Cybertronian language: Difference between revisions
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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 [[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 [[Transformers|Transformers]] did not go about speaking English or any other known [[Earth|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. | ||
==Fiction== | ==Fiction== | ||
===Marvel Generation 1 comics=== | |||
[[Image:Marvel Issue 23 Page 09 Graffiti.jpg|right|100px|thumb|"I logged on to your mom."]] | |||
[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] made the statement that his real name was unpronounceable in English. {{storylink|Man of Iron!|Man of Iron!}} | |||
===Generation 1=== | [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and [[Runabout|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!|Decepticon Graffiti!}} | ||
{{-}} | |||
===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|Quintesson]] dimensional transporter room. It rather resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs. {{storylink|Madman's Paradise|Madman's Paradise}} | |||
[[Image:AncientAuto.gif|right|200px|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|Decepticons]]) could not read it. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} | |||
The controls of the [[Plasma Energy Chamber|Plasma Energy Chamber]] were labeled in '''Ancient Cybertronian''', which [[Spike Witwicky|Spike Witwicky]] did not recognize but [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] was able to read. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1|The Rebirth, Part 1}} | |||
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|More Than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} | |||
{{-}} | |||
=== | ===Beast Era=== | ||
:<div class="noprint">''Main article: [[Cybertronix|Cybertronix]]''</div> | |||
[[ | See also [[Vok| Vok symbols]]. | ||
[[Image: | ===''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon=== | ||
===Unicron Trilogy=== | |||
===''Transformers'' (2007)=== | |||
[[Image:Cybertronian symbols.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Even with subtitles, it's still hard to understand what he's saying.]] | |||
Rather unique to this universe, several Transformers (notably [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]) have Cybertronian words etched onto their heads, near the cheek area. What they say is anyone's guess. The [[All Spark|All Spark]] was covered in Cybertronian glyphs, leading [[Sector Seven|Sector Seven]] to conclude a connection between the All Spark and Megatron. Additionally, [[Transition form|cometary forms]] are covered in Cybertronian "tribal markings".<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup> | |||
The Decepticons communicate in Cybertronian (which to human ears sound like a collection of vowel-intensive electronic noises and rumbles... with the notable exception of [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]], who has a very staccato manner of speaking) when speaking among themselves on Earth, but have learned enough English to communicate with the humans when necessary. The crew members of the vessel ''[[Ghost 1|Ghost 1]]'' thought that one could make out words if they had a degree in theoretical physics...and were tripping on bad acid. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday}} | |||
The | Cybertronian languages appear to contain a lot of information in small fragments. | ||
<div style="width: 90%; margin: 0 auto .2em auto; background-color:#efefef; border: 2px solid #eeeeee; padding: 2px; text-align: left;">'''Note:''' ''The written version of Cybertronian appears now and again throughout the film, most obviously during Decepticon dialogue, where the subtitles are displayed in Cybertronian briefly before translating to English.''</div> | |||
This is the first time that Transformers are seen ''speaking'' their own language. | |||
[[Image:Agoraptor post.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Agoraptor post]] | |||
There are also two versions of Cybertronian used in the [[AllSpark Wars|AllSpark Wars]] Mini-ARG (Alternate Reality Game.) These are are recycled versions of Ancient Autobot from "[[Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust]]" and Decepticon from "[[Decepticon Graffiti!|Decepticon Graffiti!]]". They [[Retcon|retconed]] a canonical order to both languages, based on fonts created by [[Jim Sorenson|Jim Sorenson]] in the late '90s. The Autobot [[Agoracer|Agoracer]] [http://ds.transformersgame.com/account/3826/posts?page=3 posted] in Ancient Autobot, while the Decepticon [[Agoraptor|Agoraptor]] [http://ds.transformersgame.com/account/3423/posts?page=3 posted] in Decepticon. Both are available for download [http://www.tfrid.com/Fonts.html here] under the names "Ancient Autobot" and "Decepticon Regular." | |||
{{-}} | |||
[[Image:Autobot Translations.jpg|left|350px|thumb|Autobot Characters]] | |||
[[Image:Decepticon Translations.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Decepticon Characters]] | |||
{{-}} | |||
==Universe 2008 "Classic Series"== | |||
The packaging art for many of the "Classic Series" toys in the [[Universe (2008)|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 of Cybertron|Legends-class]] [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] toy has his name written on his vehicle mode in Cybertronian lettering. | |||
==Files== | |||
* [[:Image:Autobot Characters.TTF| Autobot Writing True Type Font]] | |||
* [[:Image:Decepticon Writing.TTF| Decepticon Writing True Type Font]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<div class="references-small"> | |||
<ol class="references"><li id="cite_note-0">[#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> [[Ben Procter|Ben Procter]]'s <a href="http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/PROJPAGE_Trans_12.html online portfolio]</ol></div> | |||
[[Category: | [[Category:Beast Machines]] | ||
[[Category: Generation 1]] | [[Category:Beast Wars]] | ||
[[Category: Movie]] | [[Category:Generation 1]] | ||
[[Category:Movie]] | |||
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]] | |||
[[Category:Transformer culture]] | |||
Revision as of 05:56, 19 March 2009
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.
Fiction
Marvel Generation 1 comics
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!
Generation 1 cartoon
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 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
Beast Era
- <div class="noprint">Main article: Cybertronix</div>
See also Vok symbols.
Robots in Disguise cartoon
Unicron Trilogy
Transformers (2007)
Rather unique to this universe, several Transformers (notably Optimus Prime and Megatron) have Cybertronian words etched onto their heads, near the cheek area. What they say is anyone's guess. The All Spark was covered in Cybertronian glyphs, leading Sector Seven to conclude a connection between the All Spark and Megatron. Additionally, cometary forms are covered in Cybertronian "tribal markings".<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup>
The Decepticons communicate in Cybertronian (which to human ears sound like a collection of vowel-intensive electronic noises and rumbles... with the notable exception of Frenzy, who has a very staccato manner of speaking) when speaking among themselves on Earth, but have learned enough English to communicate with the humans when necessary. The crew members of the vessel Ghost 1 thought that one could make out words if they had a degree in theoretical physics...and were tripping on bad acid. Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday
Cybertronian languages appear to contain a lot of information in small fragments.
<div style="width: 90%; margin: 0 auto .2em auto; background-color:#efefef; border: 2px solid #eeeeee; padding: 2px; text-align: left;">Note: The written version of Cybertronian appears now and again throughout the film, most obviously during Decepticon dialogue, where the subtitles are displayed in Cybertronian briefly before translating to English.</div>
This is the first time that Transformers are seen speaking their own language.
There are also two versions of Cybertronian used in the AllSpark Wars Mini-ARG (Alternate Reality Game.) These are are recycled versions of Ancient Autobot from "Cosmic Rust" and Decepticon from "Decepticon Graffiti!". They retconed a canonical order to both languages, based on fonts created by Jim Sorenson in the late '90s. The Autobot Agoracer posted in Ancient Autobot, while the Decepticon Agoraptor posted in Decepticon. Both are available for download here under the names "Ancient Autobot" and "Decepticon Regular."
Universe 2008 "Classic Series"
The packaging art for many of the "Classic Series" toys in the 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 Cosmos toy has his name written on his vehicle mode in Cybertronian lettering.
Files
References
<div class="references-small"> <ol class="references"><li id="cite_note-0">[#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> Ben Procter's <a href="http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/PROJPAGE_Trans_12.html online portfolio]</ol></div>
