[Crackpot Theory] Source of the Word "Nahel"

[Confused]

I’ve wondered about the in-world source of the word “Nahel.” We know that Adonalsium had invested on Roshar. Could the word "Nahel" be a corruption of the name “Adonalsium” – “Nahel” from “nalsium”? There is some assonance there, the vowels and stress sort of sounding alike. If the Nahel bond was intended to mimic “the bonds that drive Roshar itself” (according to the Chapter 35 epigraph), and Adonalsium put at least some of those bonds in place, then maybe...? Not asserting this, though; just another crackpot theory.

[RShara]

I was thinking it came from the same root as Nohadon.

[GreyPilgrim]

Yeah... I think your label of crackpot theory is probably accurate. 

 

I was thinking it came from the same root as Nohadon.

 

Cool idea. That makes me wonder, if so, what does this root mean? We also known that the name Nahel bond preceded Nohadon, so they may not be closely related, but cool idea. This sounds like a good one to add to the Ultimate List.

[Fifth of Daybreak]

I find it interesting that it contains 'h,' the symmetrical cheat letter, but isn't symmetrical otherwise. Here are the quotes about the bond from both books. 

Wok Chapter 60:

 

"Our own natures destory us," the regal man said, voice soft, though his face was angry, "Alakavish was a Surgebinder. He should have known better. Andyet, the Nahel bond gave him no more wisdom than a regular man. Alas, not all spren are as discerning as honorspren."

And again later in the chapter a few pages.

 

Their power...well. Alakavish proves the allure that Surgebinders have for the common people. If only there were a way to encourage them..." The man stopped turning to Dalinar. "They need to be better, ol friend. We all do. The responsibility of what we've been given--whether it be the crown of the Nahel bond--needs to make us better."

 

From what is listed in Words of Radiance, I was assuming that Nahel had another definition previously, and had been adapted to be used to describe surgebinders. 

 

WoR: Chapter 35. 

 

They also, when they had settled their rulings in the nature of each bond's placement, called the name of it the Nahel bond, with regard to its effect upon the sould of those caught in its grip; in this description, weach was related to the bonds that drive Roshar itself, ten Surges, named in turn and two fro each order; in this light, it can be seen that each order would by necessity share one Surge with each of its neighbors.

--From Wrods of Radiance, Chapter 8, page 6

 

It's interesting to me that 'Nahel' is capitalized, and 'bond' is not. That seems to indicate that 'Nahel' is a proper noun, but 'Nahel bond' is not. Is it possible that it was based on another name, but not Nahadon, as you suggest RShara. I hadn't thought to equate it to a name, but now that you mention it, that makes sense with the quote. Nahel could be someone who pioneered the bond but suffered because of it? Or maybe someone who had some sort of damage done to his soul?  

 

WoR Chapter 76

 

One danger in deploying such a potent weapon will be the potential encouragement of those exploring the Nahel bond. Care must be taken to avoid placing these subjects in situations of powerful stress unless you accept the consequences of their potential Investiture.

--From the Diagram, 

Floorboard 27: paragraph 6

 

Not much information in this one about the origins of the bond, but again, only 'Nahel' is capitalized. Also, it notes that it takes powerful stress to cause more investiture to happen, which we saw both with Shallan, and Kaladin, possibly even with Jasnah manifesting her blade is her vacation to the cognitive realm. We know they had to be broken for the bond to start to happen, but do they have to break more and more for the bond to continue to grow? That seems like it would equate to Mistborn needing to snap for every metal grouping.

[PorridgeBrick]

I think it's more that times of stress are more likely to push them into speaking their Oaths. Remember, Dalinar spoke the 1st and 2nd Ideals right in a row to the Stormfather. If each Oath required stress, something stressful would have had to happen in between, but nothing did.

[WeiryWriter]

I think it is important to note that Nahel uses a special suffix in its construction, the same suffix is used in Zahel.  The use of suffixes is one of the two main naming conventions Brandon used (the other is symetricality), a good example of the suffixes in use is in Kaladin's name.  It is based on the name of the herald Kalak with an added suffix Kalak+din=Kaladin.