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A lot of people have asked me over the years how I came up with the numerous and varying names for my Tau.
I simply told them it was by following the guide lines first introduced in the original Tau Codex:

Rank - Sept - Then names and titles earned or given to them.
e.g. Shas'O Tash'Var Or'Es Kessan Tam'Ya Raatol translated Fire Commander Tash'Var Great Wise Noble Mentor.

But they wanted to know exactly where I got the words seeing as there is a lack of them in future Codexes so I have explained how for the past 5 years I have been collating, collecting, and inventing words for a Tau dictionary with the help of many Tau Players and I think it is a good time to share it what with 6ed just being released, so here it is.

First off, I've left out things like O, El, etc and Dec and Rotaa (Tau Times) as they are long winded to explain and because anyone with the first Codex already knows them.

Second, how to read it:

WORD - MEANING/S - LITERAL TRANSLATION - MILITARY TERM - (EXPLANATION) - ROUTE WORDS

As'Kor - Piranha

Aun - Ethereal; Celestial - High One

Ay'Vaal - Puretide

Ba'Y - Lost

B'Gel - Orks

Bon'T - Devil

Bon'Val - Devilfish - Bon'T + Val

Bsum - Heavy

Caadan - Sniper

Da'Noh - Unsolved Mystery - Mystery Not Yet Unravelled

D'Yanoi - Twin Moons

Eldi - Gifted

Fannor - Commerce

Fio - Earth

Fio'Qan - Machine; Technology - Ideas of the Earth - Fio

Fu'Llasso - Political Mess - Cursed Mind Knot

G'El - Beast

Gal'Leath - Explorer

Geo'Or'Ka - Hammerhead

Gue - Human/s

Gue'La - Human Warriors - Gue + La

Gue'La'Vesa - Human Auxillaries - Helper Humans - Gue + La + Vesa

Gue'Ron'Sha - Space Marines - Engineered Humans

Gue'Vesa - (Non-Combatant Humans Who Have Joined The Tau Empire) - Gue + Vesa

Il'Emaar - Courier

Il'Fannor - Merchant - Fannor

Il'Porrui - Emissary

J'Kaara - Mirror; Shadow

J'El - Scout; Sentry

Jel'La - Scout Warriors - Pathfinders

K'Ai - Blow; Hammer; Strike

Kais - Skillful

Kass'L - Orca

Kau'Ui - Cadre

Kauyon - Hunter; Patient; Patient Hunter

Kavaal - Battle

Kessan - Wisdom; Wise

Kir'La - Warden

Kir'Qath - Defender; Guard

Kir'Shas'Vre - Castellan

Kit'Au - Atmosphere

Kol - Worthy

Ko'Vash - Worthy Cause - To Strive For - Kol + Vash

Kor - Air

Kor'Esta'Vre - Valiant - Kor; Vre

Kor'Por - Manta

Kor'Rua - Squadron

Kor'Vatra - Fleet

Kor'Vesa - Drone - Faithful Helper - Kor + Vesa

L'Au - Fear

Lar'Shi - Hero

Lar'Shi'Vre - Protector - Lar'Shi + Vre

La'Rua - Team

La'Rua'Ui - Team Leader - La'Rua

Lhas'Rhen'Na - Noble Sacrifice - Shattered Jade

M'Al - Firearm; Gun; Missile; Projectile

Mal'Caor - Spider - Many Limbed

Mal'Kor - Vespid - Aerial Warriors

Mal'Vah - Gunship - M'Al + Vah

Mesme - Combination; Group

M'Lath - Humble

Mon'T - Battle; Death; Kill; War

Mont'Au - [The] Terror - (the Time of Civil War the Tau wish never to return to)

Mont'Dor - Choas; Confusion; Disorder; Panic - Mon'T

Mont'Ka - Killing Blow - Mon'T + K'Ai

Mont'La - Hazard; Obstruction - Mon'T

Mont'O - Crisis - Mon'T

Mont'Tra - Destroy; Destroyer - Mon'T

Mont'Viel - Quick Death - Mon'T + Viel

Mont'Yr - Seen Battle - Mon'T

Mor'Braa - Bomber

M'Yen - Hidden; Secret; Stealth; Unforseen

M'Yen'Kai - Hidden Blow - M'Yen + K'Ai

Nel - Blade; Sword; Weapon

Nem'sha - Defiant

N'Lan - Dark

Nol - Secure

Nol'Qan - Security - Nol

Nu'Anul - Superior

Nu'An'Qan - Superiority - Nu'Anul

O'La'Rua - Command Team - O + La'Rua

Or'Es - Great; Powerful

Or'Es'El'Leath - Custodian

Or'Es'Mal - Powerful Gun - Broadside

Ou'La - Rank

O'Na - Drop; Fall

On'Vah - Dropship - O'Na + Vah

Par'Keel - Barracuda

Por - Water

Por'Qan - Knowledge

Por'Sral - Propaganda Campaign

Qath'Fannor - Commerce Proctection - Kir'Qath + Fannor

Quan'Bay'Tu - Lost Ones - (Polite Term for the Farsight Enclaves)

Quin'L - Spotter; Seeker; Marker

Raa'Nal - Master

Raatol - Mentor; Teacher

Run'Al - Small Blind or Bunker

San'Tel - Fighter

Sen'Vel - Skimmer

Shan'Al - Coalition

Shas - Fire

Shas'Ar'Tol - Fire Caste High Command

Shaserra - Shadowsun

Shas'La - Fire Warriors - Shas + La

Shas'Len'Ra - Cautious Warrior

Shi - Victory

Shi'Na - Success - Shi

Shi'Vre - Spirit - Shi + Vre

Shovah - Farsighted

Sin'Nesta - Eldar - Fallen Ones

Skether - Message

Skether'Qan - Messenger - Skether

Ta'Lissera - Communion; Joining; Marriage; Sacred Bond

Tam'Ya - Noble

Tau'Va - [The] Greater Good

T'El - Space - [The] Great Darkness

Tel'Na - Orbit; Orbital - T'El

Ti'El'Val - Sunshark

Tio'Va - Detachment

Tio'Ve - Contingent

Tokai - [Tau] City

Uash'O - Command

Ukos - Spoon

Un'Kor - Sky Ray

Ur'Akym - Shining

Vah - Ship

Vah'La - Troop Carrier - Vah + La

Val - Fish; Shark

Vash - Cause

Vash'Tam - Noble Cause - Vash + Tam'Ya

Vash'Ya - Between Spheres

Vel'Na - Venerated

Vesa - Aide - Helper

Ves'Ron - Necrons; Robots - Robotic Being; Living Metal

Viel - Quick

Vior'La - Hot Blooded

Von'Val - Tiger Shark

Vral - Undercut

V'Rok - Might; Strength

Vsum - Light

Ya'Va - Undying; Unending

Y'Eldi - Gifted Pilot - Winged One - Eldi

Y'He - Tyranids - Ever Devouring

.

Nice work, its good to have the collected words and definitions all in one place, but you may consider doing a article for dakka, so that this will not just get buried under the usual daily chatter.

Again nice stuff.

Even though it took some time reading through, it definitely helped my friend. Thanks.

Thank you for your positive comments.

Thanks Soo'Vah'Cha, I will be putting this into an article when I get chance.

Thought I'd put it here first and see if anyone thought it worth while.

Also if anyone has any to add or would like added feel free to PM me or post it here.

This is absolutely great.
I've struggled naming my Commanders/Fireblades etc...
Good stuff.

Do it in an article... Otherwise it will be lost in the daily chatter.

The Article version of the Dictionary has just been added, go check it out.

Thanks again to all.

A subsection for the most used ranks in the codex mayhaps?

Shas`O
Shas`Vre
Shas`ui

Well its easy enough getting that "shas" means "fire" in the terms of the firecaste ranking system. "O" is commander, "Vre" is a sergant or squad leader, and a "Ui" is somewhere between or under "Vre"... dont remember ^^;;

The codex of the Tau is very helpful in their explaination of terms, with a alphabeth of their written language in case you missed em.

Dracoknight wrote:
A subsection for the most used ranks in the codex mayhaps?

Shas`O
Shas`Vre
Shas`ui

Well its easy enough getting that "shas" means "fire" in the terms of the firecaste ranking system. "O" is commander, "Vre" is a sergant or squad leader, and a "Ui" is somewhere between or under "Vre"... dont remember ^^;;

The codex of the Tau is very helpful in their explaination of terms, with a alphabeth of their written language in case you missed em.

O is commander
El is Noble or knight
Vre is hero
Ui is veteran
La is warrior
Saal is recruit.

Dracoknight wrote:
A subsection for the most used ranks in the codex mayhaps?

Shas`O
Shas`Vre
Shas`ui

Well its easy enough getting that "shas" means "fire" in the terms of the firecaste ranking system. "O" is commander, "Vre" is a sergant or squad leader, and a "Ui" is somewhere between or under "Vre"... dont remember ^^;;

The codex of the Tau is very helpful in their explaination of terms, with a alphabeth of their written language in case you missed em.

I said I missed them out because everyone who has the codexes already knows this, not because I didn't know, plus if you had noticed I just posted that there is now an artical version of this topic and there's a lot more included there.

Cheers

 Dakarillion wrote:

Dracoknight wrote:
A subsection for the most used ranks in the codex mayhaps?

Shas`O
Shas`Vre
Shas`ui

Well its easy enough getting that "shas" means "fire" in the terms of the firecaste ranking system. "O" is commander, "Vre" is a sergant or squad leader, and a "Ui" is somewhere between or under "Vre"... dont remember ^^;;

The codex of the Tau is very helpful in their explaination of terms, with a alphabeth of their written language in case you missed em.

I said I missed them out because everyone who has the codexes already knows this, not because I didn't know, plus if you had noticed I just posted that there is now an artical version of this topic and there's a lot more included there.

Cheers

What about the "lolnotquite" ranks?

I think they're just the rank they're almost, with an n in front of it.

No - sub commander or captain rank.
Nel - lieutenant, Reserved for fire blades
N'vre - veteran sergeant
Nui - a warrior just before his trial by fire.
N'la a recruit just before he becomes a warrior.