Ancient Language

Ancient Writing from Heliopolis

Summary

The Alterans, later known as the Ancients, settled in the Milky Way Galaxy and built the Stargate system (2.16 "The Fifth Race"). The Ancients were extremely advanced, but could not save themselves from a terrible plague (4.06 "Window of Opportunity"). Some of the Ancients ascended to a higher state of existence (6.22 "Full Circle). Remnants of their civilization were scattered throughout the galaxy, recognized by the writing still carved in the stone ruins.

Note: the Alteran/Ancient language and Ori language were recognized as similar, if not identical by Daniel Jackson, so Ori phrases are included in this dictionary.

Written Language

"We are the Ancients. [This is]The Place of Our Legacy"

"Reflect (on the eightfold path)."

"This is the nuptial home of Harrid and Sallis Cicera."

The written language is made up of block-like symbols and sharp edged patterns, almost like a computer code. When Cameron Mitchell and Teal'c were trapped in a lethal puzzle, Mitchell yelled the following description of an Ancient word (pictured above) to Daniel Jackson for translation:

Uh, "U" with a square over it. Chair with a square. Upside-down backwards "L", call that "seven." Squares unevenly stacked. That chair thing again. Big "N" and "sad face."

Daniel successfully translated the word to mean "reflect" from Cameron's description (9.02 "Avalon Part 2").

Daniel Jackson's knowledge of the written Ancient language came from his experience hearing Jack O'Neill speak the language for a short time (2.16 "The Fifth Race"). Before Jack read the symbols of the circle and the Heliopolis text aloud, Daniel was unable to even associate sounds with the symbols. Since then, not only he, but several linguists associated with the SGC have learned to read the language, with various levels of competence, including those on the Atlantis expedition, since the technology in Atlantis is obviously written in Ancient (Stargate Atlantis). Jack O'Neill and Teal'c learned how to read over 400 pages of Ancient text while stuck in a time loop (4.06 "Window of Opportunity"). However it is unclear how much if any of the language they retained from that experience.

Because of the block-like structure of the language a symbols could form different words if viewed from an alternate perspective. The Ancients used this feature of their language as a way to create codes. They blocked entry to the weapon of Dakara by creating a combination lock (9.17 "Reckoning Part 2"). Only someone familiar with the Ancient tongue could correctly interpret the combination. Jacob and Samantha Carter discovered this code when translating the symbols. While looking at her father's notes when they were upside down from her perspective, she noticed the symbols formed intelligible words. Jacob Carter/Selmak was able to re-translate the word he had seen as "darkness" upside-down meant "sun."

More on the various translations and knowledge gleaned from Ancient writings may be found in our sister article on Ancient Writings.

Gallery

Daniel Jackson in front of translations of time machine	Ancient control device for time machine	Tablet referring to Lost City of Ancients
Stairwell of Atlantis, filled with Ancient writings	Daniel Jackson translating Ancient ruins	Ancient computer display on Dakara

Verbal Communication

The spoken language is similar to medieval Latin. Once Daniel Jackson was able to hear it spoken, he had a baseline from which to translate the symbols into the derivative and subsequently to English. His theory was that it was a derivation, or possibly a root of medieval Latin (2.16 "The Fifth Race", 7.15 "Chimera"). As Daniel pointed out while Jack was still under the influence of the Ancient Repository: "The language he's speaking has similar sounds to medieval Latin but it's still quite different." (2.16 "Fifth Race").

Ancient does not seem to be directly equivalent to Latin. For example, Daniel translated O'Neill's final words of aveo amacuse in 7.22 "Lost City Part 2" to be "goodbye", but the Latin roots would indicate that only aveo related to goodbye or farewell. "Amacuse" is similar to the Latin root for friend(s) amicus, but fans who are Latin scholars note that the translation could also be indicative of loved one(s) (and the singular versus plural is also contested).

On another occasion, Dr. Jackson and Malikai, both experts on the Ancient language, discussed a translation of an Ancient device, disputing its meaning based upon the context (4.06 "Window of Opportunity"). The term domiwaitus westul motobilum was translated both as "conqueror of time" and "master of the uncertain past" (Malikai conceded the latter definition by Dr. Jackson likely was more accurate). Daniel was able to translate the Ancient term fallatus as "ability" based upon its similarity to the Latin term faculatus and the term lochus as similar to locatia, Latin for "location" (2.16 "The Fifth Race"). It is possible that these distinctions are merely the differences in the alien language and the Latin language here on Earth.

Later, Jonas Quinn used Daniel Jackson's notes to interpret a stone tablet as saying "City of the Lost" (7.01 "Fallen"). He found a subtle difference when using Asgard translations of early Ancient. But a recently descended Daniel, who apparently retained his ascended knowledge of the language, explained that both Jonas and his own pre-ascended notes were incorrect in translating lacun to mean "of the lost" (he did not provide the correct translation).

Glyphs

After Jack O'Neill had the Ancient Repository of Knowledge downloaded into his head a second time, it was revealed that the Stargate Glyphs were pronounced as syllables by the Ancients (7.22 "Lost City Part 2"). They named at least some of their planets according to these symbols. Col. O'Neill only revealed the syllables for seven Stargate glyphs, listed below in English alphabetical order

At	Clar	Nas	Oh
Pra	ush / Sh	Tae

Ancient to English Dictionary

A through M

abicierum

to give up (but not the same as surrender)

admonitio

from Latin, warning

ad

to a

aedific

houses

ani

are

armeria

ark

armeria verimas

ark of truth

asordo

help

Anqueetus

Ancients

astria

star (see astria porta)

astria porta

Stargate(s)

astrum attero et mundus

untranslatable, likely referring to solar flares; from Latin "the sun will destroy the planet (astrum being singular for "star")

Atlantus

Atlantis

Attero

(as in Attero device) from Latin, destruction

aveo amacuse

goodbye [friend(s)?]

avernikas

world (though "universe" would be a more apt definition as per Joe Mallozzi)

calium videre eessit, et eraos ad sidera tollere vultus

untranslated, but from Latin: When you see her, you see the sky, and those on earth must lift their faces toward the stars.

clava / clavia

key

clava thessara infinitas

key to infinite treasure

clementia

mercy (see mia clementia, denar esto)

colonian

colony

comdo

untranslatable—possibly please? want? request?

contagia

untranslated, but from Latin, illness, infection, plague

cozars

knees/legs

cruvus

wrong / sick / ill

deductavum

(Latin: deductum); taken away

derentis

crazy / insane

deserde

desire / need

disce

learn (will learn, see ex uno disce omnes)

domiwaitus westul motobilum

master of the uncertain past

domii

living

dormata

sleep (specifically referencing a cryogenic chamber)

eetium

understood

ego

I / me

enim lupin purnum pravus intus

(from rough Latin translation) Verily, the corrupted sinner will be cleansed from within.

et

and

euge

good

ex

from

ex uno disce omnes

from one, all will learn

fallatus

ability

fargus

finished

fervidus

boiling

fron

head

fugere destiterunt quah ad

running away before reaching

fugit ciruculum

all must end

glacius

ice

hic qua videeum

the place of our legacy

incursus

attacked or overtaken

indeeo

need

infinitas

infinite

lochus

location

machinus

machine

mia

I/me

Mia clementia denar esto

Have mercy. I was blind, but now I see.

N - Z

navo

new

ne que prius

they didn't stop

noo

we

novum

new

nullus temporis

untranslated; likely "no time" (remembered by Atlantis "whales")

omnes

all

on na matta netario

this is really unnecessary

orbis

loop

orbis machinus

loop machine

perennial adventus

the approaching disaster

pervenerunt degenerus

recurring use of

populi

people

porta

gate/door (see astria porta)

praclarush taonas

lost in fire

puta

believe

quam

reaching

ruber

red hot

sau

sun

separerunt

separated

subo

under

sunt

built

statim

untranslatable, but from Latin, immediately

statim admonitio Adarus

untranslated, but from Latin, "urgent warning from the science vessel "Adarus""

statim curatio

untranslatable but from Latin, request for immediate assistance

statim contego dilatium

untranslatable but extrapolated from Latin "We must extend the shield to encompass the planet."

terre

Earth

tectum de nationis incursus

half-translated as the shield of [all] (nationis from latin refers to species) being overtaken/overwhelmed

tempus

time

thessara

treasure

tua

you

uno

one

veniunt

came (we came)

verimas

truth (see armeria verimas)

ventio

wind

vis uban

"place of great power" (may be a mistranslation)

Articles on the Ancients

This series of articles covers the history, language, writings, knowledge, and technology of the Ancients.

• Ancients: History (Main Article)
• Altera: The Ancients as Advanced Humans in Their Home Galaxy
• The Others: The Ancients After Ascending
• Ancient Language
• Ancient Writings
• Ancient Knowledge and Technology
• Complete Timeline of the Ancients (50 Million Years Ago to Present)
  • Lantian Period: 10 Thousand to 5 to 10 Million Years Ago
  • Legacy Period: 2 to 10 Thousand Years Ago
  • Legacy Period: A.D. 1 to A.D. 1995
  • Legacy Period: A.D. 1996 to A.D. 2002
  • Legacy Period: A.D. 2002 to A.D. 2005
  • Legacy Period: A.D. 2005 to A.D. 2007
  • Legacy Period: A.D. 2007 to Present

Episodes

• 1.11 "The Torment Of Tantalus"
• 2.16 "The Fifth Race"
• 4.06 "Window Of Opportunity"
• 6.22 "Full Circle"
• 7.01 "Fallen Part 1"
• 7.15 "Chimera"
• 7.21 "Lost City Part 1"
• 7.22 "Lost City Part 2"
• 8.02 "New Order Part 2"
• 8.10 "Endgame"
• 8.13 "It's Good To Be King"
• 8.16 "Reckoning Part 1"
• 8.17 "Reckoning Part 2"
• 9.01 "Avalon Part 1"
• 9.02 "Avalon Part 2"
• 9.08 "Babylon"
• 9.09 "Prototype"
• 9.11 "The Fourth Horseman Part 2"
• 9.20 "Camelot Part 2"
• 10.01 "Flesh And Blood Part 3"
• 10.08 "Memento Mori"
• 10.10 "The Quest Part 1"
• Stargate Atlantis
• 3.12 "Echoes"

Related Articles

• Altera
• Ancients
• Ancient Communication Terminal
• Ascended Beings
• Asgard
• Atlantis
• Avalon
• Dakara
• Furlings
• Goa'uld
• Heliopolis
• Lost City of the Ancients
• Nox
• Ori
• Ernest's planet (P3X-972, later PB2-908)
• Place of Our Legacy (P3R-272)
• Praclarush Taonas
• Rebel Jaffa
• Repository of Knowledge
• Sangreal
• Sodan
• Sodan Cloaking Device
• Stargate

Further Reading

Aveo Amacuse

• http://stargate-sg1-solutions.com/blog/?p=209 Solutions contributor and Latin scholar Alex posted a well researched article on the varying potential meanings of "aveo amacuse" and the Latin roots of the Ancient languages here.

Ancient Languages

• http://www.ancientscripts.com A site by an ancient linguistics hobbyist that provides a nice overview of real ancient languages, a comprehensive bibliography and other links.
• http://www.omniglot.com A general overview of languages.

Latin

• http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/resolveform?lang=Latin A Latin to English dictionary by Tufts University, also known as the Perseus Project.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin The Latin entry of wikipedia which gives a general overview as well as provides a comprehensive list of other web articles on the subject.

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--Aurora 14:49, 21 April 2006 (PDT) --thanks to maranya14 for added Latin translations