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Lapine: The Language Of Watership Down

Richard Adams' Watership Down (New York: Macmillan, 1972) is one of the classic works of xenofiction (the fiction set in strange cultures, real or imagined), placed as it is among and between the warrens of rabbits in the English countryside. Lapine, the language he sketches for his rabbits, is arguably the best naming language ever created, and is a minimalist virtuoso performance, a haiku of a language compared to the sonnet of Sindarin.

The following documentation of the language is derived from Adams' own appendix to Watership Down, but is reconstructed as extensively as possible from the limited examples. All hypothetical reconstructions are preceded by an *asterisk.

Vocabulary from the sequel has been deliberately left out, as the point of this example is how much can be accomplished with how little. Lapine went a long way towards establishing the verisimilitude of the rabbits' culture.

E-mail me with comments, criticisms and suggestions.

Lapine Plural Etymology POS English
???     proper noun Translated by Adams as "Lapine", meaning the language and religion of the rabbits. Whether Lapine actually has a word for Lapine is unknown. [From English lapin n. Rabbit fur, especially when dyed to imitate a more expensive fur.]
???     proper noun The Lapine word is unknown, but Adams translates it as "bob stones" and calls it a traditional game among rabbits.
Crixa     proper noun A crossroads, the center of Efrafa, located at the crossing point of two bridle paths.
Efrafa     proper noun A warren founded by General Woundwort.
El-ahrairah   [< Elil + hrair + rah, "Enemies Thousand Prince" or "The Prince with a Thousand Enemies".] proper noun The legendary rabbit folk hero.
*eli   [Hypothetical reconstruction of the singular, based on the patterns of other plurals. Could, alternatively, be *ela (as in hombil from homba).] common noun Enemy of rabbits.
elil     common noun Enemies of rabbits.
embleer     adjective Stinking, as in the smell of a predator, esp. a fox.
flay *flay   common noun Food, especially grass or other edible plants.
flayrah   [< Flay + rah, "Food Prince" or "The Prince Of Foods".] common noun Lettuce, or other unusually good food.
Frith     proper noun The sun god of the rabbits.
Frithrah   [< Frith + rah, "Sun Prince" or "The Lord Sun!".] exclamation An exclamation.
fu     preposition After (later than), afterwards.
fu inlé     phrase After moonrise.
*hain *hainil [Reconstructed from Nildro-hain, "Blackbird's song".] common noun Meaning uncertain: either blackbird or song. Probably song.
hlao *hlao-il   common noun Any dimple or depression formed in the grass, such as that formed by a daisy plant or a thistle, which can hold moisture.
Hlao     proper noun The name of Pipkin in Lapine.
Hlao-roo   [< Hlao + roo, diminutive.] proper noun A nickname of Pipkin.
hlessi hlessil   common noun An outcast rabbit, living above ground, without a regular hole or warren.
homba hombil   common noun A fox.
hrair     adjective Any number over four, a great many, an uncountable number. Loosely translated as "a thousand".
Hrairoo   [< Hrair + roo, diminutive.] proper noun The name of Fiver in Lapine, so called for being the last in a litter of five or more rabbits.
hraka *hrakil   common noun Droppings, excretions.
hrududu hrududil   common noun A motor vehicle such as a car or tractor.
*hy(z)   [Reconstruction from Hyzenthlay.] verb To shine.
Hyzenthlay   [< *hy(z) + *zen(th) + thlay, "Shine Dew Fur" or "Fur Shining Like Dew".] proper noun The name of a doe who lived in Efrafa.
Inlé     proper noun Literally, the moon or moonrise. Figuratively, darkness, fear and death.
lendri *lendril   common noun A badger.
li *lil   common noun Head (body part).
marli *marlil   common noun Literally, a doe. Figuratively, a mother.
m'saion     sentence "We meet them."
narn     adjective Pleasant to eat.
*ni   [Reconstructed from ni-frith.] common noun Time?
ni-frith   [< ni + frith, "??sun.] common noun Noon.
*nildro *nildril [Reconstructed from Nildro-hain, "Blackbird's song".] common noun Meaning uncertain: either blackbird or song. Probably blackbird.
Nildro-hain.   [< "Blackbird's Song".] proper noun The name of a doe who lived in Efrafa.
Owlsa     proper noun The strongest rabbits in a warren. The elite rulers.
Owlsafa   [< Owlsa + fa.] proper noun Council Police. A term only used in Efrafa.
Pfeffa *pfeffil   common noun A cat.
Rah     augmentative A prince, leader or chief. Usually suffixed, dropping the 'r' when following an 'r'.
Roo     diminutive A diminutive, usually affectionate. Suffixed.
sayn *saynil   common noun Groundsel.
silf     adjective Outside, not underground.
silflay   [< silf + flay, "outside food".] verb To go above ground to feed.
silflay *silflay [< silf + flay, "outside food".] verb Food available above ground (outside the warren).
tharn     adjective Literally hypnotized with fear (think of the "deer caught in the headlights" only with a rabbit), stupefied, distraught. Figuratively, foolish, forlorn or heartbroken.
Thethuthininang   [< "Movement of Leaves." proper noun The name of a doe who lived in Efrafa.
thlay *thlay   common noun Fur.
thlayli   [< thlay + li, "fur head"] proper noun A nickname.
threar *threaril   common noun A rowan tree or mountain ash.
Threarah   [< Threar + rah, "Lord Threar".] proper name Lord Threar.
u     definite article Similar to "the" in English.
U Hrair   [< U + Hrair + Elil, "The Thousand Enemies".]   The Thousand (Enemies)
vair     verb To excrete.
yona yonil   common noun A hedgehog.
*zen(th)   [Reconstruction from Hyzenthlay.] common noun Dew.
zorn     adjective Destroyed, murdered; suffered a catastrophe.
 

 

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