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[[File:RunesOfGul'dan.jpg|thumb|An orcish rune.]]
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__NOTOC__
  
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'''Orcish''' (called '''Orc''' in the pre-[[WoW]] [[Warcraft RPG]] books) is the primary [[language]] of the [[orc]]s and is used throughout the [[Horde]] [[faction]]. All Horde characters understand Orcish speech, even without explicit lore reasons (such as the [[Forsaken]] and the [[blood elves]]). Orcish is written using a combination of [[Common (language)|Common]] alphabet and runes.{{Citation needed}}<!-- Cited as LoM, WoWRPG, and WRPG - but what pages? -->
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{{Infobox ability
  
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| name = Aspect of the Hawk
  
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| image = Spell_Nature_RavenForm.png
  
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| description = The hunter takes on the aspects of a hawk, increasing ranged attack power by X. Only one Aspect can be active at a time.
  
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| class = [[Hunter]]
  
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| type = Offensive
  
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| school = Nature
  
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| cost = Y mana
  
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| cooldown = None
  
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| cast_time=Instant
  
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| improvement = [[Improved Aspect of the Hawk]]<br/>[[Aspect Mastery]]
  
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| buff_name = Aspect of the Hawk
  
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| buff_desc = Increases ranged attack power by X.
  
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| buff_image = Spell_Nature_RavenForm.png
  
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}}
  
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'''Aspect of the Hawk''' is an [[Animal Aspects|Animal Aspect]] that increases the [[hunter]]'s ranged [[attack power]] by a fixed amount. With the talent [[Improved Aspect of the Hawk]], the Aspect also gives their [[Auto Shot]]s a chance to increase their attack speed.
  
   
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Orcish is a coarser language than Common, and many words lack the subtlety of Common. Orcs rely on context, repetition and volume to add emphasis or meaning.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{ref book |author= Bennie, Scott |coauthors= Richard Farrese, Bob Fitch |title= [[Horde Player's Guide]] |isbn= 9781588467720 |pages=134}}</ref> There are many orc dialects, examples include one spoken by the majority of the Horde, and another by orcs living near [[Durnholde]].<ref name="ReferenceC">{{ref book |author=Arthaus |title=[[Lands of Conflict]] |isbn=9781588469601 |pages=27}}</ref> Even separate tribes had variations of dialect that differed so much that orcs could not understand each other unless they spoke the common tongue.<ref name="RotH21">{{ref book |author= Golden, Christie |authorlink= Christie Golden |title= [[Rise of the Horde]] |isbn= 978-0-7434-7138-1 |pages=21}}</ref> The main form of the Orcish language used by all the tribes is known as common Orcish<ref>{{ref book |author= Golden, Christie |authorlink= Christie Golden |title= [[Rise of the Horde]] |isbn= 978-0-7434-7138-1 |pages=40}}</ref>.
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== Uses ==
  
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* This aspect increases the hunter's ranged attack power, helping the hunter deal a higher amount of sustained DPS.
  
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* Replaced at high levels by [[Aspect of the Dragonhawk]].
  
   
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==Orcish Primer (official translations)==
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== Limitations ==
  
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Here are a few common orcish phrases and words, for which the translations have been officially confirmed by [[Blizzard Entertainment|Blizzard]]:
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* A hunter can only activate one Aspect at a time.
  
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* Shares a 1-second [[cooldown]] with other hunter aspects.
 
   
  +
* "Aka'Magosh" = "A blessing on you and yours" <ref name="ReferenceB"/>
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== Upgrades ==
  
  +
* "Bin mog g'thazag cha" = "I will protect you" <ref name="LotC138">{{ref book |author= Golden, Christie |authorlink= Christie Golden |title= [[Lord of the Clans]] |isbn= 978-0-7434-2690-9 |pages=138}}</ref>
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* [[Improved Aspect of the Hawk]] ([[Beast Mastery]] [[Talent]]): While Aspect of the Hawk is active, all normal ranged attacks have a 10% chance of increasing ranged attack speed by 3% per rank (5 ranks total) for 12 sec.
  
  +
* "Dabu" = "I obey" <ref name="ReferenceB"/>
  +
* "[[Daemon|Dae'mon]]" = "Twisted soul" <ref>{{ref book |author= Golden, Christie |authorlink= Christie Golden |title= [[Rise of the Horde]] |isbn= 978-0-7434-7138-1 |pages=311}}</ref>; appears to be used in the same way as [[Man'ari]] in [[Draenei (language)|Draenei]].
  +
* "[[Dranosh Saurfang|Dranosh]]" = "Heart of Draenor"
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* "[[Gar'mak]]" = "Anguish"
  +
* "Gol'Kosh" = "By my axe" <ref name="ReferenceB"/>
  +
* "Grombolar" = "Bowels of the giant" <ref>{{ref book |author=Blizzard Entertainment |authorlink=Blizzard Entertainment |title=[[Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness]] Manual |pages=84}}</ref>
  +
* "[[Grommash]]" = "The Giant's Heart" <ref>Inscription on the Monument to [[Grom Hellscream]] in [[Ashenvale]]; also mentioned in the [[Harvest Festival]] quest "{{quest|Honoring a Hero (Horde)|Honoring A Hero}}"</ref>
  +
* "Kagh!" = "Run!" <ref name="ReferenceB"/> / <ref name="LotC138" />
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* "[[Lak'tuk]]" = "Suffering"
  +
*"[[Lo'Gosh]]" = "[[Ghost Wolf]]"
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* "Lohn'goron" = "Hero's Sojourn" <ref>{{quest|Lohn'goron, Bow of the Torn-heart}}</ref>
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* "Lok-Narash" = "Arm yourselves" <ref name="ReferenceB"/>
  +
* "Lok-Regar" = "Ready for orders" [http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=58554]
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* "Lok'tar!" = "Victory!" (A war cry. Also a greeting while in combat.) <ref name="ReferenceB"/>
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* "Lok'tar ogar" = "Victory or death" (A war cry) <ref name="ReferenceB"/><ref>{{quest|The Battle For The Undercity (Alliance)}}, "The orcs have a battle cry: LOK'TAR OGAR! It means "victory or death."</ref>
  +
* "Lok'amon" = Traditional orcish song sung about starting a family.<ref name="CoH34">{{ref book |author= DeCandido, Keith R.A. |authorlink= Keith R.A. DeCandido |title= [[Cycle of Hatred]] |isbn= 978-0-7434-7136-7 |pages= 34}}</ref>
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* "Lok'tra" = Traditional orcish song sung about a battle.<ref name="CoH34" />
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* "[[Lok'vadnod]]" = Traditional orcish song sung about the life of a hero.<ref name="CoH34" />
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* "[[Mag'har]]" = "Uncorrupted" <ref>{{ref book |author= Rosenberg, Aaron |authorlink= Aaron Rosenberg |coauthors= [[Christie Golden]] |title= [[Beyond the Dark Portal]] |isbn= 978-1-4165-5086-0 |pages=355}}</ref>, brown-skinned orcs based in [[Garadar]] in [[Nagrand]].
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* "Mok'nathal" = "The Sons of Nath" (honorable title) <ref>{{ref book |author= Bennie, Scott |coauthors= Richard Farrese, Bob Fitch |title= [[Horde Player's Guide]] |isbn= 9781588467720 |pages=156}}</ref>
  +
* "[[Nagrand]]" = "Land of Winds"<ref name="RotH21" />
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* "[[Oshu'Gun]]" = "Mountain of Spirits"<ref name="RotH21" />
  +
* "Swobu" = "As you command" <ref name="ReferenceB"/>
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* "Throm-Ka" = "Well met" (A greeting.) <ref name="ReferenceB"/>
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* "Trk'hsk" = "Bloodshed in battle" (some orcs in the [[Durnholde]] area use the word with a different meaning, namely "that sacrificed to the earth" in order to make crops grow.)<ref name="ReferenceC"/>
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* "Zug-zug" or "Zug zug" = Acknowledgment and agreement; roughly the equivalent of "okay".<ref name="ReferenceB"/>
   
  +
===Orcish Names===
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* Aspect of the Hawk rank VII can be learned from a book that drops in [[Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj]] from bosses, but as of Patch 2.0 it can also be purchased from the trainer.
  
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Most orcish names derive from words in their language that have some complex meaning or hidden significance to their families. Typically, this is the name of a favorite thing or relative. Family names don't exist; most orcs have last names related to some great deed of heroism or honor. However, in the case of truly incredible deeds, an orc might take on the last name of his father to ensure that the chronicle of that terrific deed lives on.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{ref book |author= Arthaus |title= [[World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]] |isbn=9781588467812 |pages=46}}</ref> The concept of honor is seen in every level of orc society, even in their naming practices. An orc’s first name is given early in life, often derived from a family name or the name of a great hero. The tribe bestows the second name after the orc reaches maturity, this name based upon some great deed. Such a practice gives rise to surnames such as Doomhammer, Elfkicker, Foe-ender, Skullsplitter, Thumper, and the like. This second name may be changed if a new one seems more appropriate.<ref>{{ref book |author= Arthaus |title= [[Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]] |isbn=9781588460714 |pages=50}}</ref>
   
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*Male Names: Grom, Thrum, Drog, Gorrum, Harg, Thurg, Karg.
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== Rank Table ==
  
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*Female Names: Groma, Hargu, Igrim, Agra, Dragga, Grima.
⚫
{| class="darktable"
  
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*Family Names: Doomhammer, Deadeye, Forebinder, Elfkiller, Skullsplitter, Axeripper, Tearshorn, Fistcrusher.
⚫
|-
 
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<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
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! !!align="left"| Level !!align="center"| Mana Cost !! | Ranged Attack Power Bonus || Training Cost
  
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|-align="center"
  
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=== Untranslated Orcish phrases===
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! Rank 1
  
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* '''Gol'Kosh''' - yelled by [[Warsong Vanguard]] as they charge [[Ranewood Tower]] (this phrase is masked in Orcish text to Alliance players but appears as "Gol'Kosh" to Horde players without any other translation).
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| 10 || 20 || 20 || {{cost||4}}
  
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* '''[[Gor'gaz Outpost|Gor'gaz]]''' - [[Fel orc]] camp in [[Hellfire Peninsula]].
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|-align="center"
  
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* '''[[Grangol'var Village|Grangol'var]]''' - [[Shadow Council]] village in [[Terokkar Forest]].
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! Rank 2
  
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* '''[[Grom'gol Base Camp|Grom'gol]]''' - [[Horde]] camp in [[Stranglethorn Vale]]. Probably means "Giant's Axe" or "Giant Axe."
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| 18 || 35 || 35 || {{cost||20}}
  
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* '''Gor-dook''' - Warcraft II (phonetic spelling)
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|-align="center"
  
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* '''[[Kor'kron Guard|Kor'kron]]''' - [[Thrall]]'s elite guard, possibly means "Sons of the Horde"{{Citation needed}}.
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! Rank 3
  
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* '''[[Kosh'harg]]''' - An orcish celebration.
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| 28 || 50 || 50 || {{cost||80}}
  
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* '''Lok-regar ogull, on-dabu''' - Warcraft III (phonetic spelling)
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|-align="center"
  
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* '''Mak'gora''' - A challenge for leadership of the Horde (and possibly to the individual clans). Under Thrall, the duel is generally a non-lethal combat, but under the old ways, it was to the death. It has been issued by [[Garrosh Hellscream]], challenging Thrall<ref>[[Scourge Invasion#Orgrimmar|Scourge Invasion in Orgrimmar]]</ref><ref>http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/misc/wccomic/issue-19-sneakpeek.html</ref> and later by [[Cairne Bloodhoof]], challenging Garrosh.<ref>''[[The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm]]''</ref>
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! Rank 4
  
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* '''Mok'ra''' - a greeting by the orcish NPCs in World of Warcraft (phonetic spelling).
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| 38 || 70 || 70 || {{cost|1|28}}
  
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* '''Mok-thorin ka!''' - said by [[Commander Kolurg]]
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|-align="center"
  
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* '''[[Mor'shan Base Camp|Mor'shan]]''' - [[Warsong Gulch]] base camp in [[the Barrens]].
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! Rank 5
  
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* '''[[Om'riggor]] - Orcish rite of adulthood.
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| 48 || 90 || 90 || {{cost|3|20}}
  
  +
* '''[[Valormok]]''' - Horde camp in [[Azshara]].
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|-align="center"
  
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* '''[[Zeth'Gor]]''' - Fel orc fort in Hellfire Peninsula.
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! Rank 6
  
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* '''[[Zeth'kur]]''' - Former orcish port town.
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| 58 || 110 || 110 || {{cost|4|80}}
  
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* '''[[Zoram'gar Outpost|Zoram'gar]]''' - Horde camp in eastern [[Ashenvale]]. This may also be [[Zandali]].
−
|-align="center"
  
  +
Note that many [[orc]] locations are directly named for prominent [[orc]]s, including [[Bladefist Bay]], [[Durotar]], [[Garadar]], [[Grommash Hold]], [[Kargath]], [[Kargathia Keep]], [[Orgrimmar]], and [[Thrallmar]]. Further, it can be noted that -ar or -mar seems to be a frequent suffix to denote a place named for another orc.
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! Rank 7
  
  +
−
| 60 || 120 || 120 || {{cost|5|0}}
  
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== Orcish / Common Dictionary ==
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|-align="center"
  
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−
! Rank 8
  
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The following appear in the "[[Orcish / Common Dictionary]]" found in eastern [[Dalaran]].
−
| 68 || 140 || 155 || {{cost|15|0}}
  
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*BUR - An aggressively passionate mating call.
  +
*What can I do fer ye? - Beer sold here.
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*Hi - A threatening war cry, especially when accompanied by a wave or bow.
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*How are you? - Was your mother really a reptile?
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*King's Honor, friend! - I'm starving!
  +
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==Sample Words or Phrases (speculation) ==
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{{Speculation}}
  +
This is the list of words created by the in-game language parser for the Orcish language, and is listed as language number one (word range 1-100) in the Language text file.
  +
  +
Note: The language algorithm used by the in-game "translator" merely makes the words ''look'' like Orcish. It does not actually translate words. Therefore, translated in-game speech isn't true Orcish.
  +
  ⚫
{| class="darktable"
  ⚫
|-
  +
! Number of letters in word !! Word List
  +
|- class="alt"
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| One-letter words || A, N, G, O, L
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|-
  +
| Two-letter words || Ha, Ko, No, Mu, Ag, Ka, Gi, Il
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|- class="alt"
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| Three-letter words || Lok, Tar, Kaz, Ruk, Kek, Mog, Zug, Gul, Nuk, Aaz, Kil, Ogg
  +
|-
  +
| Four-letter words || Rega, Nogu, Tago, Uruk, Kagg, Zaga, Grom, Ogar, Gesh, Thok, Dogg, Maka, Maza
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|- class="alt"
  +
| Five-letter words || Regas, Nogah, Kazum, Magan, No'bu, Golar, Throm, Zugas, Re'ka, No'ku, Ro'th
  +
|-
  +
| Six-letter words || Thrakk, Revash, Nakazz, Moguna, No'gor, Goth'a, Raznos, Ogerin, Gezzno, Thukad, Makogg, Aaz'no
  +
|- class="alt"
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| Seven-letter words || Lok'Tar, Gul'rok, Kazreth, Tov'osh, Zil'Nok, Rath'is, Kil'azi
  +
|-
  +
| Eight-letter words || Throm'ka, Osh'Kava, Gul'nath, Kog'zela, Ragath'a, Zuggossh, Moth'aga
  +
|- class="alt"
  +
| Nine-letter words || Tov'nokaz, Osh'kazil, No'throma, Gesh'nuka, Lok'mogul, Lok'bolar, Ruk'ka'ha
  +
|-
  +
| Ten-letter words || Regasnogah, Kazum'nobu, Throm'bola, Gesh'zugas, Maza'rotha, Ogerin'naz
  +
|- class="alt"
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| Eleven-letter words || Thrakk'reva, Kaz'goth'no, No'gor'goth, Kil'azi'aga, Zug-zug'ama, Maza'thrakk
  +
|-
  +
| Twelve-letter words || Lokando'nash, Ul'gammathar, Golgonnashar, Dalggo'mazah
  +
|- class="alt"
  +
| Thirteen-letter words || Khaz'rogg'ahn, Moth'kazoroth
 
|}
  
|}
   
  +
===Word List (speculation)===
  +
* '''[[Grom'gol Base Camp|Grom'gol]]''' - [[Horde]] camp in [[Stranglethorn Vale]]. - Grom being an honor to Grom Hellscream (as well as an Orcish word for "giant"), and Gol probably (based on defined terms in primer) means "By my" or "Axe" so it could be speculated to mean "Grom's Axe", "Giant's Axe", "By Grom" and others.
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* "Hall" - Used in the salutation "Thrall Hall!", probably means "honor" or something similar. Theory #2: It has no specific definition in the orcish language, it is instead used as a multi-purpose word that means glory to the horde/leader (Glory through their leader). The only reason it is Thrall Hall is because it flows naturally and is easy to say/remember (Kind of like why we use nicknames), compare the use of Thrall Hall! to Thrall Honor! or Thrall Hail!
  +
*Kek = Lol
  +
When a Horde character says "lol" in Orcish, it displays as "kek" to Alliance characters. Since "lol" is used quite often in the game by many players this translation has become widely known, and many fans have accepted "kek" as kind of an official translation of "lol" into Orcish.
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However there are many other 3-letter combinations that produce the translation "kek", and "lol" isn't really a word in the English language, anyway.
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Kek's origin is from Starcraft's online service. The original version of the game did not support full Korean language, so the closest a Korean player could get to "Hahaha" in Korean was "Kekeke".
  +
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kekeke#Kekeke]
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* Grommash has been officially translated as Giant's Heart. Grombolar has been officially translated as Bowels of the Giant. From this it can be inferred that Grom means giant, Mash means heart, and Bolar means bowels:
  +
** "Bolar" = "Bowel(s)"
  +
** "Grom" = "Giant"
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** "Mash" = "Heart"
  +
  +
=== Some more Orcish phrases (speculation) ===
  +
Although no official translations have been released for them, here are some more Orcish phrases and their rough meanings based on the actions of the units in the RTS games when they say them:
  +
  +
* "Lok-Regar Ogull, On-Dabu." = "Ready for orders."
  +
  +
In [[Battle for the Undercity]]:
  +
  +
* "Mog Osh'kazil gul'rok il mog Ro'th zaga maza TOV'OSH" = "The [[Undercity]] belongs to the Horde once more! LOK'TAR!"
  +
  +
===Naming===
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Orcish surnames are usually derived from great acts or merits a previous ancestor was lauded for, but some exceptional orcs earn their own surnames ([[Kilrogg Deadeye]], [[Kargath Bladefist]]), and many prefer to use the names of their fathers ([[Thrall]], Son of [[Durotan]]). Only the family leader can hold an eponymous title (For example, there can only be one Doomhammer or Deadeye at a time), and the rest of the clan identify themselves through their line of birth.
  +
  +
Two types of orc names appear to have arisen: two syllables separated by an apostrophe and a simple name shortened from a longer one. The two-syllable ones- Gul'dan, Drak'Thul, Dal'Rend - appear to have initially been only used for spellcaster, but was later exported (Gar'Thok was a Grunt colonel). The second type was highly cultural; only those with powers over the warrior could use their full name, such as Shamans and chieftains, or the orc's personal religious leader. For example [[Brox]]'s full name was Broxigar, a term which he allowed only [[Tyrande]] and [[Krasus]] to use. [[Grom Hellscream]]'s full name was Grommash, which [[Mannoroth]] used to address him as demonstration that Hellscream was his. This is very inconsistent, however, most of the known orcish names (such as [[Durotan]], [[Orgrim]], [[Nazgrel]], [[Kargath Bladefist|Kargath]]) are never documented being used in short forms.
  +
  +
== Warcraft 2 ==
  +
In the warcraft 2 cinematics, orcs randomly say words in orcish like "Moka", "titoo", "glode". These words, however, have never been heard in another blizzard game or translated.
  +
  +
==Notes==
  +
{{speculation}}
  +
"Orc" as a term defining language, has an apparent connection to DnD derived generic languages, which apparently can be found in DnD rule books.
  +
  +
To a degree, phoenetically some of the words resemble Tolkien's Black Speech, which makes sense, since that language was presumably the foundational influence for the sound of this one. It is, however, generally somewhat less guttural and (to use Tolkien's own adjective for the Black Speech) uncouth.
  +
  +
It also doesn't seem to really be an actual language as such; Blizzard apparently originally invented a few words with an "Orcish" sound to use as acknowledgement phrases when units were clicked on in the earlier Warcraft games, and thus to create consistency, these words were brought over to WoW. The translated vocabulary however is not large, and there is no real formal grammar. The "Orcish" that can be seen apparently being spoken by players in-game is the result of a hash table created by Blizzard, (as mentioned above) and the words produced by it are intentionally meaningless gibberish.
  +
  +
  +
The examples of Orcish we've seen indicate what the phonetic inventory of the language might include, but we have nearly no evidence of the structure of the syntax or grammar. It may be possible to assume that adjectives come before nouns, as in English and other Germanic languages. As seen in the primer above, "Grommash" translates to "giant's heart". Thus we might say that "grom"(giant's) is an adjective modifiying "mash" (heart). The word "Grombolar," meaning "bowels of the giant", seems to follow this pattern as well. Of course, if this is actually a possessive clause, or a compound word, then the speculation that Orcish follows an adjective-noun word order could be erroneous.
  +
  +
==References==
  +
{{Reflist}}
   
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{{Hunter aspects}}
  
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{{Classfooter|Hunter}}
  
   
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{{Language_links}}
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[[Category:Hunter abilities]]
  
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[[Category:Nature spells]]
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[[Category:Game terms]]
  ⚫
[[Category:Languages]]

Revision as of 04:20, 27 March 2011

RunesOfGul'dan

An orcish rune.

Orcish (called Orc in the pre-WoW Warcraft RPG books) is the primary language of the orcs and is used throughout the Horde faction. All Horde characters understand Orcish speech, even without explicit lore reasons (such as the Forsaken and the blood elves). Orcish is written using a combination of Common alphabet and runes.[citation needed] 

Orcish is a coarser language than Common, and many words lack the subtlety of Common. Orcs rely on context, repetition and volume to add emphasis or meaning.[1] There are many orc dialects, examples include one spoken by the majority of the Horde, and another by orcs living near Durnholde.[2] Even separate tribes had variations of dialect that differed so much that orcs could not understand each other unless they spoke the common tongue.[3] The main form of the Orcish language used by all the tribes is known as common Orcish[4].

Orcish Primer (official translations)

Here are a few common orcish phrases and words, for which the translations have been officially confirmed by Blizzard:

  • "Aka'Magosh" = "A blessing on you and yours" [1]
  • "Bin mog g'thazag cha" = "I will protect you" [5]
  • "Dabu" = "I obey" [1]
  • "Dae'mon" = "Twisted soul" [6]; appears to be used in the same way as Man'ari in Draenei.
  • "Dranosh" = "Heart of Draenor"
  • "Gar'mak" = "Anguish"
  • "Gol'Kosh" = "By my axe" [1]
  • "Grombolar" = "Bowels of the giant" [7]
  • "Grommash" = "The Giant's Heart" [8]
  • "Kagh!" = "Run!" [1] / [5]
  • "Lak'tuk" = "Suffering"
  • "Lo'Gosh" = "Spell nature spiritwolf [Ghost Wolf]"
  • "Lohn'goron" = "Hero's Sojourn" [9]
  • "Lok-Narash" = "Arm yourselves" [1]
  • "Lok-Regar" = "Ready for orders" [1]
  • "Lok'tar!" = "Victory!" (A war cry. Also a greeting while in combat.) [1]
  • "Lok'tar ogar" = "Victory or death" (A war cry) [1][10]
  • "Lok'amon" = Traditional orcish song sung about starting a family.[11]
  • "Lok'tra" = Traditional orcish song sung about a battle.[11]
  • "Lok'vadnod" = Traditional orcish song sung about the life of a hero.[11]
  • "Mag'har" = "Uncorrupted" [12], brown-skinned orcs based in Garadar in Nagrand.
  • "Mok'nathal" = "The Sons of Nath" (honorable title) [13]
  • "Nagrand" = "Land of Winds"[3]
  • "Oshu'Gun" = "Mountain of Spirits"[3]
  • "Swobu" = "As you command" [1]
  • "Throm-Ka" = "Well met" (A greeting.) [1]
  • "Trk'hsk" = "Bloodshed in battle" (some orcs in the Durnholde area use the word with a different meaning, namely "that sacrificed to the earth" in order to make crops grow.)[2]
  • "Zug-zug" or "Zug zug" = Acknowledgment and agreement; roughly the equivalent of "okay".[1]

Orcish Names

Most orcish names derive from words in their language that have some complex meaning or hidden significance to their families. Typically, this is the name of a favorite thing or relative. Family names don't exist; most orcs have last names related to some great deed of heroism or honor. However, in the case of truly incredible deeds, an orc might take on the last name of his father to ensure that the chronicle of that terrific deed lives on.[14] The concept of honor is seen in every level of orc society, even in their naming practices. An orc’s first name is given early in life, often derived from a family name or the name of a great hero. The tribe bestows the second name after the orc reaches maturity, this name based upon some great deed. Such a practice gives rise to surnames such as Doomhammer, Elfkicker, Foe-ender, Skullsplitter, Thumper, and the like. This second name may be changed if a new one seems more appropriate.[15]

  • Male Names: Grom, Thrum, Drog, Gorrum, Harg, Thurg, Karg.
  • Female Names: Groma, Hargu, Igrim, Agra, Dragga, Grima.
  • Family Names: Doomhammer, Deadeye, Forebinder, Elfkiller, Skullsplitter, Axeripper, Tearshorn, Fistcrusher.

[14]

Untranslated Orcish phrases

Note that many orc locations are directly named for prominent orcs, including Bladefist Bay, Durotar, Garadar, Grommash Hold, Kargath, Kargathia Keep, Orgrimmar, and Thrallmar. Further, it can be noted that -ar or -mar seems to be a frequent suffix to denote a place named for another orc.

Orcish / Common Dictionary

The following appear in the "Orcish / Common Dictionary" found in eastern Dalaran.

  • BUR - An aggressively passionate mating call.
  • What can I do fer ye? - Beer sold here.
  • Hi - A threatening war cry, especially when accompanied by a wave or bow.
  • How are you? - Was your mother really a reptile?
  • King's Honor, friend! - I'm starving!

Sample Words or Phrases (speculation)

Questionmark-medium
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.

This is the list of words created by the in-game language parser for the Orcish language, and is listed as language number one (word range 1-100) in the Language text file.

Note: The language algorithm used by the in-game "translator" merely makes the words look like Orcish. It does not actually translate words. Therefore, translated in-game speech isn't true Orcish.

Number of letters in word Word List
One-letter words A, N, G, O, L
Two-letter words Ha, Ko, No, Mu, Ag, Ka, Gi, Il
Three-letter words Lok, Tar, Kaz, Ruk, Kek, Mog, Zug, Gul, Nuk, Aaz, Kil, Ogg
Four-letter words Rega, Nogu, Tago, Uruk, Kagg, Zaga, Grom, Ogar, Gesh, Thok, Dogg, Maka, Maza
Five-letter words Regas, Nogah, Kazum, Magan, No'bu, Golar, Throm, Zugas, Re'ka, No'ku, Ro'th
Six-letter words Thrakk, Revash, Nakazz, Moguna, No'gor, Goth'a, Raznos, Ogerin, Gezzno, Thukad, Makogg, Aaz'no
Seven-letter words Lok'Tar, Gul'rok, Kazreth, Tov'osh, Zil'Nok, Rath'is, Kil'azi
Eight-letter words Throm'ka, Osh'Kava, Gul'nath, Kog'zela, Ragath'a, Zuggossh, Moth'aga
Nine-letter words Tov'nokaz, Osh'kazil, No'throma, Gesh'nuka, Lok'mogul, Lok'bolar, Ruk'ka'ha
Ten-letter words Regasnogah, Kazum'nobu, Throm'bola, Gesh'zugas, Maza'rotha, Ogerin'naz
Eleven-letter words Thrakk'reva, Kaz'goth'no, No'gor'goth, Kil'azi'aga, Zug-zug'ama, Maza'thrakk
Twelve-letter words Lokando'nash, Ul'gammathar, Golgonnashar, Dalggo'mazah
Thirteen-letter words Khaz'rogg'ahn, Moth'kazoroth

Word List (speculation)

  • Grom'gol - Horde camp in Stranglethorn Vale. - Grom being an honor to Grom Hellscream (as well as an Orcish word for "giant"), and Gol probably (based on defined terms in primer) means "By my" or "Axe" so it could be speculated to mean "Grom's Axe", "Giant's Axe", "By Grom" and others.
  • "Hall" - Used in the salutation "Thrall Hall!", probably means "honor" or something similar. Theory #2: It has no specific definition in the orcish language, it is instead used as a multi-purpose word that means glory to the horde/leader (Glory through their leader). The only reason it is Thrall Hall is because it flows naturally and is easy to say/remember (Kind of like why we use nicknames), compare the use of Thrall Hall! to Thrall Honor! or Thrall Hail!
  • Kek = Lol

When a Horde character says "lol" in Orcish, it displays as "kek" to Alliance characters. Since "lol" is used quite often in the game by many players this translation has become widely known, and many fans have accepted "kek" as kind of an official translation of "lol" into Orcish. However there are many other 3-letter combinations that produce the translation "kek", and "lol" isn't really a word in the English language, anyway. Kek's origin is from Starcraft's online service. The original version of the game did not support full Korean language, so the closest a Korean player could get to "Hahaha" in Korean was "Kekeke". [2]

  • Grommash has been officially translated as Giant's Heart. Grombolar has been officially translated as Bowels of the Giant. From this it can be inferred that Grom means giant, Mash means heart, and Bolar means bowels:
    • "Bolar" = "Bowel(s)"
    • "Grom" = "Giant"
    • "Mash" = "Heart"

Some more Orcish phrases (speculation)

Although no official translations have been released for them, here are some more Orcish phrases and their rough meanings based on the actions of the units in the RTS games when they say them:

  • "Lok-Regar Ogull, On-Dabu." = "Ready for orders."

In Battle for the Undercity:

  • "Mog Osh'kazil gul'rok il mog Ro'th zaga maza TOV'OSH" = "The Undercity belongs to the Horde once more! LOK'TAR!"

Naming

Orcish surnames are usually derived from great acts or merits a previous ancestor was lauded for, but some exceptional orcs earn their own surnames (Kilrogg Deadeye, Kargath Bladefist), and many prefer to use the names of their fathers (Thrall, Son of Durotan). Only the family leader can hold an eponymous title (For example, there can only be one Doomhammer or Deadeye at a time), and the rest of the clan identify themselves through their line of birth.

Two types of orc names appear to have arisen: two syllables separated by an apostrophe and a simple name shortened from a longer one. The two-syllable ones- Gul'dan, Drak'Thul, Dal'Rend - appear to have initially been only used for spellcaster, but was later exported (Gar'Thok was a Grunt colonel). The second type was highly cultural; only those with powers over the warrior could use their full name, such as Shamans and chieftains, or the orc's personal religious leader. For example Brox's full name was Broxigar, a term which he allowed only Tyrande and Krasus to use. Grom Hellscream's full name was Grommash, which Mannoroth used to address him as demonstration that Hellscream was his. This is very inconsistent, however, most of the known orcish names (such as Durotan, Orgrim, Nazgrel, Kargath) are never documented being used in short forms.

Warcraft 2

In the warcraft 2 cinematics, orcs randomly say words in orcish like "Moka", "titoo", "glode". These words, however, have never been heard in another blizzard game or translated.

Notes

Questionmark-medium
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.

"Orc" as a term defining language, has an apparent connection to DnD derived generic languages, which apparently can be found in DnD rule books.

To a degree, phoenetically some of the words resemble Tolkien's Black Speech, which makes sense, since that language was presumably the foundational influence for the sound of this one. It is, however, generally somewhat less guttural and (to use Tolkien's own adjective for the Black Speech) uncouth.

It also doesn't seem to really be an actual language as such; Blizzard apparently originally invented a few words with an "Orcish" sound to use as acknowledgement phrases when units were clicked on in the earlier Warcraft games, and thus to create consistency, these words were brought over to WoW. The translated vocabulary however is not large, and there is no real formal grammar. The "Orcish" that can be seen apparently being spoken by players in-game is the result of a hash table created by Blizzard, (as mentioned above) and the words produced by it are intentionally meaningless gibberish.


The examples of Orcish we've seen indicate what the phonetic inventory of the language might include, but we have nearly no evidence of the structure of the syntax or grammar. It may be possible to assume that adjectives come before nouns, as in English and other Germanic languages. As seen in the primer above, "Grommash" translates to "giant's heart". Thus we might say that "grom"(giant's) is an adjective modifiying "mash" (heart). The word "Grombolar," meaning "bowels of the giant", seems to follow this pattern as well. Of course, if this is actually a possessive clause, or a compound word, then the speculation that Orcish follows an adjective-noun word order could be erroneous.

References

 
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bennie, Scott; Richard Farrese, Bob Fitch. Horde Player's Guide, 134. ISBN 9781588467720. 
  2. ^ a b Arthaus. Lands of Conflict, 27. ISBN 9781588469601. 
  3. ^ a b c Golden, Christie. Rise of the Horde, 21. ISBN 978-0-7434-7138-1. 
  4. ^ Golden, Christie. Rise of the Horde, 40. ISBN 978-0-7434-7138-1. 
  5. ^ a b Golden, Christie. Lord of the Clans, 138. ISBN 978-0-7434-2690-9. 
  6. ^ Golden, Christie. Rise of the Horde, 311. ISBN 978-0-7434-7138-1. 
  7. ^ Blizzard Entertainment. Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Manual, 84. 
  8. ^ Inscription on the Monument to Grom Hellscream in Ashenvale; also mentioned in the Harvest Festival quest "Honoring A Hero"
  9. ^ Lohn'goron, Bow of the Torn-heart
  10. ^ The Battle For The Undercity (Alliance), "The orcs have a battle cry: LOK'TAR OGAR! It means "victory or death."
  11. ^ a b c DeCandido, Keith R.A.. Cycle of Hatred, 34. ISBN 978-0-7434-7136-7. 
  12. ^ Rosenberg, Aaron; Christie Golden. Beyond the Dark Portal, 355. ISBN 978-1-4165-5086-0. 
  13. ^ Bennie, Scott; Richard Farrese, Bob Fitch. Horde Player's Guide, 156. ISBN 9781588467720. 
  14. ^ a b Arthaus. World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 46. ISBN 9781588467812. 
  15. ^ Arthaus. Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 50. ISBN 9781588460714. 
  16. ^ Scourge Invasion in Orgrimmar
  17. ^ http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/misc/wccomic/issue-19-sneakpeek.html
  18. ^ The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm


Races and their languages
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