Dothraki

A Constructed Language from Game of Thrones

Creation
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- http://www.youtube.com/watch!"bh#p$%gT&D'
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- (irst e)amp*es used by George +.+. ,artin in A -ong of 'ce anad (ire
book series
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- Linguist Da!id %. .eterson hired by /01 producers to create the
*anguage for the show2 maintaining consistency with the e)amp*es
used in the book.
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- .eterson a*so created /igh 3a*yrian and Astapori 3a*yrian for the
show2 and is pro!iding trans*ations to ,artin for the upcoming si)th
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book.
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- The *anguage current*y has o!er 42555 words.
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- Dothraki does not ha!e its own writing system2 but is represented in
the books by a romani6ation.
Cu*ture
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The Dothraki are a nomadic horse cu*ture. They *i!e in tents in
tribes ca**ed a kha*asar2 ru*ed by a kha*2 who gains his status by
ha!ing many !ictories in war. They are a warring cu*ture that
!a*ues strength. They are often !iewed as barbarians by the
more sett*ed cu*tures around them.
.hono*ogy
3owe*s a i o e2 no diphthongs
,orpho*ogy
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-y**ab*es can ha!e on*y one !owe*
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Deri!ationa* morpho*ogy 7 producti!e for !erbs
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!8i9- -8e9r 7 durati!e construction
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e8s9- -8s9a 7 negati!e
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6i8r9- -8s9e - bad or dire
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sa8!9- -8s9a 7 to be co!ered in
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qoy 8b*ood9 : saqoyalat 8to be co!ered in b*ood9
Grammar 8!erbs9
-tati!e !s dynamic !erbs
Hrazef zhikha.
/orse sick
;The horse is sick.; 8stati!e9
Anha haqak. : Anha haqok.
<'=m tired.> 8stati!e9 ;' grow tired.; 8dynamic9
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- 'nfiniti!e formed with -at suffi)
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- .ast tense formed by dropping -at suffi)2 negation with -o
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- .resent tense 8astat 7 to say9
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.erson -ingu*ar .*ura*
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(irst person astak astaki
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-econd person asti asti
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Third person asta asti
Grammar 8nouns9
$oun Cases
- $ominati!e/Accusati!e
Jano ost hrazef. ? ;a dog bit a horse.;
- Geniti!e2 Ab*ati!e2 A**ati!e
- Doesn=t seem to ha!e definiteness distinction
Animacy
- distinction between *i!ing/mo!ing things and non-*i!ing things
- animate: son2 ri!er2 name inanimate: basket
- noun dec*ension based on animacy
nominati!e accusati!e geniti!e a**ati!e ab*ati!e
singu*ar animate2 stem -C /?/ /-es/ /-i/ /-aan/ /-oon/
singu*ar animate2 stem -3 /?/ /-es/ /-si/ /-saan/ /-soon/
p*ura* animate2 stem -C /-i/ /-is/ /-i/ /-ea/ /-oa/
p*ura* animate2 stem -3 /-si/ /-es/ /-si/ /-sea/ /-soa/
inanimate !aries /?/ or /-e/ /-i/ /-aan/ /-oon/
-ynta)
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- -31 word order 7 3-1 o*d word order2 can be used for forma*ity
- @ero copu*a *ike Arabic
Anha lajak.
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<' 8am a9 fighter.>
- .assi!e and impersona* constructions 8nem9
Anha nem vastok.
;' wi** be spoken about.;
- Auestion partic*es 8hash2 fin9
Hash ifak driva?
;'s the foreigner dead;
Fin shafka okki?
;#hich wi** you choose;
-ynta)
- Compound sentences work the same as in Bng*ish
8and " ma2 so " majin2 but " vosma9
Anha afichak heffof ma anirrak mae sewafikhoon.
;' wi** fetch a Cug and fi** it with wine.;
- Ad!erbs come at the end of the sentence or direct*y after the !erb.
(uture of Dothraki
,artin has at *east D more books p*anned2 and the /01
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series is going strong
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A -ong of 'ce and (ire has gained a *arge fan base
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Dothraki has a b*og and a dictionary2 so fans can *earn the *anguage