Beneath the Skin

GLOSSARY

To make things as simple as possible, I’ve listed not only words, but phrases used in the story. Please keep in mind that Cajun is different from Parisian French and the French generally spoken in Europe. Different grammatically and even, sometimes, in pronunciation and spelling.

The French that Guy Mauvais and Justine Aucoin use is traditional French as opposed to Dante’s Cajun.

For the Irish and Welsh words—including the ones I’ve created—pronunciation is provided.

One final thing: Prejean is pronounced PRAY-zhawn.

Aingeal (AIN-gyahl), angel. Fallen/Elohim word.

Ami, (m) friend, (f) amie. Mon ami, my friend.

Anhrefncathl (ann-HREVN-cathl), chaos song; the song of a Maker. Fallen/Elohim word.

Apprentis, (pl) apprentices, (s) apprenti.

Arrivederci, (Italian) good-bye.

Assolutamente, (Italian) absolutely.

Beaucoup chaud tête-rouge, red-hot redhead.

Bien, well, very.

Bien compris, well understood.

Bon, good, nice, fine, kind.

Bon appétit, enjoy (as in eating), good eating, good appetite.

Bon chien, good dog.

Bonne nuit, good night.

Bonsoir, ma belle fille, good evening, my beautiful girl.

Buona sera, (Italian) good evening.

Buono, (Italian) good.

Calon-cyfaill, (KAW-lawn-CUHV-aisle) bondmate, heartmate.

Cara mia, (Italian) (f) my beloved, (m) Caro mio.

Catin, (f) doll, dear, sweetheart.

Ça va bien, I’m fine, I’m good, okay.

Ça y est, that’s it.

Ça y revené, he had it coming.

Ce n’est pas possible, that is not possible.

Cercle de Druide, Circle of Druids, a sacred and select nightkind order.

C’est bon, that’s good.

Chalkydri (chal-KOO-dree), winged serpentine demons of Sheol, subservient to the Elohim.

Cher, (m) dear, beloved, (f) chère. Mon cher, my dear or my beloved.

Cher ami, mon, (m) my dearest friend, my best friend; intimate, implying a special relationship.

Chéri, (m) dearest, darling, honey, (f) chérie.

Chien, (m) dog, (f) chienne.

Ciao, (Italian) hello or good-bye—generally used only among friends and family in this way.

Ciò è allineare, (Italian) this is true. Sapere di c’è ne, do you know of any?

Creawdwr (KRAY-OW-dooer), creator; Maker/Un-maker; an extremely rare branch of the Elohim believed to be extinct. Last known creawdwr was Yahweh.

Cydymaith (kuh-DUH-mith), companion.

D’accord, okay.

Elohim, (s and pl) the Fallen; the beings mythologized as fallen angels.

Enchanté, charmed.

Fallen, see Elohim.

Fi’ de garce, son-of-a-bitch.

Fille de sang, (f) blood-daughter; “turned” female off-spring of a vampire.

Fils, son.

Fils de sang, (m) blood-son; “turned” male offspring of a vampire.

Fola Fior, true blood, pure.

Forse sì, forse no, (Italian) perhaps yes, perhaps not.

Frère du coeur, brother of the heart.

Geis, A vow of obligation, and a taboo preventing certain actions. To break a geis results in dishonor and/or death.

Gêné toi pas, don’t be bashful.

Grazie, (Italian) thank you.

J’ai faim, I’m hungry.

Je regrette, I’m sorry.

Je t’aime, mon fils. Toujours, I love you, my son. Always.

Joli, (m) pretty, cute, (f) jolie. Mon joli, my pretty boy.

J’su ici, I’m here.

Le Conseil du Sang, the Council of Blood, nightkind lawgivers.

Le coquin qui vole a un autre, le diable en ris, when one thief robs another, the devil laughs.

Lesbica, (Italian) lesbian. Una lesbica, a lesbian.

Llygad, (THLOO-gad) (s) eye; a watcher; keeper of immortal history; story-shaper, (pl). Llygaid (THLOO-guide).

Ma belle, my beauty. Ma belle dame, my beautiful lady.

Magnifico, (Italian) wonderful.

Mais ça vont jamais finir, but it’ll never end.

Ma mère, my mother.

Marmot, (m) brat.

Ma ’tite-doux, (f) my little sweet one.

Menteuse, (f) liar, (m) menteur.

Merci, thank you. Merci beaucoup, thanks a lot. Merci bien, thanks very much.

Merde, shit.

Mère de sang, (f) blood-mother; female vampire who has turned another and become their parent.

Mia ballerina scura (Italian), my dark ballerina.

Minou, (m) endearing name for a cat.

Mio amico, (Italian) my friend.

Mio figlio, (Italian) my son.

Mio ragazzo bello, (Italian) my beautiful boy.

Moi aussi, me too.

M’selle, (f) abbreviated spoken form of mademoiselle, Miss, young lady.

M’sieu, (m) abbreviated spoken form of monsieur, Mr., sir, gentleman.

Naturellement, naturally, of course.

Nephilim, the offspring resulting from Fallen and mortal unions.

Nightbringer, a name/title given to Lucien De Noir.

Nightkind, (s and pl) vampire; Dante’s term for vampires.

Nomad, name for the pagan, gypsy-style clans who ride across the land.

Oui, yes.

Où suis-je? where am I?

Pas de quoi, you’re welcome.

Père de sang, (m) blood-father; male vampire who has turned another and become their “parent.”

Peut-être que oui, peut-être que non, maybe yes, maybe no.

Piazza, (Italian) plaza.

Principe, (Italian) prince.

P’tit, mon, (m) my little one, (f) p’tite, ma (Generally affectionate.)

P’tite marmaille, (f) little brat.

Ragazzo pigro, (Italian) lazy boy.

Rappelle, remember. Oui, je rappelle, yes, I remember.

Rêves doux, sweet dreams.

Ritorna, bella (Italian), return, beautiful.

Sì, (Italian) yes.

Sì, esattamente, caro mio, (Italian) yes, exactly, my beloved.

Signor, (Italian) sir.

S’il te plaît, please (informal).

Sì, mia Signora, (Italian) yes, my lady.

Tais-toi, shut up.

T’a menti, you lied, you lie.

T’es sûr de sa? are you sure about that? T’es sûr? you sure?

Tout de suite, right away.

Très, very.

Très bien, very good, very well.

Très joli, (m) very pretty.

True Blood, born vampire, rare and powerful.

Una bella donna merita un uomo, non un ragazzo (Italian), A beautiful woman deserves a man, not a boy.

Vous êtes très aimable, you are very kind.

Wybrcathl (OOEEBR-cathl), sky-song. Fallen/Elohim word.