16 réponses à ce sujet

[KilrB]

I was doing the "conversation square dance" again last night, you know ... "change your partner do-se-do" ... and came across one I have not seen mentioned.

From memory here, so it's paraphrased not word-for-word.

Zev: So, Sten is not really your name is it? It's a title or rank if I recall.

"Sten": Yes.

Zev: What is your name then?

"Sten": My name is not important.

Zev: Why then do you call yourself "Sten"?

"Sten": It is who I am.

?!?!?!

Interestinger and interestinger!

For someone who is so oft dismissed I am finding much of what Sten has to say quite intriqueing.

I particularly want to know more about the Tal-Vashoth ...

Perhaps after our success against the Arch-demon "Sten" will seek our help against them?

Modifié par KilrB, 15 décembre 2009 - 07:00 .

[Mary Kirby]

PatT2 wrote...

I want to know what some of the words he uses mean. Kadun. Or whatever it is he calls me. I want some transalations for the Qunari languages, and some for other things said... a glossary. Maybe over on the wiki?

Kadan: Term for something one values highly.  Or sometimes the center of the chest. literally means, "where the heart lies." 

Parshaara: Enough.

[Mary Kirby]

bobsmyuncle wrote...

LOL, I'm frightened. He's been calling me sweetheart all along and I haven't been sleeping with a hot poker nearby? What if he tries to nuzzle?

Run.

[Mary Kirby]

Jester8183 wrote...

Kadan - it sounds like it could be friend or ally... perhaps brother? As far as their military I think that Sten is more than just a scout. In the fade your have 2 other qunari, the karashok and the ashaad, who seem to defer to Sten. He also speaks of the kithshok and arishok who I believe are his superiors. From what I can glean from our conversations the order would be: Arishok, Kithshok, Sten, Karashok and Ashaad.

As well as Kadan Sten also says you must be an Ashkaari... I think thy are like Bodhisattva's in the Buddhist religion. "A being that compassionately refrains from entering nirvana in order to save others." I believe he tells a story of the Ashkaari and the bee which is what leads me to think they are similar. And when he speaks of your fellow Grey Wardens that fell at Ostegar (sp) I refers to them as kith... which makes me think that shok means "leader of" maybe? I'm not sure what parsharra means though.

Shanedan sounds like a salutation, more friendly than formal I think.

It seem I was thinking about that longer than I relized.   If you are taking request would you happen to know what "kabethari" means?

Kabethari: "Simple person."  Term used for all recently-conquered people who haven't converted to the Qun.

Shanedan: "Hello."  (literally, "I'll hear you.")

You got Ashkaari right.  It means "one who seeks" and refers to either scientists, philosophers, or those who have found enlightenment.

"Shok" actually means war or struggle.

[Mary Kirby]

Matthias Umbra wrote...

There another qunari word I'm curious about. When you deselect him on the party screen, he says, "vashadin" or some-such. I'm wondering if the translation can even be posted here

Vashedan: could be loosely translated as "crap."  (literally, refuse or trash.)

[Mary Kirby]

Thief-of-Hearts wrote...

What about when Sten charges into battle? I really like hearing his battle cries - they seem a lot more believe than my own pc's.
'Akash Qunari' and then the other one was "something something Berasaad". I think it started with an "n". Seems like he would be crying about something of glory for the qunari or fear the berasaad.

Aw, man... you're going to make me translate his whole soundset now?  How did this thread turn into Qunari language lessons?  *mutter, grumble*

Ataash qunari! "Glory to the qunari!"
Nehraa Beresaad! "For the vanguard!"
Katara, bas! "Die, thing!"
Ebost issala! "Return to dust!"
Ashkost say hissra! "Seek peace with your gods!"
Nehraa kadan! "For my brothers!"
Anaan esaam Qun! "Victory in the Qun!"

I'm going to let you guess at the "Rawr!" and "Arrrgh!" shouts.

[Mary Kirby]

Nokturnal Lex wrote...

I like how Mary translated everything except his name "The Sten" I assumed it was Sergeant, Captain or Lieutenant seeing as it's a military title.

It means "Infantry platoon commander." 
.
His brothers in the Fade are "private" (karashok) and "scout" (ashaad).

Edit: Also his name?  No.  Qunari don't use them to identify themselves, their "names" are strings of genealogical information used by the Tamassrans for record keeping. 

Modifié par Mary Kirby, 16 décembre 2009 - 01:51 .

[Mary Kirby]

Maria Caliban wrote...

The Qun seems to be a social philosophy and way of life. Does accepting the Qun mean rejecting belief in gods, or could a believer in the Maker or the Elven gods also follow the Qun?

The people of Rivain would say you could.  Whether or not the Ariqun in Par Vollen would agree with them is another question.

Modifié par Mary Kirby, 16 décembre 2009 - 02:00 .

[Mary Kirby]

Nighteye2 wrote...

Including the Qunari in Rivain? Do any of the Qunari believe in the Maker or the Elvish gods, besides the Qun?

No.  The qunari themselves find the idea of invisible all-knowing beings who are interested in judging you after you die completely laughable.  They tolerate deism in the converted populations in Rivain and Seheron, however, as they view those people as just getting started on the path to enlightened snarkiness.  I mean enlightened self-knowledge.   Sorry.  Surely they will discard that sort of superstition eventually.

[Mary Kirby]

Maria Caliban wrote...

Mary Kirby wrote...

Also his name?  No.  Qunari don't use them to identify themselves, their "names" are strings of genealogical information used by the Tamassrans for record keeping. 

It turns out that Stens name is Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One.

But he doesn't look good in a black skin-tight jumpsuit.  Which is why he never admits that.

[Mary Kirby]

AtreiyaN7 wrote...

Thanks for the translations! Very nice to know about them. I kept thinking kadan was like brother/comrade, so it was very interesting to find out the exact definition.

Considering that the Qunari have no families in the traditional sense, their friends are their loved ones, and their colleagues are their families.  "Kadan" is their all-purpose word for "person I care about in some way and hope doesn't die in a fire."  That other cultures have separate categories for people they care about seems baffling to qunari, and they treat this as a linguistic quirk, the way English speakers treat the genders of nouns.

Edit: @ Felene:  The dragon age wiki already snagged this one.

Modifié par Mary Kirby, 16 décembre 2009 - 04:44 .

[Mary Kirby]

elijah_kaine wrote...

Speaking of Sten it seems to me that there are certain things that you can ask him but if you ask at certain times you loose the option to ask him. Is that the way that works?

What I'm saying is whenever I ask him "Why were you sitting in that cage?" it's usually early in the game he refuses to really talk about it (he says "sitting as you observed") and I haven't yet seen the option pop back up again. I swear I remember getting a different conversation out of him with that question once, could just be wishful thinking however: .

For that option specifically: Once you get him to like you, it should reappear as, "Now will you tell me why you were caged?"

[Mary Kirby]

tmp7704 wrote...

Sten: i *am* smiling.

Exactly.

Sten's sense of humor is very dry.  He knows when he's joking.  You might not, though.

[Mary Kirby]

Aramintai wrote...

I've always wondered one thing about Sten - since his name is actually a title and he requires nothing more, then how them Qunari Beresaad warriors are keeping track of all their stens and distinguish one sten from the other? Because as far as I've gathered the rank sten is not the rarest in hierarchy, so there are many stens out there. So when it comes to giving orders or otherwise identifying the specific sten how do they manage that?

By company.  You're not going to have more than one infantry platoon commander in charge of the same platoon.

[Mary Kirby]

Aramintai wrote...

And how many companies there are? Do they have specific names? And if Sten was an entire platoon commander wouldn't it be better suited for a warrior of a scout rank or some such to go on a Blight investigation mission and leave Sten to his place in Qun hierarchy such as commanding duty in some regular invasion/war company?

They have specific names. Beresaad is the name of his company.  The Beresaad belongs to the vanguard of the antaam, and the antaam does a lot of things that other militaries don't do.  They are the qunari diplomats, for one thing.  Also their surveyors, and foreign trade administrators.  Basically, if it involves dealing with the world outside of Par Vollen, the army is who they send.   Once a place is secure and no longer part of the outside world, they send in the non-military specialists.

They also don't treat rank the same way other races do.  The highest ranking officers of the antaam do the same tasks as the rank-and-file.  Qunari don't have much in the way of bureaucracy to deal with, and if you're a soldier in the qunari army, after all, it's because you have an aptitude for it.  Promoting you to a position where you no longer do any of the tasks you were put there to do would be silly.  Most likely, the Arishok hand-picked the soldiers he wanted to scout out the Blight.  I suspect "ability to speak common" might have been a requirement.

[Mary Kirby]

Jester8183 wrote...

I think that why they sent Sten to investigate the Blight is they felt that Sten would be best suited to accomplish the mission and return.  From what I've come to understand of the Qunari they believe so completely in the equality of all under the Qun that the idea of keeping Sten safe at Seheron, because of his rank in the Vanguard, never crossed their minds.

Edit:  I am always a step behind this woman...

I'm quick.  Like the wind.  Or a bunny.  Or a parasailing bunny.  Something like that.  Also, you pretty much nailed the question with the above answer.

[Mary Kirby]

Aramintai wrote...

They have specific names. Beresaad is the name of his company.  The Beresaad belongs to the vanguard of the antaam, and the antaam does a lot of things that other militaries don't do.  They are the qunari diplomats, for one thing.  Also their surveyors, and foreign trade administrators.  Basically, if it involves dealing with the world outside of Par Vollen, the army is who they send.   Once a place is secure and no longer part of the outside world, they send in the non-military specialists.

Interesting insight into their military structure. Although I've yet to experience Sten's diplomatic qualities in the game, seeing him seemingly enjoying staying ignorant or dismissive of the customs of a foreign world around him, but a good stab of the big Qunari sword to the face might also be considered a diplomacy in a way...

Most likely, the Arishok hand-picked the soldiers he wanted to scout out the Blight.  I suspect "ability to speak common" might have been a requirement.

Yes, that must be it, if not the only one .

There probably is a reason why qunari are not renowned diplomats...