Editing English

{{Era|Human|UNSC|HCW|Post}}
{{Wikipedia|English language}}
[[Image:Metrosign-8.jpg|thumb|250px|A [[Sign in Metropolis|citizen alert]] in downtown [[New Mombasa]], written in English]]
'''English''' is a [[Wikipedia:West Germanic languages|West Germanic language]] originating in England and the first language for most people in [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[Wikipedia:Ireland|Ireland]], [[Wikipedia:New Zealand|New Zealand]], the [[Wikipedia:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]], and the [[United States of America]]—together, commonly known as the [[Wikipedia:Anglosphere|Anglosphere]]. This language has grown to prominence as the dominant language of the [[Unified Earth Government]] and the human species, and is the primary language of every known [[human colonies|human colony]] and organization. 

Several other languages are used throughout human space, mostly with secondary roles in society, as English is always found in conjuncture with them. Such languages include [[Swahili]],<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[Outskirts]]''</ref> [[Hungarian]],<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', campaign level ''[[Winter Contingency (level)|Winter Contingency]]''</ref> and [[Spanish]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level ''[[343 Guilty Spark (level)|343 Guilty Spark]]''</ref>

[[Covenant]] [[translation software]] intercepted human [[COM]] transmissions after the [[First Battle of Harvest]], and thus the Covenant learned English quickly.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 275''</ref> Following first contact at [[Harvest]], the [[Prophet of Tolerance|High Prophet of Tolerance]] had five hundred teams of well-educated [[Sangheili]] and [[Unggoy]] formed to study and translate English. These teams could only speak English among themselves and were later required to teach it to all [[Covenant military]] units.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars]]''', ''[[Halo Wars Timeline Events|Timeline]]''</ref> From [[2525]] to [[2552]], the Covenant used this knowledge mainly to broadcast florid curses at human colonies and ships before destroying them, and never actually held conversation with humans. Several other species had the ability to speak English, including the [[San'Shyuum]]<ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]</ref> and Unggoy, a fact the latter take great pride in.<ref>'''Halo 3''', ''[[Bestiarum]]''</ref> [[Kig-Yar]] could speak English in a rasped manner,<ref>'''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''', ''pages 156-157''</ref> though most are unable to form a proper "f" sound in speech.<ref>'''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]''', ''page 393''</ref> Most Sangheili could speak English, although they had difficulty pronouncing words containing the letter "v" or ending with "p".<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 391''</ref>

[[UNSC]] translation software has been able to decrypt a number of [[Covenant languages]], most notably those of the Unggoy, Kig-Yar,<ref name="BI">'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', ''[[Blunt Instruments]]''</ref> Sangheili, and San'Shyuum. By the time of the [[Battle of Earth]], this software could automatically interpret anything that most of the races said, and has apparently been installed in the equipment of all UNSC military personnel, as all personnel appear to have the ability to understand what members of these races are saying.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]'''</ref> However, by [[2552]], the [[Yanme'e]] [[Covenant languages#Yanme'e|language]] was still largely untranslated.<ref name="BI"/>

==Trivia==
Grunts, Elites, [[Jiralhanae|Brutes]], and Prophets can be heard speaking English in ''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'', and ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' due to UNSC translation software.

==Sources==
<references/>

[[Category:Languages]]