Glossary and Pronunciation Guide
© Gene Ha 2019 by Anette Nam Design
Many of the names on Cimrterén were created by Czech speakers, so here’s some quick Czech pronunciation advice from the University of Chicago’s Professor Malynne Sternstein:
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Quantity or length is really important in Czech so when you have a čárka (what looks like an accent) over a vowel (including -y-), the vowel is held for two beats rather than one. It is a really beautiful and unique part of Czech.
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The ň is also close to a Spanish ñ, as found in piñata, jalapeño and El Niño.
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The “r” in Czech is always trilled or rolled, similar to Spanish. I have shown this by doubling the r (rr), but you might want to make a note.
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There's also the amazing and totally unique ř. Unlike what some say, this sound is NOT just an r plus a zh (ž). It's an -r- made with the flat of the tongue on the hard palate. If you can roll an “r” do the same trill when you make a “zh” sound. It’s very fun once you start doing it!
It’s no coincidence that Mae’s full first name is also Malynne. That was in honor of the good professor!
Abbie Fortell
Anténor of Nehynoucí
coleopteur
Colt
Dahlia Cramer
cuirassier
Dukes and Duchess Nehynoucí
ghost wood
Izzy
Josh Redwall
Krunýřves
krákůň
Kvido
Mae Fortell
ničitelé
mňoukové
ordeinour
Pasha
Petra Stoneheart
Phantom Hive
Raintree County, Indiana
Rytíř Kazisvet
Mister Seagull
Theodore Fortell
trpaslíki
Zenith, Indiana
čert
Abbie Fortell
The older sister of Mae Fortell. She is also known as Abigail Fortell, Ani, and Queen Ani of the Mňoukové. She disappeared from Indiana at the age of 13, when Mae was 10. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
Ancients
The first inhabitants of the Other World, Cimrterén. They left behind alien technology which defies the understanding of even the greatest mad scientists of present day Cimrterén.
Ani
Abbie’s alias, or nom de guerre. Short for Queen Ani of the Mňoukové. First used in Mae chapter 1.
Anténor of Nehynoucí
ahn-tay-NOHR uhv NEHeenohtseee Son of the Dukes of Nehynoucí. He too will inherit the title when his cthonicized head joins his ancestors’ on the giant robot some day. Until then, he is only a lord. He is named after both Haitian anthropologist Anténor Firmin and the ancient Trojan warrior Antenor. First appeared in Mae chapter 4.
bazilišek
BA-zil-i-shek Czech for dragon
Bassariscus astutus
bass-ah-RIS-kus ah-STOO-tus The scientific name for ringtail cats. See the ringtail cat entry for more details. First mentioned in Mae chapter 3.
bramboráky
BRAM-boh-raaa-kee Czech potato pancakes. Found either freshly made at street stalls or as a dinner side dish.
canker
A type of painful, non-contagious lesion or sore. First used in Mae chapter 1.
čert
Cherrt Czech for imp or devil. On Cimrterén it refers to a 7 foot tall short-legged horned ogre. Abbie mentions defending the Coleopteurs from the Mad Čert in Mae chapter 1. First appeared in Mae chapter 6.
Chrámce
KHRRAM-tseh A Zemětřasi city.
Cimrterén
TSIM-rr-terrehn The Other World which Abbie visited. Named after the Czech scientist and author Jára Cimrman. Jára opened the gates to reach Cimrterén and founded its first modern cities. First mentioned in Mae chapter 1.
coleopteur
koh-lee-op-TR The 6 inch tall beetles who do much of the math and bookkeeping work on Cimrterén. First appeared in the Mae prologue chapter.
Colt
Mae’s boyfriend since 11th grade. He’s also the guitarist and lead singer of the Indiana Third-Wave New Romantic Dubcore garage band Phantom Hive. First mentioned in Mae chapter 1. First appeared in Mae chapter 2.
cthonicize
k-THON-ih-size To render undead using cthonic energies. Only the mad scientist nobility of the Zemětřasi possess this technology. First mentioned in Mae chapter 4.
cthonic energy
k-THON-ik The unearthly subterranean energy used by Zemětřasi nobles for many of their mad science experiments. Cthonic energy is used to create earthshaking effects and explosions, and to render living creatures into the undead.
cuirassier
kweer-ah-SEER A horse soldier who wears a cuirasse, or breastplate. First used in Mae chapter 6.
Dahlia Cramer
Mae’s best friend since her family moved to Zenith during 10th grade. She attends Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
drak
DRRAK Czech for dragon.
Dukes and Duchess Nehynoucí
NEH-ee-nohts-eee Prominent nobles that lead the powerful Lupičvraků faction of the Zemětřasi Alliance. Five generations of the dukes’ cthonicized heads share a single robot body. The Duchess is married to the youngest head. Their son Anténor’s head must be added to the robot before he can inherit the title duke. The name “Nehynoucí” means undying in Czech. First appeared in Mae chapter 3.
Ebenhrad
AY-ben-hrrad The ancestral home of Rytíř Kazisvet. First mentioned in Mae chapter 2.
Euchre
YEW-kr card game popular in Indiana and, it seems, nowhere else. First mentioned in Mae chapter 6.
fí
FEEE Archaic Czech interjection used to express disdain or contempt. Equivalent to “pish” in English.
free city
In Cimrterén an independent city that governs itself. It is not controlled by any of the military alliances such as the Zemětřasi or the Obrůoni.
gate
A doorway between worlds such as Earth and Cimrterén. First appeared in Mae chapter 2.
ghost fish
Skeletal fish that swim through the skies of Cimrterén, suspended in the other dimensional waters of the Ghost Ocean.
Ghost Ocean
A theoretical body of water on another dimension that somehow affects certain creatures and materials on Cimrterén. Wood from Cimrterén trees over 2000 years old can float on the Ghost Ocean, and skeletal ghost fish swimming in its waters can be seen drifting through Cimrterén’s skies before ouranic storms.
ghost wood
Wood from Cimrterén trees over 2000 years old, that can float on the Ghost Ocean. Paleontologists discovered that Cimrterén’s lands were mostly covered by ocean 2000 years ago, so these trees only grew at very high altitudes.
Grand Vivicator
grand VIV-ih-kayt-r A great leader and scientist of the Obrůoni Alliance. His fighting abilities and his technologies terrified the Zemětřasi.
hovno
HOV-no Czech for crap or BS.
Indiana
In various stories, a fictional state set in the US Midwest. Also called the Hoosier State. It is surrounded by a time distortion field that selectively filters out changes occurring in the rest of the United States.
Izzy
The nickname for Deputy Isaías Álvarez of the Raintree County Sheriff's Department. A childhood classmate of Mae Fortell. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
Jára Cimrman
YAAH-rra TSIM-rr-man The Czech scientist who found and opened the gates to reach Cimrterén and founded its first modern cities. While mainly remembered on Cimrterén as a scientist and explorer, he is remembered today in the Czech Republic for his plays, musical compositions, philosophy, and his sense of humor. The Czech people voted him the Greatest Czech in 2005.
jeřabinka
YEHŘ-uh-bink-uh A Czech fruit brandy distilled from rowan berries. First drunk in Mae chapter 6.
Ještěrovo Doupě
YESH-tyerr-ovo DOH-pyeh Czech for Lizard’s Nest. The castle of a tyrant that Abbie fought.
Josh Redwall
Until Abbie returned, the toughest bar fighter in Raintree County. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
k čertu
k-CHERR-tu Czech curse word that roughly means “to hell with.” First used in Mae chapter 4.
K’hetri
k-HHHET-ree Prehuman alien warriors defeated by Lord Protector Stvořitelé
Kazisvet
KAZ-is-vet See the entry for Rytíř Kazisvet. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
kecy
KE-tsee Czech for crap or nonsense.
krákůň
krr-AAH-koooñ Giant horse rabbit steeds. First appeared in Mae chapter 5.
kráva
KRRAAH-vah Czech for a cow. It’s very rude to call someone a cow! First used in Mae chapter 3.
Krunýřves
KRROO-neeeř-vess Czech town name that roughly means “Shellton.” A mining town built on the fossil of a mountain sized turtle. Formerly a free city, it was conquered by the Zemětřasi to secure vital military matériel. First appeared in Mae chapter 3.
Viktor
VIK-tr A young duke who is both rival and military superior to Lord Anténor of Nehynoucí. His full name is Duke Viktor of Zjevení.
Kvido
KVID-aw A bipedal and talking ringtail cat who joined Abbie and Mae on their adventures. When he was a child Abbie drove off a vodník war party that had attacked his village’s dam. First appeared in Mae chapter 3.
leviathan
li-VIE--thn The giant quadrupedal and sextapedal war beasts of the Obrůoni Alliance. First mentioned in Mae chapter 4.
lidožrout
LEE-dozh-rroht Czech for ghoul.
Lupičvraků
LOO-peech-vrah-koo A coalition of noble families led by the Dukes and Duchess Nehynoucí , within the larger Zemětřasi military alliance.
lvidrak
lv-EE-drrak A legendary creature with the form of a monstrous lion headed dragon and a love of riddles. Despite its size it is very hard to see.
Mae Fortell
The hero of our tale. Mae’s full name is Malynne Marika Fortell. A recent high school graduate, she works in the family computer repair shop. She and her sister Abbie were raised by their single dad Theodore Fortell. Purdue freshman Dahlia Cramer is her best friend and Phantom Hive band leader Colt is her boyfriend. Mae is addicted to science fiction TV and books. Without her glasses she’s legally blind.
mňoukové
MñOH-kaw-vay Czech for meowers. A race of horned upright cats that resemble Ewoks or Hobbits. First mentioned in Mae chapter 1.
Mount Tuskegee
A peak in the Obrůoni lands. First mentioned in Mae chapter 4.
Nehynoucí Vojvodové
NEH-ee-noh-tseee VOY-vo-dov-ay The Czech way to say “the Dukes Nehynoucí.” See the entry for “Dukes and Duchess Nehynoucí” for more details.
ničitelé
NEE-chee-tel-ay Czech for destroyers. Cimrterén’s caveman vikings that drop from the sky to pillage more civilized peoples. They sail sky boats, built from their reserve of ghost wood. First appeared in Mae chapter 3.
Obrůoni
OB-rroo-on-ee The great military alliance opposed to the Zemětřasi. Unlike their foes, the Obrůoni do not believe in inherited noble titles. Ranks are earned. Their animal biotechnology is the most advanced on Cimrterén. First mentioned in Mae chapter 4.
Odumírání
The baron of Turtletown. First appeared in Mae chapter 3.
Opava
O-pahv-ah a small market town in the frontier between Obrůoni and Zemětřasi territories. First appeared in Mae chapter 6.
ordeinour
oar-day-NR Middle English for a manager or an arranger. The pocket sized ancient artifact that Mae steals from Anténor’s lab. First appeared in Mae chapter 4.
ouranic energy
oo-RAN-ik The celestial storm energy used by the Lord Protector Stvořitelé for many of his mad science experiments. It also powers many prehuman artifacts found on Cimrterén.
Pasha
PAW-shuh The skřet scout for Rytíř Kazisvet’s raiders. Pasha’s full name is Svatopluk Svatovavřinecké. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
Petra Stoneheart
A partisan leader fighting against the Zemětřasi conquerors of her homeland. Petra was an Obrůoni cavalry captain when Abbie first met her. She eventually rose to brigadier general before her army was smashed. First mentioned in Mae chapter 4. First appeared in Mae chapter 5.
Phantom Hive
The three member Third-Wave New Romantic Dubcore band led by Mae’s boyfriend Colt. First appeared in Mae chapter 2.
power transmitter
The machines used by the mad scientists of Cimrterén to wirelessly send power from a generator to mobile machines. This reduces the need for batteries and carrying fuel, but leaves all of the mobile machines vulnerable if either the generator or transmitter is damaged. First appeared in Mae chapter 4.
pršut
PRRSHOOT Air dried ham. Similar to Italian prosciutto. First mentioned in Mae chapter 6.
publican
The owner or manager of a pub, aka a public house. First used in Mae chapter 6.
Raintree County, Indiana
A county in the northwest of Indiana. Made famous in Ross Lockridge’s 1948 novel Raintree County. First mentioned in Mae chapter 1.
ringtail cat
A small nocturnal animal found in the American southwest, and closely related to raccoons. On Cimrterén they walk on their hind legs and are famous for their ability to learn multiple languages, badly. Their scientific name is Bassariscus astutus. First appeared in Mae chapter 3.
Rose Tyler
A character from the British TV show Doctor Who. First mentioned in Mae chapter 1.
rytíř
RREE-teeeř Czech for knight. First used in Mae chapter 2.
Rytíř Kazisvet
RREE-teeeř KAZ-is-vet A knight of the Zemětřasi Alliance. His ancestral family seat is Ebenhrad. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
Mister Seagull
Abbie’s middle school Spanish teacher. First appeared in Mae chapter 2.
šikovatel
SHIK-aw-vat-el A senior sergeant in Czech. First appeared in Mae chapter 3.
skřet
SKŘet Czech for goblin. On Cimrterén they are a species of short furry bipeds with bat-like faces. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
Svatopluk Svatovavřinecké
See the entry for Pasha. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
Starbuck
The alias or nom de guerre used by Mae on Cimrterén. First used in Mae chapter 3.
Stvořitelé
STVO-řee-tel-ay The noble house of Lord Protector Stvořitelé. The Lord Protector and his wife led all the human forces to drive off the alien K’hetri. Angered by the small wars and betrayals among the victors, the Lord Protector turned his weapons against his former allies. Thousands died and whole cities were destroyed. He was only stopped when his wife betrayed him. In Czech “stvořitelé” means builders. First mentioned in Mae chapter 4.
Tardis
A time and space hopping vehicle on the British TV show Doctor Who. First mentioned in Mae chapter 1.
Theodore Fortell
Also known as Teddy. Abbie and Mae’s father. Theodore owns a computer shop in Zenith, Indiana, but has left running it to his daughter Mae. First mentioned in Mae chapter 1. First appeared in Mae chapter 2.
Tereza Fortell
Abbie and Mae’s mother. First mentioned in Mae chapter 2.
tichošlápci
TI-kho-shlahp-tsee Czech for silent movers. Abbie chased off a band of tichošlápci in one of her earliest adventures. First mentioned in Mae chapter 6.
trpaslíki
TRRPASS-leee-kee Dwarves with a single stubby horn atop their heads. First appeared in Mae chapter 6.
ty vole
TEE VOE-leh Czech for “you ox.” A slightly rude term used to express shock or dismay. Abbie uses “ty vole” for its literal meaning, as an insult and as a battle cry. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
vlkodlak
VL-koed-lahk Czech for werewolf. First used in Mae chapter 1.
vodník
VOD-neeek Czech for merfolk. When Kvido was a child Abbie defended his village’s dam from attacking vodník. First mentioned in Mae chapter 3.
Zemětřasi
ZEM-nye-t-řa-see The great military alliance opposed to the Obrůoni. Unlike their foes, Zemětřasi society is ruled by an aristocracy. Hereditary titles confer rank. There is no royal family or king. The Zemětřasi are led by a council of dukes. Only the Zemětřasi have mastered use of cthonic energies, which they use to animate the dead into undead, to generate earthquakes and explosive underground eruptions, and to power their machinery. In Czech their name roughly means “earth shakers.”
Zenith, Indiana
A small town in Raintree County, Indiana. It is the home town of Mae and Abbie Fortell. First appeared in Mae chapter 1.
fulminator
FULL-mi-nay-tr Literally "lightning thrower." A power transmitter (see below) that projects a focused energy pulse that is harmless to most objects, but can remotely ignite flammable materials like gasoline, propane, and the propellant in ammo.
fulminator