Here are just a few of the names and phrases you’ll see throughout the Orc Sworn series, with pronunciations and translations (if applicable)! Please note that some pronunciations have been anglicized from their historical origins.
CLAN NAMES
Ash-Kai (“strong and cunning”)
ASH-kye
Bautul (“brave”)
bau-TOOL
Skai (“swift”)
SKY
Grisk (“kind”)
GRISK
Ka-esh (“clever and wise”)
ka-ESH
Gods’ Names
Akva, the mother of the orcs
AHK-va
Edom, the father of the orcs
AY-dom
Skai-kesh (“Lord Skai”)
SKY-kesh
Orc Names (in general order of appearance)
Grimarr (Old Norse: “grim warrior”)
GRIM-arr
Baldr (Old Norse: “strong prince”; Baldr is also the Norse god of beauty, purity, joy, and peace)
BALL-dr
Drafli (Old Norse: “tattler”… in keeping with his “golden-tongue” nickname, heh)
DRAF-lee
Kaugir
KOW-geer
Kesst
KEST
Efterar
EFT-er-arr
Joarr
JO-arr
Gegnir (Old Norse: “one who provides”)
GEG-neer
Narfi (Old Norse: “narrow”)
NAR-fee
Silfast (Old Norse form of Latin Silvester, “of the woods”)
SILL-fast
Olarr (Old Norse: “noble warrior”)
OH-larr
Tengil (Old Norse: “prince, king”)
TEN-gill
Nattfarr
NATT-farr
Dammarr
DAM-arr
Thrak
THRAK
Thrain (Old Norse Þráinn: “obstinate”)
THRAYN
Varinn (Old Norse: “defender”)
va-RINN
Timo
TEE-mo
Trygve
TRIG-veh
Eyarl
AY-arl
Rakfi
RAK-fee
John-Ka (Aelakesh/common-tongue: “clever John”)
JOHN-ka
Tristan
TRIS-tan
Salvi (Old Norse: “sunny, devoted”)
SAL-vi
Thorin
THOR-inn
Simon
SY-min
Ulfarr (Old Norse variant of Ulfgæirr: “wolf spear”)
ALL-farr
Killik
KILL-ik
Dufnall
DUFF-nall
Bjorn (Old Norse: “bear”)
BYORN
Arnthorr
ARN-thorr
Ivar
EE-var
Kalfr
KAL-fr
Joakim
YO-a-keem
Tryggr (Old Norse: “trusty, faithful, true”)
TRIG-gr
Eben
AY-ben
Gaukr (Old Norse: “cuckoo”)
GOW-kr
Ofnir
OFF-neer
Rathgarr (Old Norse Ráðgeirr: “mighty spear”)
RATH-garr
Sigarr (Old Norse: “victory warrior”)
SEE-garr
Abjorn (Old Norse Ábiǫrn: “terrifying bear”)
AB-yorn
Sune (Old Norse sunr: “son”)
SOON-eh
Reynir (Old Norse: “rowan tree”)
RAY-neer
Reykur (Old Norse Reykr: “smoke”)
RAY-kr
Sigtryggr (Old Norse: “victory true”)
SIG-trig-gr
Ezog
AY-tsog
Human Names
Maria-Anita Bassala
mar-EE-ah an-EE-tah ba-SALL-ah
Alma (Latin/Spanish: “soul, nurturing, kind”)
ALL-ma
Gwyn
GWIN
Geva Okoro
JEE-va oh-KOR-oh
Aulis Gerrard (Aulis, Swedish: “helpful, generous”)
OW-liss jer-ARD
Duke Warmisham
Duke WARM-ish-um
Kaspar Sippola
KAS-per sip-OH-la
Place and Language Names
Aelakesh
AY-la-kesh
Sakkin
SAK-in
Salven
SAL-ven
Wolfen
WOLF-inn
Tlaxca
TLAX-ka
Preia
PRY-ah
Osada, Osadan
oh-SA-da, oh-SA-dn
Albajar, Albajan
AL-ba-yar, AL-ba-yin
Ezira
ez-EER-ah
Kraitish
KRAY-tish
Aelakesh Phrases
In the Orc Sworn series, our orcs speak a language called Aelakesh. I wanted to convey this on-page, but I’m definitely not a linguist, and didn’t feel informed enough to create a whole new language from scratch!
So along with a few personal additions (like “ach”!), I’ve mostly used Icelandic as a stand-in for Aelakesh throughout the series. My orcs are very Viking-inspired, and Icelandic is the closest living language to Old Norse (and unlike Old Norse, it has plenty of native speakers that can help translate!).
I’ve been lucky enough to work with a fabulous Icelandic translator throughout the series, and she’s been so helpful in bringing our orcs’ language to life.
ach (German: an interjection with multiple meanings, similar to oh, ah, or yeah in English)
AHK (with a soft k, the German way!)
ken, i.e. “I ken” (Scottish dialect: know; also drawing from German/Middle English kennen, to know)
KEN
galdr (Old Norse: witchcraft, sorcery, song-magic)
GALL-dr
kraga (Icelandic: collar)
KRAH-ga
sæti (Icelandic: sweetie, cutie)
SY-tee
sæti minn (Icelandic: my sweetie)
SY-tee min
elskan (Icelandic: darling, love)
EL-skun
hjartað mitt (Icelandic: my heart)
HYAR-tath mitt
krútt (Icelandic: cutie)
KROOT
gamli (Icelandic: old man)
GAM-lee
Ég elska þig (Icelandic: I love you)
yeg EL-ska thig
helvíti (Icelandic: hell, damn, f*ck)
HEL-vee-tee
helvítis hálfviti (Icelandic: f**king halfwit)
HEL-vee-tees HAL-vee-tee
helvítis fáviti (Icelandic: f**king a**hole)
HEL-vee-tees FOW-vee-tee
ansans kjánaskapur (Icelandic: that was damned foolish)
AHN-sans KYOW-nas-ka-pur
frábært (Icelandic: excellent)
FROW-bert
refsaðu mér (Icelandic: punish me)
REF-sa-thu meer
ríddu mér (Icelandic: f*ck me)
REE-du meer
fyrirgefðu mér (Icelandic: forgive me)
FEER-uh-gev-thuh meer
Mér þykir þetta svo leitt (Icelandic: I’m so sorry)
mair THEE-kir THET-a swo late
Ég er þakklátur (Icelandic: I am grateful)
yeg er THAK-lau-tur
Ég er þín (Icelandic: I am yours)
yeg er THEEN
fallegur (Icelandic: beautiful)
FAHT-leg-ur
stórglæsilegur (Icelandic: stunning, elegant, magnificent)
STOAR-glys-hil-e-ghur
borðaðu (Icelandic: to eat)
BOR-tha-thu
morgunmatur (Icelandic: breakfast)
MOR-ghun-ma-thur
Leggstu niður og þegiðu (Icelandic: Lie down and shut up)
LHEGG-hstu NEE-thur ogh THEY-hi-thu