Lossoth language
Lossoth is spoken by the peoples of Forochel. It is mainly based on the Finnish language, but also loosely modelled on Sápmi spoken by the indigenous people of Scandinavia, the Sámi, whose culture heavily influenced the look and feel of the Lossoth. Sápmi spans across the Arctic regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Many names and other terms are Finnish, though the in-game voices are definitely not of Finnish origin.
Tolkien had a particular love for the Finnish language. He likened it to "discovering a complete wine-cellar filled with bottles of an amazing wine of a kind and flavour never tasted before." — The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 214
Notice:
- The letter â represents the Finnish double "aa", and û represents the double "uu".
- The letters "å", "ä", and "ö" exist in Finnish, as well as all Scandinavian (Nordic) languages; they are vowels but yet detached from "a" and "o" and are the last three letters of the alphabet.
Pronunciation in the Scandinavian languages:
- The letter "å" is often transcribed as "aa" and sounds like "short" as well as "door".
- The letter "ä" is often transcribed as "ae" and sounds like "fan" as well as "track".
- The letter "ö" is often transcribed as "oe" and sounds like "learn" as well as curl.
The following are some words and phrases, interpreted from "Lossoth" to English via Finnish.
Word list
| Word or phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Blökk | Block |
| Etelä | South |
| Goahti | Dome-shaped house |
| Hammas | Tooth |
| Hampât | Tooth |
| Hauta | Grave |
| Heimo | Tribe |
| Henki | Spirit |
| Herra | Mister |
| Hirvi | Elk |
| Hylje | Seal |
| Iso | Big |
| Itä | East |
| Jä | Ice |
| Jänis | Rabbit |
| Järvi | Lake |
| Jätikko | Glacier |
| Kaihu | Terror |
| Kalpa | Sword |
| Kantâ | Bear |
| Karju | Boar |
| Karva | Hair |
| Katala | Vile |
| Kauppa | Trade |
| Kelkka | Sledge |
| Kita | Mouth |
| Kivi | Stone |
| Kohta | Point |
| Koira | Dog |
| Kôkas | Big |
| Kolo | Hole |
| Korkea | High |
| Kurja | Lousy |
| Kuru | Canyon |
| Kylä | Village |
| Kylmä | Cold |
| Laiha | Thin |
| Länsi | West |
| Laulu | Song |
| Lavvu | Traveller's tent |
| Leijona | Lion |
| Leiri | Camp |
| Lohikârme | Dragon |
| Luistin | Ice skate |
| Lumi | Snow |
| Mâ | Land |
| Mammutti | Mammoth |
| Manâja | Exorcist |
| Mäit | Hills |
| Mûri | Wall |
| Näkijä | Seer |
| Näky | Sight |
| Norsu | Elephant |
| Otus | Beast |
| Paha | Bad |
| Paistâ | Shine |
| Paksu | Thick |
| Peikko | Troll |
| Peldor | Fields |
| Pesä | Nest, den |
| Peto | Beast |
| Pitkä | Long |
| Pynti | Hunting |
| Raivo | Fury |
| Rakki | Thing |
| Rannit | Coast |
| Râto | Carcass |
| Rauta | Iron |
| Reitti | Route |
| Sari | Island |
| Säri | Shin |
| Sivullinen | Outsider |
| Skessa | Sketch |
| Suola | Salt |
| Sûri | Large |
| Surma | Death |
| Surmâja | Killer |
| Susi | Wolf |
| Sytyke | Tinder |
| Talvi | Winter |
| Torahammas | Fang |
| Torvi | Horn |
| Tuima | Grim |
| Tûli | Wind |
| Vahva | Strong |
| Väki | People |
| Vanha | Old |
| Vesi | Water |
| Vieras | Guest |
| Vihâja | Hater |
Lossoth Tribes
These are the name translations of the various Lossoth tribe names:
| Name | Translation |
|---|---|
| Hirvi-heimo | Elk Tribe |
| Hylje-heimo | Seal Tribe |
| Koira-heimo | Dog Tribe |
| Leijona-heimo | Lion Tribe |
| Mammutti-heimo | Mammoth Tribe |
Locations
These are the translations of the various locations:
| Name | Translation |
|---|---|
| Hylje-leiri | Seal Camp |
| Itä-mâ | East Land |
| Jä-kuru | Ice Canyon |
| Jä-rannit | Ice Coast |
| Jä-reitti | Ice Route |
| Jänis-leiri | Rabbit Camp |
| Karhu-leiri | Bear Camp |
| Kauppa-kohta | Trade Point |
| Korkea-järvi | High Lake |
| Kuru-leiri | Canyon Camp |
| Länsi-mâ | West Land |
| Norsu-hauta | Elephant Grave |
| Näky-kolo | Sight-hole |
| Pynti-peldot | Hunting Fields |
| Sari-surma | Island of Death |
| Sûri-kylä | Large Village |
| Talvi-mûri | Winter Wall |
| Tûli-mäit | Wind Hills |
| Vesi-paistâ | Water Shines |
Mobs
| Word or phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Blökk | Block |
| Iso-torvi | Big-horn |
| Katala-otus | Vile-beast |
| Kôkas-karju | Big-boar |
| Kurja-rakki | Lousy-dog |
| Kylmä-Säri | Cold-shin |
| Laulu-vihâja | Song-hater |
| Lohikârme | Dragon |
| Paha-peto | Bad-beast |
| Paksu-karva | Thick-hair |
| Peikko | Troll |
| Pitkä-hammas | Long-tooth |
| Raivo-kaihu | Fury-terror |
| Skessa | Sketch |
| Torahammas | Fang |
| Tuima-kita | Grim-mouth |
| Vahva-hammas | Strong-tooth |
Miscellaneous terms
| Word or phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Etelä-vieras | Southern-guest |
| Kalpa-kita | Sword-mouth |
| Kivi-väki | Stone-people (used for Dwarves) |
| Kolo-hampât | Hole-tooth |
| Laiha-herra | Thin-mister |
| Lumi-väki | Snow-people (the Lossoth call themselves this) |
| Rauta-väki | Iron-people (the invaders from Angmar) |
| Sivullinen | Outsider |
| Susi-väki | Wolf-people (Gauredain) |
| Vanha-väki | Old-people (used for Elves) |
| Vesi-henki | Water-spirit |