This article collects all known sentences, expressions, terms, and words of the Tau language and their respective translations and meanings. As always: the canonicity of any information obtained from a Black Library novel is unclear.
Note: the Tau alphabet doesn't have letters for "Q" or "Z", and uses the same letters for the sounds "C/K" and "I/Y".
All Tau names give several basic informations.
The correct way to address a Tau individual also depends upon the relationship between the two persons. Friends and relatives may use the short 1st given name (e.g.: "Shadowsun"). Strangers and colleagues are expected to be polite and to use caste and rank (e.g.:"Fire caste commander"). This acknowledges the place of the individual in question and seems to be common in battle communications.
Alphabetical order
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Tau term
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literal translation
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common translation, usual meaning, notes
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source
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A
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Aloh
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Coldwind, a personal name
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Kill Team (Novel), p.163
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Aun
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Ethereal, Celestial, Ethereal caste
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Codex:Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Aun'bork'an'retha
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A combined Temple/university on Bork'an dedicated to the Ethereal caste and their wisdom.
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Codex:Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Aun'chiagor
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A ceremonial gathering on a round table of the senior representatives of the 5 castes. The first round table was called Chia'gor.
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.138
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Aun't'au'retha
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unclear, "the council within the Aun't'au'retha has been reluctant to antagonize the gue'la...". The sentence hints the Aun't'au'retha to be a kind of parliament or senate-like assembly of Aun.
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.145
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B
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Be'gel
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Ork(s), "insane, green-skinned Be'gel" (incapable of integration with the tau'va)
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.74
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D
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D'yanoi
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twin moons
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also the name of a Tau sept
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Codex:Tau (3rd Edition), p.64
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E
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Erijabirds
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birds found in the orchards of the Aun'bork'an'retha
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Codex:Tau (3rd Edition), p.12
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Eur'ii
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unclear: tears? sweat?, salty?, stinging?
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.65
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F
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Fio
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Earth, earth caste
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Codex:Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Fio'dr
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unclear: uniform or fabric
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.65, p.76
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Fio'shas
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worker-warrior
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a nickname
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.16
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Fio'tak
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unclear: machine?, console? mechanical? electronic? metal?
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.134, p. 140, p.300, p.403
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G
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Gal'leath
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explorer, also a ship class of the Tau Navy
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To Unite the Stars PDF (accessed 2007.11.24)
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Gue'la
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Human
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Codex:Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Gue'vesa
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human helpers
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human auxiliary troops which are loyal to the Tau empire
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Tau Human Auxiliaries (accessed 2007.03.29)
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Gue'vesa'la
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A soldier of the Gue'vesa
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Tau Human Auxiliaries by Andy Hoare (accessed 2007.03.29)
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Gue'vesa'ui
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A sergeant of the Gue'vesa
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Tau Human Auxiliaries by Andy Hoare (accessed 2007.03.29)
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H
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Ho'or-ata-t'chel
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sympathetic ghostpains which can be felt by pilots whose battlesuits have been damaged, extreme cases can be crippling.
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.307
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I
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Il'fannor
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merchant, also a ship class of the Tau Navy
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To unite the Stars PDF (accessed 2007.11.24)
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Iur'tae'mont
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burnout, war madness, shell shock
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.259
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J
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J'karra
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mirror
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Juntas
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A side (also direction) of a ship. The text is unclear if it is Port, Starboard, Left, or Right
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Fire Warrior (Novel)]] p. 47, p.170, p.200
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K
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Kais
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skilful, a personal name
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Kass'l
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Orca, a star-fighter class
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To unite the Stars PDF (accessed 2007.11.24)
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Kauyon
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Patient Hunter
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oldest of the two main war strategies of the Tau military (see below: Mont'ka), in the Tau language the words for hunter and patience are derived from the same root
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) p.57, Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition) p.12
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Kir'qath
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defender, also a ship class of the Tau Navy
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To unite the Stars PDF (accessed 2007.11.24)
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Kles'tak
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a high-density explosive
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.195,
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Ko'vash
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a worthy cause
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To strive for, also a personal name
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) p.57, Fire Warrior (Novel) p.23
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Kor
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Air, air caste
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Kor'vattra
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Tau Space Fleet (perhaps also: Tau Navy?)
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To unite the Stars PDF (accessed 2007.11.24)
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Kor'ves
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faithful helper
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Tau drone
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Ky'husa
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alcoholic beverage, is drunk preferably in a single gulp and while it is warm
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.61
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L
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Lar'shi
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hero, also a ship class of the Tau Navy
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To unite the Stars PDF (accessed 2007.11.24)
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M
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Mal'caor
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spider
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Mal'kor
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Refers to the allied race the Vespid, also known as Stingwings
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Codex: Tau (4th Edition), p.39
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Mesme
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combination
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Monat
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Freedom of One
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title for a single Battlesuit working without a team (i.e.: a lone warrior)
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White Dwarf 263us, Battlesuit configurations (accessed 2007.12.06)
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Mont'au
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The Terror, the Tau race's worst nightmare, the time before the coming of the Ethereal caste when the other castes were set against one another. A barbaric time of war that the Tau fear could return should any Tau put themselves before the Greater Good. Can also be an individual case of: "a state-of-being without progress, without unity or altruism, without direction or purpose or strength", in other words: an individualistic Tau which is simply unable to work in a team (read the novel Fire Warrior).
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57, Fire Warrior (Novel), p.81
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Mont'ka
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Killing Blow
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one of the two main war strategies of the Tau military (see above: Kauyon)
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) p.57, Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition) p.12
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Mon'wern'a
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deceptive assault (a battle-scheme)
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.53
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Mont'yr
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Seen Battle
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Blooded, a personal name
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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M'yen
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unforseen
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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O
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Or'es
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Powerful
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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P
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Por
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Water, water caste
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Por'hui
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unclear: News or something similar (cited are: porhui media, por'hui journalists, por'hui channels)
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.14, p.58
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R
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Run'al
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small observation post or hide, hidden bunker
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) p.57, Codex: Tau empire [4th Edition) p. 12
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S
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Sept
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a star system of the Tau which becomes a individual cultural entity
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.7
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Shas
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Fire, fire caste
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Shas'ar'tol
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Fire caste military high command
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Shas'len'ra
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Cautious Warrior
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.34
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Shaserra
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Shadowsun, a personal name
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Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition), p.46
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Shi
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Victory
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Codex:Tau (3rd edition), p.57
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Shi'ur
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Strong Triumph, a personal name
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.14
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Sho'aun'or'es
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source of power
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the heart of the reactor of a power plant
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Kill Team (Novel) p.142, Fire Warrior (Novel) p.132, p.134
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Sho'kara
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Lense or window to the Warp used by Tau vessels (perhaps: Warp-jump point?). It is commented that the Tau are unable to create an artificial one.
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Kill Team (Novel), p.144
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Shovah
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Farsighted, a personal name
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) p.56, 57
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Sio't
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always refered to as "Sio't meditation" (several kinds). Unclear: mantras, prayers?
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.74
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Skether'quan
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messenger, also a ship class of the Tau Navy
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To unite the Stars PDF (accessed 2007.11.24)
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Snae'ta
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unclear: "A snae'ta gue'la cauterised" the wound of a Tau prisoner. A (Tau) mighty general and a powerful fighter, but a snae'ta nonetheless.
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.76, p.402
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T
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Tau'kon'she
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a Tau festival during which a ceremonial clonebeast is hunted by Shas'ui
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.160, p.189
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Tau'fann
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age-old address for members of alternate castes
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.140
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Ta'ro'cha
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three minds – one purpose
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a Tau battlesuit configuration (i.e.: three battlesuits which work as a team)
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Battlesuit configurations (accessed 2007.12.06)
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Ta'lissera
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Communion, Marriage, bonding ritual (perhaps also: "sworn brotherhood"?)
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Tau'va
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Good Greater
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The Greater Good
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Tsua'm
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Middle, a personal name
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) p.56, p.57
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U
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Ukos
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Spoon
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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U'it
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an animal with a tail, similar to a dog. "We can run with our tail between our legs, like an anxious ui't."
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Fire Warrior (Novel) p.144, p.402
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V
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Vash'aun'an
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Warp space
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Kill Team (Novel), p.144
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Vash'ya
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Between spheres
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also the name of a Tau sept
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Vior'la
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Hot Blooded
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also the name of a Tau sept
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), p.57
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Vral
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Undercut
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a personal name
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Codex: Tau (3rd Edition) p.56, 57
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Var
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Brightsword, a personal name
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Kill Team (Novel), p.169
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Y
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Y'eldi
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Winged one
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Air caste name for a particularly gifted pilot, a personal name
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Codex:Tau (3rd edition), p. 57
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Y'he
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Tyranid(s), "ever-devouring Yhe" (incapable of integration with the tau'va)
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Fire Warrior (Novel), p.74
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