TRADITIONAL AND MODERN GOLIC VULCAN ETYMOLOGY
Zhit-Vesht-Tal Ba- eh Iyi-Gol-Vuhlkansu
"Traditional Golic Vulcan" and "Modern Golic Vulcan" are part of a small family of closely related languages descended from the Pan-Northern Hemispheric Vulcan through Western Proto-Golic, Old High Golic, Ancient Golic Vulcan (AGV) of at least 25,000 years ago, and the ceremonial/liturgical Golic Vulcan (CLGV) spoken many millennia ago by those at the discipline centers of Gol and the surrounding region. Little is known of AGV and those who spoke it because wars and natural disasters have wiped away most traces of that culture. The surviving pieces of information come from fragments of ancient texts and archeological discoveries, such as those in the region of the Obelisks of Vulcan.
Many Golic Vulcan words are descended from words rooted in mythology, warfare, nature or religion, because those things dominated Vulcan life for untold millennia. We feel that understanding the history of Golic words will make learning the language more interesting and shed light on the culture of Vulcans past and present.
Below is basic etymological information on a variety of Golic Vulcan words, including their roots back to CLGV and AGV, where known.
A'rak (positive) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "á-rhak", meaning "good direction".
Abru' (above, over) -- from CLGV "apru'" and AGV "ápruu".
Abru-mal (thigh) -- literally "above-leg".
Abu'le (upwards) -- from CLGV "apu'leh" and AGV "ápuullh".
Af'tum (kitchen) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "àffu'dúmh", meaning "cooking chamber".
Ahkh (war) -- from an ancient non-Golic word, "'ahkh".
Ahkhsu (warrior) -- literally "war person".
Ahm (name) -- unchanged word from CLGV and AGV.
Ahs (jaw) -- unchanged word from CLGV and AGV.
Aifa (these) -- from CLGV "aifu" and AGV "ayivu".
Aikum (moon) -- unchanged word from CLGV; AGV form is unknown, although possibly related to "álh'úmú, meaning "companion".
Ak (soon) -- unchanged word from CLGV and AGV.
Ak'spra (heretic) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "ahr'shprátu", meaning "one who goes against what is written".
Alem (salt) -- unchanged word from CLGV and AGV.
Alem-tukh (sodium) -- literally "salt stuff", because common salt is comprised of sodium and chlorine.
Aluk (fish) -- unchanged word from CLGV; AGV form is unknown.
Arlanga-tukh (yttrium) -- chemical element first found in the Arlanga mountain range.
Asal (morning) -- from CLGV "ashahl", derived from AGV "aξ'àl'el", the rising (time).
Ash-vel (shoe) -- literally "treading thing".
Au (them/they) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "á".
Ausham (venom) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "áξumh".
Avon (hunger) -- from CLGV "avonn", derived from AGV "àfhonnh".
Bah-ker (garden) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "báha-kèrru", meaning "food yard".
Bar-kas (spice) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "bárrh-kàξu", meaning "tongue-biter", an effect of spices.
Bes (drawing) -- from CLGV "bæs" and AGV "b'hàs".
Bezhun (eye) -- from CLGV "bæshun" and AGV "b'hàshúnh".
Da-fek (axle) -- literally "turn(ing)-pole".
Da-rala-hali (helicopter) -- literally "turning wing vehicle".
Da-sfek (axis, pivot) -- literally "turn(ing)-point"
Dah-halek (bicycle) -- literally "two-goer", as in a conveyance with two wheels.
Dan (rotation) -- from CLGV "dahn" and AGV "dhánh".
Danau (to explain) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "dháná".
Dau (to affect) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "dhá".
Dawan (an undependable person) -- from CLGV "dal'wanu" and AGV "da'w'lhán".
Don-ka (rich) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "dónh-ká", meaning "money-having".
Dun (paper) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "dúnh", a papyrus-like paper made from the fibers of an edible root.
Dunap (book) -- from CLGV "dunapi", derived from AGV "dúnh-abù", "scroll".
Ek'zer (gem/jewel) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "àh-zèrrh", meaning roughly "all-value", from a very ancient practice of using gems as monetary units.
Esh (breath) -- from CLGV "æsk" and AGV "àξ".
Esh-tukh (oxygen) -- literally "breath(ing) stuff".
Esh-mev (trachea) -- literally "breath(ing) tube".
Glan (sight) -- from CLGV "glann" and AGV "glánh".
Ha-tor (to live) -- from CLGV "hahthor" and AGV "hahdhórh".
Hal-tor (to go/to proceed) -- from CLGV "hahlthor" and AGV "hlahdhórh".
Hali-kel (hangar) -- literally "vehicle structure".
Halitra (fleet) -- literally "vehicle mass", meaning a large group of vehicles.
Masu-hali (boat) -- literally "water vehicle".
Ne' (below, under) -- from CLGV "næ" and AGV "nàh".
Ne-lan (cadet) -- literally "under-rank".
Ne-mal (shin) -- literally "under-leg".
Ne-masu-hali (submarine) -- literally "underwater vehicle".
Nu'le (downwards) -- from CLGV "nu'leh" and AGV "nuuhellh".
Nu-seshan (gravity) -- literally "down-pull".
She'rak (east) -- literally "rising direction" (from the rising suns).
Shen (rise, n.) -- from CLGV "skæn" and AGV "ξ'ành".
Shetau (to become) -- from CLGV "shætau" and AGV "ξ'àntá".
Sposhan (eruption) -- from CLGV "spohshan" and AGV "sp'àξònh".
Stonn (horn, antler) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "stònh".
Stukh-hali (spaceship) -- literally "space vehicle".
Swana (a rare and precious item) -- from CLGV "swlana" and AGV "s'w'lhánh".
Tor (to do/to make) -- from CLGV "thor" and AGV "dhórh".
Ukraluk (reptile) -- unchanged word from CLGV, derived from AGV "úhrállu", meaning "one who crawls".
Wan (cloud) -- from CLGV "wlan" and AGV "w'lhán".
Wan-kur (white) -- literally "cloud-color", because clouds are one of the few "white" items historically on Vulcan.
Wan-tukh (aluminum) -- literally "cloud-stuff", because the metal is light in color and weight.
Yel-hali (starship) -- literally "star vehicle".
More coming soon!
