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Kote Means Disaster, Marking Kvothe's Fall from Music to Silence

well-supported symbolism · popularity 55 · 1 source thread

Despite a theory that 'kote' could mean seven, the consensus holds it means disaster, fitting Kvothe's ruin.

About: Kvothe

Also involves: Master Kilvin, The Chandrian, Wilem, Caesura, Folly, Ceald

The theory§

After the fire at the University, Kilvin speaks the Ceald phrase 'Chaen vaen edan kote,' and Kvothe attempts to translate it as 'seven years... I don't know kote.' The theory weighs whether 'kote' might mean 'seven' rather than 'disaster,' prompted partly by Chronicler's mention of a rumoured new Chandrian whose hair is red as the blood of his enemies. This is refuted on the language's own terms: because Kvothe already accounts for 'seven years' separately and explicitly does not know the word 'kote,' that final word must carry the remaining sense, 'disaster.' Ben's lesson that 'Chandrian' means 'seven of them' in Temic supplies an independent root for seven ('chan'), leaving 'kote' as disaster. The reading fits Kvothe's arc thematically: the celebrated musician Kvothe has become Kote, a man defined by ruin and by his silence, the very opposite of the music that once defined him, having traded the sword Caesura for the sword Folly.

Evidence§

  • I believe it's quite widely known theory that cealdish word kote translates into word disaster. … This comes up when master Kilvin says except disaster every seven years after the fire in the university.
    OP states the consensus reading: kote = disaster, from Kilvin's line after the fire. — u/hugi2
  • In the line that Kilvin says there is also word seven. Could kote mean seven? In the beginning of the name of the wind, chronicler says that some say that there is a new chandrian. Someone who's hair is as red as the blood of his enemies.
    CounterOP's core counter-proposal: kote might mean seven, hinting Kvothe is a new Chandrian. — u/hugi2
  • No, Kvothe knew part of the sentence meant "every seven years" but mentions he didn't know what kote meant. So it definitely means disaster.
    Top rebuttal: Kvothe already accounts for seven separately, so kote must be disaster. — u/Stenric
  • Kvothe attempts to translate, saying “seven years…I don’t know ‘kote’”. Ben tells us there are seven Chandrian because it’s in the name. Chan, seven. “Edan Kote” we know translates, at least in the full phrase, as “expect disaster”.
    Independent root for seven (chan) leaves kote as disaster. — u/WacDonald
  • Ben tells Arliden that "Chandrian" means "seven of them" in Temic (an ancient root language of Tema). The Cheald is also a northernmost territory and likely subject to similar root words. Kilvin says, "Chan Vean edan Kote." … "Seven Years expect (conditional tense? "can be expected"?) Disaster."
    Refines the linguistic case via shared Temic/Ceald roots and noun capitalization. — u/taborlyn13
  • It is generally agreed that Chaen refers to seven, as in Chandrian. So Kote is left meaning disaster. Also, it fits the story thematically. … Kvothe which may imply something like Quote or refer to his music, has now become Kote (Disaster), and Kote is defined by his Silence, the opposite of what he was previously known for (music).
    Ties the disaster reading to Kvothe's thematic fall from music to silence. — u/Katter
  • my best guess is that Kote is a disaster, but it’s a specific one. And I think it’s *sacrifice.* … In the fairytales we see how the fae are required to make a sacrifice every seven years to hell/the devil.
    Refines disaster toward a specific meaning, sacrifice, citing Tam Lin's seven-year teind. — u/ConsortByNew
  • I think Kote means "wait" or "await". But yeah, it doesn't mean "disaster".
    CounterDissenting counter offering an alternative gloss for kote. — u/Knightmareco

Book refs: NOTW, WMF

Tier reasoning§

tier confirmed: word is glossed in-text, strong textual support

Contributors§

Source threads§