Note: As mentioned earlier, vowels often get inserted between the word and its suffix so as to prevent too many consonants from appearing in a row (which would produce unpronouncable words). For example, in the table above, all nouns that end in a consonant are followed by suffixes beginning with “a.”
Verb conjugation. Like its modern descendents (such as Finnish and Hungarian), Carpathian has many verb tenses, far too many to describe here. We will just focus on the conjugation of the present tense. Again, we will place contemporary Hungarian side by side with the Carpathian, because of the marked similarity of the two.
As with the possessive case for nouns, the conjugation of verbs is done by adding a suffix onto the verb stem:
As with all languages, there are many “irregular verbs” in Carpathian that don’t exactly fit this pattern. But the above table is still a useful guideline for most verbs.
3. Examples of the Carpathian language
Here are some brief examples of conversational Carpathian, used in the Dark books. We include the literal translation in square brackets. It is interestingly different from the most appropriate English translation.
Susu.
I am home.
[“home/birthplace.” “I am” is understood, as is often the case in Carpathian.]
Möért?
What for?
csitri
little one
[“little slip of a thing”, “little slip of a girl”]
ainaak enyém
forever mine
ainaak sívamet jutta
forever mine (another form)
[“forever to-my-heart connected/fixed”]
sívamet
my love
[“of-my-heart,” “to-my-heart”]
Sarna Rituaali (The Ritual Words) is a longer example, and an example of chanted rather than conversational Carpathian. Note the recurring use of “andam” (“I give”), to give the chant musicality and force through repetition.
Sarna Rituaali (The Ritual Words)
Te avio päläfertiilam.
You are my lifemate.
[You wedded wife-my. “Are” is understood, as is generally the case in Carpathian when one thing is equated with another: “You-my lifemate.”]
Éntölam kuulua, avio päläfertiilam.
I claim you as my lifemate.
[To-me belong-you, wedded wife-my.]
Ted kuuluak, kacad, kojed.
I belong to you.
[To-you belong-I, lover-your, man/husband/drone-your.]
Élidamet andam.
I offer my life for you.
[Life-my give-I. “you” is understood.]
Pesämet andam.
I give you my protection.
[Nest-my give-I]
Uskolfertiilamet andam.
I give you my allegiance.
[Fidelity-my give-I.]
Sívamet andam.
I give you my heart.
[Heart-my give-I.]
Sielamet andam.
I give you my soul.
[Soul-my give-I.]
Ainamet andam.
I give you my body.
[Body-my give-I.]
Sívamet kuuluak kaik että a ted.
I take into my keeping the same that is yours.
[To-my-heart hold-I all that-is yours.]
Ainaak olenszal sívambin.
Your life will be cherished by me for all my time.
[Forever will-be-you in-my-heart.]
Te élidet ainaak pide minan.
Your life will be placed above my own for all time.
[Your life forever above mine.]
Te avio päläfertiilam.
You are my lifemate.
[You wedded wife-my.]
Ainaak sívamet jutta oleny.
You are bound to me for all eternity.
[Forever to-my-heart connected are-you.]
Ainaak terád vigyázak.
You are always in my care.
See Appendix 1 for Carpathian healing chants, including both the Kepä Sarna Pus (“The Lesser Healing Chant”) and the En Sarna Pus (“The Great Healing Chant”).
To hear these words pronounced (and for more about Carpathian pronunciation altogether), please visit: http://www.christinefeehan.com/members/
4. A much abridged Carpathian dictionary
This very much abridged Carpathian dictionary contains most of the Carpathian words used in these Dark books. Of course, a full Carpathian dictionary would be as large as the usual dictionary for an entire language.
Note: The Carpathian nouns and verbs below are word stems. They generally do not appear in their isolated, “stem” form, as below. Instead, they usually appear with suffixes (e.g., “andam”—“I give,” rather than just the root, “and”).
aina—body
ainaak—forever
akarat—mind; will
ál—bless, attach to
alatt—through
ale—to lift; to raise
and—to give
avaa—to open
avio—wedded
avio päläfertiil—lifemate
belso—within; inside
ćaδa—to flee; to run; to escape
ćoro—to flow; to run like rain
csitri—little one (female)
ekä—brother
elä—to live
elävä—alive
elävä ainak majaknak—land of the living
elid—life
én—I
en—great, many, big
En Puwe—The Great Tree. Related to the legends of Ygddrasil, the axis mundi, Mount Meru, heaven and hell, etc.
engem—me
eći—to fall
ek—suffix added after a noun ending in a consonant to make it plural
és—and
että—that
fáz—to feel cold or chilly
fertiil—fertile one
fesztelen—airy
fü—herbs; grass
gond—care; worry (noun)
hän—he; she; it
hany—clod; lump of earth
irgalom—compassion; pity; mercy
jälleen—again.
jama—to be sick, wounded, or dying; to be near death (verb)
jelä—sunlight; day, sun; light
joma—to be under way; to go
jorem—to forget; to lose one’s way; to make a mistake
juta—to go; to wander
jüti—night; evening
jutta—connected; fixed (adj.). to connect; to fix; to bind (verb)
k—suffix added after a noun ending in a vowel to make it plural
kaca—male lover
kaik—all (noun)
kana—to call; to invite; to request; to beg
kank—windpipe; Adam’s apple; throat
Karpatii—Carpathian
käsi—hand
kepä—lesser, small, easy, few
kinn—out; outdoors; outside; without
kinta—fog, mist, smoke
koje—man; husband; drone
kola—to die
koma—empty hand; bare hand; palm of the hand; hollow of the hand.
kont—warrior
kule—hear
kuly—intestinal worm; tapeworm; demon who possesses and devours souls
kulke—to go or to travel (on land or water)
kua—to lie as if asleep; to close or cover the eyes in a game of hide-and-seek; to die
kunta—band, clan, tribe, family
lamti—lowland; meadow
lamti ból jüti, kinta, ja szelem—the nether world (literally: “the meadow of night, mists, and ghosts”)
lejkka—crack, fissure, split (noun). To cut ø hit; to strike forcefully (verb).
lewl—spirit
lewl ma—the other world (literally: “spirit land”). Lewlma includes lamti ból jüti, kinta, ja szelem: the nether world, but also
includes the worlds higher up En Puwe, the Great Tree
löyly—breath; steam. (related to lewl: “spirit”)
ma—land; forest
mäne—rescue; save
me—we
meke—deed; work (noun). To do; to make; to work (verb)
minan—mine
minden—every, all (adj.).
möért?—what for? (exclamation)
molo—to crush; to break into bits
molanâ—to crumble; to fall apart
mozdul—to begin to move, to enter into movement
nä—for
naman—this; this one here
nélkül—without
nenä—anger
nó—like; in the same way as; as
numa—god; sky; top; upper part; highest (related to the English word: “numinous”)
nyelv—tongue
nyál—saliva; spit (noun). (related to nyelv: “tongue”)
odam—dream; sleep (verb)
oma—old; ancient
omboće—other; second (adj.)
o—the (used before a noun beginning with a consonant)
ot—the (used before a noun beginning with a vowel)
otti—to look; to see; to find
owe—door
pajna—to press
pälä—half; side
päläfertiil—mate or wife
pél—to be afraid; to be scared of
pesä—nest (literal); protection (figurative)
pide—above
pirä—circle; ring (noun). To surround; to enclose (verb).
pitä—keep, hold
piwtä—to follow; to follow the track of game
pukta—to drive away; to persecute; to put to flight
pusm—to be restored to health
pus—healthy; healing
puwe—tree; wood
reka—ecstasy; trance
rituaali—ritual
saγe—to arrive; to come; to reach
salama—lightning; lightning bolt
sarna—words; speech; magic incantation (noun). To chant; to sing; to celebrate (verb)
aro—frozen snow
siel—soul
sisar—sister
sív—heart
sívdobbanás—heartbeat
sone—to enter; to penetrate; to compensate; to replace
susu—home; birthplace (noun). at home (adv.)
szabadon—freely
szelem—ghost
tappa—to dance; to stamp with the feet (verb)
te—you
ted—yours
toja—to bend; to bow; to break
toro—to fight; to quarrel
tule—to meet; to come
türe—full, satiated, accomplished
tyvi—stem; base; trunk
uskol—faithful
uskolfertiil—allegiance
veri—blood
vigyáz—to care for; to take care of
vii—last; at last; finally
wäke—power
wara—bird; crow
weća—complete; whole
wete—water
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s Imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Copyright © 2006 by Christine Feehan.
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ISBN: 1-101-14699-0
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For my beloved daughter, Cecilia, who has always
given us reason for celebration!
FOR MY READERS
Be sure to write to Christine at Christine@christinefeehan.com to get a FREE exclusive screen saver and join the PRIVATE e-mail list to receive an announcement when Christine’s books are released.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to Diane Trudeau for her help with the recipes. Cheryl Wilson, you know you are invaluable. Denise, Manda and Brian, thank you for your unfailing support and all of the work you do to help me put these books together.
Dear Readers,
Over the past few years, I have received thousands of letters asking for a reunion of the Carpathian characters. I resisted the idea for a long time, uncertain how one could bring so many vivid and larger-than-life characters together in the same book. It seemed a daunting task. Then one evening, I was sitting around a fireplace talking with some author friends about the mess we’d made of the dinner that night. We’d rented a house together to work, and unfortunately, some of us were a little lax on the cooking skills. (I’m not mentioning names here or raising my hand, but a few of the disasters depicted in this book actually did happen, sadly enough to say.) We were laughing so hard, and the idea of a Christmas party where the Carpathians cooked for their friends was born.
I pitched the idea to my editor as a special thank-you gift book at Christmas time for my readers. I was very excited to have a fun, lighthearted book to write. I was thrilled with the idea of adding in the Dark Desserts, and so many wonderful people from all over the world sent in the most scrumptious recipes. The concept was completely different than anything I’d ever conceived of writing, so it was going to be great fun! And then I sat down and started to write it…
First of all, it hadn’t occurred to me that there was no hero and heroine, and that I would have to find a way to transition each chapter smoothly. And second, and more important, I don’t write fun and light hearted. My characters tend to take over the book and run away with it, and this book was no exception. No matter how hard I tried, the book turned—yes, you
guessed it—dark !
Once I called my editor and warned her that the book had taken on its own life and I wasn’t going to be delivering that light hearted book, I simply accepted it and allowed the characters free rein. They took over, and Dark Celebration became a huge part of the rich tapestry that makes up the Carpathian world. I had fun revisiting the characters and finding out how they were doing together and what their lives were like as couples as well as what the Carpathian society was like as a whole.
The book turned into something very unexpected, but in all honesty, I thoroughly enjoyed myself writing it, and I certainly hope you have just as much fun reading it. When I write, the characters definitely dictate the story, so several were very forthcoming while others hung back a little more than I would have liked. All in all, in the end I think we caught a glimpse of old friends and what their lives are together. I found myself smiling a lot while writing it and hope you have the same reaction reading it!
Warmest regards,
Christine
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18