# Glossary explained — Tarzan the Terrible

> Chapter companion for Tarzan the Terrible by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

## What happens

An incomplete glossary of Pal-ul-don language and customs, compiled from Lord Greystoke's notes, detailing the naming conventions, word meanings, and descriptions of creatures like the gryf.

## Themes in this chapter

### Civilization vs. Primitivism

The glossary reveals the structured language and customs of Pal-ul-don's inhabitants, contrasting their primitive society with the civilized world.

### Identity and Belonging

Naming conventions based on gender and species highlight how identity is defined within the culture.

## Character check-ins

### Tarzan

Referenced as Lord Greystoke, source of the glossary notes.

### Om-at

Mentioned in glossary entries for 'Es-sat' and 'Om-at'.

### Pan-at-lee

Mentioned in glossary entries for 'Pan-at-lee' and 'An-un'.

### Ja-don

Mentioned in glossary entries for 'Ja-don' and 'Ja-lur'.

### Ko-tan

Mentioned in glossary entries for 'Ko-tan' and 'O-lo-a'.

### Lu-don

Mentioned in glossary entry for 'Lu-don'.

## Key lines

> From conversations with Lord Greystoke and from his notes, there have been gleaned a number of interesting items relative to the language and customs of the inhabitants of Pal-ul-don that are not brought out in the story.

The glossary is derived from Tarzan's conversations and notes, offering extra details about Pal-ul-don's language and customs not included in the main narrative.

_Introduces the source and purpose of the glossary._

> A point of particular interest hinges upon the fact that the names of all male hairless pithecanthropi begin with a consonant, have an even number of syllables, and end with a consonant, while the names of the females of the same species begin with a vowel, have an odd number of syllables, and end with a vowel.

Notably, male Ho-don names start with a consonant, have an even number of syllables, and end with a consonant, whereas female Ho-don names start with a vowel, have an odd number of syllables, and end with a vowel.

_Describes the naming rule for the hairless white pithecanthropi._

> On the contrary, the names of the male hairy black pithecanthropi while having an even number of syllables begin with a vowel and end with a consonant; while the females of this species have an odd number of syllables in their names which begin always with a consonant and end with a vowel.

In contrast, male Waz-don names have an even number of syllables, start with a vowel, and end with a consonant, while female Waz-don names have an odd number of syllables, start with a consonant, and end with a vowel.

_Describes the naming rule for the hairy black pithecanthropi._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_the_terrible_se/chapters/glossary
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_the_terrible_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tarzan_the_terrible_se/chapters