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Re: I'll cash that check, but I doubt my bank will care much. darius_sedai Send a noteboard - 01/01/2010 07:27:57 PM

But they don't give it the highly specific meaning that Fionwe proposed. Where do we hear an Aes Sedai go on about how their noble order exists to serve the pattern? Why don't any of the Forsaken mention that highly specific meaning when they mock the modern Aes Sedai?


I think they do! How many times have we heard "so called Aiel" or "what passes for AS in this era"? They don't spell it out, but they certainly imply that a modern AS is only a shadow of what they were in the AoL. And personally I think that goes well beyond just being poorly trained in the OP!

There is also meaning with them being labeled "Forsaken" (only former AS got that title). I think it's safe to infer that they have forsaken the light, or perhaps vows we don't know about from the AoL.

I disagree. She is reading the Old Tongue as a modern translator, not as a fluent speaker. I doubt Mierin ever wonders what is meant by tel'aran'rhiod.


Well that is true, but the Aiel she's talking to certainly think she's correct in her assumptions and they've all been through the columns in Rhudien so they would know.

One could view them as Servants of the Light, or the Pattern, or the Creator, but that would be unsupported by the text. We are told that Aes Sedai are "Servants of All" implying honor through public service. No one says a thing about there being any implication of serving the pattern.

As you mention, the title came from the AoL AS, and they were a different kettle of fish than the current lot. I doubt the half-trained girls who founded the tower would change the meaning of what their mentors did.


Everyone in the AoL could achieve honor through public service. That was the basis for their entire society. Seems redundant to have "Servants of All" in a society where everyone is in fact honored for serving.

IMO the only logical answer is that the literal translation of Aes Sedai is not the actual meaning of the Title assumed during the AoL and carried on into modern WT AS. I'd say the connotation is probably that the Title AS probably carries a sense of obligation to Serve or that there is a specific type of service ... seems to fit with Rand's description of what Asha'man means:

Lord of Chaos
The Black Tower

"Another word in the Old Tongue is asha’man. It means guardian, or guardians. Or defender, and maybe a couple of other things; I told you, the Old Tongue is very flexible. Guardian seems to be best, though. Not just any defender or guardian, though. You could not call a man who defended an unjust cause asha’man, and never one that was evil. An asha’man was a man who defended truth and justice and right for everyone. A guardian who would not yield even when hope was gone."

I see no reason to believe that Aes Sedai doesn't have a specific connotation attached to it.
Domani Drag Queen in the White Tower ... Aran'gar watch out!
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Re: I'll cash that check, but I doubt my bank will care much. - 01/01/2010 07:27:57 PM 638 Views
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