First Tongue

The First Tongue is the language spoken by the Uratha, who gain an innate basic understanding of it upon their First Change. It is also spoken by spirits, and may also have been the first human language.

Background Information

Ethan Skemp says:

The root of most First Tongue stuff is Sumerian, then run back through Grimm's Law. Step Three is where it gets really complicated, though, as many — and I mean many — a word is not at all literally the un-Grimmed Sumerian root. Messing around in Blasphemies I had to come up with some weird poetic language — like "neighbor-desire" for Envy. Many of the words that you see in the core were assembled by the guy who first put this thing together (James Kiley) and then many more were done by Carl Bowen while I was working on other stuff. So I can't quote the exact etymology of some words. Hieing all the way back to that traffic light spirit, the Little Road Tyrant — yeah, its First Tongue name was derived from the Sumerian "red-yellow-green."

There are minor "rules" derived elsewhere, too. Like the lunar choirs — they all end in "-lunim" not because it's proper Sumerian derivation, but because it was evocative of old angel names (and thereby sort of evoked another really ancient culture).

Sometimes we went right for the in-joke, too. The Breath, Worm and Deep all have direct in-joke First Tongue names, two of them from Werewolf: The Apocalypse (the Breath from an Elemental Urge, and the Worm... well, you probably know why we went with "Zmai").

In retrospect, I guess it wasn't a fair challenge. Rule Three is in its way the most important rule, and it seems to have gotten in the way of decoding the most. I apologize for that.

But it is the most important rule, particularly when designing your own words. It's very, very easy to come up with the same not-so-intuitive word for three entirely different concepts, due to the many homonyms in Sumerian. Always keep that sucker in mind.

Glossary of First Tongue Words

Listed below are all the known words of the First Tongue. For further discussion on this language, please visit the Talk page.

A

• Afhal: Warlock
• Aharnuz: The Mother
• Alath: Helpful spirit
• Alathru: Gift or Gifts
• Amahan Iduth: Mother Moon
• Amdulim: Death, Harvesters (WTF: Predators, p. 57)
• Anfarsisu: Train, Iron Horses (WTF: Predators, p. 34)
• Anshega: The Pure Tribes (WTF: Blood of the Wolf, p. 113)
• Arrathudum: cursed item (WTF: The Pure, p. 141)
• Asah Gadar: Bale Hound
• Aziha: Cursed (WTF: Hunting Ground The Rockies, p. XX)
• Azlu: Spider Host

B

• Ba'musum: Steel, Iron's Children (WTF: Predators, p. 45)
• Beshilu: Rat Host

C

• Cahalith: The gibbous moon, and the corresponding auspice
• Cahalunim: The Lune choir of the gibbous moon

D

• Dagukurum: River, Swift Waters (WTF: Predators, p. 47)
• Dirak-Lahaf: Machine Gun, Chattershots (WTF: Predators, p. 37)
• duguthim: Possessed or Merged
• Duhalaim: Raccoon, Cunning Masks (WTF: Predators, p. 26)
• dulesh'na: Touchstone

E

• Elodoth: The half moon, and the corresponding auspice
• Elolunim: The Lune choir of the half moon
• Endi Matha: Playgrounds, Child Farmers (WTF: Predators, p. 41)
• Endim: Toys, Playthings (WTF: Predators, p. 41)
• Engum: Loci guardians (WTF: The Pure, p. 26)

F

• Fa-ninna: Owl, Omen Birds (WTF: Predators, p. 28)
• far'huf: Steping Sideways
• Farsil Luhal: Iron Masters
• Fenris-Ur: Destroyer Wolf

G

• Galer Za Da Har: "I banish you from this world"
• gazhdum: a mirror or reflective surface
• Gifala: The spirit wilds
• Gila Esi: Elm, The Downfallen (WTF: Predators, p. 31)
• gishar: A Wound
• gurihal: The physical world
• Gurim-Ur: Rabid Wolf (WTF: The Pure, p. 48)
• Guzen Ehara: Bank, Usury Lords (WTF: Predators, p. 35)
• Guzenthima: Money, Golden Thoughts (WTF: Predators, p. 40)

H

• Hafal: War, Warmongers (WTF: Predators, p. 59)
• Halaku: Crow Host (WTF: Predators, p. 164)
• Hanzerih: Flame, Consuming Fires (WTF: Predators, p. 47)
• Hesath Thaf: Pain, Paroxysms (WTF: Predators, p. 57)
• Hespar Nimhir: Electricity, Trapped Lightning (WTF: Predators, p. 44)
• Hikaon-Ur: Black Wolf
• Hirafahra Hissu: Bone Shadows
• Hiribanu: Knife, Bladelings (WTF: Predators, p. 36)
• Hiri Hufesi: Oak, Those that wait (WTF: Predators, p. 32)
• Hisil: The Shadow Realm
• Hithim: Hostile Spirit
• hithim luzak: Spirit fugitive
• Hithimu: Spirit Ridden
• hithisu: Spirit Urged
• Hurhir Gasmk: Sports Car, Highway Cats (WTF: Predators, p. 33)
• Huzuruth-Ur: Dire Wolf

I

• Idigathim: Lunacy
• Iduth Zana: Moon Puppets (WTF: Blood of the Wolf, p. 119)
• Iminir: Storm Lords
• Imkul: Breezes, Waftlings (WTF: Predators, p. 44)
• Imria Hithim: The Ancestor Spirits (WTF: Predators, p. 64)
• Inimshi: Desire, Lustings (WTF: Predators, p. 56)
• Inimzu-Ur: Wolves who speak with words (WTF: Tribes of the Moon, p. 67)
• Irraka: New moon, and the corresponding auspice
• Irralunim: The Lune choir of the new moon
• Ithaeur: The crescent moon, and the corresponding auspice
• Ithalunim: The Lune choir of the crescent moon
• ithaghi: Auspice
• Iurhir: Dog, Mongrels (WTF: Predators, p. 25)
• Izidakh: Fire-Touched

K

• k'ruuk: 'Scarred One', an honourific given to the members of the Lodge of Scars (WTF: Lodges The Splintered, p. 115)
• Kamduis-Ur: Death Wolf
• Kath Hespar: Orb Spider, Trapweavers (WTF: Predators, p. 30)
• Kuruth: Death Rage

L

• lama: helpul spirit
• lil: spirit of a place
• Lum: Apathy, Heartslugs (WTF: Predators, p. 56)
• Lushar Iduthag: The Tribes of the Moon

M

• Magath: Hybrid spirit without choir
• Meninna: Hunter in Darkness
• Mirhira: Storm, Angry Skies (WTF: Predators, p. 48)
• muth luzuk: Blood Thief

N

• naestu: 'Where one cannot smell or taste', often used to decribe being in Hishu (WTF: Blood of the Wolf, p. 35)
• nahdar: Locus
• Namithamhar: Mini Mart, Quicklures (WTF: Predators, p. 35)
• Nihhilim: Rat, Vermin (WTF: Predators, p. 26)
• Ninna Farakh: Predator Kings
• Nuigim: The Unseen
• Numilim: Silence, Voiceless (WTF: Predators, p. 58)
• nuzusul: A werewolf before the First Change

R

• Rahu: The full moon, and the corresponding auspice
• Rahulunim: The Lune choir of the gibbous moon
• Razilu: The Snake Host (WTF: Predators, p XX)
• Rih Lahafa: Gluttony, Gorgers (WTF: Predators, p. 54)
• Rihmatha: Kudzu, Land Eater (WTF: Predators, p. 32)

S

• Sagrim-Ur: Red Wolf
• Sahfala Usum: Rattlesnake, Disagreeable Serpents (WTF: Predators, p. 27)
• Sah-sik-nisik: Traffic Light, Little Road Tyrants (WTF: Predators, p. 40)
• Saf'lahaf: Plastic, Anyshapes (WTF: Predators, p. 45)
• Sahthaf Usah: Nightmares, Incubi (WTF: Predators, p. 60)
• Sar Umfisah: Book, Scrollborn (WTF: Predators, p. 38)
• shartha: The Host
• shurilam: Twilight
• Sithul Uddis: Computer, RAM-eaters (WTF: Predators, p. 38)
• Skolis-Ur: Winter Wolf
• Sloag'tha: Sewer, Cesslords (WTF: Predators, p. 42)
• Srizaku: Locust Host (WTF: Predators, p. XX)
• Suhahdu: The Flesh
• Susuru Hafarrakum: The Dark Revolt
• Suthar Anzuth: Blood Talons
• Suthilu: First Tongue name sugested by Ethan Skemp for Wavesoul's bat host (related forum topic)
• Su'ur: Empty Wolves

T

• Tha'hon: The Deep
• Thif Hisir: Cat, Malkins (WTF: Predators, p. 24)
• Thifulmatha: Subway, Travels Below (WTF: Predators, p. 43)
• Thihirtha Numea: Ghost Wolves
• Thimma Hih: Dementia, Ailing Thoughts (WTF: Predators, p. 59)
• Thismin Thimma: Data, Binary Butterflies (WTF: Predators, p. 39)
• Thumuthafa: Ant, Workers (WTF: Predators, p. 29)
• Tzuumfin: Ivory Claws

U

• Uhamusen: Raven, Eye Eaters (WTF: Predators, p. 29)
• ulal: Essence
• umma: witch or warlock
• Unamatha Azim: Bear, Bruins (WTF: Predators, p. 24)
• ungin: A meeting on neutral Territory
• unihar: A Ghost Child
• Unlu Thufara: Golden Eagle, Sun Hunters (WTF: Predators, p. 28)
• uragarum: Wolf-blooded
• uralath: A totem spirit
• Uratha: Werewolves
• Urdaga: Forsaken
• Uremehir: The First Tongue
• Urfarah: Father Wolf
• Urfidum: Granite, Endurings (WTF: Predators, p. 46)
• Urlu: Wolf Host (link?)
• Usu-ur: Alone Wolf, Lone wolf (WTF: Tribes of the Moon, p37)
• Uthsu: Grief, Darkenings (WTF: Predators, p. 55)
• Uth Arathum: Illuminators, Sun Scholars (WTF: Predators, p. 53)
• Uth Umfisah: Searings, Sun Warriors (WTF: Predators, p. 53)

Y

• Ya-Dumu: Fifth Son (WTF: Tribes of the Moon, p37)

Z

• Zathu: Gauntlet
• Zela Uhur: Lightnings, Cloud Swords (WTF: Predators, p. 48)
• Zho'ak: The Breath
• Zi'ir: Broken Soul
• Zmai: The Worm
• zur: Chimmage