I created Kordron to show off the capabilities of LangMaker for Windows, my shareware conlang-construction software. Yes, people used to send me cash and checks in the mail for software they had downloaded from my website. Kordron is one of the many dialects of Orcish spoken in the Shadow Mountains. Unlike most of Orcish, Kordron has been documented in some detail, due to the findings of Magnold the Cleric. While plundering an abandoned orc warren, Magnold discovered two scrolls, which comprised a military roster of the warren over many centuries. Supplementing this with comparative research into the dialects of nearby settlements (dangerous work for a cleric, especially for one whose specialties involve languages!), Magnold prepared the following documentation of Kordron. This analysis is unique among the modern studies of Orcish, for Magnold has been able to clearly identify the etymological derivations of Kordron from Menfdron (Old Orcish). Unfortunately, the vocabulary is limited to 70 words (all that were used to form common name compounds). It is disappointing that no further texts are extant. It is even more disappointing that this documentation will never be updated. After embarking on further field study, in an effort to achieve tenure at the seventh level, Magnold the Cleric himself is no longer extant. Compounds Orc names are always composed of two words, with the adjective preceding the noun. Common patterns are: Bodypart+Doer (e.g., Skullcrusher) Bodypart+Tool (e.g., Tooth-axe) Creature+Bodypart (e.g., Halflingfoot) Creature+Doer (e.g., Dwarfmonger, Goblincleaver) Creature+Tool (e.g., Foehammer) Tool+Doer (e.g., Knifecrusher) The roots used for names are drawn from four main semantic areas: creatures (e.g., elf, dwarf, ghoul), body parts (e.g., skull, nose, tooth), tools (e.g., axe, hammer, dirk) and “doers” (e.g., hater, impaler, mangler). Kordron (Late Orcish) Kordron (Late Orcish) words evolved from Menfdron (Old Orcish) words according to the following regular sound changes: 'assimilation nb > m 'voicing of s, f, t s > z sl > sl sr > sr ns > ns f > v nf > nf t > th nt > nt 'note: 'th' is meant to be pronounced /dh/ 'vowel shift e > i er > er el > el en > en i > o Menfdron (Old Orcish) Menfdron (Old Orcish) words all follow one of these common patterns: CVR, CVN, CVNK, CVNV, CRVN. …where the capital letters represent the following… C - Consonant - b | d | g | k | m | s | f | t R - R or L - r | r | l N - N, R or L - n | n | r | r | l V - Vowel - a | e | e | e | i | i | i | o | u | u | u | u K - Final Consonant - b | d | g | k | s | f | t Roots DefinitionKordronMenfdron armgalgal axeglolglil beastkarokari beatergunoguno biterdleldlel bloodmurimure chewerbrunbrun cleaverkonkin crawlerdalbdalb crusherthelutelu cutterkulgkulg deathgorgir demonberoberi dirkbonbin dogthortir draggergulvgulf dragonbarbar drinkerduldul dwarfzimsenb earvlerfler earthvondfind eatermormir elfmardmard eyethlurtlur facethrertrer fingergurgur foegorgir footgungun ghoulkurkur goblinvulful hairzolosilo halflingdorkdirk hammerglunglun handbelbel hatermonomoni headveroferi hobgoblinmenfmenf horsekurkur impalerthurkturk kickerbenabena killerkorkir knifebonibine lovermonumonu manmorimire manglerduldul mongerzunsun moonkerukeru mucussrolsrol nailthartar nosevankfank orckorkir pokergarzgars punishermolomoli ratzurisure ripperbelubelu sheepdeldel shootergurgur skullvelufelu slicerslolslol smashermonmon speakerdrondrin stomperzursur swordkulkkulk throttlerdolvdilf throwerkorkir toeslurslur toothkurkur torturerzorksirk walkergelgel wraithmelmel Common Names NameEtymology Bargunobar, ‘dragon’ + guno, ‘beater’ Barslurbar, ‘dragon’ + slur, ‘toe’ Barthlurbar, ‘dragon’ + thlur, ‘eye’ Barthrerbar, ‘dragon’ + threr, ‘face’ Beldlelbel, ‘hand’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Beldulbel, ‘hand’ + dul, ‘drinker’ Belglunbel, ‘hand’ + glun, ‘hammer’ Berokulkbero, ‘demon’ + kulk, ‘sword’ Berozurbero, ‘demon’ + zur, ‘stomper’ Bonigunoboni, ‘knife’ + guno, ‘beater’ Bonimonoboni, ‘knife’ + mono, ‘hater’ Bonimonuboni, ‘knife’ + monu, ‘lover’ Bonizunboni, ‘knife’ + zun, ‘monger’ Dlelgulvdlel, ‘blade’ + gulv, ‘dragger’ Dleltheludlel, ‘blade’ + thelu, ‘crusher’ Dorkdleldork, ‘halfling’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Dorkkulkdork, ‘halfling’ + kulk, ‘sword’ Dorkslurdork, ‘halfling’ + slur, ‘toe’ Dorkthrerdork, ‘halfling’ + threr, ‘face’ Galglolgal, ‘arm’ + glol, ‘axe’ Geldlelgel, ‘worm’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Gelglolgel, ‘worm’ + glol, ‘axe’ Gelmongel, ‘worm’ + mon, ‘smasher’ Gelsrolgel, ‘worm’ + srol, ‘mucus’ Gelzorkgel, ‘worm’ + zork, ‘torturer’ Gelzurgel, ‘worm’ + zur, ‘stomper’ Gloldulglol, ‘axe’ + dul, ‘drinker’ Glolgelglol, ‘axe’ + gel, ‘walker’ Glungunoglun, ‘hammer’ + guno, ‘beater’ Glungurglun, ‘hammer’ + gur, ‘shooter’ Glunmorglun, ‘hammer’ + mor, ‘eater’ Gorglungor, ‘foe’ + glun, ‘hammer’ Gorvlergor, ‘death’ + vler, ‘ear’ Gorvlergor, ‘foe’ + vler, ‘ear’ Gunglolgun, ‘foot’ + glol, ‘axe’ Gunglungun, ‘foot’ + glun, ‘hammer’ Gurglungur, ‘finger’ + glun, ‘hammer’ Gurkorgur, ‘finger’ + kor, ‘thrower’ Karodlelkaro, ‘beast’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Karokorkaro, ‘beast’ + kor, ‘thrower’ Kormurikor, ‘orc’ + muri, ‘blood’ Korsrolkor, ‘orc’ + srol, ‘mucus’ Kulkdalbkulk, ‘sword’ + dalb, ‘crawler’ Kulkkulgkulk, ‘sword’ + kulg, ‘cutter’ Kulkthurkkulk, ‘sword’ + thurk, ‘impaler’ Kurbonikur, ‘ghoul’ + boni, ‘knife’ Kurbonikur, ‘horse’ + boni, ‘knife’ Kurdlelkur, ‘tooth’ + dlel, ‘biter’ Kurgunkur, ‘ghoul’ + gun, ‘foot’ Kurkulkkur, ‘horse’ + kulk, ‘sword’ Kurkulkkur, ‘tooth’ + kulk, ‘sword’ Kurkurkur, ‘ghoul’ + kur, ‘tooth’ Kurzorkkur, ‘horse’ + zork, ‘torturer’ Marddalbmard, ‘elf’ + dalb, ‘crawler’ Mardglolmard, ‘elf’ + glol, ‘axe’ Melbonimel, ‘wraith’ + boni, ‘knife’ Melgurmel, ‘wraith’ + gur, ‘shooter’ Melkormel, ‘wraith’ + kor, ‘thrower’ Melkulkmel, ‘wraith’ + kulk, ‘sword’ Melmonumel, ‘wraith’ + monu, ‘lover’ Melslurmel, ‘wraith’ + slur, ‘toe’ Menfgunmenf, ‘hobgoblin’ + gun, ‘foot’ Menfgunomenf, ‘hobgoblin’ + guno, ‘beater’ Menfthurkmenf, ‘hobgoblin’ + thurk, ‘impaler’ Menfzunmenf, ‘hobgoblin’ + zun, ‘monger’ Morisrolmori, ‘man’ + srol, ‘mucus’ Muridlelmuri, ‘blood’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Murikulkmuri, ‘blood’ + kulk, ‘sword’ Slurbonislur, ‘toe’ + boni, ‘knife’ Slurkorslur, ‘toe’ + kor, ‘killer’ Sroldlelsrol, ‘mucus’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Thardlelthar, ‘nail’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Tharglolthar, ‘nail’ + glol, ‘axe’ Thlurglolthlur, ‘eye’ + glol, ‘axe’ Thlurslolthlur, ‘eye’ + slol, ‘slicer’ Thorbelthor, ‘dog’ + bel, ‘hand’ Thorkurthor, ‘dog’ + kur, ‘tooth’ Threrdlelthrer, ‘face’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Veludalbvelu, ‘skull’ + dalb, ‘crawler’ Veluglolvelu, ‘skull’ + glol, ‘axe’ Velugulvvelu, ‘skull’ + gulv, ‘dragger’ Veluthurkvelu, ‘skull’ + thurk, ‘impaler’ Verodalbvero, ‘head’ + dalb, ‘crawler’ Vlerdlelvler, ‘ear’ + dlel, ‘blade’ Vlergunovler, ‘ear’ + guno, ‘beater’ Vlerthurkvler, ‘ear’ + thurk, ‘impaler’ Vulglunvul, ‘goblin’ + glun, ‘hammer’ Vulgurvul, ‘goblin’ + gur, ‘shooter’ Vulkorvul, ‘goblin’ + kor, ‘thrower’ Vulkulkvul, ‘goblin’ + kulk, ‘sword’ Zimdulzim, ‘dwarf’ + dul, ‘mangler’ Zimkulgzim, ‘dwarf’ + kulg, ‘cutter’ Zimslurzim, ‘dwarf’ + slur, ‘toe’ Zuridalbzuri, ‘rat’ + dalb, ‘crawler’ Zuridlelzuri, ‘rat’ + dlel, ‘biter’ Zuriglolzuri, ‘rat’ + glol, ‘axe’ Zurigunzuri, ‘rat’ + gun, ‘foot’ Photo Credit: Paris Bilal for Unsplash+.