Raijin Arashi
Gold and Lightning
Now, obviously Basic is English, but I was wondering what other SW languages were comparable to RL languages.
Specifically, is Atrisian comparable to Japanese?
Specifically, is Atrisian comparable to Japanese?
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Language Comparisons...
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Selena Halcyon
Jedi Master
No.
Raijin Arashi
Gold and Lightning
[member="Selena Halcyon"]
What is?
What is?
Selena Halcyon
Jedi Master
Atrisian would not be japanese just as basic is not english. Basic is the common tongue of the galaxy. Now we can make the presupposition that basic is English because that is the language the films, however, it is faulty to assume they are the same language. We could also compare them on the merit that both are basically the trade languages of their worlds but once again, not the same language.
Think of it this way. You're reading a book set in japan written by an english author. Now the entire book is in english. All the characters when we see them speak have it written out in english. However, the characters are obviously speaking in japanese due to the fact that they are in japan, are japanese, and doing everything in japan. Unless specifically told otherwise, that is the obvious assumption to make. The same holds for galactic basic. It is its own language in its own universe. We just only know it as English.
Therefore, no, you could not say that japanese is analogous with Atrisian. Now, if for whatever reason, for RPing purposes you wanted to represent it that way. That would be your prerogative, however, they're not the same language in universe.
Think of it this way. You're reading a book set in japan written by an english author. Now the entire book is in english. All the characters when we see them speak have it written out in english. However, the characters are obviously speaking in japanese due to the fact that they are in japan, are japanese, and doing everything in japan. Unless specifically told otherwise, that is the obvious assumption to make. The same holds for galactic basic. It is its own language in its own universe. We just only know it as English.
Therefore, no, you could not say that japanese is analogous with Atrisian. Now, if for whatever reason, for RPing purposes you wanted to represent it that way. That would be your prerogative, however, they're not the same language in universe.
I could be wrong here, but no language in Star Wars (that I know of) are linguistically derived from any real-world languages.
Sadly, Star Wars is not Lord of the Rings. Whereas authors like Tolkien were actual linguists and invented entire languages based upon real life tongues like Old Norse, Old English, Finnish, Gaelic, etc., there is no equivalent in Star Wars. You could theoretically study Elvish and communicate and write fluently in it. The unfortunate truth is languages like Mando'a, Huttese, etc. are basically just gibberish.
Sadly, Star Wars is not Lord of the Rings. Whereas authors like Tolkien were actual linguists and invented entire languages based upon real life tongues like Old Norse, Old English, Finnish, Gaelic, etc., there is no equivalent in Star Wars. You could theoretically study Elvish and communicate and write fluently in it. The unfortunate truth is languages like Mando'a, Huttese, etc. are basically just gibberish.
Cobalt
And Everything is Blue, like him.
[member="Darth Immortus"]
Well, Mando'a has been made into a communicable language (probably by fans, but that's besides the point)... I simply thought that Atrisian would be close because of the names of the people wookieepedia mentions. So, basically, the answer is yes and no and I should've just gone with my gut.
Thanks, though, guys. I'm serious.
Well, Mando'a has been made into a communicable language (probably by fans, but that's besides the point)... I simply thought that Atrisian would be close because of the names of the people wookieepedia mentions. So, basically, the answer is yes and no and I should've just gone with my gut.
Thanks, though, guys. I'm serious.
[member="Cobalt"]
As far as I know Mando'a has some extent of development, but nothing like the languages of LotR. Karen Traviss was no Tolkien. Although I suppose that's an unfair comparison, as no one comes close to the Tolk in that respect.
With regard to the Atrisians, although their language might not be based upon real-life Japanese, it's clear that their culture has Asian/Japanese influences. Not to mention they are portrayed as Asian, so the connection with real-world Japan is there.
As far as I know Mando'a has some extent of development, but nothing like the languages of LotR. Karen Traviss was no Tolkien. Although I suppose that's an unfair comparison, as no one comes close to the Tolk in that respect.
With regard to the Atrisians, although their language might not be based upon real-life Japanese, it's clear that their culture has Asian/Japanese influences. Not to mention they are portrayed as Asian, so the connection with real-world Japan is there.
Kixi Rajki
Xiz'hata-zin Jhådmin
[member="Selena Halcyon"] perfectly said re basic not being English. I was about to write the same thing but saw you had already written it. 
Btw is Huttese a completed language like Klingon is in Star Trek. It's just that I see a lot of Huttese speech etc in SWTOR cutscenes.
Btw is Huttese a completed language like Klingon is in Star Trek. It's just that I see a lot of Huttese speech etc in SWTOR cutscenes.
Gavin XIII
Sour Candy Sithspawn
[member="Kixi Rajki"]
Sadly, SWTOR uses the same six or seven words of Huttese for every sentence...
Sadly, SWTOR uses the same six or seven words of Huttese for every sentence...
Kixi Rajki
Xiz'hata-zin Jhådmin
[member="Gavin XIII"] dammmmmmm. :-( I wish Huttese were complete like Klingon. Although it's not like it can be used anyway. The only Huttese I know is the curse word, "Echuta". Lol
Gavin XIII
Sour Candy Sithspawn
[member="Kixi Rajki"]
I laughed so hard when I realized that everybody speaking Huttese was cursing at me every sentence.
I laughed so hard when I realized that everybody speaking Huttese was cursing at me every sentence.
Chiasa Kritivaas
Starbird Reborn
For RP flavour you could throw some Japanese in there.
I use Kalderash when I write Ryn, since that's the culture they're based on. Is it really a Star Wars language? No, but neither is English, and we all use that, so..
[member="Darth Raijin"]
I use Kalderash when I write Ryn, since that's the culture they're based on. Is it really a Star Wars language? No, but neither is English, and we all use that, so..
[member="Darth Raijin"]
Kixi Rajki
Xiz'hata-zin Jhådmin
[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] where is Kalderash from and what language group does it belong to? I'm interested as I speak a few languages and am interested in languages and linguistics in general.
Chiasa Kritivaas
Starbird Reborn
[member="Kixi Rajki"]
Kalderash is one of the Romani languages, mostly spoken in ROmania though considering it's a 'Gypsy' language it's pretty scattered throughout.
Apparently google tells me it is one of the Vlax dialects
Kalderash is one of the Romani languages, mostly spoken in ROmania though considering it's a 'Gypsy' language it's pretty scattered throughout.
Apparently google tells me it is one of the Vlax dialects
Kixi Rajki
Xiz'hata-zin Jhådmin
[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] Romanian is supposed to be similar to Italian and Spanish, 2 languages I can speak. It also has some Slavic words I think, like Croatian which I also speak. Kalderash being Romani, how similar is it to say Italian?
Chiasa Kritivaas
Starbird Reborn
Eeeeh, I honestly do not speak anything other than English. Some terrible French and Spanish.. But not really.
Kalderash I learned enough to pepper speech for flavour, but I would not say I speak it at all.
[member="Kixi Rajki"]
I wish I was good at languages, I am not, it is probably the single greatest failure of my intellect ;p
Kalderash I learned enough to pepper speech for flavour, but I would not say I speak it at all.
[member="Kixi Rajki"]
I wish I was good at languages, I am not, it is probably the single greatest failure of my intellect ;p
Kixi Rajki
Xiz'hata-zin Jhådmin
Don't feel bad, in this day and age English is heading in the direction of becoming the world international language anyway. It will get you by almost anywhere.Chiasa Kritivaas said:
Bunker-level Normal
On the other hand, just because no one has put the time in to develop a language in the Star Wars universe, doesn't mean it can't be done. If one writer believes that the Atrisian is closely related to our real world Japanese, and writes such influences into their stories, why not?
There's no authoritative source confirming that the Atrisian language is or is not similar to Japanese in the same way that Basic is similar (in all but alphabet characters) to English.
This is exactly what we as writers should have the freedom to do. Some people may not agree, and that's their right. I'm sure not everyone agrees completely with the contents of the EU, or even the DisneyU. That's their right. But that shouldn't stop a writer from developing what they feel is appropriate.
So, [member="Darth Raijin"], go ahead and pattern Atrisian off of Japanese. I look forward to seeing what you can come up with.
There's no authoritative source confirming that the Atrisian language is or is not similar to Japanese in the same way that Basic is similar (in all but alphabet characters) to English.
This is exactly what we as writers should have the freedom to do. Some people may not agree, and that's their right. I'm sure not everyone agrees completely with the contents of the EU, or even the DisneyU. That's their right. But that shouldn't stop a writer from developing what they feel is appropriate.
So, [member="Darth Raijin"], go ahead and pattern Atrisian off of Japanese. I look forward to seeing what you can come up with.
Writer
Just so you're aware: this link and this link are to Sullustese and Nien Nunb respectively. Check the behind the scenes portions of the page.
For those who don't, it details (and sources) how the actor voicing the Sullustan character used his native language of Haya (originated from Kenya) for the alien's speech. This isn't a human race, and yet the majority of the speaking lines that we, the audience, have ever heard from someone of an alien species is quite firmly rooted in our Earthly dialect.
An interesting sidebar to this conversation.
For those who don't, it details (and sources) how the actor voicing the Sullustan character used his native language of Haya (originated from Kenya) for the alien's speech. This isn't a human race, and yet the majority of the speaking lines that we, the audience, have ever heard from someone of an alien species is quite firmly rooted in our Earthly dialect.
An interesting sidebar to this conversation.
Selena Halcyon
Jedi Master
Captain Jordan said:
You don't need a source. Just logic would dictate that the two are nothing alike. Basic is not similar to English. English is just what we read Star Wars in.