Languages of Artahkan Residents [World-building]

[DarkMaestro]

TL;DR; Not making everyone speak different languages. Just trying to expand and diversify culture of the different regions.

While everything is in English (for obvious reasons), I thought it would be cool if the different regions had dialects or took words from various languages.

The Main Regions

Overall: Maori
Since it was such a large influence in G1, I figured Maori would be the equivalent to Latin for G3; the root language from long ago before it branched into various languages. In all the regions, naming conventions still hold Maori roots.

Mangaia; None.
Mangaia doesn’t really have any accents, nor dip into a secondary language. Just good ol’ English Matoran

Naho: Maori
Naho still holds on to Maori moreso than others; social and religious events often recite Maori. However, it is more commonly used by Arbiters and higher ranked matoran than by the majority of the population.

Ihu: Icelandic
It was initially pitched that Ihu had Nordic-like culture, so why not have Icelandic influence? (And I mean, it has ice in the name…)
Icelandic is Ihu’s secondary language, and sometimes Icelandic words will slip in with Matoran. Some people may have an accent, though it is more common with working class matoran. Also is used in naming locations; however, Maori is still used with people names.

Tiro: Maori/Native American
Tiro doesn’t use Maori as much as Naho, but it still has some presence in society. However, over many generations, it has been slowly morphing into something akin to Navajo. But really, either languages are mainly only used for rituals and occasional naming conventions.

Motara; None
Motara doesn’t have it’s own language per say, however various accents have developed within its residents. It can range from urban dialect to Middle Eastern to even Australian.

Kanae; Greek/Korean/Treespeak
Kanae is split in terms of languages. Greek is an upper class language, used for naming conventions and very occasional dialogue. However, residents of the lower class have somehow developed a tongue leaning towards oriental. Korean is very commonly spoke by residents, and acts almost as a secondary language. Accents are common. However amongst both Kanae languages, the treespeak syntax is present; this consists of combining words together in a simple short phrase to convey ideas quickly/passionately.

##Others

This one might be a little more controversial…?

Karazahni, Tren Krom, other Lovecraftian horrors, etc; Enochian

For our Lovecraftian based characters, I wanted them to have their own language; however, I didn’t want to use R’leyian because it has a limited vocabulary and it’s not meant to be possible to speak it. Give the voice actors a break man!
So, I tried a different route; Enochian. Enochian was a language developed by John Dee in the 16th Century that was supposedly revealed to him by angels. I chose this since it has a larger vocabulary (I literally have a dictionary for it lol), it is speakable, and still has that idea of “above humanity”.
Now, Karzahni can still speak Matoran/English, but often he will use Enochian. After seeing and studying what lies beyond their world with his mask, he believe the Matoran language is beneath him, and tries to learn the language of the beings beyond him in hopes to communicate. (It annoys Makuta to no end, as Karzahni just seems to be rambling nonsense.)

Elisia; Maori/Enochian
Since Karzahni created them, it would make sense that he would introduce Enochian. However, being made from Ekimu’s design, Matoran has become a primary language as well. The lightning matoran don’t speak Enochian completely, but it has some presence in their culture. Voriki can read it and understand it being spoke, but cannot really speak it herself.

Just throwing stuff at the wall
-DarkMaestro

[Sanokal]

I would be very careful with including Maori; the iwi can take offense.

[DarkMaestro]

Well in the hypothetical scenario that Lego accepted TTV’s G3 and this idea, I’m pretty sure they know to approach Maori tentatively after what happened last time.

[Sanokal]

Good point.
On a related note, have you ever seen the dictionaries that the linguists put out for BIONICLE? Massive work.

[A2B2C2]

I like the idea of the different regions of Arthaka having their own dialects during the time after the Great Beings were sealed before at some point giving way to a common Arthaka tongue. Constant trade between the Motara Gates for example probably facilitated the switch.

Naho, as one of the more isolated regions, will often prefer speaking in their original language. Though the higher up in the chain of religious leaders, the more likely you will find someone who is at least familiar with the common tongue

Kanae might speak a dialect akin to the Tree-speak or Chute-speak in G1, especially in the lower classes, and is derided by some as a “hick language”

I fully subscribe to Ihu having ancient texts and language similar to Norwegian or Icelandic

Motari I’d say would resemble an Iron Age language like Arabic, but the common Arthakan tongue as I stated before would be the lingua franca due to the constant trade.

Mangai is a hard nut to crack, but as I liken the Turaga to Samurai lords, perhaps something inspired by Japanese and their various dialects? A different one would be spoken depending on whichever city state you’re in and also ranges from either formal to informal.

[Monarth]

Finnish could also be a potential influence for Ihu. Bionicle G1 borrowed a lot of Finnish words, especially for naming Ko-matoran, including: Jaa, Jaatikko, Talvi, Lumi, Arktinen, Kylma and Pakastaa. (These are all ice and cold related Finnish words)

[odnanref101993]

I really like the idea.

I know I tend to go completely of the rails with ideas I like so I will try to refrain from converting the entire post into a “every region has their own language” pitch. I would like to put forth China as one example of different accents inside one unified landmass.

I know that Chinese by itself is an amalgamation of seven different languages (as they cannot actually communicate between the different forms of Chinese) that each is divided into a different dialect.

What makes this interesting would be the relationships and development of each main group as it poses an interesting case study of different dialects coexisting together.

We can all start here.

[RAKRONDEWL]

@DarkMaestro

Tiro: Maori/ Early Native North American
Tiro doesn’t use Maori as much as Naho, but it still has some presence in society. However, over many generations, it has been slowly morphing into something akin to Navajo. But really, either languages are mainly only used for rituals and occasional naming conventions.

Wouldn’t Tiro’s language stay more true to its Maori roots? The language would have to be preserved because they record the history of Artahka and have to teach it to the young so the knowledge doesn’t become lost to them. It would be odd if Gali could read the oldest documents in the archive while Onua and most other matoran from Tiro can’t.

[DarkMaestro]

Hmm thats a good point. Maybe if a matoran pursues a career as a historian or archivist they study the original Maori as well? Perhaps it’s been converted to a scholar’s language in Tiro, similar to how we have Latin names for species and such.
(btw thanks for specifying )

[RAKRONDEWL]

Another idea would be to have Naho’s language is the one that morphs as it is passed down by word of mouth alone (to my knowledge). Though I really don’t know how different that really is from having a written language to back word of mouth. Hmm…

Maybe Maori is the spoken language but the written language is more like Chinese in that things are represented by symbols rather than words. This would make the spoken language irrelevant as meaning of the symbols wouldn’t change.

@DarkMaestro

(btw thanks for specifying )

I couldn’t help myself, the ambiguity bothered me.

[Pakari]

Interesting ideas! I do think it’d be a good idea to diversify the kinds of dialect held by the regions.

Geography can have interesting effects on languages as well. Perhaps the villagers of Naho have developed a sort of sign language they can use underwater so that they don’t open their mouths? Maybe the words used by Mangaians are often cut short and are harsher because of a lack of air moisture?

Life style is also a big factor. Tree-speak fits thematically with Kanae as the compound words can convey messages in a quick manner as they’re always on the move. And I like the idea of the Tiro natives utilizing an older language as a scientific one.

All in all, this is a nice idea! I really like it!

[A2B2C2]

I’d agree that an emphasis on symbols would be a good call for the written language. Part of the charm of Bionicle was that in both Generations 1 and 2 there was an emphasis on geometric shapes in their written languages. In the case of Gen 1, it was large circles with different lines or smaller circles reminiscent of cell diagrams, which suited the Matoran’s nature as beings maintaining the life processes of the Great Spirit Robot.

In Generation 2, the language shifted to squares with various lines and geometric patterns vaguely reminiscent of the Nahuatl language, Japanese Katakana and the Nuva symbols from G1. Some of the latter I believe doubled as letters in that universe’s alphabet

Interestingly, there were strange patterns inscribed on some surfaces in the Mirimax movies from G1 that vaguely resemble the Okotoan language in G2, but with a little more emphasis on varied shapes instead of just all squares. Side note, do these vaguely remind anyone of Tetris pieces?

Perhaps the written language could resemble something akin to the patterns in the third picture, with a few letters of the alphabet vaguely resembling real world letters such as Aurebesh or other languages in Star Wars