The Garden :: Petals and Thorns

Gorean Glossary A

Gor is a complex lifestyle based on a series of novels by John Norman featuring a strict caste system of highly trained Free and slaves. For more information, check out the Garden's section on Gor.

Note about this Glossary: items marked with a K are Kassar or Old Gorean, online-created languages used to augment Gorean. Kassar was not created or endorsed by John Norman and is not consistent within the Gorean language or universe. Kassar should be used cautiously and sparingly as many Goreans do not use or approve of the language.

a/va	you/yours	K
Aak/Luchon	Dragon	K
Abduction	It is regarded as Meritorious to abduct ones' women from a foreign, preferably hostile city. (pg. 51, Outlaw of Gor)
Acceptance Brand	A tiny brand worn on the forearm of merchants, peddlers, singers, musicians, haruspexes, etc. that offer safe passage during certain season amongst the Wagon Peoples.
Accountant	A member of the Scribes whose duties are to maintain accounting of the moneys in a holding.
Adder	A poisonous snake.
Administrator	The highest ranking official of a city; elected by the High Castes of the city.
Administrator of the Mines	Top person in charge of the Mines of Tharna.
Afel	Apple	K
Afflicted Ones	sufferers of Dar-Kosis, the holy disease
Aft	Toward the stern (rear) of a ship.
agal	length of cord which is used to bind the kaffiyeh to the head of the wearer, usually several loops secure it. The kaffiyeh is the head covering of the tribesmen of the Tahari, a folded, squarish cloth. Book 10: Tribesmen of Gor, pages 20 and 301. The cording denotes district and tribe.
Agleskala	The red savages term meaning "striped lizard."
ah-il	a unit of measure, the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, c. 18"; analogous to the Earth cubit; 10 ah-il equal one ah-ral
Ahleena	Beautiful	K
Ahn	the Gorean hour, of which there are 20 in a Gorean day; it consists of 40 ehn (minutes)
ah-ral	a unit of measure equaling 10 ah-il, or approx. 180"
Ahtudan	The red savages term meaning "something to be spit upon;" a slave name.
Ai/Aiee/Aiii	1. "Yes" 2. An expression of exclamation or puzzlement, 3. a war cry, 4. akin to "aye-yi-yi" and "holy crap." Perhaps one of the many variations that became corrupted into the word "Hai" used in chat rooms as "Gorean language." The word "Hai" never appeared in the books of Gor by John Norman.	K
Aja	In the language of the Red Hunters of the northern polar cap, this means "hurry."
Ak/Aka	Child (Not A Baby)	K
Akaam, Aka'am	sister	K
Akab	Brother	K
Akamda	A term of the red savages literally meaning "fringe;" generally designates the fringe which might occur on leggings and shirts.
Akas	Clan/Tribe	K
Akee	Children	K
Akicita	Red savage word meaning "warrior."
Akihoka	A red savage term meaning "skillful."
Akko	Masculine Innuit name which means "Shirt Tail."
a'lae	and	K
Alarm Bar	Generally, these devices are used in cities. They are hollow metal tubes, struck by hammers, and are used to warn of impending danger.
Alarm Bugle	Bugles used to warn of impending attack; used often by cities.
Alars	a nomadic wandering herdspeople well known for their skill with the axe and the Alar sword, they travel in wagons in the northern plains, but tend to camp near settlements, unlike the southern wagon people. Their Free women do not wear veils, rather simple, corded, belted, woolen, plain, widely sleeved, ankle-length dresses, tied snugly . There are few slaves in the Alar camps because they are killed by Free women. The Alars tend to be fair in complexion, blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Book 21: Mercenaries of Gor , pages 43, 45, 47,48, 50 and 72
Alcove	Individual 'rooms' in a Paga Tavern, where one might spend time with a slave girl. The entrances are circular, with a diameter of about two feet. Each alcove is provided with a curtain for privacy.
Ale	A strong beer favored in Torvald.
al-ka	first letter of the Gorean alphabet; corresponds to the Earth letter 'A'
All Comrades	a warrior society of the Kaiila tribe of Red Savages; a.k.a. the Fighting Hearts
alphabet	Comprised of 28 characters, all of which owe their origin to one or another alphabets of Earth. At least six or seven are of classical Roman influence, others possibly Greek, Cretan, and Oriental. Those of the 28 letters of the Gorean alphabet mentioned in the book are: Al-Ka, Altron, Ar, Ba-Ta, Delka, Eta, Homan, Ina, Kwah, Kef, Omnion, Nu, Shu, Sidge, Tau, Tun and Val. Eta, Nu and Tau, incidentally, are the 7th, 13th and 19th letters of the Greek alphabet respectively. Gorean children are not taught the alphabet in a particular order, as say, Earth children are taught their "ABC's."
Altron	Letter of the Gorean alphabet.
Amabis	proper time, prompt, on time	K
Amethyst	Purple gemstone commonly exported from Schendi.
amomona	Kaiila or Dust Leg word meaning baby or doll. Book 17: Savages of Gor, page 230
Amphitheater	An oval or circular building with rising tiers of seats ranged about an open space and used for slave auctions, performances, public games and contests.
amphora	two handled narrow necked vessel with a pointed base it is commonly buried overnight in the earth with only it's neck left above the surface; to cool certain beverages Book 21: Mercenaries of Gor, page 257
Amumba	Consideration, Factor	K
Amusements of Tharna	This event was popular in the days of Lara the Tatrix in the city of Tharna before Lara fell from power and the men of Tharna were liberated.
Anango	An exchange island in the Ushindi region.
Anchor-Hooks	Three-pronged anchors, similar to grappling irons, which are used on marsh barges.
And/Anda	blood brother, a brother sworn (Anda would be a blood-sister)	K
Anesthetic Dart	An anesthetic is placed in the needle of a dart; used often by slavers to capture females. These darts can be flung, or entered into the body by hand. It takes approximately forty (40) Ihn to render a female unconscious.
Anger	... Anger in a slave girl was only meaningless pretense. It was not as though she were a free woman whose anger might have significance, might even issue in actions or words, free from the reprisals of discipline. Men are the masters of slave girls, the masters. Anger in a slave girl is futile, meaningless, though sometimes masters encourage it in their girls, to see them flush and assume an interesting demeanor, but it is in the end always insignificant for, in the end, as both the girl and the master know, it is the master and not the girl who holds the whip. Thus it is not that slave girls do not become angry. They do. It is only that their anger, as both girl and master know, is meaningless. (Slave Girl of Gor, page 85)
Ankle Bar	A device used in wagons for the transportation of slaves. The ankle bar generally extends to the length of the wagon. When chaining girls to the ankle bar, two ankle rings with a short chain attached are employed. First one ankle ring is secured around one ankle; the chain is passed around the bar and then the second ankle ring is secured to the girl's other ankle. When chained in a wagon to the ankle bar, girls are commonly unclothed.
ankle rack	device used to lock a girl's ankles in wooden stockage. Girls who have been repeated runaways may be held in place to have their tendons cut or feet amputated. Book 13: Explorers of Gor, page 68
Ankle Rings	Metal rings which fit about a slave's ankles; chains may then be attached to these.
anklet, identificatory	temporary metal anklet fastened about a captured Earth girl's ankle for transportation to Gor; used in place of a collar. Book 17: Savages of Gor, page 181
Anpao/Anptaniya	The red savages term meaning "dawn" or "daylight."
Anpeem	Cool, A Little Cold	K
Anteaters	There are several varieties found in the rainforests of the Ushindi area.
Ants	Those irascable picnic pests infest Gor as well.
Anvil Block	One of the stones used in an ancient grinding device called the quern. The anvil block, or the mortar block, is used principally in the same way as the more ancient method of the mortar and pestle. The anvil block serves as the base in which the grain rests. The pounding block descends into the mortar block continually through the use of a springy, bent pole.
Aphris of Turia	At one time the wealthiest freewoman in Turia. Insulted Kamchuk of the Tuchuks. Stood to the stake in the Love Wars between the Wagon Peoples and Turia. Her champion was defeated by Kamchuk who then enslaved her. Was stolen by the Paravaci, bought from them by Kamchuk for the sum of ten thousand bars of Turian gold (which was no hardship since he had taken Turia). Later freed by him. She would not leave him and became Ubara of the Tuchuks. Which also made her Ubara Sana of the Wagon Peoples. (Nomads of Gor, book iv)
Aplaka	Cream (Thick Milk)	K
Applause	The applause of the Gorean differs in that the palm of the right hand strikes the left shoulder. This is true for slaves as well. However, a Gorean warrior, when applauding, clashes his weapons.
Apricot	Small orange fruit with a single pit; most probably similar to the apricots of Earth.
Apricot Tree	Tree that produces the small orange fruit.
Ar	Durable, Metal	K
ar	a letter of the Gorean alphabet
Ar	One of the oldest city on Gor, it has 10,000 years of recorded history. Northern hemisphere.
Arah Ju	club, stick, wooden weapon ('wooden pummeler')	K
Arahk	a fight, a duel	K
Arahki	(to) fight	K
Arani	a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai
Archer Blinds	Movable wooden screens used by armies to shield archers and light missile equipment.
Archon	A high official of a city.
Arctic Gant	A migratory shore bird, found from the arctic down to the rushes of the Vosk delta.
Aretai	A major tribe of the Tahari; their vassal tribes are the Arani, Luraz, Raviri, Tajuks, Tashid, Ti, and Zevar; their war-cry is 'Aretai Victorious!"
Argentum	A city well-known for its silver mines and production of silver.
Argentum Road	Major road that runs from Argentum east to the Viktel Aria.
Aria	of Ar
Arm/Arma	Army	K
armored gatch	a marsupial mammal which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
Arquana	Skies	K
arrow, flight	about forty inches in length, it is metal piled and fletched with three half-feathers from the wings of the Vosk gulls. This and the sheaf arrow is used with the gorean long bow. Book 6: Raiders of Gor, page 68
arrow, hunting	an arrow with a long tapering point fastened firmly to the shaft to assist in easy removal from prey Book 17: Savages of Gor, page 40
Ar's Station	An outpost and trading station of Ar located on the south bank of the Vosk.
Arsenal	With respect to Port Kar, this is in reference to their warehouses in which ships, sails, equipment and weapons are manufactured and stored.
Arsenal Guard	The military force responsible for keeping safe the arsenal of Port Kar.
Arthropod (of the Nest)	The "cattle" of the Priest-Kings.
Artificially Constructed Human Being	Human clone; one of the Muls, either Al-Ka or Mul Ba-Ta, created synthetically by the Priest-Kings; the other Mul was a genetically altered being.
As, Asa	early	K
Ashe	An	K
askari	an inland word which may be translated roughly as 'soldier' or 'guardsman' (Schendi) Book 13: Explorers of Gor, page 152
Askari Hodari	a salute to the honor of another warrior; in Ushindi; it means 'Brave Warrior' or simply 'Warrior' Book 13: Explorers of Gor, page 442
Asperiche	One of the many exchange islands of Gor.
Assassins Caste	the caste of those who kill for pay; exist mostly in Ar, but have been found in other cities; their caste color is black
Attestation Papers	Legal papers which attest to a slave girl being no longer a virgin and available for use; used in paga taverns.
Auburn [Hair Color]	Highly prized color for a slave girl's hair.
Auction Block	Platform on which a girl is displayed during a sale.
Augurs	Soothsayer.
Aulus	Flute; from the Greek word "aulus"/"aulos" meaning flute.
Autumnal Equinox	The solstice which marks the Gorean autumn.
Auyark	Feminine Innuit name which means "Summer."
Avan'shea	Mistress	K
Avi	(to be) nervous, tense	K
Avula	extreme offense
Avulab(a)	vendetta	K
Avulabi	(to make)vendetta, (to) take extreme offense	K
Avuli	(to) irritate, offend, cause anger	K
Aws	Axle	K
Axe Glacier	A glacier located northeast of Torvaldsland.
Ayduk	Cloth, Material	K
Aygula	fear	K
Ayguli	(to) fear	K
Azdal	One of the four original towns that later combined to form the city of Tetrapoli.