Diary of a Dragonborn

This is a blog dedicated solely to Skyrim and all things Dragon Language-related. I run Thuum.org, an online dictionary for the language. Follow for screenshots, updates for the site, and random tidbits about Dragon!

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Thuum.org is celebrating five years this weekend. Whether you're new here or have been with us over the years, thanks for helping make this small...

For our five-year anniversary, we’re bringing back the Roleplay Forum on Thuum.org with a new format and features to help people run their RP’s. Come join us and sharpen your Voice!

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Thuum.org Dragon Cult Contest Mod

I’m excited to share the winning entries for our latest dragon language contest are available as in-game books! The mod can be downloaded for Skyrim and Skyrim Special Edition on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. Check out the link above or search for “Thuum.org” in the mods section of your game.

I’ve only recently gotten into modding, but I hope to do this for future contests and make more mod-related content. Enjoy!

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Visit Original Link

Tamriel’s most treasured work of literature as read by the World-Eater himself.

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Fod Zeymah Win Kein “When Brothers Wage War”

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Sikaav

Today, Thuum.org turns four years old! To celebrate we have a brand new game for you, Sikaav, to help you learn the dragon language! Play competitively or cooperatively with up to 4 players. We’ve been working on this game for a long time, and are really excited to give everyone a chance to play it. Invite some friends and have fun!

[diaryofadragonborn]

Visit Original Link

Part listening exercise and part audio drama, The Jarl’s Word is a new series that will transport you to First Era Skyrim, where Snow Elves still stalk the woods and the dragon language is the language of the law. You are the newly appointed scribe of the High King, and must record his commands for all of Skyrim to hear.

Grab some pen and paper and listen at your own pace. For additional practice, you can also try translating his commands.

Thanks for listening and best of luck!

[argaynians]

eldersblood peak

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Let your beloved know how fiery your feelings are with these dragon Valentines! Go out and conquer the world together.

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Thuum.org just launched its new dragon language dictionary, with tons of new content and features. If you’ve been studying the dragon language, there’s a wealth of new information to read. If you have an interest but haven’t taken the leap, there’s no better time to start! Check out some of the highlights below.

Dictionary

The new dictionary has detailed entries that include pronunciation, usage examples, etymology, and notes for all 640+ official words of the dragon language. Get to know the specific meaning and connotations of each word as you learn them.

Translator

The Translator is updated with advanced features, like the ability to translate phrases and compound words. It also provides links to relevant lessons to help you learn and put together sentences.

Lessons

The lessons have also been updated with new pages, exercises, and tips to go along with the dictionary. Try your hand at speed reading dragon runes, or see the Translating lesson if you want to learn how the Translator does its work.

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Can i download it to my phone as a font?

Unfortunately, I don’t know of a way to install custom fonts on mobile unless they’re part of an app.

[space-for-brains]

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-install-new-fonts-on-the-android-platform/

Here is a link for android phones (both for rooted and non-rooted phones. Note that if you get Go Launcher, it does change the layout of your phone and your widgets may not show up.)

I’m not as familiar with iOS, but here is a link that seems good to follow: https://www.macstories.net/news installing-custom-fonts-on-ios/

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Nonvul Bron, dahmaan faal mid dok, norok vahlok do fronii wen sil nu rovaan Sovngarde mahfaeraak.

For scrptrx.

[diaryofadragonborn]

Can i download it to my phone as a font?

Unfortunately, I don’t know of a way to install custom fonts on mobile unless they’re part of an app.

[diaryofadragonborn]

Three Years of Thuum.org

Three years ago today, I started Thuum.org, a website dedicated to the dragon language of Skyrim. It would not have happened without inspiration and support from all of you here on Tumblr. Special thanks to everyone who has followed me and used the site over the years. There will still be some awesome things to look forward this year, and I hope to share those with you all soon. Lok, Thu’um!

[diaryofadragonborn]

4 Ways to Improve Your Dovahzul

Learning a new language is no minor task. The dragon language is simpler than most, but can be described as “easy to learn, difficult to master.” Whether you’re writing poetry, stories, or simply chatting with friends, these few tips will go a long way towards making your dragon tongue more authentic.

1. Eliminate slang and idioms.

Most of us might agree that Skyrim is “pretty cool” and that the Thalmor are “up to no good.” These phrases work just fine in English, but aren’t going to work the same way in Dovahzul. Tell a dragon that Skyrim is malbrii krahus, and he might concede that Skyrim’s cold weather does have an element of beauty to it. Tell a dragon that he’s vok wah nid pruzah and he’ll be scratching his head (not literally, perhaps). He just might devour you to save himself the trouble.

When using Dovahzul, identify and eliminate as much English slang as possible. Skyrim is no longer “pretty cool,” but balaan ‘worthy’ or lot ‘great’. The Thalmor are no longer “up to no good,” but they are most certainly wahl vokul ‘creating evil’.

Some slang can be difficult to recognize, especially when it’s part of everyday speech. Even individual words like “awesome” and “nice” have changed meaning over time, and the dragon words zokeyr and dremsil shouldn’t be thought of in these everyday senses. Zokeyr describes something that truly inspires awe and wonder. A battle between dragons that tears continents apart is zokeyr, but your friend’s card trick is probably not (unless it’s a really, really impressive card trick).

Make no bones about it, eliminating English slang and idioms is a challenge, but it’s a great first step in improving your Dovahzul, and an important exercise in thinking about the dragon language independently rather than through the lens of English.

2. Cut out phrasal verbs.

In English, a phrasal verb is a verb combined with another word (usually a preposition) that changes its meaning. “Break” on its own means “to split or fracture,” but takes on an entirely different meaning when combined with prepositions; you can “break up,” “break in,” “break out,” “break down,” or “break through.” You might “look up a definition,” “look out for dragons,” “look into a mystery,” or “look over a clue.”

The dragon language isn’t so nuanced. Do away with those pesky prepositions and use better, stronger verbs. The thief didn’t kren ko, he volaan ‘intruded’. The horker didn’t kren tir, it filok ‘escaped’, and we’re still figuring out investigating how exactly that happened.

3. Take advantage of context to remove extra words.

You are speaking the language of dragons, where each word is packed with meaning and significance. Don’t waste a breath!

Be more concise by removing unnecessary words. Your English teacher might scold you for writing in fragments, but a dragon might scald you for doing otherwise. Sentences that might appear to be fragments in English are perfectly acceptable in Dovahzul. Commonly absent words include aan ‘a/an’, fin ‘the’, los ‘is/am/are’, some prepositions, and sometimes pronouns. If a word is not essential to the sentence, consider removing it.

Here’s a basic example: Fin pruzaan zun ko Keizaal los aan zahkrii do fin deyra “The best weapon in Skyrim is a sword of the daedra (daedric sword)”. Supposing that this is true, you can shorten this by removing aan, fin, and los. Experiment with the words until you arrive at the shortest possible sentence that still holds the same meaning; Zahkrii Deyra pruzaan zun Keizaal ‘(A) sword (of the) daedra (is the) best weapon (in) Skyrim’.

With this approach, tinvaak med dovah—your more concise sentences will have you speaking like only a dovah can.

4. Use words you know.

When learning a new language, you’ll inevitably get lost in the sea of vocabulary. Using words in the wrong way is an easy mistake to make especially when the Translator is involved. Focus on keeping a core set of vocabulary memorized and use familiar words whenever you get the chance. As we’ve already seen, you only need a little to say a lot. Don’t worry about sounding repetitive, either. Grow your vocabulary at your own pace.

Don’t let the Translator or Search pages be your last stop. Be sure to read the full dictionary of each new word you learn. It may contain notes to help you better understand that word, or to clarify differences between similar words so you know how to use it correctly.

Try out these 4 tips and see how much different your Dovahzul becomes. If you've been practicing for a while, compare some of your older work with the advice above. Be sure to reply with any questions, thoughts, or creations. Lok, Thu’um!

[diaryofadragonborn]

Four Years of Skyrim

In just over a week, November 11th will mark four years since the release of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. To celebrate our favorite game, we'll be trekking back to that snowy province. Join us at Thuum.org on a scavenger hunt across Skyrim to uncover the mysteries of a long-forgotten dragon priest. Starting today and running up to the 11th, new clues in the dragon language will appear around the site for you to decipher.

Dive in here to begin your hunt and post your findings. Happy hunting!

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Thuum.org is having a Dovahzul Riddle Contest! Come up with a riddle in Dovahzul that can stump even the wisest of dragons and submit it in an email to [email protected]. The contest is open until Friday, March 20th. Good luck!