Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is filled with the mysterious term “Scadu,” appearing in names like the Scadu Atlus, Scadutree, and Scadutree Fragments. Many players, including myself, have been pronouncing “Scadu” as “skadoo.” However, it turns out this pronunciation is incorrect.
Streamer DrDeComposing, known for his unique challenge of beating Elden Ring with a saxophone, pointed out on Twitter that in Old English, the “sc” consonant pair is pronounced with a “sh” sound. This means “Scadutree” should be pronounced “Shadutree,” effectively translating to “Shadow Tree.” DrDeComposing praised FromSoftware for its attention to linguistic detail.
FromSoftware often employs archaic spellings in Elden Ring’s lore. An example is the Blackgaol Knight, where “gaol” is an early Modern English spelling of “jail.” However, “Haligtree” uses Old English, deriving from “halig” meaning “holy.” This shows FromSoftware’s dedication to embedding historical language elements in their game.
Although “Scadu” isn’t an actual Old English word, it’s likely derived from “sceadu,” which evolved into “schadowe” in Middle English and eventually “shadow” in Modern English. Despite this knowledge, many players, including myself, might still mentally pronounce “Scadu” as “skadoo,” even humorously referring to the fragments as “skadooby snacks.”
This revelation might inspire players to revisit the Scadutree Avatar boss in Shadow of the Erdtree. Understanding the linguistic roots adds another layer of depth and appreciation for FromSoftware’s world-building and attention to historical language usage.
