Diane Duane's 'The Big Meow'

A Very Partial
Ailurin Glossary
 

(Please note that this is a rough version, inserted on the web page only as a placeholder until I track down the complete file. –DD)

A

aahfauiThe “Presence” quality in hauissh.

Aaurh — (pr n) Another of the feline pantheon: the "Michael" power, the Warrior. Female.

AavhyUsed. Also a proper name.

ahou'ffriw — (n) the Canine Word. Key or "activating" word for spells intended for use on dogs and other canids.

Auo—(pn) (I)

auuh — (n) stray. Perjorative.

auw— (n) Energy (as a generic term). Appears in many compounds having to do with wizardry and cats' affinity for fire, warmth, and energy flows.

Auhw-t: (n) “the Hearth”: the Ailurin/wizardly term for what humans refer to as “Timeheart” — the most senior/central reality, of which all others are mirrors or variations.

auwsshui'f -- (n) the "lower electromagnetic" spectrum, involving quantum particles, faster-than-light particles and wavicles, subatomics, fission, fusion, and "sub-matter" relationships such as string and hyperstring function.

B

C

D

D does not appear by itself as a consonant in Ailurin: only as a dipthong, dh.

E

efviauw(n) the electromagnetic spectrum as perceived by cats ehhif—(n) human being, (adj) human

eiuev(n) veldt: a large open space. As a proper noun, Eiuev, “the Veldt”: the Sheep Meadow in Central Park.

eius'hssThe “Control” quality in hauissh.

F

ffrihh(n) refrigerator (cat slang: approximation)

fouarhweh -- a position in hauissh, described as “classic” by commentators.

fvaisa medium-high voice among cats: used to equate with “tenor

fwau—(expl.) heck, hell, crap

G

H

Hauhai (n) the Speech

hauissh(adj., v.) ‘seeing’: (n) The Game.

he’ihh(n) composure-grooming

hhau'fieh —(n) group relationships in general

hhouehhu—(v) desire/want

Hhu’au — (pr n) The Lion-"god" of Today. Nickname for ehhif “Patience”, one of the carved stone lions outside NYPL.

hihhhh(excl) Damn, bloody (stronger than vhai)

hiouh(n) excreta (including both urine and feces)

hlah'fih — (adj) tortoise-shell (fur). Probably a compound derived from hlahheuh, “tabby (red)”, and fihh, black/grey.

houff—(s n) dog

houiff—(pl n) dogs

Hrau’f— (pr n) daughter of Iau, the member of the feline pantheon most concerned with creation and ordering it. Known as "the Silent"

hruiss— fight: usually in compounds with other words for “tom-fight”, etc

hu(n) day

hu-rhiw(id) "day and night" — idiom for a black and white cat.

hwaa—(n) drink

hwiofviauw the "upper electromagnetic", meaning plasma functions, gravitic force, etc. "upward".

Hwio-rrai’fih (s n)A “chief-pride” or “pride of prides” controlling a given area. Unusual among felines: the word is now most frequently used by People (European-based People in particular) to describe the concept of ehhif royalty in the abstract, or a specific ehhif royal family. The non-royal equivalent is hwio-rrai’theh, “the Government”.

I

iAh’hah—(n) New York: possibly an approximation of the English name.

Iau—(pr n) the One: the most senior member of the feline pantheon

ifvaih

Irh—(pr n) One of the feline pantheon, possibly minor: or some obscure name for the Old Tom. Urruah refers to his balls.

J

K

L

M

N

O

o’hra(n) opera. (approximation)

P

Q

R

ra’hio: “radio”. A feline neologism.

Reh-t: (n., abstract) the future: also the name for the Lion-Power guarding it, the Invisible One of the Three guarding the steps to the New York Public Library

rhiw— (n) night. Many compounds are derived from this favorite word, including the name Rhiow (the actual orthography would be rhiw'aow, "nightdark", but this has been simplified for purposes of human pronunciation.

rioh(n) horse (but in the countryside, also ox, or any other animal which works for humans by carrying or pulling things. "Beast of burden". A cat with a sense of humor might use this word as readily for a taxicab, shopping cart or wheelbarrow.

rrai— (n) Pride: a grouping of cats living together. Used alone, the word is informal and does not necessarily imply blood relationship among all the members.

rrai’fih(n)Pride relationship implying possible blood ties

rrai’theh(n) Pride relationship excluding blood ties: an otherwise unrelated group who live or work together.

ruah—(adj) flat

S

sa’Rrahh—(pr n) The ambivalent feline Power: analagous (roughly) to the Lone Power.

saurhff (see also f'hrai-saurhff)

Sef — (pr n) The Lion-"god" of Yesterday. Nickname for 'Fortitude', one of the stone lions outside NYPL.

sh’heih—"queen", unspayed female

sshai-sau(adj) Crazy.

sswiassA pejorative. “Sonofabitch”, “bastard”, “brat”, etc.

sth’heih—"tom", un-neutered male

T

U

uae—(n) milk

ur— (n) nose

Urrau—(pr n) the Great Tom: son and lover of Iau the Queen. From the older word urra, "scarred".

urruah(id) "flat nose". Compound: from ur'ruah.

V

vefessh(n) water: also (adj.) the term cats use to indicate the fur color humans call “blue”

vhai—(adj) damn, bloody