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Post by amrathelion on Sept 20, 2017 16:49:00 GMT -5
Conan's Linguistics:
During his travels Conan has picked up multiple languages becoming a talented polyglot and multi-linguist. While Conan is far more fluent in some languages than others, with some probably only being a few words or passable phrases; these are the languages I theorize he speaks at least partially, being able to communicate with the peoples of various lands he has travelled to.
1. Cimmerian learned in his youth. 2. Aquilonian learned in his youth. 3. Bossonian learned in his youth. 4. Nordheimr learned in his youth and refined during his time with the Æsir before the events of The Frost-Giant's Daughter. 5. Pictish learned in his youth. 6. Hyperborean learned in his youth and captivity. 7. Brythunian learned crossing Brythunia after captivity. 8. Nemedian learned prior to the events of The God in the Bowl. 9. Zamorian learned prior to the events of The Tower of the Elephant. 10. Corinthian learned prior to the events of Rogues in the House and The Nestor Synopsis refined during his time as a Corinthian Mercenary. 11. Ophirean learned while traveling through Ophir on his way home to Cimmeria after his Zamoran and Corinthian adventures. Further refined after The Man-Eaters of Zamboula when he travels to Ophir to sell the Star of Khorala. 12. Kothic learned prior to the events of Black Colossus while serving as a Corinthian Mercenary. Further refined in Black Colossus and A Witch Shall be Born. 13. Shemitish learned while a thief and during his service as a Corinthian mercenary. Further refined during Black Colossus, A Witch Shall be Born, and Queen of the Black Coast. 14. Hyrkanian learned during A Witch Shall be Born as a Zuagir raiding Turanian cities and further refined during The Man-Eaters of Zamboula, and Iron Shadows in the Moon. 15. Argossean learned prior to the events of Queen of the Black Coast while traveling from Ophir into Argos. 16. Kushite/Cushite learned during Queen of the Black Coast. 17. Stygian learned during Queen of the Black Coast. 18. Yuetshi learned prior to the events of Iron Shadows in the Moon. 19. Vendhyan learned prior to the events of People of the Black Circle. 20. Zhaibari learned prior to the events of People of the Black Circle. 21. Ghulistani or Ghuli learned prior to the events of People of the Black Circle. 22. Keshani learned prior to the events of The Servants of Bit-Yakin. 23. Puntan learned after the events of The Servants of Bit-Yakin. 24. Zingaran learned prior to the events of The Pool of the Black One. 25. Darfari learned prior to the events of Red Nails.
"In his roaming about the world the giant adventurer had picked up a wide smattering of knowledge, particularly including the speaking and reading of many alien tongues. Many a sheltered scholar would have been astonished at the Cimmerian's linguistic abilities, for he had experienced many adventures where knowledge of a strange language meant the difference between life and death." - The Servants of Bit-Yakin
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Post by elegos7 on Sept 20, 2017 23:27:44 GMT -5
Hi amrathelion,
Thanks for sharing your meticulous research on Conan once again. It is good to know all this information is available on this new site as well.
It is astonishing how many languages he had to learn to be able to communicate with people during his journeys.
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Post by Von K on Sept 21, 2017 18:40:07 GMT -5
Thanks for the research and overview Amra. By that list I'd say Conan may even qualify as a hyperpolyglot, though I'm not sure how widely accepted that relatively new term is in linguistics:
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 21:08:10 GMT -5
Thanks for the research and overview Amra. By that list I'd say Conan may even qualify as a hyperpolyglot, though I'm not sure how widely accepted that relatively new term is in linguistics: Whoa! New word for me, hyperpolyglot. I think Conan qualifies. Do you think Pelishtim is the name for the written form of Shemitish. Or do you think it is a dialect of Shemitish spoken in the city of Pelishtim in the Lands of Shem? Or both? Does it qualify as a different language? Does it need to be added to the list? If it is a local dialect I wonder if the other cities in the Lands of Shem also have local dialects of Shemitish. Pelishtim is analogous to historical Philistia from whence come the Philistines. The term Peleshet in Hebrew, Palastu or Palashtu in Assyrian, or Peleset in Egyptian means foreigner or wanderer. The terms Philistine and Palestine come from these root words meaning other nation or migratory people. The suffix im in Hebrew is plural as in Cherub to Cherubim or Seraph to Seraphim. Or the Philistine word for lord, Seran to Seranim i.e. lords as in Lords of the five cities. So Pelishti singular foreigner becomes Pelishtim a city of foreigners. The Philistines also conquered Canaanite Ashkelon and it became one of the Land of the Philistia made of the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza. Howard has an analogous city in the Lands of Shem called Asgalun. It is not known exactly what language the Philistines spoke but it is thought to be a dialect of Canaanite a Semitic language. The Semitic language family includes Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic. Some Philistine names are Hebrew and some are not and there are some non-Semitic loan words believed to be Philistine in the Bible that may even be Indo-European in origin likewise with found inscriptions both Semitic and possibly Indo-European. So we don't know for sure. So would Pelishtim be a dialect of Shemitsh or a distinct language altogether in Howard's mythos? Would archaic Pelishtim be analogous to ancient Semitic languages like Phoenician or Akkadian? "Remembering something, the Cimmerian drew forth the roll of parchment he had taken from the mummy and unrolled it carefully, as it seemed ready to fall to pieces with age. He scowled over the dim characters with which it was covered. In his roaming about the world the giant adventurer had picked up a wide smattering of knowledge, particularly including the speaking and reading of many alien tongues. Many a sheltered scholar would have been astonished at the Cimmerian's linguistic abilities, for he had experienced many adventures where knowledge of a strange language meant the difference between life and death. These Characters were puzzling, at once familiar and unintelligible, and presently he discovered the reason. They were the characters of the archaic Pelishtim, which possessed many points of difference from the modern script, with which he was familiar, and which, three centuries ago, had been modified by conquest by a nomad tribe. This older, purer script baffled him. He made out a recurrent phrase, however, which he recognized as a proper name: Bit-Yakin. He gathered it was the name of the writer. Scowling, his lips unconsciously moving as he struggled with the task, he blundered through the manuscript, finding much of it untranslatable and most of the rest of it obscure. He gathered that the writer, the mysterious Bit-Yakin, had come from afar with his servants, and entered the valley of Alkmeenon. Much that followed was meaningless, interspersed as it was with unfamiliar phrases and characters. Such as he could translate seemed to indicate the passing of a very long period of time." - The Servants of Bit-Yakin
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:18:11 GMT -5
Conan speaks Aquilonian, Nordheimr, Hyperborean, and Pictish from his youth.
Born in Cimmeria Conan speaks Cimmerian from childhood. More than likely he has learned some Pictish growing up as well from the incessant fighting with them.
"'Even a Zingaran ought to know there's never been peace between Picts and Cimmerians, and never will be,' he retorted with an oath. 'Our feud with them is older than the world. If you'd said that to one of my wilder brothers, you'd have found yourself with a split head. But I've lived among you civilized men long enough to understand your ignorance and lack of common courtesy - the churlishness that demands his business of a man who appears at your door out of a thousand-mile wilderness. Never mind that.'" -The Black Stranger
Cimmerian is never mentioned by Howard as a language, I name it after the people, or the country or region it is spoken in.
For the same reason he is familiar with Nordheimr of Nordheim, Aquilonian of Aquilonia, Hyperborean of Hyperborea, and Bossonian of the Bossonian Marches as well.
"In a sort of bastard-Bossonian, the priest made the chief understand his purpose, and the though extremely puzzled, Gorm gave him permission to remain among his tribe unbutchered- a case unique in the history of the race." - REH speaking of Picts in The Hyborian Age.
Nordheimr and Hyperborean are never mentioned by Howard as languages, they are named after the people, or the country or region they are spoken in.
“...but there’s strength in union – that’s what the Aquilonian renegades used to tell us Cimmerians when they came into the hills to raise an army to invade their own country. But we fight by clans and tribes.” –Red Nails
"They were barbaric and warlike...They fought on foot, mainly, and made savage raids on their neighbors to the east, north, and south." - REH on Cimmerians in Notes on Various Peoples of the Hyborian Age
"Cimmeria: to the south Aquilonia, to the north Asgard, to the northwest Vanaheim, to the west the Pictish marches; to the east Hyperborea; to the south the Aquilonian marches." - REH in Hyborian Names and Countries
I think the Aquilonian marches Howard lists may be the Bossonian Marches because he lists it separate from Aquilonia that he has already listed.
"In the north there was incessant bickering along the Cimmerian borders between the black-haired warriors and the Nordheimr; and the Æsir, between wars with the Vanir, assailed Hyperborea and pushed back the frontier, destroying city after city. The Cimmerians also fought the Picts and Bossonians impartially, and several times raided into Aquilonia itself, but their wars were less invasions than mere plundering forays." -REH in The Hyborian Age
“There was the space of about a year between Vanarium and his entrance into the thief-city of Zamora. During this time he returned to the northern territories of his tribe, and made his first journey beyond the boundaries of Cimmeria. This, strange to say, was north instead of south. Why or how, I am not certain, but he spent some months among a tribe of the Æsir, fighting with the Vanir and the Hyperboreans, and developing a hate for the latter which lasted all his life and later affected his policies as king of Aquilonia. Captured by them, he escaped southward and came into Zamora in time to make his debut in print.” - Robert E. Howard Letter to P.Schuyler Miller
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:19:30 GMT -5
The Frost-Giant's Daughter
In the story Conan speaks the language of Nordheim –Nordheimr.
Since Conan speaks to the Æsir and Vanir as well as the god Ymir's daughter Atali and her brothers the frost giants and all seem to understand him, and that he understands Atali as she cries out for help from her father the Nordheimr God Ymir it seems Conan speaks Nordheimr.
Howard never mentions Nordheimr as a language by name. It is named after the people, or the country or region it is spoken in.
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:22:05 GMT -5
Conan is held captive by the Hyperboreans in Hyperborea.
He may have also already been familiar with Hyperborean but definitely would have picked up some while in captivity.
Howard never mentions Hyperborean as a language by name. It is named after the people, or the country or region it is spoken in.
He also probably lost all of his weapons and armor during captivity. Coming out of Hyperborea he would have had to have crossed through Brythunia to get to Zamora. He may have picked up some Brythunian while there.
Howard never mentions Brythunian as a language by name. It is named after the people, or the country or region it is spoken in.
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:23:12 GMT -5
The God in the Bowl
In the story Conan speaks Nemedian that he learned while in Nemedia prior to the story.
"'I didn't kill him,' he answered, speaking Nemedian with a barbaric accent." –The God in the Bowl
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:25:05 GMT -5
In The Tower of the Elephant he speaks Zamorian. He was probably in Zamora for some time before the story begins.
"He had squatted for hours in the courtyards of the philosophers, listening to the arguments of the theologians and teachers, and come away in a haze of bewilderment, sure of only one thing, and that, that they were all touched in the head." –The Tower of the Elephant
“’A devil from the Outer Dark,’ he grunted. ‘Oh, they’re nothing uncommon. They lurk as thick as fleas outside the belt of light which surrounds this world. I’ve heard the wise men of Zamora talk of them.’” –The Vale of Lost Women
"'You spoke of the Elephant Tower,' said the stranger, speaking Zamorian with an alien accent." –The Tower of the Elephant
Supposing that upon being surprised by Conan, Taurus the Nemedian speaks to him in his own native tongue Nemedian , Conan then replies as he has previously learned it prior to the events of God in the Bowl, in any case he had already heard of the Nemedian thief.
“’You are no soldier,’ hissed the stranger at last. ‘You are a thief like myself.’ 'And who are you?' asked the Cimmerian in a suspicious whisper. 'Taurus of Nemedia.' The Cimmerian lowered his sword. 'I've heard of you. Men call you a prince of thieves.'" –The Tower of the Elephant
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:27:43 GMT -5
Untitled Synopsis a.k.a. The Nestor Synopsis
Conan speaks to the Gunderman mercenary Nestor with the Aquilonian that he must have learned previously in his youth.
“He was seeking an entrance, when Nestor came upon him again, sword in hand, having followed him over the wall. Conan disgustedly advised him to aid him in securing the vast fabulous treasure instead of fighting. After some argument the Gunderman agreed…” -The Nestor Synopsis
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:30:17 GMT -5
Rogues in the House
Corinthian is the language assumed to be spoken throughout the story but is never mentioned. Conan must have been in Corinthia long enough to pick up the language.
“He thought his heart would stop when a voice hissed in a barbaric accent: ‘Murilio! Is it you?’” – Rogues in the House
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:33:43 GMT -5
Black Colossus
In Black Colossus Conan speaks Kothic the language of the land which he must have learned whilst employed as a Mercenary. He is enlisted under Amalric the Nemedian. Good thing he already speaks Nemedian. That may have helped him to learn the Kothic spoken in the area by having a commander that can translate orders into a language he is familiar with. He also speaks Shemite learned as a thief and mercenary.
"But in Khoraja, carved out of Shemite lands by the swords of Kothic adventurers." "At first glance she saw he was no Kothian; when he spoke she knew he was no Hyborian." "'Have they shut you into the street?' he asked in barbarous Kothic, reaching for her." -Black Colossus
“She could dimly see that Conan still sat on the boulder; she glimpsed the long blue glimmer of his blade. Close beside him crouched another figure, on which the dying fire cast a faint glow. Yasmela drowsily made out a hooked beak of a nose, a glittering bead of an eye, under a white turban. The man was speaking rapidly in a Shemite dialect she found hard to understand. ‘Let Bel wither my arm! I speak truth! By Derketo, Conan, I am prince of liars, but I do not lie to an old comrade. I swear by the days when we were thieves together in the land of Zamora, before you donned hauberk!’” –Black Colossus
“This a wandering Shemite had told him, swearing that he had seen such beasts by the thousands in the country of the Hyrkanians; but all men knew what liars were the men of Shem.” –The Tower of the Elephant
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:34:56 GMT -5
A Witch Shall be Born
Conan speaks Kothic learned as a mercenary and Shemitish learned as a thief and mercenary.
"They are the Shemitish mercenaries of Constantius, the Kothic voivode of the Free Companies."-A Witch Shall be Born
Conan understands the Kothic spoken to him by Constantius while crucified. He also speaks Kothic in Khauran.
"which at one time formed the eastern part of the empire of Koth, and which later regained the independence which was theirs at a still earlier age." –A Witch Shall Be Born
"'Remember me when the vultures are tearing at your living flesh,' he called mockingly." - A Witch Shall Be Born
"At the present there is some possibility of invasion from the desert, which is inhabited by tribes of Shemitish nomads. The mercenaries of Constantius are men from the Shemitish cities of the west, Pelishtim, Anakim, Akkharim, and are ardently hated by the Zuagirs and other wandering tribes." - A Witch Shall Be Born
Conan understands the Zuagir dialect of Shemitish and speaks with them.
"'Aye!' It was the guttural accents of a Zuagir. 'It is the Cimmerian who was captain of the queen's guard.'" - A Witch Shall Be Born
"Aie, you dogs, sharpen your ears and listen! Gather around here. I have a tale to tell you." – A Witch Shall Be Born
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:36:12 GMT -5
The Man-Eaters of Zamboula
Conan now is probably nearly fluent in Shemitish having lived with the Zuagir. During their raids on Turanian outposts and cities he has probably picked up a smattering of Hyrkanian the language of the empire of Turan. Conan first hears the Kushite, Stygian, and possibly Darfari tongues while in Zamboula.
Conan speaks to a Zuagir in Shemitish Zuagir dialect.
"'Be warned! Thou hast dwelt for many moons in the tents of the Zuagirs, and thou art our brother! Go not to the house of Aram Baksh!' 'Get out of sight!' Conan said suddenly."-The Man-Eaters of Zamboula
"The watchmen did not accost him...They were Pelishtim...mercenaries hired for work the ruling Turanians considered beneath themselves." - The Man-Eaters of Zamboula
"Giant black slaves slouched along, jostling blue-beared wanderers from the Shemitish cities, ragged nomads from the surrounding deserts, traders and adventurers from all the lands of the East. The native population was no less heterogeneous. Here, centuries ago, the armies of Stygia had come, carving an empire out of the eastern desert. Zamboula was but a small trading town then, lying amidst a ring of oases, and inhabited by descendants of nomads. The Stygians built it into a city and settled it with their own people, and with Shemite and Kushite slaves. The ceaseless caravans, threading the desert from east to west and back again, brought riches and more mingling of races. Then came the conquering Turanians, riding out of the East to thrust back the boundaries of Stygia, and now for a generation Zamboula Had been Turan's western-most out-post, ruled by a Turanian satrap. The babel of a myriad tongues smote on the Cimmerian's ears as the restless pattern of the Zamboula streets weaved about him..." - The Man-Eaters of Zamboula
Conan speaks to Nafertari most likely in Hyrkanian throughout the story. Howard never mentions Hyrkanian/Hyrcanian as a language by name. It is named after the people, or the country or region it is spoken in.
Conan listens to cannibal slaves from Darfar.
"Now they could understand the gutturals of the black men." –The Man-Eaters of Zamboula
It is not made clear if they are speaking Hyrkanian since they are slaves and likely have been in the city for some time or their own language Darfari from Darfar near Kush. Howard never mentions Darfari as a language by name. It is named after the people, or the country or region it is spoken in.
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Post by amrathelion on Sept 21, 2017 22:37:32 GMT -5
Queen of the Black Coast
Argossean, Shemitish, Kushite/Cushite, Stygian
Travelling from Ophir into Argos seeking employment as a mercenary but not finding any wars in which to sell his service as a swordsman he remained in the kingdom long enough to make friends and learn some of the language.
“Well, last night in a tavern, a captain of the king’s guard offered violence to the sweetheart of a young soldier, who naturally ran him through. But it seems there is some cursed law against killing guardsmen, and the boy and his girl fled away. It was bruited about that I was seen with them, and so today I was haled into court, and a judge asked me where the lad had gone. I replied that since he was a friend of mine, I could not betray him.” - Queen of the Black Coast
Conan speaks Argossean to the master of the ship Argus a man named Tito an Argossean, when he boards it. Argossean is never mentioned as language by Howard,it is named after the people, or the country or region it is spoken in.
"'Who invited you aboard?' 'Get under way!' roared the intruder with a fierce gesture that spattered red drops from his broadsword. 'But we're bound for the coasts of Cush!' expostulated the master." -Queen of the Black Coast
Since Bêlit is Shemitish one could postulate that she addresses him in her native tongue although she may be speaking to him in Argossean knowing the nationality of the vessel she just captured on which he was aboard. She continues to speak to both Conan and the crew and it is doubtful she would address the crew in Argossean so it is assumed to be Shemitish. Conan speaks Shemitish learned as a thief and mercenary and refined with the Zuagir.
"'Who are you?' she demanded....'I am Conan, a Cimmerian,' he answered." -Queen of the Black Coast "...this daughter of Shem ..." -Queen of the Black Coast “She is a Shemite woman, who leads black raiders.” –Queen of the Black Coast
While raiding with the corsairs he learns Kushite/Cushite.
"The black spoke in a sea-coast dialect, and Conan replied; he had learned the jargon while a corsair on the coasts of Kush." - The Scarlet Citadel
He probably picks up some Stygian from his time sacking their cities and raiding their coasts with the corsairs. He definitely picked up a reputation and the name of Amra the lion at that time from the tales in the coastal villages of Kush calling him an iron man whose wrath was that of a wounded lion, and the enmity of the Stygians in their land of temples and pyramids.
"The Tigress ranged the sea, and the black villages shuddered. Tom-toms beat in the night, with a tale that she she-devil of the sea had found a mate, an iron man whose wrath was as that of a wounded lion. And the survivors of butchered Stygian ships named Bêlit with curse, and a white warrior with fierce blue eyes; so the Stygian princes remembered this man long and long, and their memory was a bitter tree which bore crimson fruit in the years to come." -Queen of the Black Coast
"If he were recognized as Amra, the corsair chief who had swept their coasts with steel and flame..." -The Hour of the Dragon
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