Sylvan Lexicon

Sylvan Lexicon is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

The Sylvan Language

Introduction

The following notes on the sylvan language refer primarily to its usage in the spoken form. In the written form additional variations may occur. Discrepancies between past translations and more recent efforts are most likely to show in written formats and are no reflection on the rigors of past scholarship.

Basics of Phonetics and Pronunciation

The language of the sylvan people is referred to as Sylvankind in Common and Yrthalen in the actual sylvan tongue.

Vowels in Yrthalen include:

A (ah), E (eh), I (ee), O (oh), Y (ee/ih), and U (oo)

Consonants in Yrthalen include:

Soft and flowing sounds (L, R, V, S, TH, Y) with some harder stops (T, K, D)

Stresses in Yrthalen are generally on the second-to-last syllable.

Grammar

Word Order: Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)

Example: I the tree see → Yn yrthalen eveth.

Possession: Genitive is formed by prefixing yr- or nyr- (for personal possession).

Example: Yr sael Yuriqen (The art of Yuriqen)

Plurals: Formed by doubling the final vowel.

Example: rolton (sheep) → roltoon (sheep, plural)

Adjectives: Precede nouns.

Example: lythela yrthalen (ethereal summer tree)

Verb Conjugation:

Present: Root + -eth (eveth = sees)

Past: Root + -iel (eviel = saw)

Future: Root + -en (even = will see)

New Vocabulary Terms

Common Actions and Verbs

Sylvan Term	Meaning
Aneveth	To carry, to transport
Athgosan	To mourn, to honor the dead
Ensael	To create or express art
Eveth	To see, to observe
Ieveth	To call, to summon
Ieviel	To release
Rivelyniel	To remember
Tahl	To listen, to pay attention
Thanar	To call to duty
Velas	To bind

Storytelling and Poetry

Sylvan Term	Meaning
Acal'lyssan	Whispered legend
Ensaelyth	Tale-weaving
Itharaen	Mythic journey
Lythelan'thar	Song of summer
Rivelyn'lyss	Echo of the past
Tahl'yrthalen	Listen to the forest
Yrsaelan'kai	Carved tale

Love

Sylvan Term	Meaning
Acal'yrien	Secret longing
Alore'vaniel	Love discovered
Ivelyth'karin	Sacred bond
Lythela'vren	Summer embrace
Rivelyn'athiel	Eternal devotion
Sael'ithara	Art of passion
Vyshath'lyra	Gentle touch

Grief

Sylvan Term	Meaning
Acal'lyssara	Shadow of sorrow
Caelriven'thal	Amber-lit farewell
Rivelyn'kareth	Memory of loss
Sael'vithan	Grief painted in art
Thal'verith	Silent night of remembrance

Greetings and Partings

Sylvan Phrase	Meaning
"Acalen wan'lythela."	May your festival be filled with light.
"Sael eth ilyraelin."	Art is like fireflies. (A common Sylvan greeting)
"Tahl yrthalen, enwan?"	How is the forest, friend? (Equivalent to "How are you?")
"Yrieth vel ataela."	The wind carries the clouds. (A poetic way to say goodbye)

Ceremonial Clothing

Garments

Sylvan Term	Meaning
Caelriven	Amber-threaded robe, worn for rites of remembrance
Velas'than	Armband denoting membership in a particular D'ahranal
Iveth’garin	Mourning cloak, deep blue or violet, worn during Ivethlyss
Rith	Hood or hairwrap affixed with gems and trinkets, worn to denote social or political stances
Saelaraen	Ritual chest-wrap of the artisan, embroidered with sacred patterns
Thal’verian	Night-ceremony cloak, embroidered with starlike patterns
Yrsael’waneth	Festival tunic, worn during the tree-art ceremony

Jewelry

Sylvan Term	Meaning
Acal’theris	Shadow-carved gemstone, worn by night travelers
Ivren’saelar	Spirit-bonded necklace, given to soulmates
Tyshathen	Red zircon pendant, symbolizes deep emotion or grief
Vyshathen	Blue-green zircon ring, associated with wisdom and clarity

Accessories

Sylvan Term	Meaning
Cavelyr’aneth	Dancer’s anklets, used in traditional performances
Nanrith’thir	Warding veil, worn by priestesses during protection rituals
Thal'vireth	Celestial diadem, worn by ritual participants in night rituals
Yrieth’wanir	Wind-crowned circlet, given to those honored in festivals
Yrsael’tharen	Tree-etched torc, gifted to skilled artisans

Ongoing Collation

A list of confirmed words in Sylvan. For suggestions/additions, please use the Discussion page and include a link to the relevant document the term is used in (or if it is an in-game item/location, enough information staff can find it for review).

Sylvan Term	Translation	Roots	Originating Documentation	Date Introduced	Other Info
Ataela	"cloudsilk"	Based on the root for cloud	Roltons, Wools, and Cheese of the Land	June 2023	A type of sylvan silk (similar to RL batik)
Cavelta	"dancing rolton"	Based on the root for dance	Roltons, Wools, and Cheese of the Land	June 2023	Also known as the cavelta rolton. A type of sylvan rolton
Cavela	Unknown	Based on the root for dance/cavelta rolton	Roltons, Wools, and Cheese of the Land	June 2023	A type of thin, supple leather or suede from the hide of a cavelta
Ivelyrael	Loosely "caretaker of the sacred grove"	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	Part of the ivethlyss death ritual
Lyssatha	Loosely "recitation to the trees"	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A prayer recited during an ivethlyss
Caelrivel	Loosely "rites of amber"	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A sylvan death ritual
Rivelyn	Unknown	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A glassworked bead including ashes of a loved one
Athgosael	Unknown	Unknown (though "gos" appears to come from Gosaena)	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	Death rites for sylvans following or inspired by the worship of Gosaena
Rantylan	"the Summoner	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	A large drum beat upon the death of a council member
Tyshveriel	Unknown	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A zircon-based tea ceremony
Tyshath	Unknown	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A rare deep red zircon with dark purple starring
Vyshath	Unknown	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A rare blue-green zircon
Aelyreth	Loosely "ceremony of the fallen leaves"	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A sylvan funeral ceremony
Ilyraelin	Unknown	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A clothing style/trend that captures fireflies in mesh netting
Lyraev	Unknown	Unknown	Anchors Within Chaos: Sylvans & Mourning	February 2023	A ceremonial releasing of fireflies caught in mesh netting upon one's clothes
Ivethlyss	"telling the trees"	Unknown	Telling the Bees: Death Rituals of the Forest Gnomes	2022	Sylvan death ritual
Lyshaelyn	Unknown	Unknown	Artisanal Glasses of Elanthia: A Continuation	September 2022	Sylvan glassworking - a type of dichroic glass
Ithaenil	Unknown	Unknown	Artisanal Glasses of Elanthia: A Continuation	September 2022	A subset of lyshaelyn glassworking
Atala yr'cavel	Cloud dancer	originating from the phrase "leaving the trees to dance in the clouds"	A Library Mouse By Any Other Name	February 2021	Sylvan term for bookworm
Arg'Hamim	Unknown	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Sylvan ritual of initiation
Dra'Elstin	Unknown	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Sylvan annual spring festival, occurs during Ivastaen
Nevishrim	"Pearl at Mountain's Foot"	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Name given to the city-forest established after the sylvan left Ithnishmyn
Alandalore	"the lost is found"	From "alore" (a term for finding) and unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Name given to a human child found during the migration west after dismantling Nevishrim
Hyrrad (plural, hyrrad)	Unknown	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	A temporary dwelling of thick canvas, insulating the occupants from weather
Andemyon	"edge of all"	From "andemit" (a term for edges)	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Name given to a river that formed a boundary to the western edge of the forest in which Yuriqen was located
Cavalot	Unknown	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Elected leaders for the original D'ahranal assembly
Yuriqen	Trees of the Sky	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	A sylvan city built on seven modwirs
Ne'Yuscarl	Unknown	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Border guards of Yuriqen
Nanrithowan	Unknown	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Warding magic used at Yuriqen
Rithowan	Unknown	Unknown	History of the Sylvan Elves	Unknown	Turns the effects of nanrithowan from disorientation to a heightened awareness and perception
Yr	most likely a prefix version of "tree"	N/A	History of the Sylvan Elves	Used in the names of the 7 modwirs of Yuriqen
Lythela	Roughly "Summer's Ethereal Light"	n/a	Estival, or Summer, Holidays	June 2024	Believed to be Sylvan in origin, this is a term only found in the Wyrdeep. It is the name of a summer solstice celebration there, and the rough translation is said to be "Summer's Ethereal Light." The day after is named "Af'Lytha" but this is believed to be Wyrdeep slang and not actual Sylvan.
Acal	A truncation of a term for shade or shadow	Unknown	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024
Yrsael'wan	Literally "tree art ceremony"	From "yrsael" (art of the woods) and "wan" (festival)	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024	A sylvan ceremony involving tree art
Wan	An affix for festival	n/a	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024
Yrsaelan	A type of tree art ( shortened from yrsael alore andemit)	n/a	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024	A sylvan artform
Yrsael alore andemit	Colloquially, yrsaelan, "Finding the opposite edges of art within the tree)	from "yrsael" (art of the woods), "alore" (a term for finding), and "andemit" (a term for edges)	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024	A sylvan artform
Alore	Finding	n/a	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024
Andemit	Edges, metaphysically	n/a	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024
Yrsael	Art of the trees/woods	From "yr" (tree) and "sael" (one of several terms for art)	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024
Sael	One of several terms for art	n/a	Autumnal Holidays	September 2024