The hippogriff emblem of Demonland, based on the line drawings in early editions of the book
In The Worm Ouroboros E.R. Eddison dazzles the reader with innumerable exotic and fantastically named people, places, and things. Unfortunately, they don’t all adhere to a consistent linguistic base, and no less a luminary like J.R.R. Tolkien criticized the author for this. Some character names sound Latin, such as Laxus, Corinius, Corund, and Corsus. Others sound Gaelic, like Brandoch Daha, or German, like Goldry Bluszco, which to me sounds like an equities trading firm. The place names of Demonland seem cribbed from Scotland, and other names such as Fax Fay Faz, Mivrarch, Zäje Zaculo, and Zimiamvia itself are just all-around WTF (admittedly, Eddision created many as a child.) The sky-piercing mountains of Zimiamvia, meanwhile, have names reminiscent of Tibetan and Nepali, like Koshtra Pivrarcha and Koshtra Belorn, Romshir, and Ashnilan. There were enough of these that I was able to come up with a decent random word generator for them, the results shown below. I’ll call the language Zimiamvian.
Zimiamvian Names
| Tsu Eshrac
Mornaset Shimuna Bhad Synshë Zoracha Nangachurch Pizshir Id Hylla Zaë Viz Mornaian Koshtan Uth Arksurn Ailtrig Tsachanë Ishaneth Shalg Emshra Orsh Pylgrai Barchlak Psar Shalgsurn |
Belsu
Koshtark Zorashimur Usu Traëm Zorahevshra Tsa Tsumulo Shimarcha Zimnam Uthra Syk Zimek Besh Maltgyn Temornam Azkar Tsar Emarcha Shaëny Zarphai Gremsë Ravnan |
Tsu Thanmarsh
Zimarach Norphë Ravenlak Ur Lakarm Barcherash Bhanamshir Zim Karulo Teshurnum Tsark Archa Nulla Mora Mysoch Gor Bhavicha Tsarsharma Burdamoch Tshev Bysë Ushai Tremlak |
