StarCitizen:Vanduul language
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The Vanduul language is the language used by the StarCitizen:Vanduul. Vanduul are capable of communicating verbally as well as visually through hand gestures and changing the colour of their bodies,<ref name="atv">Around the Verse - Alien LanguagesTemplate:Trx</ref> and the Vanduul script has no correspondence to the spoken Vanduul language.<ref>Template:Cite RSI</ref> The language will be fully integrated into the game - though the implications on the gameplay side are uncertain for the moment. It is developed by conlang artist StarCitizen:Britton Watkins and the StarCitizen:CIG writing team for Star Citizen and Squadron 42.
Prononciation
The Vanduul language is a complex, guttural system of communication defined by its rigorous use of pitch and sounds. For humans, mastering Vanduul requires specific vocal techniques to reproduce phonemes that do not exist in standard terrestrial languages. The following data is based on StarCitizen:UEE intelligence reports.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite RSI</ref>
Vanduul speech is highly pitch-dependent. In linguistic guides, arrows are used to indicate the specific pitch required for a syllable:
- Low Tone (↓): The voice drops to a lower pitch.
- High Tone (↑ or ²): The voice rises to a higher pitch.
- Rising Tone (↗): Start low, go slightly lower, then smoothly rise before returning to mid-range.
- Creaky Tone (↓↓): A low tone accompanied by a growl or "vocal fry".
- Even Tone: If no arrow is present, the syllable is spoken with a flat, steady voice.
Unusual Sounds
Several Vanduul sounds require distinct articulation unfamiliar to many StarCitizen:human languages:
- Cq: An emphatic "Q" or "KH" sound made near the back of the palate. It is similar to the "q" in the word queen but executed with more spirit and force.
- X: Pronounced as the "ch" sound found in the Scottish word Loch or the German words Buch and Ich.
- Iw: A blended sound that combines the "i" in pit with the "oo" of boot.
- Ew: Pronounced as the "œ" in the French word œuf.
Sound Duration
In Vanduul orthography, double letters signify that the length of the sound should be doubled:
- Double Consonants: Written as ss or ee to show extended duration.
- Double Vowels: The sound "u" (pronounced "oo" as in boot) is written as oooo when it represents a double-length sound.
Writing
The Vanduul script started out with the equivalent of three fingers or claws. They sometimes used their claws to mark whoever their victim was. Each symbol was unique and over time they accumulated into a set of symbols that could be understood by many, just as the human language evolved. With the advancement of technology, it evolved to the point where it could be used on computers and other devices.<ref name="atv"/>
Translation table
Some phrases decrypted by the UEE intelligence services.
| English Translation | Vanduul (latin alphabet) | Vanduul alphabet | Prononciation<ref name=":0" /> |
|---|---|---|---|
| I fight because I am Vanduul. | xiwo'qitllo sreew'th vwanduutlo xisset.. | Template:SClang | ch(as in loch)i(as in pit)oo↓qeh-tloh sr(with rolled r)aaw↓↓th vwahn-doooo-tloh ch(as in loch)eh-sssset |
| The dark waits. | yeshqeew'ng ruu'nza.. | Template:SClang | yehshq-eeu(as in œuf)↗ng roo↗n-zah |
| Go be victorious. | re'ssaa.. | Template:SClang | (with rolled r)r↑eh-ss-aah |
| I'm looking for my blade. | iw'dax xituu'saa.. | Template:SClang | i(as in pit)oo(as in boot)↓-dahch(as in loch) ch(as in loch)eh-toooo↓-ssah |
| I don't understand. | xu'tlung.. | Template:SClang | ch(as in loch)oo↓-tloong |
| I enjoyed your story. | tloth thyangdacqo xitiy'qon. | Template:SClang | tloath theeahng-dah-KH(emphatic)-oh ch(as in loch)eh-teet-qohn |
Orthography
Trivia
- Britton Watkins put tinfoil over a pan, making shapes of what he could scratch. He even built claws to scratch that foil to create the letters.<ref>Why Star Citizen Made Alien Languages From Scratch (Ft. Chris Harrow & Jale), Space Tomato Too, YouTube, 27 June 2022 </ref>
- A choir learned how to speak Vanduul in order to record music for some scenes.<ref>"We had to teach the choir how to speak Vanduul to record this.", @GeoffZanelli, Twitter, Oct 23, 2024</ref>
References
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