[cross-posted at HarnForum]

I'm looking over the table of titles in different languages in Appendix III, page 175 of Venarive, and a few things have me scratching my head. I'll just say where I'm leaning and let you all pick it apart. :)

Entries with commas seem to mean two things. On one hand, the "Emela, Harnic" entry has "Artel, Artela" for "Emperor/Empress", which follows the gender pattern of "Tel" and "Tela" for the King and Queen rows. Kingdom of Emelrene sheds no light, with neither "Artel" nor "Ârtél" yielding any search hits. However, the next column over, "Ivinian, Harbaaler" has two comma-separated values for each King and Queen, suggesting that those two languages differ in that regard while having most of the other words in common. That the "Palithaner, Tarkainer" entry for "Count/Earl" is two words separated by a slash lends weight to the latter interpretation. So I guess I'll Solomonically award each interpretation half a baby.

Then there's entries in parentheses; what's that about? These are things like Ivinian for Count or County, and I'm guessing that it signifies an inexact translation. But then here, there are things like the Trierzi "Alrid(a)" for clanhead, signaling a gender difference. Sigh.

That last language also has two slashed words under "Constable". Are we into "20 words for snow" territory with those guys here? Yes, I say; there are constables and there are constables, and one had better well know which one is addressing in Trierzon.

I see too that Shorka has no word for "senate" and there is no row for "parliament". I guess it's just that thing (no, not "thing") in that place, that, you know, runs the country. No wonder they're in such a state. ;)

What do you make of it?