Ravkan (Ravkayash[1]) is the language commonly used by the inhabitants of Ravka.
Known words and phrases[]
A ★ indicates the Ravkan word comes directly (unchanged) from Russian.
| Ravkan | English translation | Possible language inspiration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| maleni | ghosts[2] | ||
| malenchki | little ghosts[3] | maleni, "ghosts" + "ch" (diminutive) | |
| kefta | (garment worn by Grisha) | kaftan | |
| Sankt / Sankta | Saint (masculine/feminine)[4] | ||
| Sankt’ya | of the Saints[4] | ||
| istorii | stories | ★ | |
| kvas | a traditional fermented Slavic beverage | ||
| da | yes[5] | ★ | |
| net | no[6] | ★ | |
| kapitan | captain[5] | ★ | |
| oprichnik(i) | (the Darkling’s personal guard(s), elite soldier(s)) | ★ | |
| moi | my (masculine object)[5] | ★ | |
| moya | my (feminine object)[7] | ★ | |
| soverenyi | sovereign, the title used for the Darkling (direct address: moi soverenyi)[5] | suveren, "sovereign" | |
| tsar | ruler, king (direct address: moi tsar)[7] | ★ | |
| tsaritsa | ruler, queen, female tsar (direct address: moya tsaritsa)[7] | ★ | |
| banya | bathhouse[8] | ★ | |
| odinakovost | sameness, thisness[4] | ★ | |
| etovost | uniqueness, thatness[4] | ||
| otkazat'sya | orphaned, abandoned; used by Grisha to refer to non-Grisha[4] | ★ "to refuse" | |
| tsarevich | prince, son of tsar (direct address: moi tsarevich)[9] | ★ | |
| kutya | a Ravkan dish[9] | ★ kutya/kutia Ukrainian dish | |
| sobachka | puppy, doggy[9] | ★ sobaka, "dog" + "ch" (diminutive) | |
| lapushka[10] | darling, honey, sweetie | ★ | |
| nichyevo | nothing[10] | ★ | |
| nichevo'ya | nothings[11] | ||
| grenatki[12], grenatye | grenades (both have been used) | ★ | |
| Volkvolny | Wolf of the Waves[13] | ★ volk, "wolf" + volny, "waves" | |
| provin’ye | real[6] (adjective) | pravdívyj, "true, truthful"/pravilʹnyj, "right, correct" | |
| autchen’ye | genuine (adjective)[6] | autentichyi, "autchentic" | |
| osti | bones[6] | kosti | |
| spasibo | thanks, thank you[6] | ★ | |
| babki | (a children’s game)[14] | (бабки, known as knucklebones or jacks in English) | |
| Madraya | mother, mom, mommy (term of address)[14] | ||
| borov | father[15] | ||
| merzost | magic, abomination, unnatural creation, something from nothing[16] | ★ "abomination" | |
| rebe | daughter[6] | ||
| dva | two[6] | ★ | |
| stolba | mills (refers to the ruins of Dva Stolba)[6] | ★ "pillars", "columns" | |
| nolnik(i) | zero(es)[17] (see also Nolniki) | ★ "nul" meaning "zero" | |
| babya | grandmother, old woman (formal address)[18] | baba, "grandmother" | |
| Ne zalost! | To your health![19] | ||
| Ne ___! | Long live _____![citation needed] | ||
| khitka | wood sprite[20] | ||
| metan yez | marsh gas[21] | ★ metan, "methane, marsh gas" | |
| pomdrakon | dragonbowl (a Ravkan dish created by lighting raisins on fire)[22] | ||
| babink | barbarian[23] | ||
| razrusha’ya | ruined[20] | razrushenny | |
| razrushost | ruination[24] (see also Genya Safin) | razruha, "ruins"/razrushennost', "ruins" | |
| na | I am not[24] | ne ya | |
| e‘ya | I am[24] | ya | |
| sarafan | a peasant dress[24] | ★ | |
| kokochnik / kokoshnik | headdress, hairpiece[25][26] | ★ (kokoshnik) | |
| lumiya | a variation of liquid fire, an almost un-extinguishable flame[27] | ||
| beznako | a lost cause[28] | ||
| yunejhost | unity[29] | ||
| sol | sun (adj.)[30] | solntse | |
| korol | king[29] | ★ | |
| koroleva | queen[30] | ★ | |
| Sol Koroleva | Sun Queen[30] | ★ | |
| Korol Rezni | King of Scars[29] | ★ lit.: King Of Massacre;
rezat' - "to cut", reznya - "a massacre" | |
| dros | thaw[26] | ||
| Dros Koroleva | Queen of the Thaw[26] | ||
| koja | handsome[31] | ||
| Gruzeburya | the brute wind[32] | ★ gruze, "load" + burya, "storm" | |
| Adezku | the western wind[33] | ||
| Lazlayon | the Gilded Hollow[34] | ||
| milaya | sweet girl[26] | ★ | |
| volkshiya | people[23] | ||
| sho sol | hello[1] | ||
| zyeshostash | goodbye[1] | ||
| zhorvat kei? | how are you?[1] | ||
| eya brova | I'm good[1] | ||
| razbrovi | excellent[1] | ||
| et etsilanya | it is known[1] | ||
| vyoni bleini nolas chovad | all men must die[1] | ||
| moi sol ye tselai | my sun and stars[1] | ||
| zyoma maya olya | moon of my life[1] | ||
| kei ryezich Ravkayash? | do you speak Ravkan?[1] | ||
| eya chela | I'm hungry[1] | ||
| eya fyela chi | I love you[1] | ||
| kei onolich yash? | will you marry me?[1] | ||
| keletchka | from the fruit crate[35] | ||
| Pyele ma chayan drovnikan | Make me your villain[36] |
Ancient Ravkan[]
e’ya - I am[21] ★ (ya)
sta - become[21] ★ (stat’sya = to become)
rezku - blade[21] ★ (rezky = to cut)
Inspiration[]
- As explained by Leigh Bardugo, Ravkan is not exactly the same as Russian; the language is heavily inspired by Russian, but is derived from both Russian and Mongolian. It seems in part to have a mostly Russian vocabulary, with much simplified noun and adjective plural endings, which may come from Mongolian.
- The written version created by David J. Peterson appears to resemble the Glagolitic script (the oldest known Slavic writing system) in addition to Cyrillic and is partially intelligible to Cyrillic readers according to Bulgarian native Julian Kostov.
Gallery[]
The Ravkan alphabet (Netflix)
The Ravkan alphabet (David J. Peterson)
Father in Ravkan (David J. Peterson)
Make me your villain in Ravkan (David J. Peterson)
The Ravkan version of Shadow and Bone
Jesper holding the Ravkan edition of Shadow and Bone in the episode The Heart is an Arrow
.png "Alina's letter to Mal (Netflix).png (687 KB)")
Alina's letter to Mal (Netflix)
The cover of the Istorii Sankt'ya
Sankta Lizabeta's story handwritten in Ravkan language
The Istorii Sankt'ya in the episode The Making at the Heart of the World
The cover of A Children's Treasury - The Language of Thorns
The Too-Clever Fox in Ravkan language
The Soldier Prince in Ravkan Language
A Children's Treasury - The Language of Thorns in the episode The Making at the Heart of the World
Trivia[]
- A Ravkan edition of Shadow and Bone exists.
- In episode 6 of Shadow and Bone, Jesper holds up the Ravkan edition of the book that David threw at him.
- Malyen is the Ravkan version of Malcolm.[37]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 David J. Peterson. The Art of Language Invention (2015). Penguin Books. "Ravkan Phrase Book" p. 311. Reprinted with revisions and new chapter 2021.
- ↑ Ruin and Rising, chapter 17
- ↑ Shadow and Bone, Before
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Shadow and Bone, chapter 10
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Shadow and Bone, chapter 3
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Siege and Storm, chapter 10
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Shadow and Bone, chapter 7
- ↑ Shadow and Bone, chapter 9
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Shadow and Bone, chapter 13
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Shadow and Bone, chapter 16
- ↑ Siege and Storm, chapter 2
- ↑ Siege and Storm, chapter 8
- ↑ Siege and Storm, chapter 5
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Siege and Storm, chapter 12
- ↑ David J. Peterson on Tumblr
- ↑ Siege and Storm, chapter 15
- ↑ Siege and Storm, chapter 17
- ↑ Siege and Storm, chapter 21
- ↑ Siege and Storm, chapter 22
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Siege and Storm, chapter 23
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Ruin and Rising, chapter 5
- ↑ Six of Crows, chapter 20
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Crooked Kingdom, chapter 13
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Ruin and Rising, chapter 7
- ↑ Ruin and Rising, chapter 8
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 The Witch of Duva
- ↑ Ruin and Rising, chapter 9
- ↑ Ruin and Rising, chapter 13
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Ruin and Rising, chapter 18
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Siege and Storm, chapter 11
- ↑ The Too-Clever Fox
- ↑ Crooked Kingdom, chapter 8
- ↑ King of Scars, chapter 2
- ↑ King of Scars, chapter 4
- ↑ King of Scars, chapter 8
- ↑ David J. Peterson on Tumblr
- ↑ "Very few people have guessed at the correct origin of Mal's name, but I'll tell you that Malyen is the Ravkan version of Malcolm." Leigh Bardugo on Goodreads