Annuv

An annuv was either a written symbol or a hand motion that was used among Calishites to indicate that one's proper titles had been left unwritten or unsaid for the sake of brevity.

Because the nobility of Calimshan often had a long list of titles before their names, it became a common practice for members of the same or higher class to dispense with naming the titles, instead offering proper respect by using the annuv.

The annuv was correctly performed using only the left hand. With all the fingertips together, the speaker would rotate his or her hand toward his heart. This would be performed once for every title that was being skipped. However, miscounting the number of annuvs required could result in dire consequences.

For example, in 1370 DR, Calimshan was ruled by Ralan el Pesarkhal, whose proper, full title was "Syl-Pasha of All Pashas, Syl-Sabbalad of Sabbalads, Syl-Ralbahr of el Nallojal, Syl-Qayadin of the Armies, Syl-Ynamalik of the Lands of the Three Rivers, Syl-Sultan of the Cities, and Caleph of Our People, His Majesty, Ralan el Pesarkhal." To save time, a vizar might simply say, "Syl-Pasha Ralan el Pesarkhal", while carefully making six annuvs.

In written form, there were two methods of indicating the annuv. The more formal way was to make a mark similar to a tilde, ~, for every title skipped, beginning at the baseline of the title that was not skipped and stacking them to form a "fringe" effect.

A less formal, more modern way of indicating the annuv in writing was to write "syl-" with the appropriate number of underlines before the title.