At 22:03 14.10.97 +0000, Steve Benz wrote:
>Brett Lang wrote:
>
>> Greetings all !
>>
>> This may sound a little stupid, but I was just reading the latest issue=
of
>> Dragon, and I discovered that the rujurik ? I beleive it was language is
>> actually German ! So what do ya know, all those weird-soundin names
>> actually mean something ! And here I was thinkin that good-ol TSR had=
just
>> stuck together a bunch of letters to make up some weird names ! Doh is me=
!
>>
>> Just curious though, has anyone actually sat down ( who understands=
german
>> and translated the names of towns and the like into english ( common ! )=
so
>> that us peons who understand only a single language know what they mean !
>
> Steve Benz Here: (Adam inspired intro)
>
> Okay, first things first... The rjurik are not German, you are=
thinking
>of the Breact. And i speak a little German, and if you would like i could
>work on translating those names into English (If they can be translated.)=
=20

>The rjurik is more of a tribal based language (Not really sure which one=
they
>based it on, though it does have some similaritys to German. Well, just=
had
>to clear that up.
>Steve Benz

If this is going to be of any use, I would also offer my humble services for=
=20
"translating" Brecht-words. =20

As we here in Germany (greetings to Simon) first looked at those nice Brecht=
=20
domains, we had a really great time, finding another funny one.

Most of the Brecht-words are two words put together.
(in german, you build complicated words by "putting them" together as an
"Zusammengesetztes Substantiv". So the popular examples for german words in
the=20
english language, "kindergarden" and "Blitzkrieg", are both "put together"=
=20
(kind =3D child; garten =3D garden; Blitz =3D flash; Krieg =3D war).=20

So:

'Graben-tod' means 'ditch'-'death'
'Drachen-wehr' means dragon-(weir/dike/arm)
'Danigau' contains 'Gau' =3D shire
'Arm' (from Danig Arm or Dauren Arm) is here used as 'strait'
'Adlersburg' means 'Eagle's'-'Keep'
'Starkhundt' is 'strong'-'dog', although the last 't' is added just for fun

We also have geographical references:

'Danig' reminds me of Danzig, a city in Poland, which has been a part of
Prussia=20
a long time ago.
'Meklsburg' from 'Meklenburg-Vorpommern', a german "Bundesland" (which
equals a state in the U.S.)
'Leipzur' sounds like Leipzig, big city in the eastern part of Germany.
'Thuringode' =3D Thueringen, another "Bundesland"
'Wesbralen' =3D Westfalen, another "Bundesland"=20
(what would you think, if you buy a campaign set, and there are places=
called:
Caliphonia, Esklahoma, Rikago, Tissachasetts... *chuckle*)

Then there are famous people:
Kantswach =3D Kant's awaken (Kant, the philosopher)
Mjollinar =3D The name of the hammer of Thor, Mjoellnir

Others are mixed German-English:
Drachen-jaw ok, Dragonjaw
Drachen-ward you might guess this one=20
Tooth-mark 'Toothmarches' or 'Toothfrontier'
Black-ruft 'Black calls'

Now the best ones:

'Musbrahlen' can be understood as heavily murmured 'Mussprahlen',
which would mean: 'I *have* to boast' (hihihi)

'Allesrecht' is one of my favourites, 'Mir ist "alles recht"'
means 'I am happy anyway', or 'Do as you please' (take my domain,=20
it is 'Allesrecht' (harharhar))

One of the best is 'M=FCden' (HAHAHA), because 'm=FCde' means 'tired' and I
always think=20
about a court of sleepy yawning grumblers crawling out of their beds and
wiping their
eyes if I hear that name :)

Also great is 'Froschschloss' (must be a nightmare to pronounciate for
english/american-speakers) It means frog-castle (hmhmhm)

I think there are more good things, ..hmhm.. but I can't stop laughing
right now,
and I am actually quite 'm=FCde' right now (it is 01:30 in the night here)

Have a nice day,

Alexander 'Allesrecht' Kunze



=20