Nazja is thelanguage spoken bynaga. LikeThalassian, Nazja is derived from theDarnassian language.[1] As such, its writing resembles elven script.[2]
Atreatise written byWarlord Kalithresh is written in the water-proofed alien script of the naga.[3]
Untranslated Nazja words and phrases[]
- Athero bath'rilas! - Phonetic spelling, said byNaga Sea Witches inWarcraft III: The Frozen Throne.
- Alana be'lendor! - Yelled byFathom-Lord Karathress upon killing a player and byHarjatan when casting Commanding Roar.
- Ash-thero-sauguine! - Probably a battle cry, said by aNaga Myrmidon inThe Broken Isles inWarcraft III.
- Ash'thero sanguine! - Yelled by Harjatan. See above.
- Ba'anthalso-dorei! - Said byWarlord Kalithresh as well as by a Naga Myrmidon in The Broken Isles inWarcraft III.
- Bal, lamer zhita! - Yelled byHigh Warlord Naj'entus and Harjatan.
- Be'lanen dalorai! - Yelled by High Warlord Naj'entus.
- Be'lemer an-delei! - Yelled byLady Vashj during herencounter inSerpentshrine Cavern and in
[53-60] Straight to the Heart. - Fara dena'lay! - Spoken byZhahara Darksquall to call down a lightning strike onWanyo's fishing boat.[4]
- Nazjatar - The naga capital, located beneath theMaelstrom.
- Osh'bala-tharei - Phonetic spelling, said byNaga Sirens inWarcraft III.
- Ranazjar - Naga-inhabited island inDesolace.
- Rethress - Abandoned naga camp inAzshara.
- Therazjasha![5] - said by Naga Sea Witches inWarcraft III.
- Zin-Azshari adore. - Said byIllidari naga NPCs.
In the RPG[]
This section contains information from theWarcraft RPG which is considerednon-canon.Sailors speak of the mysterious and dangerous naga; some even claim to know phrases in the aquatic race's language heard on the wind as their ships sailed the seas. Such claims are often treated with a healthy skepticism.[6] Nazja has evolved as its own unique language over 10,000 years, and has diverged from theDarnassian tongue. Although Nazja shares common heritage from the Darnassian tongue, over the course of its linguistic evolution the meanings and definitions of terms the language are no longer the same. Because of this some naga choose learn the language of their heritage, in order to communicate with their cousins, the night elves.[7]
Linguistic mechanics[]
According to the lore, Naga mainly speak Nazja andCommon. However, Naga will often learn the languages of those they interact with. Because Darnassian is considered a different enough languages to pose communication issues with their cousins, some naga choose learn the language of their heritage (Darnassian) so as to be able to speak with night elves. However they can also communicate with shared knowledge of Common.[7]
Names[]
Naga names have little in common. Some retain kaldorei traditions, taking surnames that speak to the strengths of their race. Others prefer more exotic names that may have some meaning in the naga tongue or in some other forgotten language. Still others adopt titles purely for their intimidation value, or to assert claims to leadership. Their names often include many sibilants, Z’s and V’s, although this particular trait must have started to develop before the Highborne's transformation into naga, since names likeAzshara,Zin-Azshari,Vashj andVashj'ir all date back to the time before the transformation, and there don't seem to be any similarly-sounding names in modern Darnassian.
• Male Names: Sakrasis, Shezril, Velrash, Zoniss.
• Female Names: Anna, Asprah, Charib’dishal, Scilla, Ursula.
• Surnames: Darkscale, Rendclaw, Serpens, Stormbow.[8]
Phrases[]
- Gall'Mak! - Corresponds to spell "Crushing Wave". The spell words summons a 10 foot high wave that smashes into enemies.[9]
- Gellin'Dallah! - Words of magic that create an aura of silence.[10]
Speculation[]
 | This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials.It should not be taken as representing official lore. |
There are known to be four elven dialects;[11] Nazja may be one of them.
Some fans who have tried to reconcile it in their own way, theorizing that for naga to communicate underwater, the naga vocal apparatus would have to be structured differently from that of an elf; as a result, saying a word, such as "quel'dorei," or "belore," would sound completely different, warped both by the new vocal apparatus and the water around the speaker. If this is the case, then Nazja might not be another language at all, just Darnassian spoken underwater, with a different vocal organ. This would account for the accent the naga have when speaking to surface dwellers, and why they could communicate with elves without difficulty.
Sample words (speculation)[]
- Dallah = "Silence" or "Aura"
- Dorei = "Children" or "Elves" used in other Darnassian dialects like Thalassian
- Gall = "High" or "Wave" or "Crushing"
- Gellin = "Aura" or "Silence"
- Mak = "Wave" or "High" or "Crushing"
References[]
- ^The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Thalassian
- ^
[50] The Azsharan Medallion - ^
[The Warlord's Treatise] - ^Pearl of Pandaria, chapter 5
- ^
[53-60] Straight to the Heart - ^World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 131
- ^abMonster Guide, pg. 106
- ^Dark Factions, pg. 13
- ^Magic & Mayhem, pg. 59, 84
- ^Magic & Mayhem, pg. 59
- ^Cycle of Hatred, pg. 67
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