Understanding the Isu Language: Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives
Analysis
The following is a dictionary of Isu words and their meanings and etymologies (the Proto-Indo-European words "descended" from them) when available. At the bottom of the article you'll also find a list of known sound changes from Isu to Proto-Indo-European.
Dictionary
Aærh
Possibly related to PIE *h₁eg- "to lack" whence English indigent
Verb
Require, need
Adhayz
Possibly formed from ad + hayz
Verb
Believe
Adhayznos
Formed from adhayz + -nos
Adjective
Credulous
Agwzí
Developed into PIE *h₂egʷsih₂ "axe"
Noun
Axe
Apovlôz
Formed from apo + vlôz
Verb
Sacrifice
Arhzmṛmṇ
Formed from arhz + smṛ + -mṇ
Noun
Record (information storage)
Azrhṇ
Formed from az + rhṇ
Verb
Guarantee
Blahæ
Developed into PIE *pleh₁- "to fill"
Verb
Fill
Blahænos
Formed from blahæ + -nos
Adjective
Full
Blàyz
Verb
Try, attempt
Carb
Developed into PIE *kerp- "to pluck, to harvest"
Verb
Harvest
Chagru
Developed into PIE *h₂éḱru "tear"
Noun
Tear (from the eye)
Chalhæ
Developed into PIE *kelh₁- "to call, to cry, to summon" whence English proclamation
Verb
Summon
Chan
Developed into PIE *ken- "to arise, to begin"
Verb
Start
Charærh
Developed into PIE *h₂erh₃- "to plow" whence English arable
Verb
Plow
Charærhdrṃ
Formed from charærh + -drṃ
Noun
Plow
Charh
Developed into PIE *keh₃- "to fight"
Verb
Fight
Chayrh
Developed into PIE *kéh₂ikos "one-eyed, blind"
Adjective
Blind
Chayrhos
Formed from chayrh + -os
Noun
Blind person
Chàyz
Developed into PIE *h₂eys- "to wish, to request, to search"
Verb
Seek
Chnàk
Developed into PIE *h₂neḱ- "to reach, to attain" whence English next
Verb
Reach
Chṛd
Verb
Prepare
Chu
Developed into PIE *(s)kewh₁- "to perceive, to observe" whence English show
Verb
Perceive
Chuæs
Formed from chu + -æs
Noun
Sight
Chṇtæcharh
Formed from chṇtæ + charh
Noun
Rebellion
Chṇrhú
Formed from chṇ + -rhú
Noun
Family
Dag
Possibly developed into PIE *teḱ- "to sire, to beget" whence English architect or *dʰewgʰ- "to produce"
Verb
Produce
Dagæs
Formed from dag + -æs
Noun
Production, creation
Dawrh
Possibly developed into PIE *tewh₂- "to be numerous" whence English thousand
Noun
Child
Doshæs
Possibly developed into PIE *tews- "to be happy"
Verb
Soothe
Gṇs
Developed into PIE *ḱens- "to announce, to proclaim" whence English censorship
Verb
Announce
Gwachæt
Verb
Assign
Gwam
Developed into PIE *gʷem- "to step"
Verb
Come
Gwar
Developed into PIE *kʷer- "to do, to make, to build"
Verb
Do
Gwardrṃ
Formed from gwar + -drṃ
Noun
Instrument, tool
Gwaw
Developed into PIE *gʷewH- "to defecate"
Noun
Excrement
Gwich
Verb
Limit
Hæwòch
Developed into PIE *h₁weh₂- "to leave, to abandon, to give out" whence English evacuate
Verb
Abandon
Hàgwṛmæch
Possibly formed from hàgwṛ + mæch
Adjective
Cowardice
Hahṃz
Adjective
Talented
Hahṃzos
Formed from hahṃz + -os
Noun
Talent
Hàs
Developed into PIE *h₁es- "to be" whence English essence
Verb
To belong
Haz
Possibly developed into PIE *bʰed- "to improve, to make better"
Adjective
Better
Hṇrharz
Formed from hṇ + rharz
Verb
Wrap
Hṇrhṇ
Formed from hṇ + rhṇ
Verb
Understand
Hṇzahæs
Formed from hṇ + zah + -æs
Noun
Behavior
Hoærh
Possibly developed into PIE *h₂eǵ- "to drive" whence English activate
Verb
Activate
Hṛ
Developed into PIE *h₃er- "to move, to stir"
Verb
Move
Huch
Noun
Future
Hűch
Verb
Cleanse
Hűchæs
Formed from hűch + -æs
Noun
Sanitation
Hnom
Developed into PIE *h₁nómn̥ "name"
Verb
Name
Kahæs
Developed into PIE *ḱeh₁s- "to teach, to indicate"
Verb
Command
Kḷ
Developed into PIE *ḱel- "to cover" whence English occult
Verb
Hide
Kṇch
Verb
Doubt
Komhaæzrhú
Possibly formed from kom + haæz + rhú
Noun
Council
Kűz
Noun
Mud
Kway
Developed into PIE *kʷey- "to avenge" whence English penalty
Verb
Avenge
Kwayæs
Formed from kway + -æs
Noun
Revenge
Læs
Developed into PIE *leys- "to shrink, to grow thin, to be gentle" whence English less
Adjective
Weak
Làygw
Developed into PIE *leykʷ- "to leave" whence English derelict
Verb
Leave
Lṇz
Developed into PIE *lendʰ- "land, heath"
Noun
Land
Lochus
Developed into PIE *lókus "pond, pool"
Noun
Lake
Lolh
Possibly developed into PIE *lewbʰ "to desire, to covet, to want" whence English love
Verb
Desire
Lolhæs
Formed from lolh + -æs
Noun
Desire
Machtér
Developed into PIE *méh₂tēr "mother"
Noun
Mother
Marhachs
Developed into PIE *méǵh₂s "big, great" whence English much
Adjective
Great
Marhachsos
Formed from marhachs + -os
Noun
Greatness
Marhràch
Likely formed from marh + ràch; marh developed into PIE *megʰ- "to be able" whence English mighty
Adjective
Able
Mér
Developed into PIE *meh₁- "to measure"
Verb
Quantify
Mérmṇ
Formed from mér + -mṇ
Noun
Quantity
Mḷ
Developed into PIE *mey- "to strengthen" whence English more
Adjective
Strong
Mḷos
Formed from mḷ + -os
Noun
Strength
Mṇ
Developed into PIE *men- "to think" whence English mind
Verb
Think
Mṇmṇ
Formed from mṇ + -mṇ
Noun
Thought
Mṇrh
Developed into PIE *mengʰ- "many, sufficient"
Noun
Plenty
Mṇrhṇgwardach
Formed from mṇrh + rhṇ + gwar + -dach
Noun
Polymath
Mṇsṛ
Possibly formed from mṇ + sṛ
Noun
Correlation
Mṇzlom
Possibly formed from mṇ + zlom
Noun
Sense, reason
Mṛ
Developed into PIE *mer- "sea" whence English mermaid
Noun
Sea
Mṛvṃ
Noun
Image (possibly)
Nàg
Developed into PIE *neḱ- "to perish, to disappear" whence English necropolis
Noun
Death
Ṇgwar
Formed from ṇ + gwar
Verb
Undo
Ṇṛch
Formed from ṇ + ṛch
Verb
Unlock
Ṇṛchdrṃ
Formed from ṇ + ṛch + -drṃ
Noun
Key, unlocker
Ṇsæs
Developed into PIE *h₁ensi- "large knife"
Noun
Sword
Ṇwahæ
Formed from ṇ + wahæ
Adjective
Untrue
Ôrhr
Possibly developed into PIE *yóh₁r̥ "year"
Noun
Day
Paus
Adjective
Free, unconstrained
Pausos
Formed from paus + -os
Noun
Freedom
Ṛch
Verb
Lock
Réyzd
Developed into PIE *h₂rey-dʰ(h₁)- "to put in order" whence English arithmetic
Verb
Calculate
Réyzdér
Formed from réyzd + -ér
Verb
Calculator
Rhàb
Developed into PIE *h₃ep- "to work, to toil, to make" whence English opus
Verb
Work
Rhàbér
Formed from rhàb + -ér
Noun
Worker
Rhàbmṇ
Formed from rhàb + -mṇ
Noun
Labor
Rhagw
Developed into PIE *h₃ekʷ- "to see, eye"
Verb
See
Rharz
Developed into PIE *gʰerdʰ- "to enclose, to encircle" whence English gird
Verb
Enclose
Rhawrh
Adjective
Cold
Rhlab
Possibly developed into PIE *klep- "to steal" whence English kleptomania
Verb
Steal
Rhlabmṇ
Formed from rhlab + -mṇ
Noun
Theft
Rhḷb
Verb
Imagine
Rhḷbæs
Formed from rhḷb + -æs
Noun
Imagination
Rhḷbmṛvṃ
Formed from rhḷb + mṛvṃ
Noun
Design
Rhṇ
Possibly developed into PIE *ǵneh₃- "to recognize, to know"
Verb
Know
Rhṇæs
Formed from rhṇ + -æs
Noun
Fact (reality)
Rhṇgwar
Formed from rhṇ + gwar
Verb
Craft
Rhṇhér
Formed from rhṇh + ér; rhṇh eveloped into PIE *ǵenh₁- "to produce, to beget, to give birth" whence English progenitor
Noun
Father
Rhob
Developed into PIE *h₁ep- "to grab, to snatch, to get" whence English option
Verb
Choose
Rhoz
Developed into PIE *gʰedʰ- "to join, to unite" whence English gather
Verb
Compile
Rhwegash
Verb
Coddle
Sakw
Possibly developed into PIE *sekʷ- "to follow" whence English sequence
Verb
Put into effect
Sarh
Developed into PIE *seǵʰ- "to overpower"
Noun
Control
Sawrh
Developed into PIE *sewh₁- "to give birth" whence English son
Verb
Birth
Schar
Developed into PIE *(s)ker- "to cut off, to sever" whence English carnage
Verb
Cut
Seyl
Developed into PIE *seyl- "still, quiet"
Adjective
Silent
Seylos
Formed from seyl + -os
Noun
Silence
Shoàz
Developed into PIE *wed- "water"
Noun
Water
Shoṛrh
Developed into PIE *swergʰ- "to be ill" whence English sorrow
Verb
Suffer
Shoṛrhæs
Formed from shoṛrh + -æs
Noun
Pain
Shuæsholh
Verb
Despair
Shuæsholhæs
Formed from shuæsholh + -æs
Noun
Despair
Shuàgw
Developed into PIE *wekʷ- "to speak, to sound out"
Noun
Voice
Verb
Speak
Shuàr
Developed into PIE *wer- "to burn"
Verb
Burn
Shuàrh
Developed into PIE *weǵ- "to be lively, to be awake"
Verb
Wake
Shul
Noun
Warmth
Sízwṛ
Noun
Goal
Smṛ
Developed into PIE *(s)mer- "to remember"
Verb
Remember
Smṛmṇ
Formed from smṛ + -mṇ
Noun
Memory
Sorhwḷ
Developed into PIE *sóh₂wl̥ "sun"
Noun
Sun
Spak
Developed into PIE *speḱ- "to see, to look, to observe" whence English spectate
Verb
Watch
Srṛ
Verb
Suffice
Srṛæs
Formed from srṛ + -æs
Noun
Sufficiency
Srṛæsnos
Formed from srṛ + -æs + -nos
Adjective
Enough
Stḷ
Developed into PIE *stel- "to put, to place, to locate"
Verb
Place
Stḷmn
Formed from stḷ + -mn
Noun
Site
Tṛrhw
Developed into PIE *terh₃w- (meaning unsure but ancestor to German drohen "to threaten")
Verb
Threaten
Ubospak
Formed from ubo + spak
Verb
Suspect
Ubospaknos
Formed from ubo + spak +-nos
Adjective
Suspicious
Vlôz
Possibly related to the English blood, bleed
Verb
Lose (uncertain)
Vras
Possibly developed into PIE *bʰel- "shiny, white" whence English blaze
Noun
Flare
Vrérh
Developed into PIE *bʰleyǵ- "to shine" whence English blink
Verb
Shine
Vṛrh
Developed into PIE *bʰergʰ- "to safeguard, to protect, to preserve" whence English harbor
Verb
Save
Vrurhærh
Developed into PIE *bʰruHg- "to make use of, to have enjoyment of" whence English frugal
Verb
Use
Wahæ
Developed into PIE *weh₁- "true" whence English verify
Adjective
True
Wahædach
Formed from wahæ + -dach
Adjective
Truth
Wàrhd
Developed into PIE *weh₂t- "excited, inspired, possessed, raging"
Adjective
Mad (not in control of mental faculties)
Wḷrh
Developed into PIE *welh₃- "to hit, to strike"
Verb
Hurt, injure
Wḷrhmṇ
Formed from wḷrh + -mṇ
Noun
Wound
Wṇhæ
Developed into PIE *wenh₁- "to love" whence English winsome
Noun
Love
Wṛgwachæt
Formed from wṛ + gwachæt
Verb
Reassign
Wṛmṛvṃ
Formed from wṛ + mṛvṃ
Noun
Pattern
Zah
Developed into PIE *dʰeh₁- "to do"
Verb
Act (do something)
Zahæs
Formed from zah + -æs
Noun
Action
Zàrh
Possibly developed into PIE *deh₃- "to give" whence English mandatory
Verb
Allow
Zàw
Developed into PIE *dʰew- "to run, to flow"
Verb
Run
Zayg
Developed into PIE *deyḱ- "to point out, to show" whence English indicate
Verb
Show
Zblæs
Probably derived from a verb zbḷ, possibly related to the word "double" and meaning "to copy"
Noun
Message
Zdô
Possibly developed into PIE *steh₂- "to stand"
Verb
Go (or possibly be)
Zérhú
Seems to have the -rhú group suffix, and thus may be referring to the Nornir
Noun
Fate
Zḷv
Developed into PIE *dʰelbʰ- "to dig, to excavate" whence English delve
Verb
Shovel
Zḷvdrṃ
Formed from zḷv + -drṃ
Noun
Shovel
Zṃ
Developed into PIE *dem- "to build" whence English domicile
Verb
Build
Zmæs
Formed from zṃ + -æs
Noun
Construction
Zṃch
Probably related in some way to zṃ
Verb
Create
Zṃchmṇ
Formed from zṃch + -mṇ
Noun
Creature, animal
Zozayg
Formed from zo + zayg
Verb
Present
Zràw
Developed into PIE *srew- "to flow, to stream"
Verb
Flow
Zrerh
Possibly developed into PIE *dreh₂- "to run"
Verb
Become
Zrhogwus
Possibly formed from zrho + gwus
Noun
War
Zrhwachày
Possibly formed from zrho + wachày
Noun
Destruction
Zway
Developed into PIE *dwey- "to fear"
Noun
Fear
Zwúrh
Noun
Shroud
Zyaw
Developed into PIE *dyew- "sky, heaven" whence English divinity
Noun
Sky
Sound Changes
Z becomes d
B becomes p
Rh becomes a laryngeal (h sound) or sometimes g
Sh becomes w
Ch becomes a laryngeal or sometimes ḱ
H becomes a laryngeal (usually the first laryngeal)
Gw becomes kʷ
Æ disappears
Syllabic consonants often become regular consonants with vowels attached
Proto-Indo-European roots aren't dependent on which vowel they have, just the consonants around the vowel, so all vowels just kind of become e
More Isu Studies
You can find more articles on the Isu language linked here: Understanding the Isu Language: The Basics
About the Author
Eden is a codebreaker who joined The Ones Who Came Before during the Assassin's Creed Shadows (Red) promotional campaign, helping the team to decipher numerous codes and puzzles used for marketing.
She is also a high school Maths tutor, and has previously published a few short TTRPG's with more projects in the works. She first started playing Assassin's Creed in 2010, and is especially interested in the glyphs and puzzles, and platforms such as Assassin's Creed Initiates that expand the lore in creative ways.
Edenoi