Re: Dune Conlang

Steg Belsky writes:
 > I just started reading the classic science fiction book _Dune_ for my
 > english class ("epics"), and i immediately noticed (of course) all of the
 > conlangish terms - there's even an entire sentence or two in one of the
 > languages of the book's universe.

 > Many of the terms are based on Semitic, such as _qwisatz haderach_, from
 > Hebrew _qfitzat haderekh_, _shaitan_ from Arabic...  Those are the ones
 > that i can remember at the moment, i don't have the book with me.

Others that spring to mind (some are names, but include conlangish
stuff):

Shai-Hulud - Maker, sandworm
shadout mapes - housekeeper (or was that a name?)
gom jabbar - poison needle
Bene Gesserit - Gesserit "brotherhood"
Bene Tlelaix - Brotherhood of Tleilaxu
mentat - human computer
chaumurky - poison in the drink(? another one for poison in food)
Fremen - the people of Dune
Arrakis - planet name - "arid"?
Ix        - planet name - ninth from the sun (IX in Roman)
Tleilax   - planet name - sounds mayan to me - isn't the goddess that
            wears human skins named something like this? - this is the
            planet where mentats and gholas are made.
Sardaukar - terror troops of the emperor
ghola - clone of a dead person
muad-dib - kangaroo rat
usul - base of a pillar
Kaitain - planet name - home of the emperor - "Constantinople"?
Geidi Prime - planet name - "greedy"?
weirding - "weird", clearly, used to refer to apparently supernatural,
           e.g., Paul and Jessica's martial arts skills

Some editions have a dictionary at the back that include these and
many others.

 > But has anyone ever done a study or anything about the languages and
 > terms in Dune?  The Semitic-based words could just be there for the
 > 'desert' feel of the setting, but....

I don't know of one, but I'd be surprised if someone hadn't.

The Semitic and Arabic words are not all strictly from Arrakis -
Kwisatz Haderach is a word planted by the Bene Gesserit. The
Semitic/Arabic origin may have been intended (by Herbert or "by" the
Gesserit) to refer to Jesus, or Mohammed, or any of the number of
prophets from that area.

Brook
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