KKC Theory Wiki

Tehlu's Alias 'Menda' May Hint He Is Not the Benevolent God

plausible symbolism · popularity 152 · 1 source thread

Tehlu's adopted name Menda echoes Latin 'mendacium' (lie), suggesting his benevolent god story is a deception.

About: Tehlu

Also involves: Encanis, The Tehlin Church, Aleph, Skarpi, Trapis, Ambrose Jakis, Naming, The Moon

The theory§

When Tehlu walks the earth in the tale told by Trapis, he is born of Perial and called Menda before declaring himself Tehlu, lord above all. This theory observes that Menda sits close to the Latin mendacium, 'lie' (root of 'mendacious'), just as Encanis echoes canis, 'dog', and reads this as a deliberate naming clue in the manner of Ambrose Jakis as 'jackass'. The implication is that Tehlu is not the benevolent god the Tehlin church proclaims, and that the true nature of his battle with Encanis is twisted in its telling. Reinforcing the contested status of Menda, Skarpi's account makes Tehlu merely the chief of Aleph's angels rather than a god, and a doctrinal schism over Menda's role, the Mender heresies, is established canon, with Trapis a priest of the side that lost. A gentler counter-reading takes Menda not as 'liar' but as 'the one who mends', a Mender.

Evidence§

  • Rothfuss most definitely chooses the names for his characters very carefully. Ambrose is the perfect example. His second name is Jakis, which Rothfuss himself has noted is a play on the word 'Jackass' because it captures the essence of his character.
    Premise: Rothfuss embeds meaning in names, establishing the naming-clue pattern. — u/jc_hough
  • the story concerning his adventures on Earth and battle with Ecanis has Tehlu change his name to 'Menda.' I was doing some research for a book recently, and discovered the Latin word for 'lie' is 'Mendacium.'
    Core claim: Tehlu's adopted name Menda echoes Latin mendacium, 'lie'. — u/jc_hough
  • is this a nod to the theory that Tehlu ISN'T the benevolent God that everyone claims him to be? Is Menda, who is Tehlu, a lie? Twisted to hide the true meaning between their battle?
    Implication: the name signals Tehlu's benevolent story is a deception. — u/jc_hough
  • It's already been discussed that Ecanis is very close to Canis, the Latin for 'dog' - so has he chosen both names based on Latin for a specific purpose?
    Parallel: Encanis echoes Latin canis, supporting a deliberate Latin naming scheme. — u/jc_hough
  • According to Scarpi's tale, Tehlu isn't a god. He is just chief of Aleph's angels.
    Refines: Skarpi's account undercuts Tehlu's divine status, supporting the deception reading. — u/mayotte2048
  • Patt has confirmed that the Tehlu church had a split regarding the role of Menda (**Mender heresies**), Trapis was a priest on the side that lost
    Refines: canonical doctrinal schism over Menda's role; Trapis told the losing side's tale. — u/mayotte2048
  • or menda is the one who mends, mender.
    CounterCounter: gentler reading takes Menda as 'mender', not 'liar'. — u/bluepandaice
  • Didn't Pat say somewhere that none of the words were based on Latin or Greek? I can't find a source for this though.
    CounterCounter: questions the whole Latin-etymology premise the theory rests on. — u/bonzairob

Book refs: NOTW, WMF ch 142

Tier reasoning§

no change; etymology plus the canonical Mender-heresies confirmation supports plausible

Contributors§

Source threads§