insult

A Star Traveler's Dictionary

What A Difference A Syllable Makes

clankie: Semi-affectionate slang term for a cybershell, or other robot body. Contrast the more neutral hardhat; compare squishie. An important note, however, is that the semi-affectionate slang term is clankie. Changing the last syllable to clanker converts it to a highly offensive substrate slur, similar in spirit to the way

eldraeic language

Author's Note: Bad, Bad Word

As a side note, that cautionary dictionary entry, if anything, understates just how spectacularly insulting uljíra is, adjective-wise. But then, it was written by a non-native speaker of Eldraeic, even if a native speaker of the Trade dialect. Its literal meaning is “choiceless1” – and not so due to external forces.