A few samples to give you the flavor of the language….
Word |
Definition |
áalaá | butterfly |
ashon | love for one who is not related by blood but is heart-kin |
azháadin | to menopause uneventfully |
dólhorado | to dominate with evil intent |
doóledosh | pain or loss which comes as a relief because it brings to an end the anticipation of its arrival |
doólelasholan | alone at last, after putting up with tiresome people |
edama | the science of touch — touch-science |
éeme | love for one neither liked nor respected |
elasháana | to menstruate for the first time |
hena | sibling by birth |
héena | sibling of the heart |
honáal | the hours between midnight and dawn |
lalal | mother’s milk |
lewidan | to be pregnant for the first time |
loláad | to perceive internally, to feel |
lirini | an achievement that seems small to other, but means a lot to the achiever |
méhéna | compassion despite negative circumstances |
móna | compassion for foolish reasons |
múna | compassion for bad reasons |
nehena | contentment despite negative circumstances |
niná | the one responsible |
ninálh | the one to blame |
núháam | to feel oneself cherished, cared for, nurtured by someone |
nuna | contentment for bad reasons |
ohehena | respect despite negative circumstances |
óothanúthul | spiritual orphanhood; being utterly bereft of a spiritual community |
radama | to non-touch; to actively refrain from touching |
radamalh | to non-touch with evil intent |
radena | unfriendliness for good reasons |
radíidin | non-holiday, a time allegedly a holiday but actually so much a burden because of work and preparations that it’s a dreaded occasion; especially when there are too many guests and none of them help |
radodelh | non-interface, a situation which has not one single point in common on which to base interaction, often used of personal relationships |
radona | unfriendliness for foolish reasons |
rahéena | non-heart-sibling; one so entirely incompatible with another that there is no hope of ever achieving any kind of understanding or anything more than a truce, and no hope of ever making such a one understand why (does not mean “enemy”) |
rahom | to non-teach; to deliberately fill students’ minds with empty data or false information |
ralith | to deliberately refrain from thinking about something, to wall if off in one’s mind by deliberate act |
rarulh | non-synergy, that which when combined only makes things worse |
rashida | non-game, a cruel “playing” that is a game only for the dominant player who has the power to force others to participate |
rathom | non-pillow; a “lean on me so I can step aside and let you fall” person |
sham | love for the child of one’s body, presupposing neither love nor respect nor their absence |
shol | absence-of-pain |
thehena | joy despite negative circumstances |
thuna | joy for good reasons |
uhud | nuisance |
uhudemid | tick (the insect) |
wesháana | to menstruate late |
widazhad | to be pregnant late in term and eager for the end |
wina | gratitude for no reason |
wonewith | to be socially dyslexic; uncomprehending of the social signals of others |
wóo | evidence morpheme indicating the speaker/writer’s total lack of knowledge as to the validity of what is said or written |
zhaláad | the act of relinquishing a cherished/comforting familiar illusion or frame of perception |
[For more information, see A First Dictionary and Grammar of Láadan: Second Edition, edited by Diane Martin; published in 1988 by SF3, Box 1624, Madison WI 53701-1624.]Copyright © 2002 by Suzette Haden Elgin