Meta: Andrale, Andras, Andraste, Andruil - More Elven Linguistics and the Meaning of Andraste's Name

(This post was originally posted on Reddit here.)

I started a new game in Awakening without importing my Warden from DAO for the first time when I noticed that the Orlesian elven Warden's default name is Elyon/Sidona Andras. That surname didn't sound elven to my ears but then I started thinking.

• Andrale
• Andras
• Andraste
• Andruil

Hm. There appears to be a pattern in these elven names that Andraste fits neatly into.

 

Let's get one thing out of the way: I'm not going to claim Andraste was an elf. For one thing, we've seen what her mother looked like in DAO and they used the model of a human woman for her. For another thing, I think Morrigan has an elven name too even though she is (as far as we know at this point in time) fully human.

 

That being said, there's definitely something here language-wise. I've been trying to figure out what these names could mean for months now, particularly the andr part they all have in common, but I haven't had any luck until now. 

Part of the problem was that I was too married to the idea that andr must be a single word or expression when the real answer was in front of my nose all along. The lore already tells us one important starting clue - namely that Andruil literally means "she who guides through inevitable sacrifice." That's a lot of meaning to pack into a single word so let's break it down:

• an = ?
• dru = inevitable sacrifice, sacrifice, offering, atonement, ritualistic kill
• il = from ghi'la, to guide

So far this is pretty straightforward.

Now let's look at my second clue, Seldras. Seldras literally means "he who gives your voices to uncertain sacrifice." It can be broken down as:

• se = your (plural)
• lah = voice
• dru = sacrifice, inevitable sacrifice, offering, atonement, ritualistic kill
• ras = cloud, fog, smoke 

You'll notice the parts making up his name spell se-lah-dru-ras instead of Seldras. The elven language likes to contract words, especially if there are repeated sounds following each other, which is why you get dras from merging dru + ras. You'll also notice that the meanings of the words making up the name don't entirely line up with "(he who) (gives) your voices to uncertain sacrifice". There doesn't seem to be a word for "uncertain", not unless ras (cloud, fog, smoke) has a figurative meaning, leading me to think that:

• dras = uncertain sacrifice

Another thing that stands out is that there is no part of Seldras' name that means "he who". I originally thought an must have meant "she who" judging by Andruil's name but the way Seldras' name is built up undermines that theory and leads me to believe "s/he who" is merely implied in names. Seeing as all other words are accounted for in Andruil's name, I think an means through.

 

That means we have the meaning of the elven Orlesian Warden's name:

• Andras = through uncertain sacrifice

But what I'm really after is the meaning of Andraste's name so let's continue. There are a number of elven words and names that feature te that may be candidates:

• lanaste = mercy, forgiveness
• enaste = favor, grace, goodwill, approval
• Tarasyl'an Te'las = The place where the sky was held back, i.e. Skyhold's elven name

I'm leaning towards the first two because it would be suspiciously easy to contract Andras with both enaste and lanaste to get Andraste. I was ready to deep dive into codex entries to search for a possible connection between Andraste and favor/goodwill/grace/approval/mercy/forgiveness when literally the first search result smacked me in the face: Andraste's Grace.
 

Is it proof? No. Do I think it's a major hint to the meaning of Andraste's name? Hell yes. Let's see what we get if we accept that enaste (grace) is a part of Andraste's name:

• an = through
• dras = uncertain sacrifice
• enaste = grace

This is it: grace through uncertain sacrifice. Alternatively, (she who) (has) grace through uncertain sacrifice. That's my interpretation anyway. Considering Andraste was burned at the stake after leading a rebellion, I think it's a fitting name.

 

And why would she have an elven name? That's a post for a different day but I think the answer lies in one of the theories that link her to Mythal.