Sangheili (language)/Silver: Difference between revisions

'''Sangheili''' is a constructed language created for the ''[[Halo: The Television Series]]'' co-created by linguists [[Wikipedia:David J. Peterson|David J. Peterson]], creator of the Dothraki and Valyrian languages used in ''Game of Thrones'' and Chakobsa language in ''Dune'' (''Parts 1 & 2''){{Ref/Twitter|k_wolfkill|1507493397807788032|Kiki Wolfkill|Quote=@CharlieBMurphy literally learned an entire new language and performed beautifully in that language.  Unreal. Language created by David Peterson who created Dothraki for GoT #HaloWatchParty|D=25|M=03|Y=2022}}, and Carl Buck.{{Ref/Twitter|tlacamazatl|1506947170490060800|C. Buck|Quote=If you have #ParamountPlus, are a fan of #HaloSeries , and enjoy a good #conlang. You might be interested to know that I helped @Dedalvs develop the language for the Covenant.|D=6|M=04|Y=2022}} Both conlangers began jointly developing the Sangheili language nearly three years prior to the series premiere.<ref>[https://archiveofourown.org/series/2828287 Archive of Our Own -  Conlang Dialogue: Halo (Paramount+)]</ref> By early [[2022]], Carl Buck estimated they had crafted close to 250 Sangheili words, those being base words and not variations of verbs and nouns. Actress [[Wikipedia:Charlie Murphy (actress)|Charlie Murphy]] learned to speak Sangheili for her role as [[Makee]] on the show and was noted to have done a phenomenal job capturing the emphasis, pitch and pronunciations of the alien language.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=S101|bnJ0Y4So_Cc|Halo The Series|Learn To Speak Sangheili|Y=2023|M=8|D=28}}

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During the development of Paramount+'s ''Halo'' adaptation, [[343 Industries]] consulted with David Peterson and Carl Buck to examine the Elites as language experts, and then create a more robust and complete Sangheili language which reflected their actual physiology.{{Ref/Site|Id=Debrief|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/silver-debrief-unmasked|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Silver Debrief: Unmasked|D=12|M=3|Y=2024}} The language they devised for the series borrowed minimally from past ''Halo'' material and video games as previous dialogue crafted for Covenant speak was primarily gibberish.{{Ref/Site|Id=Imeimei|URL=https://dedalvs.tumblr.com/post/741879670666100736/re-inspiration-not-really-it-was-all-gibberish|Site=Tumblr|Page=Dedalvs|Quote=Inspiration, not really. It was all gibberish. Specifically, for the later games, they’d just throw the lines into Google Translate, translate them to Japanese, reverse them, and have the voice actors read it. This is rather common for video games.|D=12|M=3|Y=2024}} For instance the word "''domo''" for "human" and the negative "''eya''" come directly from the latter games. The games' famous word "''wort''" for "go" did not fit phonologically and was altered to "''warut'o''."

* Certain sounds that are found in proper names among the Sangheili, which are not part of Sangheili phonology, are treated as approximations resulting from human attempts at Latinizing these names. Because there are no [f], [θ], or [v] sounds in the language, names like [[Thel 'Vadamee]], [[Var 'Gatanai]], and [[Fal 'Chavamee]] are English approximations of ''T'elo Badami'', ''Baro Gat'anai'', and ''P'alo Chabami'', respectively, in Sangheili.<ref>[https://archiveofourown.org/works/37951303/chapters/105183123#workskin Archive of Our Own -  Conlang Dialogue: Chapter 6 ]</ref>{{Ref/Twitter|Dedalvs|1511104056244154368|David J. Peterson|Quote=P and T. Wasn’t too concerned. After all, München becomes Munich in English; Köln Cologne, etc.|D=6|M=04|Y=2022}}{{Ref/Twitter|Dedalvs|1511105091167670274|David J. Peterson|Quote=B, I’m that case.|D=6|M=04|Y=2022}}

The Covenant script that is featured in the show consists of triangular glyphs, visuals directly taken from the ''Halo'' franchise, yet remains nonsensical. David J. Peterson and Carl Buck proposed the creation of a writing script for the series, presenting a crafted sample that envisions a cohesive Sangheili writing system to complement the language they developed. Their conceptualization involved acknowledging the unique phonetics of Sangheili and led them to design a script centered around syllables as the foundational unit. Each syllabic glyph would contain a base consonant with the potential for vowel modifications and additional diacritics to indicate coda consonants when necessary.

| Used after a noun to mark it as the subject of a transitive verb (a verb that accepts an object).

[[File:Sangheili conlang cases.png|thumb|350px|Sangheili locative cases.]]

*''K'uucho <span style="color:yellow">ni</span></div> zhuro'' - would also be “the warrior’s weapon” or better yet "the weapon <span style="color:yellow">ON</span></div> the warrior". This would imply that the weapon is one the warrior just picked up.

Other aspects and question forms:

| - || - || -jahe<ref>[https://twitter.com/Dedalvs/status/1511098687816028169 Twitter - David J. Peterson]</ref> (or -chahe) and is attached to a reduced set of 4 tenses: Bare, Reduplicative, Inceptive, and Completive.

| Qkhe p'os. Sugakho. || (Oh shit) ([[Needler]])

A poem was crafted for the series inspired by the [[Ballad of Kel 'Darsam]] in [[Joseph Staten]]'s short novel, ''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]''. In the show, this ballad is sung as a Sangheili war chant. The line ''"K'iis o aamu ni mu maaroji"'' can be heard in [[Transcendence]], the ninth and final episode of the first season. {{Ref/Site|Id=SDT|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/silver-debrief-transcendence|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Silver Debrief: Transcendence|D=22|M=08|Y=2023}} The following are only the first eight lines of a lengthier poem.<ref>[https://archiveofourown.org/works/37951303?view_full_work=true Archive of Our Own -  Conlang Dialogue: The Ballad of Kel Darsam ]</ref>

*''aamu'' : god(s), deity(ies)

*''akke'' : hand

*''bakha'' : (v.) to burst, to explode

*''bambit'a'' : (v.) to promise something to someone, to hold in reserve or specially something for someone (derived from the verb: bit'a)

*''banechkha'' : (v.) to move aside, to move apart

*''banghaina'' : (v.) to sense, to detect, to perceive (derived from the verb: ghaina)

*''bank'utkho'' : (v.) to defend, to resist (derived from k'utkho, bank'utkho literally means "to fight with the back" and by metaph. extension, "to fight back")

*''baqkhat'a'' : shield, defenses; (v.) to shield, to shelter (derived from the verb: qkhat'a)

*''bats'a'' : (v.) to bind, to be bound

*''bit'a'' : (v.) to bear, to carry, to hold

*''bit'agha'' : container, holder, vessel

*''bojo'' : mother(s)

*''ch'aamosik'o'' : (v.) to better understand, to comprehend (derived from the verb: mosik'o)

*''ch'adomo'' : spartan(s)

*''ch'adonu'' : (v.) to notice, to pay attention (derived from the verb: donu)

*''ch'amaaro'' :  (v.) to look at, to glance at (derived from the verb: maaro)

*''ch'ambuujo'' : hierarch(s)

*''ch'ana'' : (v.) to read

*''ch'anik'o'' : (v.) to see

*''ch'ano'' : head

*''ch'anopkho'' : (v.) to atone, to redeem a fault (derived from the verb: opkho)

*''ch'anopkhuutu'' : redemption

*''ch'anqkhoso'' : (v.) to run (derived from the verb: qkhoso)

*''ch'aqkhosa'' : (v.) to push forward

*''ch'awaqkho'' : (v.) to restore (derived from the verb: waqkho)

*''ch'imo'' : (v.) to take, to get, to gather, to collect

*''ch'in'' : (v.) to take, to seize (ch'in literally means to stab; to pierce)

*''chkha'a'' : (v.) to hunt, to pursue

*''Chkhaa pkha!'' : (idiomatic, vulgar) ''expresses contempt'' : Fuck you!

*''chkhan'' : all, whole, entire

*''daagha'' : (v.) to worry

*''domo'' : human(s)

*''donu'' : (v.) to rotate, to twist, to turn around

*''duje'' : (v.) to molt

*''dzana'' : woman, mortal female

*''dzuch'in'' : (v.) to steal (derived from the verb: ch'in)

*''dzuk'utkho'' : (v.) to battle, to do battle with (derived from the verb: k'utkho)

*''dzumbit'a'' : (v.) to wield (presumably a weapon) (derived from the verb: bit'a)

*''dzumema'' : (v.) to conquer, to subjugate (derived from the verb: ema)

*''dzumu'' : (v.) to be sharp

*''dzushkhop'o'' : (v.) to aim, to target (derived from the verb: shkhop'o)

*''ema'' : (v.) to mount, to get on

*''et'o'' : blades, swords

*''et'ojo'' : swordsman(men)

*''gaibaat'u'' : fortune, riches

*''gaibakha'' : (v.) to happen, to occur, to befall (derived from the verb: bakha)

*''gaich'in'' : (v.) to be wrong (derived from the verb: ch'in)

*''gaiduje'' : (v.) to sully, to dirty, to pollute (derived from the verb: duje)

*''gaighap'awa'' : (v.) to offend (derived from the verb: ghap'awa)

*''gaijaya'' :  (v.) to approach, to come near, to draw close (derived form the verb: jaya)

*''gaik'ina'' : (v.) to regret (derived from the verb: k'ina)

*''gaikhawa'' : (v.) to guess, to predict (derived from the verb: khawa)

*''gaikkhat'a'' : (v.) to believe, to anticipate

*''gaimaaro'' : (v.) to hope, to hope for, to expect (derived from the verb: maaro)  

*''gaiwarut'o'' : (v.) to become lost, to be astray (derived from the verb: warut'o)

*''gakha'' : rocks, stones

*''gazhumaaka'' : alert; (v.) to alert, to warn, to give warning to

*''ghaaba'' : (v.) to decay, to rot

*''ghachkha'a'' : (v.) to track, to follow (derived from the verb: chkha'a)

*''ghaina'' : (v.) to hear

*''ghajaya'' : (v.) to return, to come back (derived from the verb: jaya)

*''ghakhawa'' : (v.) to blaspheme (derived from the verb: khawa)

*''ghap'awa'' : (v.) to step

*''ghap'awagha'' : step

*''ghashango'' : (v.) to accompany, to follow to join

*''ghat'iiwa'' : (v.) to hesitate, to delay (derived from the verb: t'iiwa)

*''ghats'aha'' : (v.) to be situated, to lie in place, to remain (derived from the verb: ts'aha)

*''ghunu'' : (v.) to destroy, to eliminate (See also: ruubakha)

*''guro'' : (v.) to want, to desire, to wish

*''guulo'' : master(s)

*''haanga'' : kind, ilk, allied

*''hai'' : (v.) to be able to

*''hira'' : (v.) to bless, to praise

*''hodu'' : (v.) to wait, to pause (and by extension: to await)

*''iiku'' : (v.) to know (information), to be familiar with

*''ik'o'' : eye(s)

*''jaya'' : (v.) to come, to arrive

*''juq'u'' : (v.) to make or become one, to join, to unite

*''juubit'a'' : (v.) to secure (derived from the verb: bit'a)

*''juuch'in'' : (v.) to accept, to adopt, to embrace (Also "to appreciate" and "to be grateful") (derived from the verb: ch'in)

*''juuch'imo'' : (v.) to accept (in a broad sense), to take (receive) (derived from the verb: ch'imo)

*''juudonu'' : (v.) to flank (derived from the verb: donu)

*''juukhawa'' : (v.) to claim, to declare, to profess (derived from the verb: khawa)

*''juukhojo'' : ones who prophesy, prophet(s)

*''juumatkha'' : (v.) to kill with certainty (derived from the verb: matkha)

*''juunduje'' : (v.) to make look good, act good, perform well (derived from the verb: duje)

*''juunik'o'' : (v.)  to foresee, to see ahead

*''juusiit'a'' : (v.) to summon, to invoke (derived from the verb: siit'a)

*''k'aachot'u'' : effectively

*''k'aaje'' : shame, fall; (v.) to shame

*''k'ena'' : (v.) to choose, to select, to decide on

*''k'ina'' : (v.) to bite

*''k'utkho'' : (v.) to fight

*''k'uucho'' : ones who fight, warrior(s), soldier(s)

*''khawa'' : (v.) to say

*''khayema'' : (v.) to scale by hand (derived from the verb: ema)

*''khebit'a'' : (v.) to have, to possess, to retain (derived from the verb: bit'a)

*''khech'imo'': (v.) to retrieve, to get and bring back, to reclaim (derived from the verb: ch'imo)

*''khekhawa'' : (v.) to respond (derived from the verb: khawa)

*''khobu'' : (v.) to fire (from a weapon),  to shoot

*''khuut'a'' : brother(s), kin, same

*''kkhaaya'' : (v.) to be worthy, to have value, to matter

*''kkhadza'' : (v.) to be correct, to be right

*''kkhago'' : ring, circle ; (v.) to circle, to surround

*''kkhosa'' : (v.) to flee

*''kkhotskha'' : (v.) to be ruined, to have been put in a broken or fallen state

*''la'ajo'' : twin, partner, counterpart

*''lakhi'' : (v.) to rise up, to ascend

*''loshkho'' : (v.) to show

*''luk'a'' : spear, pike

*''luuka'' : blood

*''maaro'' : (v.) to find, to look for, to seek

*''matkha'' : (v.) to kill, to slay

*''mech'imo'' : (v.) to take with, to bring, to obtain (derived from the verb: ch'imo)

*''mech'in'' : (v.) to cut, to rip

*''mejaya'' : (v.) to prepare, to be ready

*''mejayaq'u'' : (v.) to make ready, to prepare or equip something

*''mep'uuka'' : interrogation

*''mobakha'' : (v.) to realize, to acknowledge (derived from the verb: bakha)

*''moduje'' : (v.) to lose track of, to have lost (derived from the verb: duje)

*''mobaat'u'' : revelation

*''mobit'a'' : (v.) to remind (derived from the verb: bit'a)

*''mogha'' : waves, surge

*''mojaya'' : (v.) to remember (derived from the verb: jaya)

*''moq'aara'' : (v.) to have faith, to be pious or devout (derived from the verb: q'aara)

*''mos'' : brain, mind

*''moshkhop'o'' : (v.) to indicate (derived from the verb: shkhop'o)

*''mosik'o'' : (v.) to think, to understand

*''mositskha'' : (v.) to intrigue, to fascinate (derived from the verb: itskha)

*''mot'ongu'' :  (v.) to agree (derived from the verb: t'ongu)

*''mots'aha'' : (v.) to leave behind, to abandon (derived from the verb: ts'aha)

*''muni'' : (v.) to tire, to grow weary

*''naya'' : (v.) to fertilize an egg

*''nejo'' : father(s)

*''ngatkhet'a'' : (adj.) absent, missing

*''ngeno'' : (v.) to save

*''nuju'' : (v.) to be weak, cowardly, pathethic

*''opkho'' : (v.) to bend

*''oq'o'' : (v.) to be great, glorious, or noble, to have honor

*''oq'oqu'' : (v.) to render honor to something

*''oq'ogakha'' : the sacred stones

*''ot'a'' : (v.) to suffer, to endure

*''p'ekkha'' : (v.) to form, to shape

*''p'uuka'' : question; (v.) to question, to ask

*''pkhada'' :  (v.) to stop, to halt, to cease

*''pkhungo'' : (v.) to sleep

*''q'aara'' : true; (v.) to be true, to be loyal

*''q'aha'' : (v.) to touch

*''q'on'' : (v.) to teach, to instruct

*''q'uho'' : (v.) to be silent, to quiet

*''q'unqa'' : (v.) to forget, to forgive

*''qkhaaq'u'' : (v.) to consecrate, to make something holy  

*''qkhan'' : enemy(ies)

*''qkhat'a'' : (v.) to defend, to guard, to protect

*''qkhoso'' : (v.) to walk

*''rasq'u'' : (v.) to knock down, to cause to fall

*''riikhe'' : crowd, group, multitude

*''rotkho'' : flesh, skin, hide

*''rube'' : ground, soil, earth

*''ruq'a'' : fire, flame

*''ruq'aara'' : (v.) to anoint, to sanctify (derived from the verb: q'aara)

*''ruq'echkha'' : (v.) to burn, to shine, to illuminate

*''ruq'ota'' : (v.) to burn, to scorch (derived from the verb: ot'a)

*''ruq'otaq'u'' : (v.) to burn something, to incinerate

*''ruubakha'' : (v.) to destroy, to obliterate (derived from the verb: bakha) (See also: ghunu)

*''ruujaya'' : (v.) to hurry, to hustle, to come quickly (derived from the verb: jaya)

*''ruuk'ina'' : (v.) to attack (derived from the verb: k'ina)

*''ruukhawa'' : (v.) to command (derived from the verb: khawa)

*''ruunujuq'u'' : (v.) to weaken, to mitigate something

*''ruupkhada'' : (v.) to prevent, to stop (derived from the verb: pkhada)

*''ruut'sage'' : (v.) to light, to kindle, to ignite, to set fire to (derived from the verb: ts'age)

*''satkha'' : (v.) to be certain, to be sure

*''siit'a'' : (v.) to call (out to)

*''shkhop'o'' : (v.) to mark, to point

*''t'edaaq'u'' : (v.) to purify, to make clean or pure

*''t'ichin'' : (v.) to insult, to ridicule (derived from the verb: ch'in)

*''t'ighaina'' : (v.) to hear and understand, to read one another (derived from the verb: ghaina)

*''t'iiwa'' : (v.) to doubt, to disbelieve

*''t'iiwajo'' : ones who doubt, infidels, heretic(s)

*''t'ik'utkho'' : (v.) to argue, to dispute (derived from the verb: k'utkho)

*''t'ikhawa'' : (v.) to speak, to chat (derived from the verb: khawa)

*''t'iloshkho'' : (v.) to inform, to tell, to say to (derived from the verb: loshkho)

*''t'injuqkhuujo'' : arbiter(s)

*''t'ipekkha'' : (v.) to suggest, to propose (derived from the verb: p'ekkha)

*''t'ishkhop'o'' : (v.) to accuse, to blame (derived from the verb: shkhop'o)

*''t'isiit'a'' : (v.) to contact, to communicate (derived from the verb: siit'a)

*''t'iskina'' (v.) to whisper, to mutter (derived from the verb: k'ina)

*''t'ispkhada'' : (v.) to deny, to oppose (derived from the verb: pkhada)

*''t'isqukho'' : (v.) to release, to let loose, to unleash

*''t'iswaqkho'' : (v.) to permit, to allow, to sanction (derived from the verb: waqkho)

*''t'iya'' : (v.) to live, to be alive, to manifest

*''t'iyaq'u'' : (v.) to bring to life, to make something manifest

*''t'iyat'u'' : life, lives, existence

*''t'ongu'' : (v.) to meet

*''tkhahana'' : (v.) to finish, to conclude, to end something

*''tkhet'a'' : species, people, folk, kin (''tkhet'a'' literally means a nest or den)

**''Tkhet'a ghap'awatan!'' : (idiomatic, vulgar) ''expresses a misfortune or unfortunate circumstances'' : Shit out of luck! (literally meaning ''"a stepped-on nest"'')

*''tkhop'o'' : (v.) to name

*''tkhu'' : (n.) thing, object

*''tkhunga'' : (v.) to send, to deliver

*''tkhungat'u'' : herald, bearer

*''tkhuyujo'' : ancients, forerunner(s)

*''ts'aha'' : (v.) to be at, to be in proximity

*''ts'ukho'' :  (v.) to be

**''ts'uutsukho'' : (reduplication) : (v.) to be emphatically true

*''ts'uuchaga'' : (''intj.'') yes, will be, shall be

*''tskha'' : (v.) to do

*''waqkho'' : (v.) to give, to grant, to offer

*''warut'o'' : (v.) to go, to move forward, to charge (inspired by ''wort'' from the games)

*''waruutu'' : journey, voyage, expedition

*''watkho'' : (v.) to fear, to be afraid of

*''wele'' : ship, vessel

*''welegoja'' : bridge (nautical), command center

*''welema'' : (v.) to board  (derived from the verb: ema)

*''welekkhosa'' : (v.) to retreat (derived from the verb: kkhosa)

*''welit'ari'' : fleet

*''zaya'' : (v.) to expand

*''zhaan'' : day

*''zhiiqo'' : time, times

*''zhuro'' : weapon(s)

*''bank'ina'' : (v.) to ignore, to disregard (derived from the verb: k'ina)

*''juushkhop'o'' : (v.) to specify, to clarify (derived from the the verb: shkhop'o)

*''kheyua'' : (v.) to grasp, to take up, to grab (derived from the verb: yua)

*''q'iskhe'' : (v.) to appear intact, to be whole/complete  

*''ruubaabaacho'' : intruder(s)

*''ts'age'' : (v.) to glow, to shine

*''yua'' : (v.) to take hold of, to grab