Shafka

From The Languages of David J. Peterson
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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/

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

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)