcome of love: a living person". Shla by itself generally means "child." This modifier is applied to only a few roots in practice, but some of the results (like shla) are very commonplace words.

-A-: A type of person (usually) associated with the core concept. A shras is a friend. A lar is a female. This modifier is often included in compound words, such as tashrul ("archer", literally translated as "a person who injures from a distance"). It is a general term, less specific than -O- (see below).

-A-A-: To experience, gain, or come to understand. Matla, is the name of a philosophical ideal, a literal term comparable to the metaphorical term "illumination" in Standard. Shlasa means "to recover" or "to become healed".

-AA-: An act, system, process, or method. Hraas, for example, means "murder".

A-A-: Crafts, arts, services, or other acts relating to the core concept. Thus, while hris means weapon, ahras means "assassination". Amtal means literally "the business of secrecy", and anan is a negative colloquialism for "bootlicking".

A-A-A: A place associated with the core concept. Therefore, ashlara, means "hospital", and andara means "universe".

A-AA-A: A state of being associated with the core concept, frequently mistaken for A-A-A by those first learning the language. Thus, amaakra, a "state of absolute pain and terror", versus amakra meaning " place of/to fear".

A-E-: A discipline, study, or pursuit relating to the core concept. In practice, A-E- has a lot of overlap with both A-A- and -AA-, but has slightly more intellectual or "scientific" connotations. Thus, ahlest would be the study of biology.

A-EE-: An animal (or sometimes a particularly beastlike Andorian) that exemplifies or is associated with the core concept, such as the atlirith ("aerial predator animal"), also known as the Andorian eagle.

A-O-: The basic singular noun, an example of the core concept. For example andor means "world" or "planet".

-A-OO: A basic verb form. Examples: prathu (win), tlanu (hunt), and mdanu (hide).

A-O-A: A very important or significant person or thing. A-O-A is typically used as the basis of titles, as in atlolla, which is literally "the superior leader". This is closely related to A-O- nouns with the added YA suffix (see below).

-E-: A substance or aggregate that relates strongly to the core concept. Shles means "medicine". Keth is translated most commonly as "clan" but in antiquity meant "the stuff of community". Degr (pronounced "deg" with the r trailing softly) means food, but in practice specifically refers to meat.

-E-A (also E-A-): A noun. Usually a person, thing, or event (or a general term that could mean any of these) that causes others to gain or comprehend something related to the core concept. This can be a simple term like grela ("messenger" or "courier") or hlesta meaning a teacher of biology. Or it could be a more abstract term such as thesa, which is the moment in an adult Andorian's life that they fully comprehend the importance of their keth and family - the revelation which "brings home to home", as a common saying is often translated.

-EE-: A tool, instrument, or ingredient related to the core concept. Thus, hris means "weapon".

-E-EE: An adjective. Used when something literally resembles something else (contrast with EE-OO- below).

EE-EE-: Verb. To cause the core concept to happen, or to come into being.

-E-OO: A verb, usually. The basis of a broad group of verbs that all mean, essentially, "to touch" or "to come into contact with". These words are usually metaphors (as in lexu, meaning "the touch of ice", or frostbite), but are sometimes more literal. Cheldu, for example, refers to an ancient mystical art form of "healing touches" or "laying on of hands".

EE-OO-: The fundamental comparative adjective. Sharing a metaphorical kinship with, or characteristics of, the core concept. Andorian adjectives are almost always comparative in some way, and are often metaphors (making Andorian a prime language for irony, just as most dialects of Chinese are excellent for puns). Even more commmon are adjectives formed by adding a prefix or suffix (see below).

-EE-YA: Typically a noun, a group of things or people associated with the core concept. The Kethni Vrinia, for example, is the "Clans Council" (Andoria's ruling body). Vrinia in this case is translated "council", but the term is often read as "committee" or "guild" or even "bureaucracy" depending on context.

-O-: Another basic noun, but slightly more specific than A-O-. Thus, tloll meaning "authority figure", but typically used in a military context (it's also a formal Andorian military rank).

-O-A (also O-A-): One of the more elusive common vowel combinations, -O-A indicates a place or a thing in which the core concept can be born, be fed, or otherwise be encouraged or assisted in flourishing. Thus, Andorians use the term thel to mean dirt (or gravel) in a general sense, but the term dogra to mean soil in the sense of fertile, irrigated soil where food can grow. The thora is the approximate Andorian equivalent of "university" - a formal place of wisdom and truth. Thora can also refer to an individual dedicated pursuit of such wisdom.

-OA-: Occasionally, an event associated with the core concept. Hroas, for instance, is the moment of death. Sometimes fused with some of the basic verbs, but -OA- has more passive connotations - it's when something happens; it's not about deliberate action.

O-A-A: Typically refers to a noise or sound associated with the core concept, but many Andorian words broaden the significance of the vowels to mean any signal or sign, not just sound in particular. Often used somewhat poetically, as in ohlasa (explosion, "the sign/sound of fire") and olara, the Andorian term for a sigh ("sound of women").

-O-EE: A noun. Specifically a trait (often a personality trait) associated with the core concept. The concept of prothi, often mistranslated as "overconfidence", is more accurately "the state of sure knowledge that defeat or failure is impossible". The term has no negative or ironic connotations to an Andorian.

-OO-: Noun. A source, cause, or symptom of the root concept.

-OO-A (Also OO-A-): Verb. Generally associated with travel or movement in relation to the core concept. Thus, grula meaning "gesture" or "sign language", and udnar, a word comparable to either "journey" or specifically "pilgrimage".

OO-O-: Noun. Something that contains or preserves the core concept. Most modern usage (such as utlon, "book") is metaphorical.

OO-YEE-A: A relatively modern sound, most words using U-YEE-A are still considered colloquial. This modifier indicates a valuable shortcut, secret, key, or "trick" relating to the core concept, such as udieegra, a trendy term for "the secret to great cooking".

Prefixes & Suffixes

Grasping Graaalen word prefixes and suffixes is nuanced, and may not be easy for non-native speakers. They are monosyllables, usually formed by a single consonant and single vowel sound. When adding the prefix or suffix would put a noun next to a noun, or a consonant next to a consonant, the "extra" is often dropped from the added sound, but not always. This is the nuance that comes easily to native Andorians.

For example, the suffix -NU is added to a noun to create an adjective meaning "loyal to the [noun]" or "devoted to the [noun]" or (colloquially) "disturbingly obsessed with the [noun]." Tlallnu, for instance, means "bureaucratic" (a metaphor, if only barely), but Tlollu (a common male name) means "loyal to those in authority". That's TLOLL + NU, with the N dropped and only the U left on.

Since many other suffixes also end in U, this is yet another way students of Andorian can get in trouble when trying to construct words like a native, and the combinations made possible by the additions leave lots of room for "synonyms" with differing connotations (as well as clever wordplay, which many Andorians take delight in).

Prefixes

KA-: Implies that the root is large, and in particular a large collection or accumulation, or something that has been made or collected over a long time.

KIEE-: Varying connotations, most of which seem to relate to the negative aspects of aging. Thus, KIEE- can indicate that something is slow or sluggish (as in Kieloth, the term for the Andorian "medieval" period), rotting, frail, out of step, or otherwise decrepit. Mating KIEE- with any term normally associated with manliness, skill at arms, or sexual prowess will create one of a standard pool of Andorian insults!

KO-: A fragment, piece, or particle of the root concept. Thus, kossos ("a piece of trade"), the Andorian term for a coin (and the name of the standard Andorian unit of currency), and kollex ("icicle").

OOL-: Intimate, personal, private. The most common example is certainly ushaan, the dual.

REE-: Creates an adjective meaning "affected by" or "saturated with" the root concept. Rihresath, for example, means "irradiated" or "radioactive" (literally, "affected by bad energy"). Rilneven means "enchanted", "magical".

TRA-: Creates a word meaning "built from" or "made of" something relating to the root, like tralex ("built from ice"), an adjective that is also a noun referring to small igloolike shelters built by the old fur-trading cultures in the wild country east of Mar'it.

Suffixes

-AL: The best for its function. Something that is good, efficient, beautiful. Thus, hrisal, the name of the "Andorian dagger", which literally means "best killing tool".

-AN: Applied to a root word (usually a verb), this creates a simple command or directive that is typically followed by a subject. So, the phrase Igilan atlolla is a command, directing the listener to "speak to the leader:, while Hraasan atlolla would be an order to "kill the leader". If no explicit subject is provided, then the speaker is implied as the subject. Igrilan by itself (a popular name for both male and female Andorians) means "Speak with me", with the connotation of "Speak honestly and openly with me". If an Andorian officer asks his captain for "permission to speak freely", then "Igrilan" would be an affirmative welcoming response. Shrasan means "be my friend".

-AT: A general negative; a "weak" form of -ATH (see below). Substandard, disappointing, unimpressive.

-ATH: Applied to indicate something bad, dangerous, or terrifying. Thus, ahrasath, the Andorian equivalent of hell - "the bad death-place".

-EETH: Indicates an association with flight, or the sky. As in atlirith, the Andorian eagle. (Atlir is a hunting animal, -ith makes it a flying predator).

-EK: The opposite of -EN (below). -EK implies something lasting, permanent, solid, real. Several formal Andorian words incorporate this suffix, but it is just as often tacked on in conversation for emphasis by Andorians. Non-Andorians can embarrass themselves by trying this, though-the rules for when it's appropriate and when it's just silly are elusive to the non-native.

-EN: A suffix implying something temporary, ephemeral, brief, or even unreal. Thus, hroasen, the noun meaning "sleep" (literlly, a temporary death).

-ES: Added for positive emphasis, indicating quality or renown, but not quite as strongly as -AL. Commonly used in names. The old Andorian name Degras (DEGRA + ES, with the vowel dropped) means "a good farmer", which was definitely a term of respect on preindustrial Andoria.

-ESH: Creates an adjective from a noun, with generally positive overtones. A favorable comparison.

-EV: Implies importance, significance, or uniqueness. Common in names and titles.

-NI: The most common pluralizing suffix. Hrisali, for example, is the plural form of hrisal. Hrisni is the plural of hris.

-NOO: Loyal to, devoted to, obsessed with.

-OO: Identical to -OOS, but used occasionally instead of it. Sometimes simply replaces the final vowel if the root ends in one, hence Ivaru ("of clan Ivari") and andasu ("from otherworldly places"), the noun for "alien" (non-Andorian).

-OOS: Creates an adjective or noun indicating something originating from the root word. A citizen of the city of Tarsk is a Tarskus (typically used as both the singular and plural). The Andorian term for " from Earth" is terras; the term for "from Andoria" is andorias (the Andorian name for their species is Ghelni). While a human might refer to the native cuisine of Voral as "Voralan food", Andorians refer to it as Voralus degr ("the meat from Voral")

-RA: Implies that the root is one or all of: short, kept close to one's self, not exposed or made vulnerable. Used literally in terms related to close combat, dance, and amdanalnar (Andorian pantomime), and metaphorically when describing behavior or personal relations. The consonantal R sound is seldom dropped.

-YA: A suffix added to a common noun to indicate the primary or subjectively relevant example. Thus, while andor means "world", Andoria means "the world". Before the Andorians were aware of alien life, they referred to their world as simply Andor, since there was no need to indicate relative importance.