SKENE GLOSSARY (SKENE TO ENGLISH)

abba (pronounced ah-bah) = grandparent
Abfall = Skene island dedicated to compost, recycling, junkyard
ada = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
aga (pronounced ah-gah) = stove/hearth, the center of every Manage; fueled by geothermal steam, it was never turned "off" and always had a cistern of simmering water for tea
aggie (pronounced with a short a) = breeding woman
ardente = brandy (followed by name of food used to distill it, as ardentecherry)
Argile = Skene island dedicated to clay production
baugey = atoll
Beras = Skene island dedicated to rice cultivation
Bohaira = any lake, but especially the lagoon around the central island on Skene, protected from leviathans by atolls built by early colonists
bor = wine (bor is followed by name of fruit used to make it, as in borapple)
Bosco = Skene island dedicated to forests and lumber as well as pig raising
botaniste = horticulturalist; makes decisions about which species of plants or animals to resurrect from cold storage; annually elected position
buono = upland
burzaka = waterproof rain slicker
Burzas [means storms in Polish] = second month of the year, marks onset of winter, long storms, hog slaughter time
Byli (farm in Icelandic) = experimental ejida + cranberry bog island in West Tendril; only inhabitants are workers for ejida
Califia = name of a Fling in the West Tendril
cao (historical creature, none in existence) = cow
capriste = goatherder
cartagen = papermaker
carynn (pronounced kah-RIN) = peace, serenity
cha = harvest
charco = pool
chen = farm, farmer (for community use), agriculture
chicken = chicken (however, usually differentiated into pullet, capon, biddy, hen or cock)
child = child (no differentiation as to gender on Skene)
chimiste = chemist
chine = river valley
Chloddia = Skene island dedicated to mining (mostly metals)
chongyong = turbulent ocean
comadrona = midwife
cortices = shoreline areas
curandera = healer/doctor
curtilage = the land, including tillage, around a Manage
Delma = one of two moons for Skene, the other being Luwise; smaller of the two, has less tidal pull
dichter = poet/songwriter whose official job is to create metered verse for lighters to distract leviathans
duck = duck
ek or eks = unit of currency (most commerce is done by barter or comes by allotment)
ejida = cooperative or community farm (as opposed to a Manage)
emma = parent (usually differentiated from aggie, who is one's biological mother)
Empat = fourth day of the week, work and school day
escollo = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
esker = ridge of gravel deposited by water
ethicist = ethicist (elected every half-year, settles interim questions of public good unless larger vote is required)
Exploit = Skene island dedicated to mining (mostly minerals and chemicals)
eyja = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
Faar = Skene island dedicated to sheep-raising
fadian = electrical worker
farraige = sea
faryaste = ferry driver
fisk = a kind of plentiful fish used for drying, a staple of Skene cuisine
Fling = the 24 small islands close enough for morrie vaseo but able to hold only one or perhaps two Manages; flings which do not have a water supply are called secanos. Skene's secanos are Sziget, Selva, and Ziza (the first two are maintained as herb-growing sanctuaries, the latter is a public park). Skene's Flings are Ada, Califia, Escollo, Eyja, Helle, Hynys (double Manage), Icarus, Inish, Insula, Isola, Krk, Motu, Oase, Ostrov, Pulau, Pulo, Refugio, Rho, Saari, Wyspa, and Yanuyanu (double Manage).
gabal = mountain (not sharp peaks)
gakusha = scholar
gazda = farmer (most on family farm)
genist = geneticist and genealogist who tracks all lineages on Skene and determines which sperm stock is chosen for an aggie requesting leave to breed; a lifelong position, determined by election when she is an apprentice; only one mother genist and one apprentice at any given time, and the two of them are often at great odds with one another; their records are completely secret
ginny = slang term (not used in polite company, but not perjorative) for genitals, genital region, or sexual contact; applies to either gender
glebe = field in cultivation to support a specific community institution, such as the university or the Lofthall
goat = goat
gong = work/worker/craft/trade
goose = goose
habibi = great-grandparent or great-grandchild
hai = ocean
haichen = kelp harvester (either as sinner or from cortices)
hai cai = kelp which is edible and also acts as a thickener
haidai = kelp which, when dried, produces the pale green meal that is the basis for Skene bread; also, the name for such bread
haigang = harbor
hai luo = kelp which produces a kind of plastic material used extensively
hai zao = kelp which produces the fibers from which linen is made
hamsa = sea creature with five ray arms, delicate flesh, rare
han = sea
helle = island, name of a Fling in the West Tendril
hidraler = plumber
hnisa = porpoise
huerta = orchard
huertanera = orchardist
hynys = island, name of a Fling in the West Tendril with double Manage
Icarus = name of a Fling in the West Tendril
ikan = a kind of fish with small, limber bones which is pounded flat, flash-fried, and fed to children as a daily source of calcium; also popular as traveling food
Iki = second day of the week, work and school
dayinish = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
insula = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
isola = island; name of Fling where Yoj grew up in East Tendril
Jian [means shearing] = fourth month of year, still cold but starting to warm at end of month, sheep shearing time
jichang = airport
jigong = aircraft maker, mechanic
Juh = Skene island dedicated to sheep-raising
kala = a kind of fish, rich in oil which is extracted for multiple uses
Kall [means cold in Swedish] = third month of the year, coldest month, overcast and sometimes frosty
katt = cat
keramiker = potter/ceramicist
kihapai = arable field fronting the ocean with high salt exposure
kilada = valley
kinusan = silk farmer
koukei = a rongyanger on Yanja with the special, secret duty of using an illegal-grade laser to keep the magna vent open
Krk = name of a Fling in the West Tendril
kuono = bay
kuvual = a kind of fish which produces ink sacs which are prized for dying and other crafts
Lamminsade [means warm rain in Finnish] = seventh month of the year, spring continues, at end of month another two week period of storms but these are less severe and warm rains to launch crops
leraar = teacher
lighter = small aircraft used for light hauling (home lighter) or interference for fishing craft (wasa lighter), or the pilot of such a craft
Ljeto [means summer in Serbo-Croatian] = ninth month, high summer
long xu = kelp which grows on rocks and has an astringent flavor; grown in cortices away from any island runoff
Lofthall = the meeting and sometime living space for all pilots; also the ministry governing all airflight issues
Luwise = one of two moons for Skene, the other being Delma; larger of the two, has more tidal pull
Manage = family, home, home farm
Manager = family member
Mchele [means rice in Swahili] = tenth month of the year, late summer, cooling begins, rice harvest
mchungaji = shepherd (generic)
mead = uncultivated field (very rare)
Med [means honey in Czech] = eighth month of year, time eel migration and harvest, beginning of summer, first light harvest, first honey harvest, school lets out
moana = ocean
Moja = first day of the week, back to work/school
mohit = ocean
morrie = sea
morrie strati = viscous, reddish patches of ocean where leviathans congregate
morrie vaseo = ocean that is free from threat of leviathans, between islands; also used metaphorically, as in "safe passage"
motu = island; name of Fling where Halling grew up in West Tendril
Nastere [means birth in Rumanian] = sixth month of year, spring month, lambs and kids born, culling of the sheep and goat herds, planting of crops begins in earnest
nian cheng = harvest report for the year
oase = island, name of a Fling in the West Tendril
ostrov = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
Ot = fifth day of the week, last day of work and school
pecoriste = sheepherder/shearer
Peisuo = Skene island set aside for exiles (prison)
pig = pig
plica = canyon or valley
Pomar = central island on Skene, dedicated to orchards, soybeans, apiary, and large public park accessible by ferry from two main islands
potami = river
Potenza (Italian for power) = ministry governing utilities including electricity, water, geothermal, radios, plus ferries
pulo = island, name of a Fling in the West Tendril
qi gong = steam worker
qing shi = pumice
qingsher = pumice sculptor
Raccolto [means harvest in Italian] = first month of the year, New Year, main harvest begins this month, school resumes, autumnal weather, storms begin at end of month
Rahat (Turkish for welfare) = ministry of health and education which oversees school, university, scholars, hospital, midwives, genist (including leave for aggies and partnering), vets
rambla = stream
Recursos (Spanish for resource) = ministry overseeing natural resources including mining, lava, petroleum, wood, gravel, lasers
refugio = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
Riesig = largest central island on Skene, containing airfield, university, sigrist, genist, archives, school, fish docks all in town of Riesig Pliss, and acting as hub for the West Tendril
Rho = name of a Fling in the West Tendril
riada = small river
rimple = canyon or valley with soft slopes
rivel = ridge
robin = island bird, blue-green in color, neither useful nor an extreme pest
Roku = sixth day of the week, Market Day, school is out
rongyan = lava sculpted into rocks
rongyanger = worker who sculpts lava into walls, furniture, etc.
ruck = a valley that looks like a crease in the land's fabric
saari = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril
sakana = a kind of fish, with buttery and tender flesh, very popular
samaki = a kind of fish
San = third day of the week, work and school day
seabeak = bird somewhat analogous to seagulls, except larger and only partially feathered on head and underside
secano = island without fresh water on it; Skene has three, Selva, Sziget and Ziza
Seda = Skene island dedicated to silkworm cavern and mulberry trees
setzer = printer
shaoxing = rice wine
sheep = sheep
sheng zhang = governor of limited powers, mostly an administrator, elected every year
shigakka = archivist/historian
Shmonah = eighth day of the week, school is out, no work except for certain occupations, traditionally used for rest and gathering with beloveds
shu = pernicious lizards with a painful bite, drawn to domestic scavenging; kept in control by heavy population of household katts
sib = sibling (gender not differentiated, only whether younger or older); plural sibs
siba = older sibling
sibashte = sisterhood/brotherhood, communal feeling
sibu = younger sibling
sigrist = timekeeper/bellringer
sinner = heavy aircraft for fishing and harvesting kelp (wasa sinner and haichen sinner), and also for heavy hauling around Skene (home sinner); also, the pilot who flies such a craft; not for aggies
Sju = seventh day of the week, school is out, no work today except for certain occupations, day traditionally set aside for community meetings, performances, or visiting across Skene
soto = grove
sui = age grade/color year; every child is born into a color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet) and number (current generation is 58) which determines their age grade -- adults from age grades too far distant from one another may not partner or aggie with each other -- Halling is a Green 56, Yoj is a Blue 56, and Bux is a Red 57
sziget = island, name of a Secano in the West Tendril
tai = sea
takashkinu = silk weaver
takashlany = wool weaver
takashrashon = linen weaver
tal = hill
Tanyan (Czech for farming) = ministry which oversees all community interest in agriculture including ejidas, compost and recycling, silkworms, orchards, rice, livestock, seafood
tiang = rice syrup
tillage = the cultivated fields belonging to a Manage, usually
timmer = carpenter (of wood)
tolt = an uplands so narrow and steep it cannot be shaped into usable territory
uo = a kind of fish
uominori = fish processor
uorui = sorter of the fish that gets brought in by a sinner
vaccio = desert (used metaphorically as a kind of hell)
varrer = clothing maker
Verzin = large central island on Skene, heavily used for manufacture, hub of the East Tendril
Verzinnen (Dutch for manufacturing) = ministry overseeing manufacturing and commerce including weaving, dying, metallurgy, ceramics, paper and book making, printing, glassmaking, shopkeeping
vetriste = glassmaker
vis = a kind of fish whose dried flesh renders easily to meal, used heavily in soups, breads and sprinkled on salads
waadvogel = rice grower (means wader)
wandmaler = muralist who paints each Manage's pictorial ancestry on their walls; works closely with historical lineages
wasa = ocean
wasa lighter = pilot who flies small aircraft that runs interference for sinners; extremely dangerous, mythologized, and usually short-lived occupation, for the young and not for aggies
windrow = a hill or series of hills that occur in straight parallel lines
woman = any human adult
wyspa = island, name of a Fling in the West Tendril
X = a human of XX or XXY configuration, used only in private and information known only to family members -- considered extremely objectionable to use this term in public
xiao = octopus
Y = a human of XY configuration, used only in private and information known only to family members -- considered extremely objectionable to use this term in public
Yagi = Skene island dedicated to goat-raising
Yanja = Skene island dedicated to lava sculpting and glass-making
yanjiang = lava
yanjanger = lava sculptor
yanuyanu = island, name of a Fling in the East Tendril (double Manage)
Yaomur [means rain in Turkish] = fifth month of year, rains all month, much fog, rice planting time
yejiniste = metallurgist
ying = ocean
zaoxue = dress boots
zaliv = bay
zayit = olive oil
zhang gui = shopkeeper

Copyright 2007 Maggie Jochild