A question about Ix

[ragabash]

Hey, all! I don't think I've mentioned it before, but I am finally slowly working through the Dune series for the first time. (I'm 41. Go figure.)

I'm currently in about the middle of God Emperor of Dune, and I have noticed something weird about the Ix. It says repeatedly that they don't know that IX is a reference to the fact that their home planet is ninth in the system, and their name is a debasement of the roman numeral for nine. It also states multiple times, in the voice of whatever character is noting this fact, that the Ixians seem unaware of it. Usually this is with a touch of derision.

My question is this: Since the Bene Gesserit are based on a world named Wallach IX, how did the Ix not make the connection? Is the name of the world pronounced 'Wallach nine" or "Wallach Ix"?

If the answer is a spoiler to a book I haven't read yet, kindly tell me and I'll drop the question to find out on my own. Likewise, if I've missed something glaringly obvious, please hit me with the dumbass stick.

Thanks!

[ragabash]

Ohcrap, I posted this in the Butlerian Jihad forum. Sorry. How do I move this post?

EDIT: Figured out how to move it

[SadisticCynic]

Actually, I never noticed that before! I believe Ix is pronounced as it looks, 'icks'. Whereas Wallach IX would indeed be Wallach Nine.

Perhaps the Roman Numerals in Wallach IX are just shorthand for us; they might use a different numeral system. More likely, I'd say, is that this is a slip-up on Frank's part.

[Omphalos]

The fact that the BG have a planet called Wallach IX is not generally known, so the Ixians would not look at that planet's name and wonder about it in the way you did. But it's a good point, and now I'm wondering if there are any other planets with that in the name that would make them wonder.

[JustSomeGuy]

The fact that the BG have a planet called Wallach IX is not generally known...

Thank you. I was gonna post the same thing, but I just wasn't sure. It's been a long while. If I recall correctly, it was the Honored Matres who finally discovered their secret. I'm not sure how they went about doing that, though. Anyone?

[A Thing of Eternity]

Also of note, in one of the first 3 books I'm sure it is mentioned that Ix is indeed from the Roman "nine", I can't remember if it's an Ixian who brings this up though, or maybe a BG.

[Freakzilla]

I wouldn't say it was exactly unknown.

The Duke's buyers picked Jessica up there.

[ragabash]

Also of note, in one of the first 3 books I'm sure it is mentioned that Ix is indeed from the Roman "nine", I can't remember if it's an Ixian who brings this up though, or maybe a BG.

The line I read in God Emperor was from a BG.

[Freakzilla]

Also of note, in one of the first 3 books I'm sure it is mentioned that Ix is indeed from the Roman "nine", I can't remember if it's an Ixian who brings this up though, or maybe a BG.

Leto felt that his body had become a dry shell like that abandoned by an
insect. He knew this shell: it was one with the society which had been built
upon the melange trade and its Religion of the Golden Elixir. It was emptied by
its excesses. Muad'Dib's high aims had fallen into wizardry which was enforced
by the military arm of Auqaf. Muad'Dib's religion had another name now; it was
Shien-san-Shao, an Ixian label which designated the intensity and insanity of
those who thought they could bring the universe to paradise at the point of a
crysknife. But that too would change as lx had changed. For they were merely the
ninth planet of their sun, and had even forgotten the language which had given
them their name.
~CoD

Good point brought up by Sadistic, though. If Roman is forgotten, they wouldn't know Wallach "Nine".

[Freakzilla]

Anyway, "Ixian" is used profusely so the pronunciation seems obvious to me.

[ragabash]

I recently finished GEoD, and I noticed something else along these lines.

At one point, Leto refers to the Fish Speakers as 'the whole shebang' when speaking to Moneo. Moneo didn't know the term, and Leto had to explain that it's from a dead language (i.e. colloquial English.) Moneo grasped the meaning of the pun: She Bang, referring to female warriors. He didn't need the component ideas translated. It's interesting that some conventions and tems survived to be used in Galach (I assume Leto was speaking Galach to Moneo), while some things like Roman numerals did not.

[SandChigger]

It's interesting that some conventions and tems survived to be used in Galach (I assume Leto was speaking Galach to Moneo), while some things like Roman numerals did not.

It's interesting but unfortunately rather implausible that those three words would survive in form and meaning through nearly twenty-five millennia.

(I know, "Killjoy was here!")

[lotek]

The fact that the BG have a planet called Wallach IX is not generally known...

Thank you. I was gonna post the same thing, but I just wasn't sure. It's been a long while. If I recall correctly, it was the Honored Matres who finally discovered their secret. I'm not sure how they went about doing that, though. Anyone?

Wallach was a school planet iirc and its location was not a secret(even though the BG could have arranged to do so while still giving away Jessica)

The secret planet of the BG was Chapterhouse, which they hid behind a moat of no ships doubled with prescience shielded only personnel(apart from Duncan who stayed on board of the no ship, just in case... must have been Bellonda's idea )


Concerning the link between Wallach IX and Ix, could it just be a difference in alphabet ?

As readers we'd get the babel fish version but did the Ixians write the same way as BGs ? (assuming the BG chose their planet's name)

If the words don't look the same how can you know they have the same origin(and there is pronunciation too)

[Freakzilla]

Wallach IX was the BG "Home School". I guess that means their main branch.