6,017
edits
Covenant languages: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
Lord Susto (talk | contribs) m (→Kig-yar) |
Lord Susto (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Era|Covenant|HCW|Post}} | {{Era|Covenant|HCW|Post}} | ||
[[File:Speaking Elite.jpg|thumb|A [[Sangheili]] speaks in a language represented by Forerunner glyphs.]] | [[File:Speaking Elite.jpg|thumb|A [[Sangheili]] speaks in a language represented by Forerunner glyphs.]] | ||
{{quote|Their language doesn't translate in a literal manner, and each word has multiple meanings.|[[Cortana]]<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 156''</ref>}} | {{quote|Their language doesn't translate in a literal manner, and each word has multiple meanings.|[[Cortana]]<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 156''</ref>}} | ||
Members of the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] had their own unique languages. | Members of the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] had their own unique languages. However, the [[Sangheili]] language came to serve as the [[Wikipedia:Lingua franca|''lingua franca'']] throughout the entire Covenant Empire, and as such, many names of member species are derived from the Sangheili.<ref name="Ghost">'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'''</ref> Not all races spoke the same language due to evolutionary design restrictions; for example, the [[Yanme'e]] could only communicate through a cacophony of high-pitched clicks and screeches.<ref name="Contact">'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 311''</ref><ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''pages 148-149''</ref> To facilitate easier communications between member species, [[translation software]] is used on Covenant ships to decipher words. | ||
== Written Language == | == Written Language == | ||
| Line 29: | Line 24: | ||
{{Main|Kig-yar}} | {{Main|Kig-yar}} | ||
[[File:Speaking Jackal.jpg|thumb|A [[Kig-yar|Kig-yar]] speaks its foreign tongue.]] | [[File:Speaking Jackal.jpg|thumb|A [[Kig-yar|Kig-yar]] speaks its foreign tongue.]] | ||
Kig-yar language seems to consist of a range of hisses, growls, screeches, snarls, and squawks, though it is intelligible to other members of the Covenant.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'''</ref><ref name="H2">'''[[Halo 2]]'''</ref><ref name="H3">'''[[Halo 3]]'''</ref><ref name="Contact">'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'''</ref> It is likely that they speak the Sangheili language | Kig-yar language seems to consist of a range of hisses, growls, screeches, snarls, and squawks, though it is intelligible to other members of the Covenant.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'''</ref><ref name="H2">'''[[Halo 2]]'''</ref><ref name="H3">'''[[Halo 3]]'''</ref><ref name="Contact">'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'''</ref> In addition, Kig-Yar are also capable of speaking the human [[English|English language]] in a rasped manner.<ref>'''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''', ''page 156-157''</ref> It is likely that they can speak the Sangheili language but simply withhold due to strain caused by the distortion of their birdlike bodies. | ||
:'''[[Irukan]]''' - The name of a type of grain.<ref name="Thursday War">'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]'''</ref> | :'''[[Irukan]]''' - The name of a type of grain.<ref name="Thursday War">'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]'''</ref> | ||
| Line 55: | Line 50: | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{Main|Sangheili}} | {{Main|Sangheili}} | ||
Though originating with the Sangheili, their language has come to be the Covenant | Though originating with the Sangheili, their language has come to be the Covenant ''lingua franca'', used to connect the different races and species. It is seemingly based upon the Forerunner language<ref name="Ghost"/>, likely pieced together from fragments recovered on Forerunner relics. | ||
A few words, and their meanings, are known: | A few words, and their meanings, are known: | ||
| Line 80: | Line 75: | ||
{{Main|San 'Shyuum}} | {{Main|San 'Shyuum}} | ||
Based on religious sermons by the [[Prophet of Regret]] on [[Delta Halo (level)|Delta Halo]], the native Prophet language is similar to Medieval Gregorian-style chanting.<ref name="H2"/> Whether this is spoken by all San 'Shyuum, or if it is a special dialect for religious purposes is unknown. | Based on religious sermons by the [[Prophet of Regret]] on [[Delta Halo (level)|Delta Halo]], the native Prophet language is similar to Medieval Gregorian-style chanting.<ref name="H2"/> Whether this is spoken by all San 'Shyuum, or if it is a special dialect for religious purposes is unknown. | ||
==Production Notes== | |||
The languages in their original form are heard in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. In ''[[Halo 2]]'', their words are translated for the convenience of the player. Elites in ''Halo: CE'' spoke a deep, warbling tongue. This was achieved by reversing the voice acting of [[David Scully]]. The ever popular "Wort, wort, wort!" shouted by many Elites during gameplay is actually "Go, go, go!" reversed and sped up.<ref name="gogogo">[http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive5.pl?read=105659 EliteSpeak]</ref> The hissing-like language of the Jackals is actually the English language reversed. This, and the other Covenant languages ([[Yanme'e|Drones]], [[Mgalekgolo|Hunters]]), have remained the same since ''Halo 2''. | |||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||