The Nasat speaks Bajoran

Taking what we hear on TV with what we see in the novels, I've noticed a lot of patterns in the primary Bajoran language. Some of that must be unintentional, but it's suprising just how well the pieces we have link together. The Bajorans seem to have a language which, having forgotten the technical linguistic term, I proudly refer to as the small-words-small-concepts-larger-concepts-come-from-small-words-glued-together approach. The idea of base ideograms in the written language (as canonically established) seems to fit with that. So here it is, my Bajoran dictionary.

A: Prefix signifying "the", as in "The one true" or "the prime", the model example.

Aclim: An era of history.

Alva: A yellow fruit. "va" is "source", and is found in the names of other foods like Veklava and Kava.

Amojan: "The Evil One" (A-"The" Mo-"One", Jan-"Evil")

Amoran: "The Banishment" (A-"The", Moran-"Banishment", to become "one", cut off from others)

Ara/Arra: "Place", usually more spiritual or figurative than literal, although "the land and the people are one" as the Bajorans say, so physical and spiritual location are linked.

Ashalla: Capital city of Bajor. ("A"-The, prime example, "Shalla"-Social gathering of religious significance, itself from "Shal"-gather and "La"-Spiritual/community centre).

Ashla: "Giant"

Asnor: A fish.

Avaru: "Truth-seekers", a religious term from "A-The", "Va"-Source, and "Ru"-seeking truth, understood as an implied goal. E.g. Ohalavaru are seekers of truth affiliated with the teachings of Ohalu.

B': As a prefix, denotes something sacred or holy.

B'hala: The City of Light, the sacred city, ("B'"-Sacred/holy, "Ha"- light, "la"-spiritual or social community centre)

B'hava'el: Bajor's sun. "Source and bringer of holy light" ("B'"-Sacred/holy, "Ha"- light, "Va"-source, "el"-of, in the sense of bringing, bringer of)

B'Lavael: A mountain where a holy man/woman was inspired to found a city ("B'"-Sacred/holy, "la"- community centre, "Va"-source, "el"-of, in the sense of bringing, bringer of, here, inspiration for)

B'tanay: "Awakening", in a religious sense, sacred vision or revelation.

Bajora: The people, corruption of "B'Ja'arra"- Holy Social position (e.g. "People of God") (B'-holy, "Ja"-social, "arra"-position. Once a theocratic nation, now a species name.

Balik(am): "Go away", "get lost".

Bantaca: Traditional spire marking co-ordinates.

Bateret: A plant.

Batos: A domesticated animal

Belaklavion: A musical instrument

Bena: "Joy"

Boryhas: Spirits of the dead yet to depart for the Celestial Temple

Buru: "Bu"-Life, "Ru"-Seeking Truth, so "life spent in search of truth" as part of a religious existence, common word in prayers

Cela: A plant, leaves used in tea.

D': As a prefix, signifies position, belonging, ownership.

D'Jarra: The old caste system. "Belonging to a social position", "D'"-belonging, "Ja"-social, "arra"-position.

Dal'Rok: Demon spirit.

Dara: "Home", corruption of "D'Arra", literally "belonging-place", D'-belonging, "Arra"-place.

De-ram: "Opening Up", the process where by collective religious passion is focused upon a designated prayer leader to help them access the Prophets more easily. Used as part of prayers. "De"-Up, "Ram"- to open.

Duran: "Remembrance"

Duranja: Lamp lit for a dead friend, from "Duran"- remembrance, and "Ja"- social.

El: "Of, bringing"

Elipagh: One who brings a spiritual message, a holy messanger, a proxy, the Emissary.

Esani: A flowering plant

Eyisa: An era of Bajoran history

Foraiga: A delicacy

Ha: "Light"

Ha'Dara: "Home of Light", name of planet settled by Hirogen-built holograms, named by Iden, a Bajoran hologram.From "Ha"-light, and "Dara"-Home, corruption of "D'Arra", literally "belonging-place", D'-belonging, "Arra"-place.

Hara: A feline animal. Seems to be "light-time". Hmmm, are they active at dawn?

Hasperat: Mmmmm...Hasperat....spicy burrito....

Ih: "Assigning, locating"

Ih'tanu: Traditional coming-of-age ritual for 14-year old girls

Ih'valla: A D'jarra, the artist caste. From "Ih"-assigning, "Va"-source, "La"-spiritual community centre, "assignment to the source of our community spirit" (In keeping with this caste being a high one)

Iktashu: Prophecy, possibly a specific kind.

Imutta (Ih'mutta): A D'jarra, the undetaker caste.

Indurane: "Ancient" Note the root "Duran"-"remembrance".

Ja: "Social", as in signifying a connection between other concepts in a compund word and everyday society/people interacting.

Jal: "Social freedom", an expansion of Ja, a prominent and respected social position arrived at through living in a holy manner.

Jalbador: The Red Wormhole, worshipped as home of the gods by the One True Way cult.

Jalkaree: The Blue wormhole, home of the Prophets. Notice "Jal"-social freedom and holy living, and "ka"-good.

Jan: A different, darker kind of social freedom- "Evil". A willful moral outcast from society exhibits Jan.

Ka: "Goodness".

Kai: "Goodness", with an intensifier "i". Leader of the faith.

Kava: A tree producing edible nuts, a staple of the Bajoran diet. "Source of Goodness", from "Ka"-goodness, and "va"-source.

Ke: A personification of something, an avatar of an ideal made physical. Also a family name in some regions.

Kejal: "Freedom", a name, from "Ke"-personification, "jal"-social freedom, holy freedom".

Kejelious: An era of Bajoran history.

Kheet'agh: An extreme insult.

Koss: "To be", modified to "Kosst" as a title of dark religious significance, now used as a curse word by most Bajorans due to association with Kosst Amojan, The Evil One (To Be The Evil One, a self-satisfied label of extreme Jan).

Koss'moran: "To be banished", to exist in a state of having been banished, also a holy text detailing the imprisonment of the pah-wraiths.

Kulloth: An polar herd animal.

La: Signifying a spiritual/community centre, often used in the sense of a city or town.

Lita: Bajoran currency, also a name, "Leeta".

Makapa: A bread.

Makara: A medicinal herb used by pregnant women.

Mandala: A personal religious shrine found in most homes, centre of the family community.

Mapa: A bread

Mo: The number one

Moba: A fruit

Morala: The one faith, from "Mo"-one, "Ra"-a sense of time, and "la"-community, spiritual centre. Time will show the Bajoran mainstream to be the one true faith. "Morala" is used in some older prayers from the more rigid and authoritarian cults.

Moran: Banishment, becoming "one", cut off from others.

Navarch: Title invented for Li Nalas.

Nerak: A flower.

Pagh: The immortal soul, life-energy, spirit. Some possess more or stronger pagh than others. "Pah" is corrupted pagh.

Pagh'tem'fa B'tanay: "Awakening of the Sacred Vision", repressed memories return to the fore in this religiously significant event.

Pagh'tem'far: A sacred vision

Paghvaram: "Soul Key", from "pagh"-soul, "va"-source, and "ram"-to open. "Varam"-source of open, is "key".

Pah-wran: From the dark texts, a celebration of corrupted life-energy.

Paluku: Large furry spider-like animal native to the moons of Bajor.

Pate: Basic unit of measurement, used in Tessipate, Kerripate, etc.

Pavrak: Insulting word

Peldor: "Gratitude". Peldor Joi is a greeting used in the Gratitude Festival.

Pooncheen: A fruit

Porli: A bird

Prusin: A plant, some are allergic to it.

Pylchyk: A domesticated animal

Ra: Time, as an active force in one's spiritual life (there is an Orb of Time, lest we forget).

Ram: "To open". Note "ra", as time is actively invoked here.

Ran: Signifies aftermath, end result of a process, outcome. E.g, used as a root in "duran"-remembrance, or "moran"-banished. Again, note "ra".

Ranjen: An honorific title for monks involved in works of spiritual importance. "Anticipates aftermath", as in, working towards a satisfaction upon completion of spiritual goals.

Ratamba: A stew.

Remla: A bird.

Ru: "Seeking truth"

Sean: "swamp".

Shalla: Social gathering of spiritual importance, from "shal"-gather, and "la"-community spiritual centre.

Shafa: A gambling game.

Shodi: A drink.

Shusha: Medicinal herb.

Takeo: Medicinal herb.

Te'nari: A D'Jarra.

Temonis: A stone, pink

Tessijen: A unit of measurement, note "jen" is essentially "anticipate", a measure of distance from a goal or destination, perhaps?

Tumika: An era of history

Va: "source"

Vedek: Senior clergy member.

Veklava: A food.

Yavar: "Tears".

Yavar ha: "Tears of Light", AKA Tears of the Prophets, the sacred orbs (older label)