Introducing and Addressing People
A person can be addressed by their given name or by their title, but not both together. It is also possible to
address a person by their family’s name, although this is rare. Note that a Shela family name is not the same as an
English surname. It does not attach to a person’s given name and many families do not in fact have a name at all. Unless they are friends, people tend to be addressed by their title (usually their occupation).
Now, having said all that, a person’s name, title and family name tend to be given all at once when they are being introduced. This form of introduction (‘liare‘, in Kardii) follows the format ‘(given name) tyse (title) vin j’taav (family name)’:
The liare is only given when a person is being introduced (or, if absolutely necessary, to identify the specific (not present) person being discussed). The person in the above example would afterwards be addressed as ‘j’tiira’, or the feminine ‘j’tiiree’.
There are a few variations in the format of the liare. ‘Tyse‘, in historical records, will become ‘tysa‘ to denote a person who is deceased. It is also worthy to note that when a liare is given in Kardiifa (not always noticeable, as proper nouns do not change for Kardiifa), ‘tyse’ stays as it is and does not become the Kardiifa ‘vin ty‘.
‘Vin j’taav‘ (of the blood) before a family name also has variants. A member of a merchant clan will replace ‘vin j’taav (family name)’ with ‘vin mayad (clan name)’, even if they are not actually related to the clan.
Personal Names
Boys’ Names
The rules that say whether a name is masculine or feminine are not very rigid in Kardii, although names ending in ‘m’ or ‘n’ are usually masculine, as are names whose meanings are to do with man-made objects.
| ablim
afia – spring (of water) alka – sail amin – spirit of rage (Iilkana) anda – spirit of time and memory (Iilkana) ani anina – comb ansen aran – peak, mountain top ardal – plough aresa asta – fierce astan – ladder atri – star (fr. Iilkana – ‘atiri’) ayam – cyclone, hurricane biasiska – half moon chich – herb, useful plant daapedi – drum dalin dese – spirit of insects (Iilkana) dileren – sriana dekan elon – spirit of the sky (Iilkana) hayan – tornado i’iokaad ilia – horizon imosa – fern inatim – spirit of building (Iilkana) inmi’ia – rainbow ista – teal itiwa – apprentice jakasi – shale jakoa – stone jaraah – harp jasena – marble jenu – leaf jistira – smallsword j’lee josena – fire kala – platinum kaleen kalmi’ia – feather kandaar – cloud kandimele – thunder kanime – thunder kanimele – thunder kapel – grove, thicket karuna – jade kaysian – child kech kesani – mother of pearl kesi – flax (fr. Tali – ‘kyesi’) kintia – season krita – handle latipa – rhythm loi – stone loinina – copper ore lonalan – bud malora – beryl, emerald |
meleem – ruby
meme – bell mern – tree (fr. Tali – ‘mean’) minala – fan miska – light nasma – reed neesaane – horn (instrument) nev – hand (fr. Iilkana – ‘nef’) nordee – comet nordtay – shooting star ny – ash pekele – spirit of music (Iilkana) pesa – spirit of sleep and dreams (Iilkana) pikaafi – spirit of birds (Iilkana) pinnin – pearl pyna – ladle radi – metal reen rensy – gift ronra rorlia ryshia – amber sathen – spirit of celebration (Iilkana) sayan – ocean wave sayaneva – breaking wave sech – north sen – jetty, wharf, also sriana vera sera – riverbank serata – spirit of popularity (Iilkana) shilway – dena (fr. Tali – ‘shilwei’) sholenda – spirit of the forest (Iilkana) sinkara – laytira of the sunrise siry – current (in water) sisari – whisper siu – kettle, pot (fr. Tali – ‘syu’) srei’ia – type of plant stim tela – ink ten – bell (fr. tali – ‘teng’) teryla – spirit of voice (Iilkana) tesena – waterhole, oasis teskijeni – mercury, quicksilver tetbee thalee – charm, talisman thyneeno tia – wind tiniska – moonlight (from tinian) tol – silk ure – copper uwen – fruit ven – star (fr. Tali – ‘vyen’) vimi vintay – map wahu – intelligent (fr. Tali – ‘wahu’) win – dew wohan – sriana dekan yleki – cradle |
Girls’ Names
Names ending in ‘s’ or ‘t’ are usually feminine, as are names whose meanings are to do with animals.
| akina – insect’s antenna
alaja – foal alaska – moonlight (from alavel) anees aniles – smoke awi – winter aya – brilliance biai’iit – full moon biani – crescent moon biariana – new moon biaska – moonlight chia – dried leaves/petals chis – insect chori chymet – jewel daan’ii – honour dana – sun (fr. Iilkana – ‘denan’) denati – water snake d’mana – petal dtili – snake efila – furred ear elus – spirit of birth (Iilkana) faai – mist fina – spirit of the sea (Iilkana) fiva – ice hadi – spirit of darkness (Iilkana) i’iupu – kind (fr. Tali – ‘yupu’) istee – wind jakida – sandstone kali – spirit of exploration (Iilkana) kami – spirit of learning (Iilkana) kases – magenta kaska – moonlight (from kasnia) kay – bright (fr. Tali – ‘kei’) kaya – opal kedana – laughter keista – spirit of death (Iilkana) kela – smile kelasi – laytira of the sea kesali – spirit of healing (Iilkana) kesha – spirit of water and thirst (Iilkana) kile – deep (fr. Tali) koachas – black onyx kseerros – storm ksetari – forked tongue kusari – whistle k’viv – rain lythiches – amethyst mala – ripple, rings in water man – dish (fr. Tali – ‘mang’) merri – bird |
miali – type of plant
mi’ia – colour mina – dragonfly miny – fish fin mori – well natibi – insect wing ni – eye (fr. Iilkana – ‘nai’) ni’iampe – skilful (fr. Tali – ‘nyampe’) nilik – moss niri – spirit of fear and courage (Iilkana) nori – lizard norska – starlight oleku – black orri – braid osy – spirit of love (Iilkana) paai’ie – turtle pikada – seashell rehe – fire rehesi – flame repa – bird tail riikoa – petrified wood sakiset – fancy shandari sharafayla – type of flower sia – beauty (fr. Iilkana – ‘siani’) spetra – cascade (fr. Iilkana – ‘sipetera’) tala – fairy, sprite tay’a tayat – hematite tejina – ford teloi – emerald terset – Tali girls’ name teskesani – iridescence tesrehe – lava thala – spirit of truth (Iilkana) thanalik thayma thitas – spirit of weaving (Iilkana) tianda – prophecy tiika – altar tijeni – silver tikada – prophecy (fr. Iilkana – ‘tiika anda’) tinu – scale trabi – archer trista – bird’s wing vree – blue vusa – night wy – sun (fr. Tali – ‘wai’) y – nine yty – spirit of snakes (Iilkana) |
Family and Clan Names
The Shela custom of naming families was once reserved for nobility. Then came the merchant clans, to whom the founding families are much like nobility anyway. Today, many families have names, often from the names of objects or symbols that the family associates with themselves. Most family names are blended forms of two or more words, eg. ‘imelistee’, from ‘imele’ (voice) and ‘istee’ (wind).
When a married couple decide not to move in with either of their families and start their own household, it is common for them to adopt a combined form of both their family names.
Here are a few of the more prominent families:
| Mineri – the West Nin royal family and descendents of Ani.
Den’iisrel? – the ruling family of Narsa Province Neeraka – the ruling family of Emah and Tedaar Provinces Kenamisi? – the Nu royal family Imelistee? – the Shania royal family Neeraka Tsen – the East Nin royal family |