Slithy, Slithier, Slithzerikai - a grammar question

Author	Topic: Slithy, Slithier, Slithzerikai - a grammar question
Arancaytar Law Bringer Member # 2984	written Monday, April 10 2006 01:02 Profile Homepage #0 I'm quite sure that this has been discussed earlier, but I can't find the archived topic. So far I've believed "Slithzerikai" to be the plural of "Slith". However, groups larger than one Slith are sometimes referred to as "Sliths" (a debased form by humans, I assume, much like "Troglos"), and a single Slith as "one Slithzerikai". So is Slithzerikai its own plural (much like Vahnatai), and the "Slith/Sliths" form is just an abbreviation by humans? -- Edit: And while we're fact-checking the Wikipedia entry anyway, can someone please confirm that a "Slithzerikai Goddess" was actually present in the game, and that this goddess "requested" the adventurers to slay Thsss-Sss? [ Monday, April 10, 2006 01:10: Message edited by: Kuranes- ] -------------------- Encyclopaedia • Archives • Members • RSS [Topic / Forum] • Blog • Polaris • NaNoWriMo Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. I have a love of woodwind instruments. Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Kelandon Off With Their Heads Member # 4045	written Monday, April 10 2006 06:45 Profile Homepage #1 I was under the impression that "slithzerikai" was both singular and plural, like "fish," although I can't point to a particular part of the games in which that is proven. I was also under the impression that "slith" was a nickname, and its plural was "sliths." When you pray at the altar in the southeast corner of Gnass in A1, a disembodied voice (described as "small" and "soft") tells you to kill Sss-Thsss. There is no proof that it is a divine entity, and there is no proof that it is female, although both are reasonable guesses. [ Monday, April 10, 2006 06:46: Message edited by: Kelandon ] -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Monday, April 10 2006 07:51 Profile Homepage #2 -ai is a suffix that obviously denotes race and that equally obviously has no bearing on singular or plural. With a sample size of two, how far wrong could this analysis be? Slith is a nickname for slithzerikai the way troglo is short for troglodyte. Because slith seems like a more standard English word, it gets an S for its plural form. After years of fighting vahnatai Avernum will probably complain about those bug-eyed vahns. —Alorael, who very much doubts that the voice at the alter is the slith goddess. It might be a slith goddess, but there's a notable absence of divine intervention in Avernum. The few gods that do show up are only mentioned by their worshippers. As for the gender, any guess has a 33% chance of being right, so it's probably wrong. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Kelandon Off With Their Heads Member # 4045	written Monday, April 10 2006 12:43 Profile Homepage #3 I guess it's worth mentioning that, in my Bahs/Exodus continuity, the goddess at that altar is Legare's Goddess, such as she is, and the word "slithzerikoss" (of which "slithzerikai" is a form) is the less complimentary word for a slith — slithzerikoss = homo/anthropos, ksevoss = vir/aner. This is not proven in the games anywhere. -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Dikiyoba Councilor Member # 6600	written Monday, April 10 2006 13:50 Profile Homepage #4 Originally by Alorael: quote: After years of fighting vahnatai Avernum will probably complain about those bug-eyed vahns. That will just be the polite term for them. I can see vahnatai being refered to as "buggers" occasionally in future games. Probably by the same people who call nephil "kitties" and slithzerakai "lizards." Dikiyoba. Posts: 4346 | Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00
lordofdc Warrior Member # 6508	written Saturday, April 15 2006 12:22 Profile #5 But what about the vanatai?Are they in A1 , becuase Athron talks about them in A1, -------------------- Spiders,webs and software is great but Spiderwebsoftware is the best. Posts: 85 | Registered: Sunday, November 27 2005 08:00
Erika Maroonmark Shock Trooper Member # 5969	written Saturday, April 15 2006 12:52 Profile #6 Well, they're in Exile 1, so most likely so. However, they don't play that big a role: the official Spiderweb Exile FAQ says, "Q: How do I get past the double barrier in the Vahnatai cave? A: Play Exile 2." or something like that. -------------------- A C, an E-flat, and a G walk into the Tower of the Magi. Ambrin walks up to them and says, "Hey! It's the Triad!" Kelner snorts and says, "Pretty minor Triad if you ask me." Posts: 242 | Registered: Thursday, June 16 2005 07:00