Dothraki is so Season Two. The Mother Of Dragons has moved on from her horselord roots, and so has Game Of Thrones’ official linguist David J. Peterson. Peterson developed the Dothraki language from a few words in George R. R. Martin’s books to a functional language that boasts over 3,000 words and a growing community of nerds eager to point out that you’re pronouncing “Khaleesi” wrong. But starting with Season three, Peterson has changed his focus to developing High Valyrian, the “shamelessly pretty” ancestral Targaryen language that Peterson describes as the “Latin” of the ASOIAF world.
For those hoping to brush up on their High Valyrian before next year’s WonderCon, there are a number of Valyrian learning tools available online. (No Muzzy, though.) The Tongues Of Ice And Fire Wiki has an extensive pronunciation and grammar guide, and Peterson and actress Nathalie Emmanuel, who plays Missandei on the show, recently gave some charmingly thorough answers to fans’ linguistic questions on WhoSay. And yesterday Peterson posted a High Valyrian phrasebook on the official Game Of Thrones production blog, complete with audio clips modeling the correct pronunciations of common phrases like “Where are my dragons?,” “I would like a trial by combat,” and, tellingly, “I love you” and “Will you marry me?”
