Shafka

Dothraki

Etymology

From a blend of the nominative Proto-Plains *ʃapak (“breaker of horses”) and the partitive Proto-Plains *ʃapakǝ (“of a breaker of horses”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈʃafka/

Rhymes: -afka

Pronoun

shafka (nominative/accusative second person formal, singular informal yer, plural informal yeri)

1. you, you all; second person formal personal pronoun, nominative/accusative case

   Shafka jif hoeri hrazef anni?

   You should thank my horses.

   -Khal Moro (Game of Thrones, Episode 604)

Inflection

Dothraki Personal Pronouns First Person Second Person Third Person Singular Plural Singular Plural Formal Singular Plural Nominative anha kisha yer yeri shafka me mori Accusative anna yera mae mora Genitive anni kishi yeri shafki mori Allative anhaan kishaan yeraan yerea shafkea maan morea Ablative anhoon kishoon yeroon yeroa shafkoa moon moroa

Creation and Usage Notes

If there was anything I thought the Dothraki language shouldn't have it was a formal/informal distinction in its pronouns. It didn't make sense to me. I still don't like it. The only reason that this pronoun exists is because we were required to make such a distinction in the competition to create Dothraki. The instruction were quite clear on that point. This was based on an analysis that I disagree with, but I wasn't going to risk my chance at winning the competition by arguing the point. And so the pronoun is there. All these years and I still hate it. Nevertheless, I faithfully used it when I felt it was called for. After all, it is a part of the language. It wouldn't be if it were never used. -David J. Peterson 00:21, 23 October 2020 (PDT)