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1Vortigaunt language basics
2True Vortigese can only be understood by telepathic individuals. The inflection and specific context of any spoken sound is
3created through Vortal means. Flux Shifting is the term they use, where each Vortigaunt’s mental and verbal
4communication is shared in a holistic manner. Therefore any context is generally lost on Human ears, and each single
5Vortigese word can be interpreted in dozens of different ways depending on that context. Many words can be spelled in
6different ways, but they are generally pronounced only one. Vortigaunts can learn virtually any language, pronunciation
7may be more or less correct though they always sound ‘exotic’. Though they have few or no words with certain sounds
8in their own language, they can pronounce English/non-Vort sounds just fine. Vortigese is difficult for normal Humans
9to pronounce because some of the resonance and depth of the actual sounds are created using their longer throats,
10differently shaped mouths, and considerably larger lungs. Many Vorts give off rumbling sounds that can hardly be heard
11by Human ears. What may sound like a simple grunt to a Human can be a complete word or even sentence to a Vort.
12When words might, in English, flow together sloppily, most Vorts pronounce each of their own words individually even if they
13speak quickly. There is little change in stress between words or syllables, though when there are three or more syllables,
14the second is sometimes stronger.
15Not every word or phrase follows every rule, as with most languages they have their exceptions based on traditional use.
16Vortigese is not intentionally vague or difficult to decode, for Humans. However, those who have Vortal inputs are clearly at an
17advantage to understand certain phrases and follow lengthy discussions.
18Context-driven punctuation
19Since this is a written work, some context can be explained away by using hyphens (-) and apostrophes (‘) to indicate
20‘connections’ between words. They essentially modify whatever two words appear together, as subject or object.
21Often, imagining the phrase “of (the)” or “from (the)” between two words can help explain their context. Obviously it depends on
22which specific words are in use.
23‘(word) is used to indicate the verb form of whatever other word is in use, while (word)’ generally shows what is being done.
24When there is no proper way to imagine action between those, ‘ merely shows the emphasis or direction that the object
25should be observed.
26(word)-(word) is used to combine ideas together, as in English.
27Context-driven information
28Counting in Vort requires concentration – it’s either “none”, “one” or “many”. To know how many, exactly, of any given thing
29(people in a room, eggs in a basket, rounds in a clip) are present, the sender and receiver of the information must be fluxshifting. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to speak something other than Vort if you want to convey complicated math.
30Tense and location - while Vortigese does have a past/present/future set of tense words and modifiers, often they’ll completely
31ignore saying those words while flux-shifting, because ‘they just know’ whether the events they’re discussing are
32current, past, or potential. In deference to any auditory listeners, or if they’re attempting to convey important information
33directly to Humans, they will attempt to use whatever words are appropriate. Similarly, a given location (here, there,
34somewhere else) may be ignored while in purely Vortigaunt company, because that information is carried implicitly with
35their minds. Also of note, Vorts often neglect to address the issue of ‘they are actually dead’, when referring to others of
36their kind, or indeed strongly Vortal Humans. This is likely because they accept any Vortal presence as ‘current’, and
37while they know death prevents verbal speech it’s never stopped them from lingering and communicating with the rest of
38their kind.
39Individual sound pronunciation guide - not all sounds always are spelled ‘properly’ and would also vary by population’s
40use.
41Use of ^ indicates “voiced” intonation, see below
42A = ah as in car; aa = as in mat; ae as in pay
43E = as wet; ee as in see; ey as in ‘a’ in pay
44I = as in ink; ih as in hit; ii = e-e including a slight pause; ie = as eye
45O = as in oat; oh = sometimes as in mod
46U = as in cut; sometimes oo as in soon; sometimes includes pause o-o
47W = seldom used, generally oa
48Y = seldom used, generally ee as in seen, sometimes as in yes
49H = as in Hello, at end of words generally softens vowel sound, irregularly is voiced (usually as ch)
50B = as in Bat – no P sounds
51V = as in Volume – no F (unvoiced) sound
52D = as in Dug - at end of word almost always heavily voiced, as added
53Ch = at start of word always as in Champ, at middle or end of word voiced [^] as in the Gaelic loch or German achtung
54K = (also ck) as in Kill, all C with no h added are K sounds; no Q words, they are all ‘kw’
55Ks (x) = as in Tacks (see X)
56G (gh) = as in Good, strongly voiced at end of word [^] as ‘guh’
57J = as in Juice (rarely as zh)
58M = as in Man
59N = as in Nice – except at end of word, may be silent
60T = as in Table – except at end of word, may be silent or heavily abbreviated in voice
61Ts = as in pacts
62L or LL = as in Lull – heavily voiced in many words
63R (rh) = as in Ran – often sounds rolled or as a growl
64S = as in hissed
65Sh = as in Shut
66X or Z = as in Zoo, or zz as buzz, X at end of word always = ks
67Zh or Xh = as the g in mirage, usually [^]
68Vortigese Word Listing (very basic), not all spellings are consistent, so choose what looks best and how it sounds - ah and aa do
69sound different from ey but may be interchanged, just fake it; when a word is listed having different spellings, the main
70spelling is used as its primary alphabetical location (so some may have e first, others i first, etc)
71Ach (^ ch) = a non-star celestial body, planet or comet, seen from a world; an image reflection (not a mirror, but the image itself)
72or light’s reflection on an object such as a mirror/atmosphere; also may be a mirage or other ‘untouchable, near’ visible
73item; very rarely used for personality, but can mean ‘a pale imitation of x person’
74Ah’ (or [a] combined with words) (short sound) = you, us, nearby companions, team or group address
75Ahg (agg) = the idea of generalized concepts, ‘things’ if physical, ‘ideas’ otherwise; generalization, overall use or
76implementation; ha’agh (voiced gh) does not mean ‘no idea’ but instead ‘stereotype’ or ‘typical negative thing’
77Ahglah (or aglaa) = the all-in-one, encompassing, the fabric of life, circle, sphere
78Ahhhr = opening of the Vortal communication pathways, readiness to commune by flux-shifting, note that this is not spoken
79merely as ‘arr’ (like a pirate) but with an extended exhalation and a rolled ‘r’ sound
80Ahl (all) = of or from, lineage of, surname or epithet, representation from a group or place (always followed by word)
81Ahm (amm) = a corridor or tunnel, a space that connects other locations used only for that purpose; can also refer to arteries or
82veins, pipes or tubes
83Ahn (an, long ah) = new, but implies having begun again; to reform, to transform or change emotionally or physically
84Ai (aye, eye) = spectrum, that which can be sensed in a limited way, a specific wavelength group (rarely emotional)
85Ak (awk, ahk) = the feeling of mass, weighty, something substantive to touch
86Alla = self, people, singular or plural depending on context, Vortikind embodied in flesh
87Allu = other non-threatening life forms, allies, non-Vortigaunt individuals, peaceful contact
88Araa (arah) = physical aspect of transparency, see-through, barrier, force field; (not mah/maa – physical only)
89Ard (ardh) = droplet, raindrop, a small amount of liquid; usually a measurement or description of a specific item/object, but can
90mean ‘a tiny thing’ or ‘a delicate person’
91Arm (ahrm) = to reinforce, build up, mostly physical as a wall or barrier that can be reconstructed or torn down; call in troops,
92bolster emotionally; ablative armor before it is used
93Arr (as are) = safety, security, secure location; to assure or reassure; to check an object, area, or person for safety’s sake
94Ash (distinct s, ahsh, aash) = to physically miss, feel the motion of something moving past, ‘wind’ or ‘wake’, ‘near miss’
95Ask (aask, ahsk) = to impose, imprint upon, enact, do the bidding of, do as instructed with authority; the imposition of a law,
96legality, technicality; enforcer or lawyer
97Ath (aath, ahth) = clumsy, physically unskilled, butterfingers, almost always physical and usually referring to a person
98Azh (^ zh) = sun, a star nearby, a star cluster prominent in the skies; local orientation/direction, time of day
99Chrazh/Chra’azh = dawn; Nah’azh/naaazh = morning; Ee’azh/eeyazh = noon/midday; Ja’azh/Jahazh = sunset/evening;
100Ha’azh/Haazh = night time/midnight; Mii’azh = magnetic north or east (world-dependant)
101Bach (baach, ^ ch) = an ingredient that goes into a mixture, usually combined with a modifier that indicates what it should do
102within it, usually representing physical items rather than traits or emotions, though with Human contact this has changed
103because personality generalization can include such descriptors
104Bahh (baa) = multiples, many, divisions of a single thing (such as individual Vortigaunts among their kin)
105Ban = increments or demarcations, measurements, gradualness, portions as opposed to a whole object or event, moments
106Barr (barh) = to chant, repeat a phrase or pattern, a spell or incantation, loosely ‘music’ or ‘song’
107Bed = sweetness, a pleasant taste or smell, not usually mental/personality
108Bee (bii) = warrior class as opposed to worker class, ‘grunts’, soldiers
109Beelees = controller class, one who organizes, commands or otherwise is in charge of a team/group
110Beh = female, of any species when there is a difference, ‘her/hers/she’ modifying object/individual
111Bim (beem) = the past, things which have already occurred, unchangeable, historical, posterity
112Bin (biin, been) = fright, scare, something that causes a terror; can be emotional or physical, distinct from ‘surprise’ or ‘awe’
113Bit = wetness, dampness, moisture but not a body of liquid, something that is not dry
114Bot (as bought) = reference to a singular item, ‘that thing’, a specific subject/object, ‘it’ as a pronoun
115Brr (brh) = to drop, the act of letting go of something (physical, rarely emotional); distinct from chol
116Brun (broon) = to make another, duplication of a physical thing, copy, back-up (also noun); still won’t use this for ‘clone’
117Buu (boo) = the physical quality of hardness, inflexibility applied to objects or opinion
118Buum (boom) = to recycle or refresh (verb); something that is often reused, or an item that returns repeatedly such as ‘antlers’ or
119‘dust’, usually refers to a single object rather than many of the same kind of thing (so, the returning blossom of a flower,
120but not a line of streetlights)
121By (bye) = contrast, not conflicting but different; such as colors that do not clash, or opinions that are discussed but not argued
122about; such contrasting colors on a single creature or plant, or ‘a pleasant debate’
123Chaa (chah) = knowledge, innate or shared vortal information, objective thought (opposed to subjective)
124Chackt (as ‘talked’) = added to another word to describe motion, action; a verb form (what ever it can do / be / act) for any object
125in question
126Chae (chay) = compressed, something that can be ‘fit’ into a spot, such as a sword into scabbard, or tools into a case
127Chaen (chayn, as chain) = economy of effort, ‘just enough’, sleek or perfected movement; compact in form, space-saving
128Chaesh (chaysh) = loose or floppy, rag-doll, limpness, usually physical; ‘to go limp’ or ‘flop to the ground’
129Chee (chi) = a shrill sound, high-pitched noises, a buzzer or shriek, a whine, specific sounds many animals make
130Chel (chell) = rinse, clean up, dab; grooming or cleaning ones self
131Chela (chellah) = to clean or purge, generally more hostile than ‘wash’, purify, filter, cleanse
132Chol (choll, ol as cold) = tilt, tumble downward, fall; ungainly, physical imbalance, sway or stagger; ‘domino effect’
133Chrah = hill, rise, a physical object that is raised from its surroundings, lump, landmark; raise (when verb)
134Chuaa = (alert1 hl1) ‘engage’, command to attack, ‘do it’, rarely used with chackt
135Chuk (chook) = physical hunger, almost never used to describe psychological needs
136Churr = sustenance, food, to eat (as a verb)
137Chuzh (as choose) = physical orientation or direction, ‘facing’, usually paired with forward-rear/left-right terms, almost always
138physical
139‘d (always at end of word) = an addition to a word modifying it into the past tense, ‘was’ as opposed to ‘is’, but usually refers to a
140recent change of state
141Daa (dahh) = hue or color, the visual description of a physical object’s appearance, combines with other words to specify (note
142that the colors that Vortigaunts perceive are radically different from those of Humans, so they may have some interesting
143or weird combinations)
144Daal (dhal, dahl) = to interpose, come between, interrupt, interject; implies briefness or temporary state of interruption (daalazh =
145an eclipse, for instance) which will go back to normal afterwards; to pull a Kanye ‘I’m’a let you finish but’
146Dach (^ ch) = a rattling sound, rustling, as wind through leaves, or tapping of small feet; physical shake or tremble (not psyche)
147Dam (daam, dham) = representative, elected, official capacity either temporary or permanent, social status
148Dan (danh) = honor of another, a high regard, respect, to perform a duty well (if verb), applies to others’ actions
149Dara (as ‘data’) = guard, protect, the act of giving shelter or defending a thing or person physically, rarely psychological
150Darr (darh) = brightness, light source (as opposed to heat source), to illuminate (physically)
151Dash (daash, dahsh) = shallow, slight depression physically, ‘pond’, a small indentation easily forded; rarely used to describe a
152person as the connotation for this term is very different Vortally than for English
153Dat (short t) = to flick or quickly brush something, wave away; a cursory quick pass over, either physical or conceptual, ‘don’t
154think twice’ about something
155Dech (^ ch) = texture of being bumpy, knotted, a single item with grain or beady exterior, warts, nubs
156Dee (di) = overabundance, too many, too much, explosion, stink
157Del (dell) = to care for, tend physically, attend to needs; caretaker, groundskeeper, nurse/attendant; rarely emotional/vortal
158Den = limbs, anything not body or brain, depending on species can mean wing, hand, leg or pincers
159Det (short t) = to ask, request politely, soften a demand or query, ‘please?’
160Dey = to require more, need, request, ask for explanation/clarification
161Dim (deem) = amusement, lightheartedness, a joke, or something worthy of mocking (when object/person)
162Diq (diiq, diik, deek) = a swarm, mass of moving items, particles or creatures that are very small
163Doh (dou) = tangled, messy, unnecessarily complicated; a maze, knotted materials
164Drah (draa) = to agree, join in a group decision, ‘vote’, contribute or donate, vouch for someone/thing, offer; offering/donation
165when object, also ‘dowry’ or ‘will/inheritance’ in a physical sense of objects being given
166Du (doo) = to store, pack away, compartmentalize; a warehouse or closet, pantry, the location where stored goods are put
167Dy’ (die/dyee) = once, formerly, had been, past tense (not bim), ‘ex-/exiled-(person/thing)’; generally insulting or threatening
168Dzin (dznn) = hint, suggestion, a sway in words or indicators
169Eeya (iyah) = warmth, heat, the element of fire, a cook/camp fire (when object)
170Eeyo (io, iyo) = to toss, throw, fling (not eez); generally not the object being thrown, but can imply emotionally ‘taking out the
171garbage’ or ‘dropping the ball’
172Eek (ik/iq) = stored energy, electricity, shock, battery or lightning if object
173Eesk (iisk) = a seat, resting place, chair or bed; also serves as table, shelf, a flat object not a natural formation (not ski)
174Eez (iz) = to project, lunge, motion of thrusting or extension (not throw/launch), reach; rarely emotional; pseudopod, eyestalk of
175light plant or snail, tendril (the speed of thrusting doesn’t matter in this case)
176Egh (eeg) = intelligence, smartness, canniness, a strong comprehension, ‘book learning’
177Eh’ (combined with other words) = a mental or emotional modifier, when something is usually physical
178Ell (elh, el, ehl) = physical property of slickness, shine, reflective, a mirror if object
179Esh = world, planet, environment on a large scale; community or neighborhood (physical); biome; culture (conceptual), rarely
180emotional in nature as it tends to define a wide-scale object or concept
181Eth = team, group, squad, pack, an unrelated group rather than family or descended, often animal/non-Vort
182Ga’ (gah) = a positive experience, ‘yes’, a generic positive modifier to other objects or situations
183Gaharra (ga’ha-rah) = debt, gratitude, willful in nature
184Gaka = self-worth, pride, something of which to be proud (when object/action), applies to self’s action
185Galih (ga’lih) = euphoria, the state of existence rather than living, the pleasant effect of the Interval (death)
186Gallalam (ga lah lam) = satisfaction, completion, to finish, to end (an event, not a life) 
187Gallum (ga’lum) = gift, pleasure, something precious, something which can be taken or given (when object)
188Gan (gaan, gahn) = luck, a positive quirk, not something to be relied upon but to be enjoyed when it occurs; usually regarding an
189event or physical thing, rather than personality, but can mean ‘lucky’ as an individual who has such luck
190Gat (short t) = forward, ahead, a directional cue; to continue onwards, ‘be heading in the right direction’
191Geh = pointy, spiky, quills, needle (distinct, not jagged); a thing that pokes or pricks, to stab or jab (action); rarely emotional
192Gerr (gerh, as fair) = the physical quality of softness, pliability, flexibility of things or ideas, change (purposeful)
193Glah (glaa) = embrace, accept, gather, the non-spiritual component of wholeness with a group, teamwork
194Glit (galit) = length of an object, full distance, amount of a whole, ‘sum’, paired with modifiers for small/large
195Go (goh) = appropriate behavior, correctness, fit for the context; meeting approval, pass muster, a ‘thumbs up’
196Gog = liquid, the element of water, generally any body of water (when object)
197Graa (grah) = a theory, formula, set of rules or instructions, intellectual rather than physical; to ponder or theorize (verb)
198Gram = fondness, pleasure as it applies to wanting something, eagerness, implies only the spirit of enjoyment, not the object
199Gret = a contract made between parties, a list of demands or grievances, something official and binding
200Gruh (groo, grew) = pace or prowl, stealthy motion, sleight of hand, trackless movement, deliberate speed
201Gruk (grook) = cavernous, an interior of a natural area, shelter
202Grun (as noon) = grace, physical ease of motion, elegance, freefall / flight, to soar (when verb)
203Gu (goo) = motion applied to a broad scale, shifting, something being between two states
204Guh (distinct uh not oo) = to linger, remain, loiter; a more productive or positive distinction from Jah, as in a pleasant aftertaste or
205a group of people hanging out waiting for a person to get off work
206Gulanga (gu lang ga) = training, sparring, practice, rewarding repetitive physical or Vortal activity
207Gunn (goon) = to prepare, to ready one’s self, a warning if spoken to another
208Gurr (ghurr, the sound an animal makes) = feet, paws, hoof, locomotive extremities as opposed to manipulative ones when
209different
210Gurrah (gurah, guraa) = below, underneath, the under or bottom portion of an object, depths
211Gwt (gwit) = a clipped, brief, or in-passing recognition, “hey”, said while distracted; rarely used as an object but can be that
212distraction itself
213Ha (haa) = a negative modifier, generally not used alone until after Human contact- ‘no’, suggests imbalance or inequity
214Hach (^ ch) = never, will/did not, refusal of a request, ‘nope, no way’
215Hachra (^ ch) = pit, hole, indentation in something normally flat, includes bullet holes, to dig or gouge (when verb)
216Hahd (haad, had) = to leave a mark, scar, an imprint physically (not emotional/social); not Vouch (still negative, no ownership)
217Hagh (haag) = to dislike or place lesser value on something, to refute or disallow because of opinion
218Hallam (ha’lam) = a negative condition, unrest, chaos
219Harra (ha’rah) = indebted via negative means, bond of servitude, trap (when object)
220Hen = exclusion of something, instead, ‘or’ when modifying more than one object/idea, the act of choosing (when verb)
221Hi (hee) = outsider, enemy, generally something not Vortal, or not connected to Vortikind
222Hin = to shatter, break violently or into many pieces, usually regarding an object but can be emotional
223Hish (heesh) = pest, annoyance, vermin, ‘bugs’; to be bothered/plagued or infested; almost always physical
224Hoch (^ ch) = sparks, flickering, sparkles, starlight, uneven but bright light or color, static, physical light, not lih
225Hoh (ho) = mental or emotional stun, surprise, shock, unexpected or sudden emotional impact
226(Hoalbah = worship, revere, a state of supernatural awe or impact, ‘stunning the many’ hoh allu bahh )
227Hot (hoht) = backwards, behind, a rear-facing directional cue; ‘going the wrong way’; can also indicate ‘backed into a corner’
228Hox (hoks) = a trigger or catalyst, something that clearly causes something else to occur
229Hoy-hoy (quick repetition) = an attention-getting ‘hush up/pay attention/watch out’, used in hunting or battle
230Hu (hoo, huu) = atop something moving, a mount (usually alive); to ride or drive
231Hud (hood) = to collect, harvest, round up, gather, herd, multiple rather than singular, almost always physical
232Hut (short t) = to descend or lower down physically, climb (not fall) downwards purposefully; almost always physical
233Ih’ (short, combined with other words, pronounced as ‘in’) = a physical modifier when something is usually Vortal or emotional
234Ihr (eer, pronounced ear w/rolled r) = excitement, anticipation, attentiveness, eagerness as a physical sensation; implies the thing
235is going to happen/is right there rather than gram’s ‘wanting’
236Int (eent) = nervous energy, anxiety, jumpiness; to be anxious or nervous; something that physically cannot stop moving or keeps
237going when it should be still; ‘a twitchy freak’ someone who is a bundle of nerves
238Ix (iks) = fluctuation, scintillation, usually colors on animals/plants that act as a display or signal (see Vix); a visible response to a
239physical or emotional event
240Jah (jaa) = remnants, that which is left over, anything not used or useless, ‘after’
241Jahn (jann) = to emerge, break out, hatch, implies without help; an egg breaking, cocoon opening, unwrap, uncloak
242Jaim (jaem) = to switch, alter, swap objects or ideas; debate, discuss where more than one idea exists
243Jii (jhi) = curled, fluted, something that is wound or wavy, a helix or spiral, also a pattern of such waves
244Jio (jhio) = intricate, involved, detail without sloppiness; engraving, fine handiwork, inlay; also personality ‘layers’
245Joh (Jo) = careful, precise movement, caution; to double-check, make sure, be diligent
246Jot (as ought) = to release en masse, such as a spore cloud or spray of particles from a wave, gently flowing away from a central
247point (not shuk), usually natural and not focused or purposeful
248Jox (joks) = to favor one physical thing or trait over another, such as handedness or genetic dominance; choosing such a trait to
249use because it is stronger or of more value than another option similar to it
250Jurr = solid, ground, the element of earth, dirt or stone (when object)
251Kaa (kah, kahh) = texture, a physical descriptive term that’s usually added to another word to show what kind of texture it is
252Kag (kahgh) = triangular, lines of three connected points; to triangulate or locate by establishing contact with two others; of note
253kag is also the ‘third limb’, the number three and is among the very few words to mean a specific number or quantity
254Kallah (kaa laa) = literally ‘the texture of connection’, physical quality, body, flesh; the objective content of a statement when
255generic
256Kan (kaan, kahn) = segmented portion of an individual object (such as insect limbs); may refer to ‘buds’ on plants, knuckles of
257joints, etc; almost always physical / biological
258Karr (karh) = words spoken, specific meanings ascribed to vocal sounds, vocabulary or language overall
259Keh = to fix that which is broken, repair, make the best of a situation, to forgive
260Ket (short t sound, pronounced as in ‘quit’) = flatness, dullness, lack of features
261Kih (kee, key) = within, inside, interior, shell or container (when object) that is implied to have something in it
262Klurr (klurh) = a low frequency sound, thrumming or hum, dirge, large animal sounds, groaning/moaning
263Koh = to apply a texture or covering on a surface, to paint, to spruce up or improve visually; ‘shape up’, get your shit together
264(when social/emotional); paint or varnish, when object
265Koy (koii, qoi) = productive, functional, able, often a person that is working but can also refer to the thing they’re working on,
266such as a field of crops or a workstation
267Korr (korh, kor) = followers, groupies, attendants; the people who form ‘the masses’, rather than the one who leads them; sheeple
268Kraa (krah) = quiet sounds, hushed, whisper, volume of sound rather than frequency, ‘be quiet’ (verb)
269Kree (krii) = to monitor, keep track of, watch over, to stalk or hunt (when negative); also nouns (monitor, camera, etc)
270Ksaa (ksah) = confidence, surety, the act of believing in another
271Kshaa (kshah) = abruptness as opposed to gradualness, sudden, not unexpected but short in duration
272Kshek (as neck) = ink or dye, stain (nouns), the act of coloring something (verb), changing colors/camouflaging (verb)
273Kth (as a lisped ‘kiss’) = to choose among, pick from many; usually physical, can mean ‘take sides’ (not meh’)
274Kurr = being told, being given, teacher (when physical)
275Kut (short t, as coot) = attract, bring near, gravity, tug (as a leash), pull
276Kuu (koo) = cling, attach, latch onto, be sustained by or carried by (physically)
277Kwa = very, extreme without being too much (not Jaa), the farthest end of some concept (‘very old’, ‘extremely popular’)
278Laa (lahh) = connection, link, a step between things, progression (?)
279Lach (^ ch) = here, the location presently occupied, as opposed to somewhere else no matter how close or distant
280Lak (as lock) = the arc or trajectory of an object (be it planet or tennis ball), orbit, gravity well influence, to encircle, to spiral
281Lalli = space as defined by physical objects (a universe among many, stars, planets)
282Lam (llam) = emotion, feelings of the mind rather than the body, opinion (if object)
283Lan (lanh) = risk or chance, difficulty but not strife, something tough but not a burden that will be worth doing/having; a narrow
284margin of likelihood but a great end benefit
285Leer (liir/lihr) = to consider, ponder in context, directive to think on something, not Zurr/Tak but conceptual
286Lees (liis/liiz) = to lead, to command, elect, preside over, can be verb or object/person
287Leh (ley, as lay) = burden, weight, troubles, blame, downwards direction
288Let (short t) = bandage, a temporary fix, can be both physical and metaphorical; something designed to be beneficial but short
289term
290Lih = spirit, Vortessence, non-physical self, energy
291Lilli (lili) = within reach, to grasp, to comprehend, sanity (?)
292Lillimah (lili mah) = freedom, openness, space, existence without boundary, spirit in the emotional sense
293Ling = to establish, be the first to do a thing, locate a place, ‘plant a flag’ in a metaphorical sense; groundbreaking ideas or
294innovative personality; compare to Nox
295Lish = arrange, make plans for, connect people socially (not physically), plan, plot, organize people (not command/control),
296director or conductor (of plays/music), one who takes instructions and applies them
297Lit (short t) = tiny and delicate, noticeable smallness, usually particles, rarely conceptual; dust, soot, something that will vanish if
298touched or interrupted
299Lud (ludh) = acrid smell or taste, burning or tangy, something that leaves an aftertaste or lingers in the air
300Lum (loom) = to hand off, give an item physically, to change hands, ‘pass the torch’, shift an object from hand to hand; Vorts use
301this to describe their third hand as it becomes useful for physically manipulating items when both their others are
302occupied, and express distress with humans who only have two hands because they ‘cannot handle this thing properly’
303Lung (lang, distinct g) = concentration, effort, attention in an extended sense, as opposed to Xkah which is immediate
304Lurr (lurh) = transference, healing, energy, between (distance between two things/when object)
305Lush = to enclose, encircle (a group of things), ensnare or entrap; a lasso, beartrap, net, or such object that catches but doesn’t
306harm or kill in and of itself; often used to describe hunters, herders, or trappers
307Luu (loo) = rest, sleep, inactivity, implies exhaustion rather than meditation (not vet)
308lihluu = dreaming, shehluu = snoring
309Maan (mahn) = to set up, prepare a specific thing for use, as ‘table setting’, almost always physical; said table setting when
310object, the results of a recipe, etc
311Mah (maa) = bare, plain, in view, obvious
312Mach (^ ch) = sticky, glue, tar, a substance with a texture that snags, generally a physical property
313Mei (may) = granular, rubble, pebbles, something small or worn off from a bigger thing, sand or salt, ‘to grind’ (if verb)
314Meh = to organize or sort, sift, pick through and place (not kth)
315Mech (^ ch) = pinch, clasp, to close something that attaches to itself (verb), hinge or clasp (noun), a physical lock
316Mii (mee) = magnetism, attraction or synthesis between metals, magnetize (an object only), rarely for personality
317Min (minh) = strength, the quality of an object that is sturdy or hardy, muscularity (if object)
318Mirr (mirh) = reflex, something that is completely natural, happens without thought, can be ‘knee jerk’ if negative
319Mit (miht) = to absorb, soak, funnel, ingest (verbs), a sponge or siphon (object), usually physical but may be ‘revelation’
320Mix (miks) = logical, something that conforms to a sensible pattern, to draw a conclusion from clues that make sense
321Moh (moa) = imagination, fancy (whim), creativity, fantasy (not dreaming); to imagine, fantasize, visualize (verbs)
322Morr = edge, the border of something/somewhere, delineation, generally physical but can refer to states of being/time
323Mun (moon, moo-oon) = to record physically, leave a trace, plant a trail, a marker or clue; both verb and noun
324Murr = intimacy, closeness on a personal level, act of sex as a verb, implies both joy and satisfaction emotionally/physically
325Muu (moo, mo-oo) = the quality of taste or smell as opposed to texture or color, modified by other words
326Nach (^ ch) = pathway, the trail of a journey, to follow or lead on such a journey, embarking (as a verb)
327Nae (nay) = wind, air currents (as opposed to simply ‘air’), from a breeze to a hurricane, natural storm (not portal/other)
328Nag (nahgh) = a line as a shape, straightness, usually physical; to draw such a line, a ruler if object
329Nahh (nah, naa) = a beginning, the start, inception, the highest point, top of something (if object)
330Narr (nar, nahr) = unhealthy desire, want, greed
331Net (neh’, silent t) = expected result, expectations of something that has yet to occur, projections, hopes
332Nex (neks) = energetic, enthusiastic, excitable, vibration, Brownian/electron movement, emotional and physical
333Nh (nn, n as in now) = to bristle from a single source, stand on end as hairs; rarely object, ‘hairbrush’
334Ni (nee, nii) = male, of any species where there is a difference, ‘his/him/he’ modifying object/individual
335Noh = ending, usually physical, death of a body, indicates natural death not enforced or negative
336Nohaa (no ha) = death at range, the effects of war, bullets or other weapons (if object), to shoot / fire (if verb)
337Not (short t) = to scramble, confuse, mix things together that don’t normally belong and don’t ‘work’ (not shii), usually verb
338Nox (noks/nocks) = chunk of land, island, settlement, colony, foundation or base of operations, the physical act of any of these;
339compare to Ling as a metaphor
340Numi (noomi) = physically artistic, creative, something pretty; artist, maker (not mental), creator (not inventor); piece of art
341Nuy (nui) = unexpected, unpredictable, the unknown (as opposed to the obfuscated), insanity
342Ny (nie, nye) = the name of, to name or define, bestow; when used without permission is resoundingly negative
343O’ (oh short) = ‘sure’ ‘fine’ ‘whatever’, acceptance of a task given, compare to uhn
344Oa (wah) = loudness of a sound, booming, resonant, strident noise, raucous, ‘speak up’ (verb)
345 *note the difference in pronunciation between oa and oha
346Odu (as owe-due) = to dangle, swing, flap while attached to something; a flag or tail, rope
347Oha (oh hah, distinct) = range, distance, a measurable amount of space between things, ‘range finder’
348Ogg (ogh) = but also, in addition to, an additional facet (such as ‘has both distant kin, but also close family’)
349Ohm (om/um) = elemental metal, ore, gems or crystals, any hard structure found in nature
350Ook (uk, uuk) = specific plants for food or use, something grown to be eaten or made functional, cultivation (verb)
351Oon (uun, distinct from uhn) = to fly, flap or propel through air or space; manipulative flight rather than freefalling
352Ord (as afford) = transmitted, airwaves, radio signal, technological method of communication (not Vortal, or in person)
353Orm (as conform) = antlion worker; ormbah=eggs; ormlih=larva; ormturr=queen; ormdara=guardian; ormshuk=spitter
354Osh (as wash/ocean) = to apply pressure, tighten, applies to a portion not whole (not siid); tourniquet, clamp
355Ot (as ought) = a person’s ‘left’ side or direction to face, to go leftward
356Ozh (ojh) = to elude, be subtle, pretend or be sly; hidden activities, subterfuge, ulterior motives/negative, escape/positive
357Raa (rah) = business, the practice of work, interaction, transfer of goods rather than ideas
358Ran (rahn) = pacing of time, predictability and regularity, something that occurs at a specific and regimented moment
359Rach (^ ch) = a tool, an object or implement (used to imply that the object is in use with a verb), rarely describes weapons
360Rae (ray) = stripes, markings, rosettes, usually animal marks, variegated or mixed colorations
361Rahd (rod, as rawd) = beauty as defined physically, to appreciate a physical aspect of any object
362Rai (rye) = to spot, locate, have detected (visual or vortal), hunt or search for (not kree)
363Razh (rozh) = a very specific location or item, to target or home in on when verb
364Ree (rhee) = a plant, growing thing without a brain, lichen through trees
365Rex (rehx, reks) = to flutter, flap as wings or leaves; also natural erratic motion (as in a moth’s path)
366Rihx (rix, ricks) = distraction, lure, bait, something that is not what it appears, a trap of any sort
367Roa (row) = nebulous, fluffy, indistinct physical location, puffball, cloud, a blurry outline; vague, noncommittal
368Rog (as dog) = to hold/hold up, display, carry an item prominently, show something while holding it, a badge/placard (object)
369Ruhh (ruu) = chill, cold, the element of ice, immobility (only of mobile object)
370Rum (room) = above, higher, heights in general, the upper portion of an object; up as a directional cue
371Rus (roos) = style, distinction from others, way of doing things, unique flair, opposed to vouch is positive in nature
372Rut (root) = to roll, rotate, tumble, spin, turn something that spins, be dizzy (physically), rarely refers to emotion
373Ruun (roo-oon) = motionless as opposed to immobility, waiting, pause, inaction or slowness to react
374Saa (sah) = easy, simple, something uncomplicated or direct (when verb), un-built or ‘raw’ (when object)
375Seh (as say) = blood, fluid as applied to function (hydraulic, mercury), something valuable only when contained
376Seng (sang) = to pick or pry open, take apart in detail, analyze physically, ‘surgery’ or ‘autopsy’, puzzle
377Sennah (senaa) = time, immediacy, ‘now’, current event, neither the past nor future
378Shaa (shah) = opening of Vocal (not Vortal) communication over distance, ‘hello’ ‘goodbye’, message (if object)
379Sheh (as shay) = sound, the physical quality of a noise or something that can be detected audibly
380Shii (shee, shih) = mesh, something that is woven in itself or with another thing, ‘to mix’ or ‘weave’ when verb
381Shuk (as shook) = to spray, spread in a conscious fashion, direct flow, spit or ejaculate (antlion acid, Gonarch spew)
382Shuu (shu) = offspring, young, brood, an indicator of relationship but not the connected idea of being family
383Sii (see) = pain, ache, usually indicating physical discomfort but can mean emotional
384Siid (seed) = to compact, condense, push together, confine, encapsulate (verbs), noun examples ‘pill’ or ‘wad of paper’
385Skaa (skah, ska) = upright, standing, verticality; individual feature rather than landscape, to stand or perk up (verb)
386Skee (ski) = to set down, balance on something, layer, place atop; strata, layers of something, floors of building
387*ski’nahket = Black Mesa
388Staa (stah) = surface, covering, skin; to wrap or clothe when verb
389Stu (stoo) = to erase, remove, leave no trace or track, unmake, can refer to physical things or Vortal echoes
390Sun (soon) = physical barrier, shield, wall, armor/protection, implies that it is made or erected, not naturally present
391Surr (surh) = animal, that which does not have a true spirit but is still alive, non-intelligent creatures
392Tach (^ ch) = shyness, reclusive, anti-social; iztach = the light-plants on Xen for instance
393Tahh (taa) = something made, created, manufactured, non-natural items or substances (not negative in nature)
394Tak (as talk) = to explore, be aware of surroundings, examine a broad subject/area, quantitative assessment (not Zurr)
395Tal (tahl, taal, tall) = a blunt strike, impact with a wide object rather than a cutting one; mace or hammer when object; can mean
396‘landslide’ through ‘punch’ depending on context
397Talash = evade, dodge, anticipate attack, usually verb though rarely used with ‘chackt’
398Tan (tahn) = small, lesser, on the losing side, younger if applied to comparing ages
399Tao (as ‘towel’) = split, divide, demark, something separated yet still is ‘the same’ item (serving of food, etc)
400Tar (tarh, taar) = symbol, abstraction, lettering or numerals; to write or code, ‘figure’; runes, carvings, signs (object)
401Tash = and, also, in addition to, as well as, a conjunction implying a group of different things being described
402Tay (tae) = physical texture of wrinkling, fold, crease, something that has an un-flat surface, nook/cranny
403Terr (terh) = a location anywhere but where the speaker is, distant or close but not ‘here’
404Tex (teks) = a cone or fan shape, ‘shaped charge’, field of view; also objects in this shape such as a fan, horn, pyramid, etc
405Thaa (thah) = professional, skilled in physical ways that allow service, refers to the level of skill specifically
406Thaal (thahl) = the person or group skilled as professionals, non-standard use of ahl’, as Vortal only with physical skills
407Thee (thii) = pursuit, to chase or follow something/one (not kree), keep up with, seek or sniff out known things
408Thoi = connection, family, bond of blood or community, ordered or ranked things
409Thoo (thu) = to jostle, shove, nudge, trip, bump into, physically; an unsubtle hint, not necessarily a challenge
410Tie (ty) = to float, bob and weave on wind or water, natural movement; ‘go with the flow’, gentle nudges
411Tii (tee, tih) = tolerant, patient, generally ‘of children/events/annoyances’, distinct from accept/resigned
412Ting (teeng, ^ g) = prosper/prosperity, bounty/bountiful, fertile; to gain or create more than there was before
413Tio (tiyo, teeoh) = specific attention, as joh though more directed toward people or thoughts; scrutiny of or by someone
414Tirh (tiir, as ‘fear’) = train others, serve (food), ‘checklist/manual’ when object, distinguished from teach by ‘need’
415Toy (toi) = physical speed, motion on an individual level, ‘hurry up’/’snap to it’ as a command
416Trah = silky, strands that are fine or slender, usually fibers; can also refer to a delicate disposition or mood, refined tastes
417Tsah (tsaa) = sensation, perception, physically gathering items or information (opposed to vortally sensing)
418Tul (tool) = to reply, to respond, to form a rebuttal or argument, the contents of a reply (ni tul, beh tul – he said, she said)
419Turr (turh) = big, greater, on the winning side, elder
420Tuu (too) = growth, the act of experience (applied to an event), harmonious change as opposed to chaotic, progress
421Ua (oo-ah, as ‘hoorah’) = to submerge, immerse, usually in liquid but can mean emotionally; to drown, dunk, bury if solid
422Uhn (as ‘fun’ or ‘one’) = acknowledgement, context-dependent, akin to roll-taking ‘here’
423Ula (ulah, oolaa) = artificially created, forced, a negative connotation of manufacturing, abrupt, inappropriate
424Urr = enter, fill, become, generally a verb but can be combined to make nouns (doorway, etc)
425Ut (oot) = a person’s right side, right facing, directional heading to the right (note: never ‘or wrong’ to Vorts)
426Uul (ool) = to build or create, the act and verb rather than the object being built (that’s Tahh), rarely used with chackt
427Uuv = shape, the concept or abstraction of lines and polygons, usually with an added description denoting its specific sides
428Uya (ooyah) = an opening, hole, portal, port-hole, open window or door, generally positive/natural (not ‘wound’)
429Vahh (vaa, vah) = mystery, secret, the unknown, hidden facets; obfuscation when purposeful, lies when very negative
430Var (varh) = unearned praise, vanity of self-worth
431Vech (^ ch) = the future, potential, things which have not happened yet
432Veh (vay) = elemental air, breathable gas, also ‘lightness’ when applied to an object (weight), to clean (verb)
433Vet (short t) = to relax, be calm and at rest, meditation or trance; opposed to ‘loo’, vet is more restfulness and peace
434Vih (vee) = to expand, spread, extend, as wings or Xenian spire if object; generally refers to physical objects or locations
435Vin = hatred, dislike, distress over a situation, applying only to the idea and not describing an object
436Viq (viiq, veek, viik) = to swirl, a mote or storm, hurricane, dust storm, or funneling motion
437Vix (viks) = dotted, dots, small single points of regular shape (not blotches); useful for constellations (azh ahl’vix), pattern
438recognition, mapping, or highlighting specific directions (bioluminescent animals often show these markings, and the
439glowing stalks in caverns act as markers); also ‘follows the dots’, someone who rarely deviates from a specific kind of
440pattern in personality even if there may be other options
441Voh (voe) = to finish with a definitive motion, ‘so there’, finality after effort, a payoff
442Vol (as vole) = breathe, exhale, to puff or blow, usually refers to exhalation rather than inhalation
443Voo = ending, violence, to cut, a knife or something sharp (when object)
444Vort = talent, skill, usually implies non-physical such as intellect, power manipulation, or cleverness
445Vortal = that person who uses skill, non-standard use of ahl’, rarely used for non-powered description
446Vouch (voosh, irregular ch) = brand, taint, possibly ‘imprint of’, a negative connotation of possession
447Vra (vrah) = to stabilize, fasten, snug down, secure, anchor (both verb and noun); can mean ‘unwavering’ or ‘loyal’
448Vurr = absence of space, togetherness, one, single item (when object)
449Vuun (voon, voo-oon) = to verbally recount, tell a story, record Vortally, recommend, oral history or performance
450Xen (zen) = escape, hidden place, hideaway, ‘other home’, can mean prison negatively (changes over time)
451Xhaa (zhaa) = to impress, scare, frighten (not surprise), intimidate; a person or task that is daunting
452Xih (zee) = middle, center, balance, average, mid-point, ‘adulthood’ when compared to child or elderly
453Xil (zeel, zil) = out of the ordinary, oddity, rarity, weirdness; unlike when in a group, easily distinguished when object
454Xkah (as zih-kaa) = focal point, importance, of notice
455Yee (yi) = pleasant to touch, velvety, grained, ‘fur’ or ‘stubble’ as an object, ‘to pet’ as a verb
456Yeer (yirh) = to hang or drape over something/someone, as a cape or laundry; when emotional: the bestowing of an honor or duty,
457passing the torch, both relinquishing a duty and honoring those who will pick it up; to be knighted or crowned
458Yem = a positive opinion, to prefer something over another, to like something, to value or think highly of a thing
459Yil (yihl) = splayed, frond-like, unfurled; something that is able to open and close in on itself; a valve (biological) or aperture
460(locational) that opens and closes but maintains mass; generally refers to ‘open state’ of such objects
461Yit = physical fragility, breakable, thin or brittle, also can imply emotional sensitivity or weakness
462Yox (yoks) = to distort, warp or twist, particularly of vision (such as heat haze), rarely mental/emotional
463Yuk (yook) = boldness, gregariousness, social
464Zeh (xeh) = to deserve something specific, have a destiny, the fate of someone’s actions; also a destination if physical
465Zhey (zhay) = dryness, aridity, lack of moisture, thirst, parched, to dry something out (verb)
466Zich (^ ch) = to operate, manipulate, cause something to physically function, to activate or work on an item
467Zoo (zuu) = to experiment, try different aspects or angles to approach a problem, think outside the box
468Zuk (as took) = springy, bouncy, to bounce or bounce back, to jump, to rebound (physically)
469Zurr = qualitative assessment, to size something up, mostly to form an opinion of something that is physical (not Tak)
470CHANGE LOG
471* added 3.11.15+
472 Roa/row; Vra/h; Rus; Mii/mee; Xen/Zen; Yem; Hagh/Haag; Barr/Barh; Stu/Stoo; Araa/Arah; Odu; Skee/Ski; Osh; Kree/Krii;
473Ahl/all; Rae/Ray; Zoo/Zuu/Soo
4746.10.15- Ua/Ooah 6.14.15 – Moh/moa; Haad/Had 6.15.15 – Xil/Zeel/Zil; Go/Goh
4756.27.15 – Del/Dell; Numi/Noomi
4767.4.15 – Ahn/An; Kth 7.5.15 – Seng/Sang
4777.7.15 – Nae/Nay
4787.25.15 – Xhaa/Zha 8.22.15 – Du/Doo, Meh
479** needs adding to site 8.24.15 (still undone 2.16) – Jaim/Jaem 8.26.15 – Leer/Liir/Lihr 8.28.15 – Brun/Broon
4809.4.15 – Noh 9.17.15 – Vort, Vortal 10.15.15 – Yox/Yoks, Uya/Ooyah
4813.1.16 (need to add to site and da) - Azh, Chrazh/Chra’azh; Nah’azh/naaazh; Ee’azh/eeyazh; Ja’azh/Jahazh; Ha’azh/Haazh;
482Mii’azh
4833.12.16 (need all adds) Jo/Joh; Ozh/Ojh
484*3.18.16 doh eez/iz(lunge)
485*4.16.16 hish/heesh
486*6.19.16 tar/taar/tarh; rex/rehx/reks
487*6.24.16 thee/thii
488*7.16.16 chol/choll
489*7.18.16 esh/ezh; eth
490*7.26.16 murr, skaa/skah
491*8.2.16 taar/tarh/tar
492*8.8.16 daal/dahl/dhal
493*8.30.16 hu/huu/hoo, rai/rye
494*9.18.16 dam/daam/dham
495*9.21.16 dy/die (said in hl1); eesk/iisk; ash/ahsh/aash; tal/taal/tall; drah/draa; ihr/eer
496*10.13.16 ny/nye/nie; ogg/ogh; esh
497---------- those that are complete have been uploaded to DA, but site still not functional ----------
498*1.2.17 maan/mahn; thaa/thah; ath/aath/ahth; ook/uk/uuk; lish
499*1.3.17 ask/aask/ahsk
500* 1.12.17 yeer/yirh; brr; lahn/lan
501---------- new ----------
502*2.3.17 nh/nn
503*2.5.17 arr/ahr
504-------2018-------
505*1.27.18 yil/yihl
506kan/kaan/kahn
507*1.31.18 geh ; doh/dou
508*2.22.18 ix/iks
509*3.15.18 vol
5107.17.18 ach, ahg/ha’gh, ak, ahm/amm, arm/ahrm, bach/baach, bin/biin, boom/buum, chae/chay, chaen/chayn, chaesh/chaysh,
511chel/chell, chuzh, ‘d, dach, dash/daash/dahsh, dat, dzin, gan/gaan/gahn, gat, gret, hin, hot/hoht, hox/hoks, hut, int/eent,
512jox/joks
5138.14.18 tie/ty koh, tach, korr/kor/korh, by/bye, voh/voe; gwt/gwit; koy/koii/qoi
5149.25.18 eeyo/io/iyo; jio/jhio; tio/tiyo
51510/18 viq/viiq/viik/veek, diq/diiq/diik/deek
51612/18 oha, ran/rahn, ting/teeng, zeh/xeh, ot, ut/oot, jot
517------2019------
5181.1.19 trah, vet; guh; lum/loom; guh; 2.20.19 ard/ardh; chuk/chook; 3.4.19 oon/uun; 3.21.19 chae/chaen; 4.24.19 lush; 4.29.19
519dach; 5.23.19 tarr varr; 6.7.19 ling, tex/teks, karr/karh; ool/uul; oov/uuv; nag/nahgh; kag/kahgh; kwa; 6.10.19 o’; 7.1.19
520thoo/thu
521Common Vortigese Phrases and Examples
522Ahhhr, gaharra alla lillimah, = listen: we owe freedom from our bonds / we have been delivered from slavery
523Asundara (ah soon da ra) hachra = Get your shields up, don’t get shot/filled with holes
524Bahh’chackt = mother, the act of bearing, or motherhood
525Bahh-nach ha-mah = Crossroads, turning point, ‘many roads, none of them obvious’
526Bahh-ruu leh’chackt = many pieces of ice in motion: snowing/hailing
527Bahh-voo’chackt = genocide, the deaths of many
528Beelees = (used with hoalbah)
529Buu’nach = stubborn, narrowminded, ‘a stiffly followed/laid path’; also can mean ‘rules and regulations’
530Dee jah = this stinks, this is useless, shit, a commonly spoken curse indicating minor displeasure
531Dey’nach = how is it possible, asking for an explanation of a specific event or location, get directions, ‘are you sure’
532Dey nahh = get to the point, what is it you want
533Gallum gaka lillimah = poetry, equating to ‘we are proud to be given the gift of freedom’
534Ga-tsah nohaa = I saw that coming, see it from a mile away, ‘saw the bullet in time’
535Ha’allu raa’chackt (ha’lu) = it’s none of my business, not from me comes this work
536Ha’dee = rarity, not over-expressed (a double negative)
537Ha-keh = broken, generally applied to objects, when applied to people can mean ‘disagreeable/disagreement’
538Ha-leh = no worries, it’s nothing, no trouble
539Ha-lih = spiritless, without Vortessence, generally comparing a person to ‘animal’ or non-sentient life, but can also mean
540‘dejected’ or ‘broken in spirit’
541Ha-naa’chackt = stop it, don’t do that, cut that out/quit it, ‘don’t start that action’
542Ha-tsah = blind, deaf, unable to perceive things, often ha-tsah mah is an insult describing stupid people, “can’t see the forest for
543the trees/hand in front of your face”
544Ha-xkah = don’t look! Avoid focusing on something; alternatively ‘unfocused’, dizzy, attention-deficit type distraction
545Hi-shuu = enemy’s kin, ‘not of our tribe’, unacceptable relationship – ‘disown’ if applied to an individual already part of group
546Jah leh = heavy shit, literally the negative weight of a thing or situation
547Kallah’keh = be well, good health to you, a greeting/farewell, ‘godspeed’
548Kurr allu dey = they never learn, you have to instruct our allies more, literally ‘teach and they still want more instruction’
549Lam gram nahh’chackt = I look forward to this journey
550Naa kee leh = warnings, don’t start with me, don’t give me trouble, troublemaker, literally ‘within this skin is only trouble’
551Often mistaken for nach hi’leh which can mean ‘go to hell’ or ‘find your way to the enemy’, walk off a cliff, or more
552moderately “go bother someone else”
553Naa’chackt = start at the top, explain this please, ‘woah, hold on’
554Nach’hallam tahh gulallibah = a wave in the fabric between worlds, the chaotic artificial path forged between many dimensions,
555Used to describe Portal Storms
556Nach nuy = the path of insanity, losing one’s mind, grief driven madness, also describes being lost in the Void, implying being
557unable to return to the all-in-one
558Rach-churr’chackt = use a fork! Literally ‘use the tool for eating’
559Rach-gurrah’chackt = get buried, use a shovel to dig a hole
560Seh ha-kih = bleeding, losing blood or pressure (if not living), literally ‘blood is coming out an opening in your body’
561Shu’ulathoi = unhatched advisors, literally ‘young of the indecently created family’
562Surr-churr = prey animal, creature for food
563Tahh’chackt = maker, manufacturer, the person who creates items or builds things
564Tan jah net = lower your expectations, don’t expect much of this, it won’t impress/surprise, literally ‘expect only a little extra’
565Ulathoi = universal union (combine) advisor species, specific to non-combined breeds (overworld native?)
566Vahh’chackt = to lie, to deceive, deceit in its active form; as opposed to Gallum’Vahh, which can be interpreted as ‘surprise’
567Voo-hi’chackt = death curse, cutting the Vortal cords, nonexistence; the act of cutting down one’s enemy, often chanted when
568attacking an enemy
569Voo nuy’chackt = death from losing one’s mind, a terrible death upon you, a curse spoken against an enemy, Basically, “die in a
570fire, you filthy fuck”
571Voo’surr = predatory animal, also used to describe violent or savage behavior in people
572Vouch’harra = slavery, indentured servitude
573Vouch’kallah = taint, brand, sign, signifier of belonging to something that is not pleasant or overt, slave, Used to describe Icarus
574subjects
575Vouch’lih = distinct energy signatures, generally ‘evidence of spirits’, not always negative, but often used to describe the
576Mystery’s family or doings
577Vurr’seh bahh’lih = same blood, many spirits, the differences between people, Melissa often uses this to describe Geoff and Pax’s
578relation to one another
579Vurr’chackt aglaa dan-alla, net nach’kurr-chaa, rach-min’chackt, bahh’gaka lam, keh galih lillimah = Return to the all-in-one and
580take a place of honor among us, for we hope your wisdom will guide us, your strength will bolster us, your memory will
581be shared among us all, and the interval will be peaceful (literally: go to the all in one with respect from our people, we
582hope the path will be made by your experience, you are the tool to our strength, many will take pride in your ideas, heal
583in death with a free spirit)
5848.22.15
585Earth words used as Vortigese
586Some words in English can be used ‘in vort’ (as Melissa’s name pronounced as Vortigese means ‘blunt spirit’ [maa lih sah] or
587‘easily sorts the spirits’ [meh lih sah]) to some amusing results.
588Medusa = sorting through the stored goods easily (meh du sah)
589Icarus = unique and shocking / the battery of the group (iq ah rus)
590Mirage = compulsively searches for home / targets on impulse (mihr razh)
591Titles of individuals
592While some Vortigaunt names or titles see quite a lot of use, many are treated by Humans more like a nickname at best. Most
593Humans don’t grasp the depth of truth that Vortigaunt titles achieve. These names take into account a multitude of
594connections and potentials, things which Vortikind is privy to but Humanity may not be. While most Vort words can be
595used to describe items, objects and people, when a title is bestowed, Vortikind collectively and instinctually knows what
596it means and to who/what it applies. There may be many bahh’chackt (mother) but there is only one Bahh’chackt gallum
597vahh (mother of mysteries and blessings). When multiple names are bestowed, they may be because Vortikind has
598encountered that individual or event numerous times, and can apply a new spin to the existing information. (Nach’lih
599kallah-vahh therefore is known by numerous different and extremely disparaging titles, but his first will always be the
600one which is preferable.)
601When they fail to name something, and they have any number of reasons for this, it is often referred to as unnamed, however as
602they learn contextual words for things (clone, for instance, still has no place in their language, as it is so completely
603unnatural to them) they will often find it in themselves to name a previously ignored or forbidden item/person. When
604they choose not to name something, it’s highly unlikely they will find a new title unless things change radically. There is
605only one unnamed just now, that being Wilson Carver. The unnamed thing / person in question however, is not unknown
606in any way. Merely that they judge it somehow unworthy or impossible to speak of it. If there were more than one, fluxshifting context would be required to understand which of those things is being hinted at.
607It is extraordinarily difficult to convince Vortikind to rename something once it’s been titled. It’s an extremely formal event, even
608if it doesn’t overtly appear to be when they bestow a name. The Vortessence required to name something is substantial,
609but it would take an entirely stronger push to force a new title where there had already been one. Vortikind do not require
610names for themselves as individuals, however when among Humanity they do adopt their ‘given name’ and can even
611enjoy it. Many, however, disdain their use and prefer to call themselves ‘this one’ or similar phrases harkening back to
612their collective condition. Only one, Noah, has chosen a name for himself, and that further distinguishes him from his
613peers.
614They are extremely fond of ‘generational’ naming: people which get a name more often than not also affect those beings around
615them, thus certain descriptive terms have come to have a specific connotation even if the word itself can be applied to
616many other ideas or concepts. (Vahh applied to almost any new person will never imply anything other than Nach’lih
617kallah-vahh¸ to the Vorts.)
618Vortal input is vital to understanding specific names, just as it is to truly grasp any of their communication. Context is carried
619Vortally, so the mood or emotion, history or effect of a person will be blended directly into their pronunciation of a title.
620Vortigaunts know that history, even if they have never directly encountered the person, creature, object or event.
621Listing of known Vorts:
622Noah – keeper of the old ways. Eldest living Vortigaunt, dealer with the Mystery, instructor of Paxton. More than a little crazy.
623Zurr’chakt kurr’chackt bim tash vech, he who balances future and past to teach others
624** note that with newish word values, ‘noah’ can mean both ‘the end of all of us’ and ‘the last of us all’ – Noah might
625outlive everyone in his species, but he’s also keenly aware of their finality due to their destruction on Xen
626Hazy – BM – aka Hazael, one of the Namers circle.
627Thaddeus – BM – planning for finding Bella
628Jeremiah – BM – planning for finding Bella
629Levi – AC – Melissa’s strike team, takes most of the hit that destroys her hand, dies in the battle with GLADOS
630Ben – AC – Geoff’s strike team
631Elam – AC – Martin’s strike team, gives the Vortal prayer for Levi and Alonzo
632Tomyx - BMR - a herder of antlions, rider
633Baird - BMR - rider of antlion guardian
634Autry - BMR - herder, running beside antlions
635*Uriah will be picked up in Europe I think?
636Listing of known Humans/Entities
637Bahh’chackt gallum vahh = Bearer of many mysteries and blessings, Mother of Surprises, Melissa’s title
638note Vorts give the full meaning as ‘the vessel through which miracles and blessings are bestowed’, ‘makes the many
639hands of Vahh’
640Darr’lih keh-vahh = pax and mel’s daughter, the light behind the shadows, bright spirit of forgiveness, light of redemption
641Dee-tsah’chackt = to sense too much, perceive more than necessary, Lynne’s title
642Ga-tahh’chackt (or beh-tahh’chackt) = the Artificer, she who loves making, Alyx Vance’s title
643Lih tsah mah = easily sees the soul, Seer of the Spirit, Teddie Kim’s title
644Nihilanth = captor, a specific name, not given by Vorts, instead this name was taken by itself
645Nohaa tahh’chackt bahh = maker of death at a distance, She Makes Guns, Mars Walsh’s title
646Nach’lih kallah-vahh = spirit’s path of shrouded flesh, Embodiment of Mystery, Skinwalker, impression of secrets upon flesh,
647Gman’s title – aka: ha-keh nach, harra’leh, raa-vahh’chackt, raa-harra’chackt = The broken path, the weight of debt,
648dealer of lies, slavemaker; generally things that Vorts refer to when speaking of kallah-vahh; also note after certain
649events, Vorts change the meaning to include seeker of mysteries, reversing the negative implication
650Nuy’chackt ha-keh = unfixable madness, Alma’s title (posthumous title, she has none)
651Raa’nach-vahh = or Rach’naa-vahh? probably Wilson’s title when or if he gets one either prime tool of the mystery, or the way to
652deal in lies… something like that. * is Raa’nach-vahh, the way of the mystery’s deal
653Tsah nach mah = Seer of the Path, pathfinder, Geoffrey’s title
654Turr-allu-surr = animals’ big brother, elder who makes allies of creatures, Jamie’s title
655Ula’beh ha-keh = She who is a broken device, GLADOS’s title
656Veh ha-kih = uncontained lightness, into the air because she cannot be held, Bella’s title
657Vurr-allu’lih = togetherness of the allies, Kindred Spirit, Eli Vance’s title
658Xkah-shuu’vahh = the offspring of ‘that which cannot be named’, focus of the energy of the ancestor, Inheritor of the Mystery,
659Paxton Fettel’s title
660Beh lah’chackt = she who links, Tina’s title
661Ponies and Zekiran offspring’s names (Just silly stuff that uses Vort words in my other projects)
662Maa’lach-vahh = blunt lies? In this place there will be lies told
663Xih’shaa-vahh = speaker of the mystery, he who tells of others lies
664Shaa’lah-vahh = voice amid confusion, a clear voice among the lies, link between others and the Mystery?
665Ksaalah-vahh = confidently lies, alla is person/people, it’s likely this means ‘you’re screwed’ because she’s a lawyer
666Eeya’lam = warm spirits, brightened emotions
667Vahh’nahh = tip of the secrets, not seeing but a tiny bit of the truth
668Zurr’gram = no doubt this is joyful, examine me I’m awesome
669Chaa’rum = top of the class, very smart
670Kallah’darr = bright body
671Keh’vahh = fixing lies
672Rah’lih = spirit of work
673Tsah’lih = sees the soul
674Dan’net = expects much of others
675Bahh’shaa = talks a lot
676Shaa’lih Vahh = so sings the spirit of mystery
677Ha-buu = flexible, not stiffly adhering
678Vurr’lahh = if lahh is ‘link’ or ‘between’, everything between us
679Vahh’tan = little secret
680Ga’chackt beh = she who makes us happy
681Keh’gaka = fixed pride
682Bahh’chaa Vahh = she knows all the Mystery’s secrets
683Laa Tash Nach Vahh = the connection and path of the Mystery
684Ni-hallam’chackt Vahh = he who causes chaos
685Daa’Tuu = growing colors, ‘the colors of change’
686Voosh’hallam = the taint of chaos (agent grave + melpony)
687Darr eeya’ban vahh = the light grows from the fires’ shadow
688Swearing with Melissa
689Melissa Larrabie comes up with some extremely fancy terms, mixing and matching traditional Vortigese taunts with her own
690spin. Certain Vorts have picked up a number of these curses, ensuring their survival into the future of their race. Good
691for her, you go Melissa! Of course, her name pronounced as Vortigese words, mah lih sah, can be taken to mean ‘blunt
692spirit’ or ‘stating the obvious’ – and Mel is blunt, if nothing else.
693Dee jah voo’chackt = I will kill you, you piece of shit (literally, ‘cause death to the stinky waste’)
694Gallum’dey = what a surprise, how is this? (literally ‘explain this gift’)
695Kee-dee ha-tsah mah = Gigantic sack of stupid (literally ‘held within this shell is immense foolishness’)
696Lam jah leh zurr ha-keh = you know what I think? I think this is fucked up garbage. (literally ‘the opinion I have after looking it
697over, is that this is broken and shitty’)
698Nohaa vurr’chackt = step in front of a speeding bullet, will you? (literally ‘close the distance between you and a bullet’)
699Tan hen turr’chackt = grow the fuck up (literally ‘young or old, make up your mind’)
700Ha’gaka gurrah kallah = not proud of the nether body, Melissa’s personal curse to her uterus
701dee'gog leh ha-tsaa mah = drowning in stupid (mastershadic2 on the forums), too much water dragging you down, dumbass
702Late additions to guide
703Gallum lih = a joyous or gifted spirit (possibly also Gallam’lih, either lum or lam serves equally well)
704Ha-saa, ha-shaa = not simple, not spoken, regarding the contracts of the Mystery
705Kih chaa’vahh churr ha-shaa = a banquet of secrecy, within are kept secrets, mental nourishment, information unspoken
706Naa’net = above all expectations
707Ruunden-ket = a specific breed of the manta-like Xenian creatures, brownish, around 10’ across, hunted by Houndeyes, that
708situates itself just under the surface of the ground (literally ‘it is flat and hides motionless’)
709Seh ha-mah = not bleeding, no blood visible
710Shaa’nohaa = houndeyes (sound of fired death)
711Thoi kih’chackt = a child within, pregnancy
712Turr’chackt = elders, those that are first
713Vurr-kallah-lih = spirit and body into one, psychic lovemaking, mixing two into one
714Buu’nach Voo’nach = a stiffly followed path, a deadly path
715Beh’harrah = slave women, ELLs
716Nach ha-mah = lost, the path is not clear, nach ha-mah’chackt makes it ‘get lost’, inflection being the only way to tell whether it’s
717an instruction or a statement
718Mah’chackt ha-dim = not a lightly made decision, ‘my eyes are open’, conscious of the fact that something is serious, after
719examination
720Buu’eeya = … BOOYAH. Hard Fire. IT MEANS THE SAME THING.
721Dee-Turr'rach Jurr'eeya = a giant fork made of lava (courtesy of Strong I at spuf), excessively giant implement of hot ground
722Dan’chaa = I respect the wisdom of my elders, okay fine I’ll do whatever you want, have it your way
723Zurr chaa-bim gaharra gaka’kih = I consider the weight of the past events, and I am proud to serve; Melissa’s promise to the
724Mystery
725Ha-kshaa zurr’dey = there’s no rush, we must find more information before forming an opinion; Noah’s statement while the Vorts
726ponder naming Wilson
727Ha-chaa min kih’lih tash kallah = it was forgotten, the strengths of both the spirit and body; we underestimated and forgot what
728we saw in him (Wilson)
729Bahh’naa shaa-net, bahh’gaharra chaa’chackt = there are many ways to show gratitude and many ways to interpret our words;
730many beginnings, words that hope, much gratitude in the act of sharing knowledge
731Vin’net ha-ksaa ha-dan’chackt = false expectations (or negative), without confidence, acting without honor; in haste and hatred
732we dishonored our subject (Wilson)
733Bahh’chackt gallum vahh zurr ha-dim’chackt = Melissa has no sense of humor
734Tash ha-dan’chaa turr = and does no honor to her elders
735Net’nuy = want to drive him crazy?
736Dee hallam = too over the top
737Sennah’lach = here and now
738Ni-turr = he who is old, ‘my elder’, old man 
739Ga’net = of course, yes, what did you expect?
740Mor kuu goo rah = spoken by vort as he heals Alyx in e2’s start, gu raa would mean motion of business, while gurah is underside
741so the statement is basically ‘this action has caused her to cling to the margin [of life and death]’
742Ha-kuu = rather than meaning ‘not clinging’ this implies leeching or dragging, the negative connotation of connection/carry
743Turr-thoi taa’terr kee ninety-seven, morr Hoyle? dey nach? = elder family (parents) within the distant City 97, near Hoyle? Could
744Alyx find out?
745Ga-dim bim gram’chackt jah-vech = you enjoyed the jokes you’ve played, but its too much to continue, ‘you’ve had your fun now
746cut it out’
747Ah’xil Vortal daa’vahh ha-dee (you and I are rare things, talented Vortally, blending in, hardly common)
748Nach-toi’chackt ga’net ha’dee = (kyo the movement mage’s name) it’s a rare but expected pleasure