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{{disambig3|Languages}}
{{merge|Alphabet|Extremely similar information, and both pages lack important information that is featured on the other page.}}
It should be little surprise, given a moment's thought, that distinct '''Cybertronian languages''' exist. The [[Transformer]]s did not go about speaking English or any other known [[Earth]] language long ages ago on their [[Cybertron (planet)|distant metal world]]. Though the records of such conversations are frequently translated for us, we should not forget that these conversations originally flowed in odd electronic syllables past strange metallic lips, or were etched by alien hands long eons before the first humans painted muddy shapes upon dark cave stone.
It should be little surprise, given a moment's thought, that distinct '''Cybertronian languages''' exist. The [[Transformer]]s did not go about speaking English or any other known [[Earth]] language long ages ago on their [[Cybertron (planet)|distant metal world]]. Though the records of such conversations are frequently translated for us, we should not forget that these conversations originally flowed in odd electronic syllables past strange metallic lips, or were etched by alien hands long eons before the first humans painted muddy shapes upon dark cave stone.  
 
==Real-life alphabets==
Over the years, multiple substituion cypher alphabets have been created by fans and professionals to represent the languages of Cybertron, often used to hide coded messages in media. These "languages" include:
[[File:Autobot Translations.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|Ancient Autobot]]
*'''Ancient Autobot'''
:Created by [[Jim Sorenson]] in the 1990s, based on symbols seen in the ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]]'' episode "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]." This font has seen particularly common use in official media, including in the ''[[AllSpark Wars]]'' game, in Sorenson's own ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac|AllSpark Almanac]]'' series of books, on Banzai-Tron's ''Timelines'' toy, in [[Burger King]]'s [[Transform Your Way]] promotion, as a part of the ''[[Around Cybertron]]'' news broadcast, on the cover to [[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|''All Hail Megatron'' volume 3]], in ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'', on [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]'s HUD in ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'', both the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005]] and [[2019 IDW continuity|2019]] IDW comic universes, and extensively in the ''[[War for Cybertron Trilogy (franchise)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]''. The [[Royal Mail]] Prestige Stamp Book gives the in-universe name of this alphabet as '''Cybertronica Sorensa''', after its creator.
{{-}}
[[File:Decepticon Translations.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|Decepticon Graffiti]]
*'''Decepticon Graffiti'''
:Also created by Jim Sorenson in the '90s, based on the Cybertronian language graffitied on Earth landmarks by the [[Battlecharger]]s in [[Decepticon Graffiti!|issue #23]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 Marvel comic]]. This font was also used in the ''AllSpark Wars'' game, and in the [[Revenge of the Fallen (video games)|''Revenge of the Fallen'' video game]].
{{-}}
[[File:Maximal Language.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|Maximal Cybertronix]]
*'''Maximal Cybertronix'''
:Created by [[Mainframe Entertainment]] and used in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' cartoons for [[Maximal]] computer readouts. As well as in ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]'' on the [[Transwarp Key]], [[Airazor (ROTB)|Airazor]] and being the language [[Elena Wallace]] deciphers through the movie.
{{-}}
[[File:Predacon Language.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|Predacon Cybertronix]]
*'''Predacon Cybertronix'''
:Also created by Mainframe for the ''Beast'' cartoons, for [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] computer readouts.
{{-}}
[[File:Aligned font.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|High Moon font]]
*'''High Moon Studios font'''
:Created by [[High Moon Studios]] for the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' video game—and further developed by [[Jared Adkins]] to also include typography for the Decepticons throughout the sequel, ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)|Fall of Cybertron]]''—these glyphs are based on the "Ancient Autobot" symbols from "Cosmic Rust." The typeface appears—stylized in three different ways—in assorted places throughout the game series. Concept art released by Jared Adkins identified the typeface collectively as "[[Teletraan-1_(WFC)|Teletran 1]] (sic) digital glyphs" while fonts embeded in the promotional website for ''[[Transformers: Devastation|Transformers: Devastation]]'' video game identified two of these typefaces as "Cybertron Glyphs Ancient" and "Cybertron Glyphs Regular". The typeface has been further featured in the [[The Art of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|''Fall of Cybertron'']] art book, [[Transformers:_Rescue_Bots_(cartoon)|''Transformers: Rescue Bots'']], the afterword of [[Transformers:_The_Covenant_of_Primus|''The Covenant of Primus'']], [[Transformers:_Rise_of_the_Dark_Spark_(console)|''Rise of the Dark Spark'']] video game, and on the [[Torchbearer]] toys.
{{-}}
 
[[File:Ben Procter symbols.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|Ben Procter alphabet]]
*'''Ben Procter alphabet'''
:Designer [[Ben Procter]] designed an alphabet, used throughout ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen_(film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', "[[tattoo|tattooed]]" on the Autobots themselves, and during ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'' on the [[Staff of Merlin]] and numerous other props. The glyphs appear to have been slightly revised for their inclusion in ''The Last Knight''. These glypyhs have been referred to by Ben Procter as both an "alphabet" but also as "[[Tattoo|tribal tattoos]]". Their use on the AllSpark and in later films on artifacts such as the [[Staff of Merlin]] establish them as a written language. [[Paddy Kempshall]]'s ''[[Transformers Dark of the Moon Annual 2012]]'s'' "Code Breaker" section included an inaccurate expanded selection of glyphs that appear to have been entirely made-up just for this publication, as the majority of the glyphs provided therein do not match the remaining glyphs appearing in any of the films.
{{-}}


==Fiction==
==Fiction==
===Generation One===
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel Generation 1 comics====
[[File:Marvel Issue 23 Page 09 Graffiti.jpg|thumb|upright=0.55|"I logged on to your mom."]]  
[[Image:Marvel Issue 23 Page 09 Graffiti.jpg|right|100px|thumb|"I logged on to your mom."]]  
[[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] made the statement that his real name was unpronounceable in English. {{storylink|Man of Iron (issue)|Man of Iron}}
[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] made the statement that his real name was unpronounceable in English. {{storylink|Man of Iron!}}
 
[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] sprayed Cybertronian graffiti across Earth monuments. They were taken aback to realize that the earthlings couldn't comprehend their alien language wit. {{storylink|Decepticon Graffiti!}}
{{-}}
 
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[File:Quintesson Writing.jpg|left|upright=0.9|thumb|So it's true. The Pyramids were built by aliens.]]
The first language used by the Transformers was likely the '''Quintesson language''' inherited from their former masters. It can be seen upon the walls of the [[Quintesson]] dimensional transporter room. It rather resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}
 
[[File:AncientAuto.gif|upright=1.1|thumb|Ancient Autobot, on the other hand, eschewed pictures of birdies.]]
'''Ancient Autobot''' was the language used by the ancient Autobot colonists that fled Cybertron in the distant past. Most modern Transformers (or at least the [[Decepticon]]s) could not read it. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}
 
The controls of the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]] were labeled in '''[[Ancient Cybertronian]]''', which [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] did not recognize but [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] was able to read. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}


[[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and [[Runabout]] sprayed Cybertronian graffiti across Earth monuments.  They were taken aback to realize that the earthlings couldn't comprehend their alien language wit.  {{storylink|Decepticon Graffiti!}}
In contrast, the language used by the [[Autobot]]s when they first awoke in 1984 was easily learned. Spike Witwicky learned to read '''Modern Autobot''' after only knowing the Transformers for a single day. (Autobots and humans could also converse freely on their first encounter, though the hows and whys aren't addressed onscreen.) {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}}
{{--}}
====Generation 1 cartoon====
[[Image:Quintesson Writing.jpg|left|160px|thumb|So it's true. The Pyramids were built by aliens.]]
The first language used by the Transformers was likely the '''Quintesson language''' inherited from their former masters. It can be seen upon the walls of the [[Quintesson]] dimensional transporter room. It rather resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs.  {{storylink|Madman's Paradise}}


[[Image:AncientAuto.gif|right|200px|thumb|Ancient Autobot, on the other hand, eschewed pictures of birdies.]]  
{{Note|However in the episode "[[The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon]]", Beachcomber uses a built-in translation program in an attempt to translate bird song, without much success. Presumably, all Transformers possess this translation program and not just Beachcomber. It's possible that when [[Teletraan I]] was first reactivated and went about scanning earth "life forms" that it also scanned and translated earth languages. It could have also downloaded it into each Transformer as it repaired them, explaining why both the Autobots and Decepticons could speak English right off the bat.}}
'''Ancient Autobot''' was the language used by the ancient Autobot colonists that fled Cybertron in the distant past. Most modern Transformers (or at least the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]]) could not read it. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}


The controls of the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]] were labeled in '''Ancient Cybertronian''', which [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] did not recognize but [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] was able to read.  {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}
===Beast Era===
:''See [[Cybertronix]], [[Vok#Symbols|Vok symbols]]''


In contrast, the language used by the [[Autobot|Autobots]] when they first awoke in 1984 was easily learned. Spike Witwicky learned to read '''Modern Autobot''' after only knowing the Transformers for a single day. (Autobots and humans could also converse freely on their first encounter, though the hows and whys aren't addressed onscreen.) {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}}
===2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
{{--}}
[[File:SecretoftheRuins headsup display.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
However in the episode "[[The Golden Lagoon]]", Beachcomber uses a built-in translation program in an attempt to translate bird song, without much success. Presumably, all Transformers possess this translation program and not just Beachcomber. It's possible that when [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] was first reactivated and went about scanning earth "life forms" that it also scanned and translated earth languages. It could have also downloaded it into each Transformer as it repaired them, explaining why both the Autobots and Decepticons could speak English right off the bat.
While many of the Autobots' readouts used a code utilizing the Latin alphabet, their heads-up displays also included text in Cybertronian script.
{{-}}


====IDW Comics====
===''Cybertron'' cartoon===
Cliffjumper is able to speak an alien language moments after landing on the planet.  He can't explain how it works, it just does. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}}
[[File:Cybertron atlantis glyphs.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Wait, is that an alarm clock?]]
Writing was displayed on a viewscreen of the starship ''[[Atlantis]]''. {{storylink|Ship}}
{{-}}


Alien writing is displayed on a computer screen that Wheeljack is working on. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}
===2005 IDW continuity===
:''See [[Ancient Cybertronian]], [[Chirolinguistics]]''


====Beast Era====
Cybertronian language changed over time, from [[Ancient Cybertronian|Old Cybertronian]] to '''Neocybex''' in modern times.
{{Main|Cybertronix}}


''See also [[Vok#Symbols|Vok symbols]].''
When it came to alien languages, Cybertronians could speak and understand them moments after landing on the planet. Cliffjumper couldn't explain how it worked; it just did. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}}


===Robots in Disguise cartoon===
Alien writing was displayed on a computer screen that Wheeljack was working on. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}
[[Image:SecretoftheRuins headsup display.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
 
While many of the Autobots' readouts used a code utilizing the Latin alphabet, their heads-up displays also included text in Cybertronian script.
===''Animated'' continuity family===
{{--}}
====''Animated'' cartoon====
[[File:Bulkhead's postit notes.jpg|thumb|200 px| right|"Do not touch Bulkhead." Good advice.]]
There was writing outside of [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]]'s quarters on the [[Sigma Supreme|Elite Guard flagship]]. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}}
 
Later, [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] left yellow PostIt-style notes on his [[space bridge]] controls. [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] had a hard time deciphering them, as Bulkhead's servos were not designed for "penbotship". {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}
 
====The AllSpark Almanacs====
Archaic languages on Cybertron included [[Old Malignus]] and [[Destron (language)|Destron]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}
 
====''The Arrival''====
[[File:The Nemesis with writing from The Arrival 1.jpg|thumb|200 px|[[Star_Wars_(franchise)|''"Do you speak Huttese?"'']]|left]]
As [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] and the [[Elite Guard]] reviewed what they knew about the first battle between [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], an image of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Nemesis]] appeared on a screen with labels in a written language. {{storylink|Dispatches}}
{{-}}
 
===Live-action film series===
''See [[Cyberglyphics]]''
[[File:Agoraptor post.jpg|thumb|Agoraptor post]]


===Unicron Trilogy===
====''Ghosts of Yesterday''====
[[Image:Cybertron atlantis glyphs.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
As they fled from the ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'', the crew members of the vessel ''[[Ghost 1]]'' were able to pick up the transmissions from the Autobots. They thought that one might be able to make out words from the spoken language of the Autobots if they had a degree in theoretical physics...and were tripping on bad acid. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}
Writing is displayed on a viewscreen of the starship [[Atlantis]].  {{storylink|Ship}}
{{--}}
===Transformers Animated===
====Animated Cartoon====
[[Image:Bulkhead's postit notes.jpg|thumb|200 px| right|]]
There is writing outside of [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]]'s quarters on the [[Steelhaven (Animated)|Elite Guard flagship]]. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}}


Later, [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] leaves yellow PostIt-style notes on his [[space bridge]] controls. [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] has a hard time deciphering them, as Bulkhead's servos are not designed for "penbotship". {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}
====''Transformers'' film====
The Decepticons communicated with each other in a spoken language, which to human ears sounded like a collection of vowel-intensive electronic noises and rumbles. They had also learned enough English to communicate with the humans when necessary. Angular symbols, that differed from Cyberglyphics but were present on both [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and the [[AllSpark]], convinced [[Sector Seven]] that there was some relationship between the two. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}


====The Arrival====
====''The AllSpark Wars''====
[[Image:The_Nemesis_with_writing_from_The_Arrival_1.jpg|thumb|200 px| left|]]
[[Agoraptor]] and [[Agoracer]] each communicated in a kind of code, based on Cybertronian lettering. {{storylink|AllSpark Wars}}
As [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] and the [[Cybertron Elite Guard | Elite Guard]] review what they know about the first battle between [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], an image of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Nemesis]] appears on a screen with labels in a written language. {{storylink|Dispatches}} This language is different from instances of writing used in the show.
{{--}}
===Live-action ''Transformers'' movies===
''See also [[Cyberglyphics]]
[[Image:Agoraptor post.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Agoraptor post]]
====''Ghosts of Yesterday'' prequel novel====
As they fled from the ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'', the crew members of the vessel ''[[Ghost 1]]'' were able to pick up the transmissions from the Autobots. They thought that one might be able to make out words from the spoken language of the Autobots if they had a degree in theoretical physics...and were tripping on bad acid. {{storylink|Ghosts of Yesterday}}


====Transformers (2007 film)====
====''Dark of the Moon'' video game====
The Decepticons communicate with each other in a spoken language, which to human ears sounds like a collection of vowel-intensive electronic noises and rumbles. They have also learned enough English to communicate with the humans when necessary. [[Cyberglyphics]] convince [[Sector Seven]] that there is some relationship between [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and the [[AllSpark (Movie)|AllSpark]].{{storylink|Transformers (2007)}}
[[Dino|Mirage]] encountered a Mayan temple that was built on top of an ancient Decepticon base. After entering the structure, he noted that the walls were covered in ancient Decepticon Hieroglyphs.
{{-}}


====The AllSpark Wars====
===''Shattered Glass''===
[[Agoraptor]] and [[Agoracer]] each communicate in a kind of code, based on Cybertronian lettering.{{storylink|AllSpark Wars}}
The [[Around Cybertron]] news program featured both advertisements and a news scroll at the bottom of the screen written in Autobot text. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 28|Hasbro Transformers Collectors Club #28}}


===Shattered Glass===
An [[Autobot#Shattered Glass|Autobot]] [[stellar spanner]] was marked CWP274 in Autobot characters.  
The [[Around Cybertron]] news program features both advertisements and a news scroll at the bottom of the screen written in Autobot text. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 28}}


An [[Autobot#Shattered_Glass|Autobot]] [[Stellar Spanner|stellar spanner]] is marked CWP274 in Autobot characters.
Elsewhere, a box in the [[Decepticon#Shattered Glass|Decepticon]] Base was marked 'fragile' in Decepticon characters. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}
{{-}}


Elsewhere, a box in the [[Decepticon#Shattered_Glass|Decepticon]] Base is marked 'fragile' in Decepticon characters.{{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}
===Aligned continuity family===
[[File:TransformersFOC_FontGlyphs.jpg|thumb|200 px|[[Star_Wars_(franchise)|''"Now there are two of them!"'']]|left]]
====''War for Cybertron'' video game====
On many computers, consoles, and screens on Cybertron, digital Cybertronian glyphs could be seen. When a directive was shown to a Transformer, symbols flashed on their heads up display. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron}}


{{--}}
====''Fall of Cybertron'' video game====
The Autobots appear to have adopted a modernised form of ancient Cybertronian glyphs while the Decepticons utilise their own digital glyph communication.


==Toys==
====''Prime'' cartoon====
[[Image:Wings of Honor Banzai-Tron motto.jpg|thumb|200 px|right|]]
When [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]'s mind started to be assimilated by information ejected from a data cylinder, his mind went to science and formulas. He began to eccentrically paint Cybertronian symbols on chalkboards and walls, using a broom like a paintbrush. {{storylink|T.M.I.}}
===Universe 2008 "Classic Series"===
The packaging art for many of the "Classic Series" toys in the [[Universe (2008 franchise)|2008 ''Universe'' line]] features movie-like "tribal markings" on the characters, going along with the more movie-like renditions of the characters.


More directly, the [[Legends Class|Legends-class]] [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] toy has his name written on his vehicle mode in Cybertronian lettering.
====2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon====


===Timelines===
===''Devastation'' video game===
[[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron]] features his original [[Tech Spec]] motto, "To the victor go the profits," in Autobot text along the side of his vehicle mode.
[[File:Devastation-SecretMessage.jpg|thumb|250px|This may look impressive, but it's just telling him he's the 1,000,000th visitor to this site.]][[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] intercepted a message being transmitted in digital glyphs from the [[Proudstar|tower]] that emerged from the ground. {{storylink|Transformers: Devastation}}
{{-}}


==Notes==
==Toys==
*"[[...For All Mankind]]" uses the ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' ''Aurebesh'' script to represent Cybertronian writing. {{Wookiee|Aurebesh}}
===''Universe'' (2008)===
*''Series:'' Classic Series
 
:The packaging art for many of the "Classic Series" toys in the [[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|2008 ''Universe'' toyline]] features movie-like "tribal markings" on the characters, going along with the more movie-like renditions of the characters.


* The lettering used by Agoracer in the AllSpark Wars is taken from the "Ancient Autobot" font created by [[Jim Sorenson]] in the late '90s. This font was loosely based on the writing in "Cosmic Rust". The AllSpark Wars, as the first official usage of the font, [[retcon]]ned a canonical order to the language.
:More directly, the [[Legends Class (2005)|Legends-class]] [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] toy has his name written on his vehicle mode in Cybertronian lettering.


* Likewise, the lettering used by Agoraptor used Sorenson's Decepticon Graffiti font, based on the writing from Decepticon Graffiti!.
===''Timelines''===
[[File:Wings of Honor Banzai-Tron motto.jpg|thumb|200px]]
:[[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron]] features his original [[Tech Spec]] motto, "To the victor go the profits," in Autobot text along the side of his vehicle mode.


* The Ancient Autobot font has since shown up on Banzai-Tron's Timelines toy, on [[Burger King]]'s [[Transform Your Way]] promotion, as a part of the [[Around Cybertron]] news broadcast, and on the cover to [[All Hail Megatron|"All Hail Megatron" volume 3]].
===''Kre-O''===
:The [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)#OrionPax|Orion Pax]] Kreon that comes with the ''[[Transformers: Kre-O Character Encyclopedia]]'' has a clear 1x2 plate accessory with "KREO" in Autobot text.


* The Decepticon Graffiti font has since been used as a part of the [[Revenge of the Fallen (video games)|''Revenge of the Fallen'' video game]].
===''Generations''===
:The packaging for ''[[War_for_Cybertron:_Earthrise|Earthrise]]'' toys has "War for Cybertron" written on it in Jim Sorenson's Ancient Autobot script, and the pack-in map pieces also contain writing in this script.


[[Image:Autobot Translations.jpg|left|350px|thumb|Autobot Characters]]
===''Collaborative''===
:''[[Transformers Collaborative|Collaborative]]'' [[Maverick (Collaborative)|Maverick's]] instructions have a hidden message which is also written in Jim Sorenson's Ancient Autobot that translates to "Let's Turn and Burn", which is a quote from the original ''Top Gun'' film as well as being one of the tag lines for ''{{w|Top Gun: Maverick}}.''


[[Image:Decepticon Translations.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Decepticon Characters]]
===''Combiner Wars''===
[[Victorion]] had Cybertronian glyph passages, using the High Moon Studios/War for Cybertron font, [[Tampograph|tampographed]] onto her individual components. Her individual components—see parenthesis—when read together, form the prophetic warning heard in "Cosmic Rust": "([[Pyra Magna (G1)|Pyra Magna]]) If Cybertron be your home / ([[Rust Dust]]) Far away, never roam / ([[Skyburst (G1)|Skyburst]]) Hear my message, listen and fear / ([[Stormclash]]) Danger comes, the end is near / ([[Dust Up]]) Just like us, you soon will rust / ([[Jumpstream]]) All shall be turned to dust."
{{-}}


{{--}}
==Notes==
*"[[...For All Mankind]]" uses the ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' [[wikia:starwars:Aurebesh|Aurebesh]] script to represent Cybertronian writing.
*Might we just kindly point out that this is not how foreign languages actually work in real life.


==Files==
==Files==
* [[:Image:Autobot Characters.TTF| Autobot Writing True Type Font]]
*[[:File:Autobot Characters.TTF|Autobot Writing True Type Font]]
* [[:Image:Decepticon Writing.TTF| Decepticon Writing True Type Font]]
*[[:File:Decepticon Writing.TTF|Decepticon Writing True Type Font]]


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Cybertronix]]
*[[Alphabet]]
*[[Cyberglyphics]]
*[[Languages (disambiguation)|Other languages]]
*[[Languages (disambiguation)| Other languages]]
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}


[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Languages]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]
[[Category:Transformer culture]]
[[Category:Transformer culture]]

Latest revision as of 13:20, 25 February 2026

Fuuuuuu-sion HA!
Fuuuuuu-sion HA!
It's time to double up!

It has been suggested this article should be merged with Alphabet.
If you disagree, please discuss why on its talk page.

Extremely similar information, and both pages lack important information that is featured on the other page.

It should be little surprise, given a moment's thought, that distinct Cybertronian languages exist. The Transformers did not go about speaking English or any other known Earth language long ages ago on their distant metal world. Though the records of such conversations are frequently translated for us, we should not forget that these conversations originally flowed in odd electronic syllables past strange metallic lips, or were etched by alien hands long eons before the first humans painted muddy shapes upon dark cave stone.

Real-life alphabets

[edit]

Over the years, multiple substituion cypher alphabets have been created by fans and professionals to represent the languages of Cybertron, often used to hide coded messages in media. These "languages" include:

Ancient Autobot
  • Ancient Autobot
Created by Jim Sorenson in the 1990s, based on symbols seen in the The Transformers episode "Cosmic Rust." This font has seen particularly common use in official media, including in the AllSpark Wars game, in Sorenson's own AllSpark Almanac series of books, on Banzai-Tron's Timelines toy, in Burger King's Transform Your Way promotion, as a part of the Around Cybertron news broadcast, on the cover to All Hail Megatron volume 3, in Rescue Bots, on Lockdown's HUD in Age of Extinction, both the 2005 and 2019 IDW comic universes, and extensively in the War for Cybertron Trilogy. The Royal Mail Prestige Stamp Book gives the in-universe name of this alphabet as Cybertronica Sorensa, after its creator.


Decepticon Graffiti
  • Decepticon Graffiti
Also created by Jim Sorenson in the '90s, based on the Cybertronian language graffitied on Earth landmarks by the Battlechargers in issue #23 of the Generation 1 Marvel comic. This font was also used in the AllSpark Wars game, and in the Revenge of the Fallen video game.


Maximal Cybertronix
  • Maximal Cybertronix
Created by Mainframe Entertainment and used in the Beast Wars and Beast Machines cartoons for Maximal computer readouts. As well as in Rise of the Beasts on the Transwarp Key, Airazor and being the language Elena Wallace deciphers through the movie.


Predacon Cybertronix
  • Predacon Cybertronix
Also created by Mainframe for the Beast cartoons, for Predacon computer readouts.


High Moon font
  • High Moon Studios font
Created by High Moon Studios for the War for Cybertron video game—and further developed by Jared Adkins to also include typography for the Decepticons throughout the sequel, Fall of Cybertron—these glyphs are based on the "Ancient Autobot" symbols from "Cosmic Rust." The typeface appears—stylized in three different ways—in assorted places throughout the game series. Concept art released by Jared Adkins identified the typeface collectively as "Teletran 1 (sic) digital glyphs" while fonts embeded in the promotional website for Transformers: Devastation video game identified two of these typefaces as "Cybertron Glyphs Ancient" and "Cybertron Glyphs Regular". The typeface has been further featured in the Fall of Cybertron art book, Transformers: Rescue Bots, the afterword of The Covenant of Primus, Rise of the Dark Spark video game, and on the Torchbearer toys.


Ben Procter alphabet
  • Ben Procter alphabet
Designer Ben Procter designed an alphabet, used throughout Transformers and Revenge of the Fallen, "tattooed" on the Autobots themselves, and during The Last Knight on the Staff of Merlin and numerous other props. The glyphs appear to have been slightly revised for their inclusion in The Last Knight. These glypyhs have been referred to by Ben Procter as both an "alphabet" but also as "tribal tattoos". Their use on the AllSpark and in later films on artifacts such as the Staff of Merlin establish them as a written language. Paddy Kempshall's Transformers Dark of the Moon Annual 2012's "Code Breaker" section included an inaccurate expanded selection of glyphs that appear to have been entirely made-up just for this publication, as the majority of the glyphs provided therein do not match the remaining glyphs appearing in any of the films.


Fiction

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Marvel Comics continuity

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"I logged on to your mom."

Jazz made the statement that his real name was unpronounceable in English. Man of Iron

Runamuck and Runabout sprayed Cybertronian graffiti across Earth monuments. They were taken aback to realize that the earthlings couldn't comprehend their alien language wit. Decepticon Graffiti!

The Transformers cartoon

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So it's true. The Pyramids were built by aliens.

The first language used by the Transformers was likely the Quintesson language inherited from their former masters. It can be seen upon the walls of the Quintesson dimensional transporter room. It rather resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs. Madman's Paradise

Ancient Autobot, on the other hand, eschewed pictures of birdies.

Ancient Autobot was the language used by the ancient Autobot colonists that fled Cybertron in the distant past. Most modern Transformers (or at least the Decepticons) could not read it. Cosmic Rust

The controls of the Plasma Energy Chamber were labeled in Ancient Cybertronian, which Spike Witwicky did not recognize but Cerebros was able to read. The Rebirth, Part 1

In contrast, the language used by the Autobots when they first awoke in 1984 was easily learned. Spike Witwicky learned to read Modern Autobot after only knowing the Transformers for a single day. (Autobots and humans could also converse freely on their first encounter, though the hows and whys aren't addressed onscreen.) More than Meets the Eye, Part 2

However in the episode "The Golden Lagoon", Beachcomber uses a built-in translation program in an attempt to translate bird song, without much success. Presumably, all Transformers possess this translation program and not just Beachcomber. It's possible that when Teletraan I was first reactivated and went about scanning earth "life forms" that it also scanned and translated earth languages. It could have also downloaded it into each Transformer as it repaired them, explaining why both the Autobots and Decepticons could speak English right off the bat.

Beast Era

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See Cybertronix, Vok symbols

2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon

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While many of the Autobots' readouts used a code utilizing the Latin alphabet, their heads-up displays also included text in Cybertronian script.

Cybertron cartoon

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Wait, is that an alarm clock?

Writing was displayed on a viewscreen of the starship Atlantis. Ship

2005 IDW continuity

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See Ancient Cybertronian, Chirolinguistics

Cybertronian language changed over time, from Old Cybertronian to Neocybex in modern times.

When it came to alien languages, Cybertronians could speak and understand them moments after landing on the planet. Cliffjumper couldn't explain how it worked; it just did. Spotlight: Cliffjumper

Alien writing was displayed on a computer screen that Wheeljack was working on. ...For All Mankind

Animated continuity family

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Animated cartoon

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"Do not touch Bulkhead." Good advice.

There was writing outside of Jazz's quarters on the Elite Guard flagship. Five Servos of Doom

Later, Bulkhead left yellow PostIt-style notes on his space bridge controls. Ratchet had a hard time deciphering them, as Bulkhead's servos were not designed for "penbotship". This Is Why I Hate Machines

The AllSpark Almanacs

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Archaic languages on Cybertron included Old Malignus and Destron. The AllSpark Almanac II

The Arrival

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"Do you speak Huttese?"

As Ultra Magnus and the Elite Guard reviewed what they knew about the first battle between Optimus and Megatron, an image of the Nemesis appeared on a screen with labels in a written language. Dispatches

Live-action film series

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See Cyberglyphics

Agoraptor post

Ghosts of Yesterday

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As they fled from the Ark, the crew members of the vessel Ghost 1 were able to pick up the transmissions from the Autobots. They thought that one might be able to make out words from the spoken language of the Autobots if they had a degree in theoretical physics...and were tripping on bad acid. Ghosts of Yesterday

Transformers film

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The Decepticons communicated with each other in a spoken language, which to human ears sounded like a collection of vowel-intensive electronic noises and rumbles. They had also learned enough English to communicate with the humans when necessary. Angular symbols, that differed from Cyberglyphics but were present on both Megatron and the AllSpark, convinced Sector Seven that there was some relationship between the two. Transformers

The AllSpark Wars

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Agoraptor and Agoracer each communicated in a kind of code, based on Cybertronian lettering. AllSpark Wars

Dark of the Moon video game

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Mirage encountered a Mayan temple that was built on top of an ancient Decepticon base. After entering the structure, he noted that the walls were covered in ancient Decepticon Hieroglyphs.

Shattered Glass

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The Around Cybertron news program featured both advertisements and a news scroll at the bottom of the screen written in Autobot text. Hasbro Transformers Collectors Club #28

An Autobot stellar spanner was marked CWP274 in Autobot characters.

Elsewhere, a box in the Decepticon Base was marked 'fragile' in Decepticon characters. Blitzwing Bop

Aligned continuity family

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"Now there are two of them!"

War for Cybertron video game

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On many computers, consoles, and screens on Cybertron, digital Cybertronian glyphs could be seen. When a directive was shown to a Transformer, symbols flashed on their heads up display. War for Cybertron

Fall of Cybertron video game

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The Autobots appear to have adopted a modernised form of ancient Cybertronian glyphs while the Decepticons utilise their own digital glyph communication.

Prime cartoon

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When Bulkhead's mind started to be assimilated by information ejected from a data cylinder, his mind went to science and formulas. He began to eccentrically paint Cybertronian symbols on chalkboards and walls, using a broom like a paintbrush. T.M.I.

2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon

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Devastation video game

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This may look impressive, but it's just telling him he's the 1,000,000th visitor to this site.

Megatron intercepted a message being transmitted in digital glyphs from the tower that emerged from the ground. Transformers: Devastation


Toys

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Universe (2008)

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  • Series: Classic Series
The packaging art for many of the "Classic Series" toys in the 2008 Universe toyline features movie-like "tribal markings" on the characters, going along with the more movie-like renditions of the characters.
More directly, the Legends-class Cosmos toy has his name written on his vehicle mode in Cybertronian lettering.

Timelines

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Banzai-Tron features his original Tech Spec motto, "To the victor go the profits," in Autobot text along the side of his vehicle mode.

Kre-O

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The Orion Pax Kreon that comes with the Transformers: Kre-O Character Encyclopedia has a clear 1x2 plate accessory with "KREO" in Autobot text.

Generations

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The packaging for Earthrise toys has "War for Cybertron" written on it in Jim Sorenson's Ancient Autobot script, and the pack-in map pieces also contain writing in this script.

Collaborative

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Collaborative Maverick's instructions have a hidden message which is also written in Jim Sorenson's Ancient Autobot that translates to "Let's Turn and Burn", which is a quote from the original Top Gun film as well as being one of the tag lines for Top Gun: Maverick.

Combiner Wars

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Victorion had Cybertronian glyph passages, using the High Moon Studios/War for Cybertron font, tampographed onto her individual components. Her individual components—see parenthesis—when read together, form the prophetic warning heard in "Cosmic Rust": "(Pyra Magna) If Cybertron be your home / (Rust Dust) Far away, never roam / (Skyburst) Hear my message, listen and fear / (Stormclash) Danger comes, the end is near / (Dust Up) Just like us, you soon will rust / (Jumpstream) All shall be turned to dust."

Notes

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  • "...For All Mankind" uses the Star Wars Aurebesh script to represent Cybertronian writing.
  • Might we just kindly point out that this is not how foreign languages actually work in real life.

Files

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See also

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