Idioms from languages around Fellport populate our list in week 34 of The Rumor Mill. Every language has its own quirks and subtle meanings, and this list just scratches the surface. From insults guaranteed to start fights, to blessings and rhymes about wisdom, we explore a range of topics from the Surtsey Islands in the far north, to Andalusia across the Center Sea, to Ionia, Okular, Dunhill, the Clanholds of the Molten Throne, and Alfinwald closer to home.
Time to learn a few common phrases in other languages from the docks in Fellport harbor and delve a little into their meanings, both rumored and actual.
| 1d8 | Rumor | True? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Fair wind, deep water" serves as a standard blessing for sailors. | Yes1 |
| 2 | A person called "Divi filius" could excel at something or have a huge ego. | Maybe2 |
| 3 | Andalusian sailors smile when using "Como un flan" to indicate bravery. | No3 |
| 4 | In Okulari "Tuzu kuru" holds a stronger positive meaning for sailing merchants. | Maybe4 |
| 5 | Continuing to push after an Alfinwald resident responds "Avon!" may cause a fight. | Yes5 |
| 6 | The Steinrede expression "Schwein haben" can be a blessing or a curse. | Maybe6 |
| 7 | "Bile yer heid" has more to do with killing head lice than digestive juices. | No7 |
| 8 | Giants share cautionary pearls of wisdom like "Berre bok gjer ingen klok". | Yes8 |
1 - Sailors with any exposure to Common all know this phrase. It's so common that many other tongues adopted it wholesale.
2 - Near the end of the Ionian Empire, this Latin term for "son of a god" officially named every emperor, most of them despots.
3 - Literally translated, "like a flan" closely matches "shake like a leaf", usually from fear. Sarcasm doesn't translate well.
4 - Anyone traveling by water with dry salt counts themselves fortunate. A wealthy person doubly so. Rich merchants triply so.
5 - Continuing to insist on something after the Gladlam term for "I refuse" will cause an insult. Try a different argument.
6 - Much depends on inflection, but dwarves originally intended "have a pig" as "good luck", since pigs traditionally bring luck.
7 - Sitting somewhere in the heather between Occam and Common, "boil your head" conveys the same frustration as "piss off".
8 - Literally translated from Thispek, "Merely books make none wise" speaks of the wisdom needed to temper rote knowledge.
Part of T.W.Wombat's Lore 24 project, detailing the world around Fellport.
For all city posts, see the Fellport Index. For posts about the wider world, see the Beneterra Index.
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