Dunmer slang : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Tue May 17, 2011 8:59 am

Hi,
I really like the Dark Elves, but they sometimes say the most peculiar things: After playing Oblivion for a while (?good? character?) most of the Dark Elves started calling me ?Sera? and even ?Mut'sera?. Also when I did something wrong to them they called me ?s'wit?. What does all of this mean? Does anybody mabye know a link to a place where there is a ?Elder Scrolls - English translator?? If so, then I would love to have it. :bigsmile:

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:42 am

http://www.imperial-library.info/translation/.

» Tue May 17, 2011 9:39 am

"Greeting sera. How are you today?"
"Terrible. Filthy outlander s'wit cheated me out of my money today. Where is Lord Vivec when these n'whan need to be driven away? I swear, the next Imperial fetcher I see will feel my cold blade slicing his throat."

» Tue May 17, 2011 12:51 pm

God I love the Dunmer cultur! they're the simply best! :touched:

» Tue May 17, 2011 11:44 am

http://www.imperial-library.info/translation/.

Nice link, but it would be nice to determine the differences between Sera, Muthsera, and Serjo. Yes, Muthsera and Serjo are supposed to be higher than Sera, but between the two, whats the difference?

» Tue May 17, 2011 12:01 pm

Nice link, but it would be nice to determine the differences between Sera, Muthsera, and Serjo. Yes, Muthsera and Serjo are supposed to be higher than Sera, but between the two, whats the difference?

If someone figures it out, I'll be more than happy to update the http://www.imperial-library.info/translation/.

» Tue May 17, 2011 11:06 am

I always say n'wah as being Morrowinds 'n' word, while 'swit' and 'fetcher' are less strong, for example, you could say 'oh you stupid fetcher' without too much offense.

» Tue May 17, 2011 2:42 pm

S'wit, fetcher and n'wah are all classic Dunmer vulgar.

I do not know for sure, but I think ser and mut'sera are greetings of some kind, perhaps "friend" or "lad"? I have heard them say it to my player before, but only when greeting me.

» Tue May 17, 2011 3:34 am

Isn't Serjo a mayor? Like the Serjo in Suran (Correct me if I'm mistaken)?

» Tue May 17, 2011 12:04 am

Isn't Serjo a mayor? Like the Serjo in Suran (Correct me if I'm mistaken)?

The word Serjo is not specified as meaning mayor:

Serjo
Meaning: A term of high respect
Origin: Dunmeri
Usage: ''Good evening to you, serjo.'' and Serjo Dres Minegaur
Source: The Horror of Castle Xyr, The Poison Song, and The Last Scabbard of Akrash
Reliable: Yes

The mayor of Suran, I am guessing he is adressed as Serjo because of his social status.

» Tue May 17, 2011 1:37 am

The word Serjo is not specified as meaning mayor:

The mayor of Suran, I am guessing he is adressed as Serjo because of his social status.

Yeah, I always assumed it was similar to sir and that sera was the informal version. Although it would seem that in real-world Spanish Ser? is formal. Perhaps it is formal and is the eqivalent of Mr./Mrs/Miss.

» Tue May 17, 2011 1:57 pm

Update: after a chance discovery of an Elder Scrolls translator on imperial-library.info, I found this:

Muthsera
Meaning: A term of respect.
Origin: Dunmeri
Usage: None given
Source: People of Morrowind
Reliable: Yes

Found http://imperial-library.info/translation/index3.shtml.

» Tue May 17, 2011 1:07 am

Confident we're trying to find the EXACT meaning. After all, the second post already placed a link to the dictionary.

» Tue May 17, 2011 2:10 am

I remember there is one awful Morrowind interview with the Dark Elf talking in a textual accent that is a mix of boondock and cockney.

» Tue May 17, 2011 2:32 pm

God I love the Dunmer cultur! they're the simply best! :touched:

I agree. I usually always play as one. There just so cool.

B.

» Tue May 17, 2011 10:35 am

Nice link, but it would be nice to determine the differences between Sera, Muthsera, and Serjo. Yes, Muthsera and Serjo are supposed to be higher than Sera, but between the two, whats the difference?

Speaking from Oblivion, I thought Sera was used when the PC is a male Dunmer, and muthsera was used when the PC is a female dunmer.

I remember there is one awful Morrowind interview with the Dark Elf talking in a textual accent that is a mix of boondock and cockney.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Interview_with_a_Dark_Elf

"During a recent visit to a local tavern I encountered a most rare happenstance, a Dunmer, or Dark Elf!"

That's funny, Dunmer aren't exactly rare in Colovia.

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:23 am

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Interview_with_a_Dark_Elf

"During a recent visit to a local tavern I encountered a most rare happenstance, a Dunmer, or Dark Elf!"

That's funny, Dunmer aren't exactly rare in Colovia.

I suppose they could have been before Helseth's glasnost.

» Tue May 17, 2011 1:41 am

Yeah, I always assumed it was similar to sir and that sera was the informal version. Although it would seem that in real-world Spanish Ser? is formal. Perhaps it is formal and is the eqivalent of Mr./Mrs/Miss.

?Qu? es esta ser??

Se?or would be the polite form of address for just any man, and Don for a man of some distinction, equivalent to Sera/Muthsera and Serjo respectively.

» Mon May 16, 2011 11:51 pm

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Interview_with_a_Dark_Elf

I'd never seen that before, it was a painful read. I've never even seen a fan fiction like that.

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:37 am

I read those first few lines and I immediately clicked out:

You're right, sir, but I reckon a body'd get used to anything if you lived there long enough. Vvardenfell, now, she ain't safe, but my kind's had a goodly shank of history to deal with her [....] Tell you the truth, sir, most of us would forget she's there 'ceptin her outline sits on the horizon like your mother's mother.

...What the [censored]?!

» Tue May 17, 2011 1:24 pm

1999 from uesp... I wonder which dev it was.

» Tue May 17, 2011 3:15 pm

I've seen the word Serjo used in real world references. I can't recall which one, but I've seen it used a shakespearian play before.

As for Ser, Sera, or Muthsera, I'd say Sir or Ma'am.

» Tue May 17, 2011 7:33 am

I've seen the word Serjo used in real world references. I can't recall which one, but I've seen it used a shakespearian play before.

As for Ser, Sera, or Muthsera, I'd say Sir or Ma'am.

I'm quite sure there is no use of "serjo" anywhere in Shakespeare. "Sirrah" is similar in sound and quite common in Shakespeare, but its meaning is very different: "Sirrah" is a term of address to a servant or to a low, contemptible person.
"Get you gone, sirrah:
the complaints I have heard of you I do not all
believe: 'tis my slowness that I do not; for I know
you lack not folly to commit them, and have ability
enough to make such knaveries yours."
(All's Well That Ends Well, I. iii.)

» Tue May 17, 2011 12:43 pm

Meh, It was worth a shot.

I went and looked up the one play I was thinking of after that too. And the word used in it was Signior, from Much Ado About Nothing

» Tue May 17, 2011 11:28 am

1999 from uesp... I wonder which dev it was.

Ken, almost certain.