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Difference between revisions of "High Imperial"

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{{culture
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'''High Imperial''' is the official language of [[Spook]].
  
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|type={{cat tag|language|Dialect}}
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|related=[[Spook]]
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|era=Post-Catacendre
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|world=Scadrial
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|universe=[[Cosmere]]
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|books=[[Mistborn (series)]]
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}}{{update|book=mb5}}
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'''High Imperial''', known before the [[Final Ascension]] of Harmony as Eastern street slang, is a dialect on Scadrial used by [[Spook]] and his childhood friends.{{book ref|mb3|23}} After the ascension of Harmony, High Imperial turned into a scholarly, formal language that was rarely used outside of important legal documents.
   
  +
{{quote
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It is the eastern slang that Spook spoke before the ascension of Harmony.
  
  +
| One thing about High Imperial, or Eastern Street Slang, is that it was devised by those who spoke it in order to be intentionally obtuse. So it was hard for people to understand. And so there are a lot of nonsense words thrown in the middle. But, it's also got reversed grammar. 'Wasing the wanting of doing the thing' is 'I wanted to do that.' But you can also throw random words in there. As long as those parts are in there, it'll make sense to those they're speaking to. 'I wanted to do this. Wasing the wanting of doing the thing.' You're putting everything into a gerund. You're starting with the verb and the tense. And you're turning everything into ridiculously bad gerunds. That's it in brief.
−  
  +
| Brandon Sanderson on making sense of High Imperial{{wob ref|9920}}
−
{{quote|One thing about High Imperial, or Eastern Street Slang, is that it was devised by those who spoke it in order to be intentionally obtuse. So it was hard for people to understand. And so there are a lot of nonsense words thrown in the middle. But, it's also got reversed grammar. 'Wasing the wanting of doing the thing' is 'I wanted to do that.' But you can also throw random words in there. As long as those parts are in there, it'll make sense to those they're speaking to. 'I wanted to do this. Wasing the wanting of doing the thing.' You're putting everything into a gerund. You're starting with the verb and the tense. And you're turning everything into ridiculously bad gerunds. That's it in brief.|Brandon Sanderson on making sense of High Imperial{{ref|?|836|33|How does one make sense of Spook's High Imperial?}}|}}
  
  +
}}
   
 
== Quotes ==
  
== Quotes ==
  +
{{quote
  +
| Wasing the where of needing
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| The message left on the [[aluminum]] pistol{{book ref|mb4|14}}
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}}
   
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{{quote
−
{{quote|Wasing the where of needing|The message left on the [[aluminum]] pistol{{ref|b|mb4|c|14}}|}}
  
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|Wasing the always of wanting of knowing.
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|The words etched on the gates of Elendel University{{book ref|mb5|5}}
  +
}}
   
  +
{{quote
−
{{quote|Ups in the where above the doing|[[Vin]] meets [[Spook]]{{ref|b|mb1|c|6}}|}}
  
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| Ups in the where above with the doing.
−
{{quote|Not of the yetting yet.<br />Wasing the place when I was young.|Spook's name is Lestibournes and he speaks in Eastern slang{{ref|b|mb1|c|6}}|}}
  
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| [[Vin]] meets [[Spook]]{{book ref|mb1|6}}
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}}
   
  +
{{quote
−
{{quote|Someone's coming! Out the night with the calling!|On [[Sazed]]s arrival with Vin{{ref|b|mb1|c|15}}|}}
  
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| Not of the yetting yet.<br />Wasing the place when I was young.
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| Spook's name is Lestibournes and he speaks in Eastern slang{{book ref|mb1|6}}
  +
}}
   
  +
{{quote
−
{{quote|You're awaking!<br />Notting as the now. [[Kelsier]] wasing the hit with my name; changed it to Spook.|{{ref|b|mb1|c|16}}|}}
  
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| Someone's coming! Out the night with the calling!
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| On [[Sazed]]'s arrival with Vin{{book ref|mb1|15}}
  +
}}
   
  +
{{quote
−
{{quote|Wasing the Dox to come and be without the stay.<br />Weapons for the getting, giving the time to be.|[[Dockson]] arrives with the weapons for the rebellion{{ref|b|mb1|c|22}}|}}
  
  +
| You're awaking!<br />Notting as the now. [[Kelsier]] wasing the hit with my name; changed it to Spook.
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| {{book ref|mb1|16}}
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}}
   
  +
{{quote
−
{{quote|"Nicing the not on the playing without.<br>
  
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| Wasing the Dox to come and be without the stay.<br />Weapons for the getting, giving the time to be.
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| [[Dockson]] arrives with the weapons for the rebellion{{book ref|mb1|22}}
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}}
  +
  +
{{quote
  +
| Niceing the not on the playing without.<br>
 
Losing the stress on the nip. Notting without the needing of care. - Kelsier<br>
  
Losing the stress on the nip. Notting without the needing of care. - Kelsier<br>
 
Riding the rile of the rids to the right.<br>
  
Riding the rile of the rids to the right.<br>
Line 24: Line 57:
 
Ever wasing the doing of this. - Kelsier<br>
  
Ever wasing the doing of this. - Kelsier<br>
 
Ever wasing the wish of having the have. Brighting the wish of wasing the not. - Ham<br>
  
Ever wasing the wish of having the have. Brighting the wish of wasing the not. - Ham<br>
−
Wasing not of wasing is.| {{ref|b|mb1|c|24}} conversation between [[Spook]], [[Kelsier]], [[Dockson]] and [[Ham]]}}
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Wasing not of wasing is.
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| {{book ref|mb1|24}} conversation between [[Spook]], [[Kelsier]], [[Dockson]] and [[Ham]]
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}}
   
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{{quote
−
{{quote|I'm not of the seeing. Uncle, you really the burn, right?|{{ref|b|mb1|c|26}}|}}
  
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| I'm not of the seeing. Uncle, you really the burn, right?
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| {{book ref|mb1|26}}
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}}
   
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{{quote
−
{{quote|Keep Hasting. Elariel soldiers with the attacking tonight.<br>
  
  +
| Keep Hasting. Elariel soldiers with the attacking tonight.//Wasing the want of this.//Wasing the Snap when I was five.
−
Wasing the want of this.<br>
  
−
Wasing the Snap when I was five.|{{ref|b|mb1|c|32}}|}}
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| {{book ref|mb1|32}}
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}}
   
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{{quote
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{{quote|Wasing the where of calling out.|{{ref|b|mb2|c|6}}|}}
  
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| Wasing the where of calling out.
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| {{book ref|mb2|6}}
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}}
   
  +
{{quote
−
{{quote|Wasing the where of what?<br>
  
−
Lestibournes. Lefting I'm born. I've been abandoned|Spook {{ref|b|mb3|c|23}}|}}
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|Wasing the where of what? // Lestibournes. Lefting I'm born. I've been abandoned
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| Spook {{book ref|mb3|23}}
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}}
   
 
{{quote|Wasing." Was doing.<br>
  
{{quote|Wasing." Was doing.<br>
Line 42: Line 86:
 
"Wasing the how of wanting the doing.<br>
  
"Wasing the how of wanting the doing.<br>
 
But that's the best part, [[Beldre]] said. "It's gibberish on purpose, right?"<br>
  
But that's the best part, [[Beldre]] said. "It's gibberish on purpose, right?"<br>
−
Spook remembered with fondness how his parents had responded to his adoption of the slang. It had been a kind of power, being able to say things that only his friends could understand. Of course, he'd started speaking in it so much that it had been hard to switch back.|Conversation between Beldre and Spook {{ref|b|mb3|c|56}} }}
 +
Spook remembered with fondness how his parents had responded to his adoption of the slang. It had been a kind of power, being able to say things that only his friends could understand. Of course, he'd started speaking in it so much that it had been hard to switch back.
  +
| Conversation between Beldre and Spook {{book ref|mb3|56}}
  +
}}
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== How To Speak ==
  +
{{theory}}
  +
* The '''pronoun''' is assumed to be you unless contradicted.
  +
** Using your name is redundant.
  +
** If you must refer to the subject do so at '''the end'''.
  +
  +
* Use '''nicknames for people''', the language is based off moving the structure of a sentence into as many ''confusing manners'' as possible. In fact, using a '''nickname of a nickname''' is best. For example, Spook uses the nickname Nip to refer to Breeze, which is in itself a nickname.
  +
  +
* ''Adjectives'' come '''first''', Then ''verbs'', even if you form them as nouns
  +
** In general, '''verbs should be gerunds''', meaning they should end with ''-ing'', even if that's not normally correct.
  +
** The only exception is if the verb can't become a gerund without losing the needed meaning.
  +
  +
* Form sentences ''(Tense-Adjective) (Verb-Gerund) Noun''
  +
** The longer the sentence is it becomes '''symmetrical'''.
  +
** Remember it '''TAV-GuN; Nug VAT''' Those in parenthesis (see above) ''can be swapped'' around with each other.
  +
*** I don't know where the you came from; this is how a friend explained it to me.
  +
  +
* It's better to use '''longer sentences''', the shorter ones can give more '''clarity, which we are trying to avoid. Throw as many "wasings" and "hasings" in as possible, even if they are not necessary to divert from the actual point'''
  +
  +
* '''Don't use possessives''' unless they are formed as ''adjectives''.
  +
** To refer to a subject say '''"of <subject name>"'''.
  +
  +
* Many phrases begin with '''Wasing''' or '''Ising'''.
  +
** '''Ising (in the) now''' is incorrect, don't pair them. This ''changes'' the tense.
  +
*** If you must change the tense, you'll have to cycle again, or you risk adding too much clarity to what you say.
  +
** Don't neglect '''Notting, Nowing, Nearing, Having, Kind, Good, You, He, Wanting''' and other words as they work well too.
  +
  +
*Remember that you'll learn to understand it before you speak it near as well.
  +
  +
Reference Mistborn:The Final Empire for Lestibourne's parts.
  +
Guide dictated by Lady Amdin, written by Sir Kit
  +
  +
== Trivia ==
  +
* The dialect's grammatical rules are intentionally vague.{{wob ref|14727}}
  +
* High Imperial was inspired by a person Brandon knew from the [[Timewasters Guide]] forums, who sometimes posted random gibberish that, upon close inspection, turned out to be rather poetic.{{wob ref|2378}}
  +
 
== Notes ==
  
== Notes ==
 
<references />
  
<references />
−
{{stub}}
 +
{{partial}}
−
{{Mistborn Adventures}}
 +
{{Mistborn|era 2}}
−
{{Mistborn series}}
  
−
[[Category:Religion and Culture]][[Category:Language]]
  

Latest revision as of 16:26, 21 May 2023

High Imperial
Related to Spook
Type Dialect
Era Post-Catacendre
World of Origin Scadrial
Universe Cosmere
This page or section needs to be updated with new information for Shadows of Self!
Be aware that in its current state, it may not include all additional content yet.

High Imperial, known before the Final Ascension of Harmony as Eastern street slang, is a dialect on Scadrial used by Spook and his childhood friends.[1] After the ascension of Harmony, High Imperial turned into a scholarly, formal language that was rarely used outside of important legal documents.

“ One thing about High Imperial, or Eastern Street Slang, is that it was devised by those who spoke it in order to be intentionally obtuse. So it was hard for people to understand. And so there are a lot of nonsense words thrown in the middle. But, it's also got reversed grammar. 'Wasing the wanting of doing the thing' is 'I wanted to do that.' But you can also throw random words in there. As long as those parts are in there, it'll make sense to those they're speaking to. 'I wanted to do this. Wasing the wanting of doing the thing.' You're putting everything into a gerund. You're starting with the verb and the tense. And you're turning everything into ridiculously bad gerunds. That's it in brief. ”

— Brandon Sanderson on making sense of High Imperial[2]

Quotes[edit]

“ Wasing the where of needing ”

— The message left on the aluminum pistol[3]

“Wasing the always of wanting of knowing. ”

—The words etched on the gates of Elendel University[4]

“ Ups in the where above with the doing. ”

— Vin meets Spook[5]

“ Not of the yetting yet.
Wasing the place when I was young. ”

— Spook's name is Lestibournes and he speaks in Eastern slang[5]

“ Someone's coming! Out the night with the calling! ”

— On Sazed's arrival with Vin[6]

“ You're awaking!
Notting as the now. Kelsier wasing the hit with my name; changed it to Spook. ”

— [7]

“ Wasing the Dox to come and be without the stay.
Weapons for the getting, giving the time to be. ”

— Dockson arrives with the weapons for the rebellion[8]

“ Niceing the not on the playing without.

Losing the stress on the nip. Notting without the needing of care. - Kelsier
Riding the rile of the rids to the right.
Wasing the was of brightness. Nip the having of wishing of this.
Ever wasing the doing of this. - Kelsier
Ever wasing the wish of having the have. Brighting the wish of wasing the not. - Ham
Wasing not of wasing is.

”

— [9] conversation between Spook, Kelsier, Dockson and Ham

“ I'm not of the seeing. Uncle, you really the burn, right? ”

— [10]

“ Keep Hasting. Elariel soldiers with the attacking tonight.//Wasing the want of this.//Wasing the Snap when I was five. ”

— [11]

“ Wasing the where of calling out. ”

— [12]

“Wasing the where of what? // Lestibournes. Lefting I'm born. I've been abandoned ”

— Spook [1]

“Wasing." Was doing.

" 'Wasing the run of there' would mean 'I was running to that place.' "
"Wasing the how of wanting the doing." Beldre (reading Spook's writing)
"Wasing the how of wanting the doing.
But that's the best part, Beldre said. "It's gibberish on purpose, right?"
Spook remembered with fondness how his parents had responded to his adoption of the slang. It had been a kind of power, being able to say things that only his friends could understand. Of course, he'd started speaking in it so much that it had been hard to switch back.

”

— Conversation between Beldre and Spook [13]

How To Speak[edit]

This page or section deals with theories or speculation.
Please read carefully and note that this is not necessarily canonical.
  • The pronoun is assumed to be you unless contradicted.
    • Using your name is redundant.
    • If you must refer to the subject do so at the end.
  • Use nicknames for people, the language is based off moving the structure of a sentence into as many confusing manners as possible. In fact, using a nickname of a nickname is best. For example, Spook uses the nickname Nip to refer to Breeze, which is in itself a nickname.
  • Adjectives come first, Then verbs, even if you form them as nouns
    • In general, verbs should be gerunds, meaning they should end with -ing, even if that's not normally correct.
    • The only exception is if the verb can't become a gerund without losing the needed meaning.
  • Form sentences (Tense-Adjective) (Verb-Gerund) Noun
    • The longer the sentence is it becomes symmetrical.
    • Remember it TAV-GuN; Nug VAT Those in parenthesis (see above) can be swapped around with each other.
      • I don't know where the you came from; this is how a friend explained it to me.
  • It's better to use longer sentences, the shorter ones can give more clarity, which we are trying to avoid. Throw as many "wasings" and "hasings" in as possible, even if they are not necessary to divert from the actual point
  • Don't use possessives unless they are formed as adjectives.
    • To refer to a subject say "of <subject name>".
  • Many phrases begin with Wasing or Ising.
    • Ising (in the) now is incorrect, don't pair them. This changes the tense.
      • If you must change the tense, you'll have to cycle again, or you risk adding too much clarity to what you say.
    • Don't neglect Notting, Nowing, Nearing, Having, Kind, Good, You, He, Wanting and other words as they work well too.
  • Remember that you'll learn to understand it before you speak it near as well.

Reference Mistborn:The Final Empire for Lestibourne's parts. Guide dictated by Lady Amdin, written by Sir Kit

Trivia[edit]

  • The dialect's grammatical rules are intentionally vague.[14]
  • High Imperial was inspired by a person Brandon knew from the Timewasters Guide forums, who sometimes posted random gibberish that, upon close inspection, turned out to be rather poetic.[15]

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ a b The Hero of Ages chapter 23#
  2. ↑ Orem signing
    — Arcanum - 2012-09-22#
  3. ↑ The Alloy of Law chapter 14#
  4. ↑ Shadows of Self chapter 5#
  5. ↑ a b The Final Empire chapter 6#
  6. ↑ The Final Empire chapter 15#
  7. ↑ The Final Empire chapter 16#
  8. ↑ The Final Empire chapter 22#
  9. ↑ The Final Empire chapter 24#
  10. ↑ The Final Empire chapter 26#
  11. ↑ The Final Empire chapter 32#
  12. ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 6#
  13. ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 56#
  14. ↑ General Reddit 2021
    — Arcanum - 2021-05-31#
  15. ↑ Mistborn: The Final Empire Annotations
    — Arcanum - 2007-02-05#
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