PlaniversalGlossary

This page contains a glossary to the language of A.K. Dewdney's book about a scientifically-detailed 2D universe, The Planiverse. Please add to it if you think something is missing.

Ajem Kollosh: Arde's single continent, pp.27-28

Alak: the one-dimensional Ardean equivalent of the two-dimensional Terran board game of Go (p.203). You can play Alak online.

Ara Hoot: small Ardean fish, p.56. See also Kobor Hoot.

Arde: the home planet of the Nsana and the setting for The Planiverse, p.28

Balat Srar: edible Ardean shellfish that lives at the bottom of the ocean, pp.39, 52

Bar Prala: mushroom-like plant that grows at the bottom of a body of water, p.145

Bes Sallur: huge flying snake, p.212

bwiki: Ardean musical instrument like a cross between a drum and a violin, pp.174-175

Dahl Radam: high central plateau of Ajem Kollosh, 800 km wide, p.31

day: Arde's day/night cycle is about 31 hours and 25 minutes long, p.29

Fiddib Har: Arde's single ocean, p.27

fsad: unit of length, about 4.2 km (p.94). See also Yendred unit.

hadd: Planiversal iron (from Arabic hadid)

hadd-hatr: "ply-iron", unique Planiversal material used to build machines, p.167

Hadmsh Hab: algae-like aquatic creatures, p.145

hadrashar: Ardean chlorophyll, p.55

hatr: plywood-like material made by gluing layers together (usually made from Basla?), p.167

hbool: rope made by gluing Basla fibers together. Because an approximately one-dimensional strip of material can function as either a rope or a board in the Planiverse depending on how flexible it is, hbool is made in much the same way as hatr. P.165.

hrabx: Ardean oxygen or air, p.37

Ilma Kabosh: edible Ardean plant that grows on the sea like a water lily, p.55

Is Felblt: capital of Punizla, p.78

jeb: Punizlan coin made of jebb, p.94

jebb: glassy, quartzlike rock quarried on Dahl Radam, p.167

jebb-hatr: "ply-quartz", used in Ardean windows, p.167

Jirri Basla: common edible tuberous plant, p.70. The Ardean potato?

Kobor Hoot: large Ardean fish, p.56. See also Ara Hoot.

ma eerveh: Ardean musical instrument like bagpipes, pp.174-175

Mil Dwili: giant carnivorous aquatic plant, p.63

musmar: Ardean musical instrument like a thumb piano, pp.174-175

Nagas: Arde's sister planet, which also orbits Shems, p.28

Nsana: the two-dimensional sapient alien beings who inhabit Arde. Arde's equivalent of humans. Yendred is a Nsana, and so are the other people he meets on Arde during his journey. (p.17)

Punizla: western region of Ajem Kollosh, 1000 km wide, p.31

punl: west, p.28 (Dewdney says punl means "east", but this is probably a typo.)

Ra Nifid: large predator dwelling underground, related to the Nsana by evolution. Some Nsana keep smaller Ra Nifid as pets. (pp.114-119)

Shems: Arde's sun, p.28

Tahti Neml: small, burrowing creature, p.75

Tba: honorific like "Professor" or "Doctor"? (pp.131-158)

Vanizla: eastern region of Ajem Kollosh, 1000 km wide, p.31

vanl: east, p.28 (Dewdney says vanl means "west", but this is probably a typo.)

Yendred: The protagonist of The Planiverse. He is lives on Arde and is a Nsana. Note that his name is almost "Dewdney" spelled backwards.

Yendred unit: Yendred's height, by convention the same as Dewdney's (175 cm). Everything in the book is measured in Yendred units onscreen and converted to metric. (p.31)

Zar Hyet: small, threadlike, aquatic creatures (akin to worms?), p.145