Have you read Ocean of Dust and wondered what all those strange words meant? I thought about including a glossary in the book, and might add one for a future revision. Meanwhile, for your edification, here it is. It includes characters and a handy pronunciation guide. Isn't it funny when you pronounce something one way, and then realize the author intended something entirely different. Let me know which ones you got wrong in the comments. Enjoy. 🙂 Oh, and don't miss the link to some piccies at the end.
Adilo – (a-DEE-low) Base star of the Drakbar constellation. Brightest star in the sky, a deep orange colour.
Aggleberry – Blackberry-like fruit used to make pies.
Alice – 16-year old galley girl.
Anjan – Main God of the people.
Azk-ore – Radioactive stone that can be heated to high temperatures if agitated by Flux energy. Perfect for ovens.
Bandit – Popular card game.
Bardas – Sailor with bulging eyes and a serpent tattoo on his cheek.
Bell – One hour.
Bem-spice – Sweet flavouring, a little like ginger.
Blab – Burly, bald sailor.
Branda – (BRAN-da) 12-year old Valinese girl. Lissa's best friend.
Carg – Scrawny sailor.
Cook – Her real name is Madam Margaret, but most people call her Cook. Gaunt, skeletal woman.
Coy – 13-year old boy.
Crawlie – Spider.
Crew Chief – See Sam.
Criandor – (cree-AN-door) Ship's Physiker. Elderly man with grey air, spectacles and a cane.
Dajech – (da-JEK) Herb that induces sleep.
Deckbones – Dice game played with cubes carved from bone.
Drakbar – A star constellation shaped like a double V.
Druja — (DREW-ja) Country on the western continent. Drujans are obvious by their curly hair, dazzling yellow eyes and that men and women wear ear and hair jewelry.
Echpla – (ESCH-pla) Valinese curse word.
Dujin – Coin.
Edap – Third largest of the 4 moons.
Eight-day – One week.
Eldap – Smallest of the 4 moons.
Eldrar – Larger of the twin suns, blue/white in colour.
Etra – Country north west of Markka, home of the University of Flux Navigation.
Fair Maiden of Yamin, The – Captain Porrensa's trading ship on the Dust Ocean.
Fak – Red powder, sweet, addictive, often used to flavour Gej-juice.
Farq – (FARK) Ship Master. Weasely-faced , cruel man. Wears a single brunette braid that reaches the middle of his back.
Flux – Electro-magnetic currents that flow beneath the Dust Ocean, harnessed by ships using metal plates called Flux Vanes, and then used to power and move the ship.
Gal-mas – A fealty that one person swears to another, to serve them until the end of their days.
Gardens of Eternity – A sanctuary for the dead, prior to travelling to Heaven. Dead souls are ferried by the servants of Anjan to the second moon, Labago.
Gej-juice – Yellow/green coloured cold drink.
Gilli-grass – Used in the care of livestock, a hay-like grass.
Globelight – A crystal-like orb that can store power when charged by Flux, and release it as light.
Goballian – Principality west of Pelen.
Gobar – Chief port city of Goballian.
Gowser-monkeys – Agile apes that swing through trees.
Grad – Large sailor with a thick brown beard.
Hoobin – Beet vegetable.
Hossiw – (HOSS-eww) Fortified, spiced wine.
Imyan – (IM-yan) The native people of Us-imyan.
Indar – Smaller of the twin suns, yellow in colour.
Jab-bird – Tasty, turkey-like birds.
Jalak – Its leaf is used to make a hot, stimulating drink, like tea.
Jaleraj – (JAL-eh-RAJ) Chief port in Patraj.
Jancid – (JAN-sid) Elderly, white-haired sailor.
Jeffsa – 12-year old boy, one of Mampalo's navigation students.
Jeranda – Kingdom in which lies Lissa's home town of Pelen.
Jherodan – Large nut, like a coconut with yellow, edible flesh inside.
Kee-shar – Klynak phrase for the ship's Captain, literally “leader”.
Klynaks – Squid-like creatures that live in the Dust Ocean. They have brown domed heads with 4 stumpy horns that glow green from within.
Labago – (la-BAY-go) Second largest of the 4 moons, white, about twice the brightness of Venus.
Lan – Tuber vegetable.
Lanaling – Herb used to soothe pain.
Logay – Stew.
Lyndon – (LIN-dun) 14-yr old son of a rich merchant of Pelen.
Lyssa – (LISS-a) Heroine. 14-year old girl with long, auburn hair.
Mampalo – (mam-PAH-low) Also referred to as Mamp. 18-year old ship's officer. A Drujan.
Margaret, Madam – See Cook.
Markka – Country to the west of Goballian.
Medepo – (meh-DEEP-o) Largest of the 4 moons, orange in colour and about 1/4 size of Earth's moon.
Moon-cycle – One month, or 45 days.
Mulan – Hairless livestock, larger than a goat but smaller than a cow.
Mursch – (MURSH) “Amazing” in Valinese.
Nab – Sailor.
Nib – Sam's second. Cocky and mean and disliked among the crew.
Oban – (oh-BARN) Ship's navigator. Haggard, with weathered skin and horrible, pulsing blue veins. Dirty, almost purple eyes.
Oglon – Bison-like animals that can be eaten or used to pull carts.
Oodspal – A breakfast something like grits or porridge.
Pastoy – Spicy, creamy dip that resembles hummus.
Patraj – (peh-TRAJ) Country north-east of the uninhabited island.
Pecknut – Green-shelled nut that tastes like a pecan. Often used to make pies.
Pelen – Town where Lissa, Pete and Lyndon are from, in the country of Jerranda.
Pete – 13-year old boy.
Physiker – (FIZZ-ick-ker) See Criandor.
Porrensa – (puh-REN-sah) Captain of The Fair Maiden of Yamin. Wears a pair of brunette braids that reach his waist.
Pwam – Mango-like fruit. The green-blotched rind is inedible and gives the runs. The pale, chewy interior is delicious.
Quarter – 15 minutes.
Sakdra – Woodwind instrument like an oboe. Valinese women play a unique version of this instrument fashioned entirely from crystal.
Sam – Crew Chief on board ship. Huge, giant of a man with a drooping black beard tied into two braids with purple ribbons.
Sawall – (sah-WALL) Young, balding sailor.
Sebar – Canine.
Seben – (SEE-ben) Young sailor.
Shee-amar – “tit for tat” in Valinese.
Ship Master – First officer that reports only to the Captain. See Farq.
Sigilits – (SIJ-ee-lits) Guitar-like instrument.
Soapsand – Sand that foams and cleans when damp.
Solag – Brown-haired, pig-like livestock.
Spoola – Root vegetable with a buttery taste.
Sunturn – One year, or 15 Moon-cycles, or 675 days.
Sweet-crystals – Sugar.
Tagrak – Mountain lion.
Tarba – Ship's officer, wears a short, blonde ponytail.
Totalamon – God of the sea or ocean, often abbreviated to “Totey”.
Us-imyan – (OOS-IM-yan) Small island in middle of the Dust Ocean, acts as a trading center.
Valin – (VAH-lin) Country on southern continent. Valinese (like Branda) are short, almost elfin people. Girls usually have short-cut blonde hair and tattoos on their forehead.
Vraschatta – (vra-SHAT-tah) “Good Night” in Valinese.
War-blit – Huge, hornet-like insect, its body covered in red stripes.
Y'Seliche – (EE-sell-EESH) Tall and thin creatures of enormous intelligence, often used as advisors and ambassadors.
Yat – Fat and ugly sailor.
Zrak – (zz-RACK) Large lizard, about 4 feet long with a sharp horn in its forehead. Its eyes seem to glow green.
Pictures of Lissa and Alice drawn by Jilliane, a friend of the family.
