Inkling Fan Language Sister Project: Octoling Language

[theFIZZYnator]

Sample list of nouns.

* Olkku: Low-level trooper (i.e. basic Octarian).
* Tendou: a god.
* Dicuniy: Demon/devil
* Pyašu: Just any outright derogatory term you can think of.
* And a native term for Octolings.

I think we should use the three extra vowels, -n, -i, and -u endings, gemination, and the extra consonants a bit more. Here's a picture of my modified semisyllabary:

(The double vowels aren't going to be in the final cut. Just ignore them.)

Here are my suggestions using new elements:
{åkkü}: Low-level trooper
{tendoo}: God
{dicënii}: Demon/Devil
{påiqqa}: F@#k! (I think that sounds like a swear word)
{ðekkü}: Octoling
I changed the -u endings to -ü so it won't conflict with verb infinitives.

 

[EclipseMT]

I still would make their word for octoling just an equivalent to any offensive term to describe a person. Påiqqi can be an interjection, the word John Travolta would say while playing Ryder.

Speaking of which:
|Pinchi|: "Oh, s%#t" (like what it more or less means in Japanese).
|(Chi)khü|: Slightly milder. (Intended to be like an "oh, great" equivalent; any better ideas?)
|buu|: "Ugh."
|Gwaa|: Aaaargh!
|Yåssh!|: Alright.
|cchik|: "Jeez."
|Akh,| "Oh,"
|Yëssu!| "yes" as an interjection.
|Noo!| "no" as an interjection.

Interjections can also take gemination to extreme measures.

EDIT: Particle recap (and "prepositions.")
|ha|: subjective.
|wo|: objective.
|ya|: Genitive, or "of"
|do|: "by/via"
|en|: "to"

 

[theFIZZYnator]

{Pinči} isn't strong enough in my opinion as a native Japanese speaker, so I think it should stand for something like "dang it".
I think the harshness of the {x} is ruined by the {ü}. I suggest {ğehhe} instead of {pinči} as the S-word.

EDIT: As a joke, we could include |våkënheu| either as "f*cking hell" or something entirely innocuous.

 

[EclipseMT]

But the problem is, Japanese interjections are extremely context-based when compared to English.

So |pinchi| can be made milder than |chikh|.

 

[EclipseMT]

In terms of military ranks (really a JFF):

After "åkku," how would we order "zoness" and "kyrii," and what would be intermediate (or higher/lower) ranks?

 

[theFIZZYnator]

But the problem is, Japanese interjections are extremely context-based when compared to English.

So |pinchi| can be made milder than |chikh|.

We should not have syllable-end consonants, or at least limit them to just {n} and perhaps {s} or {r}. The reason is that {*n} has a set syllable-end character, and adding more would arise the need to make another set of syllable-end characters, or to change it to a full-on alphabet.
Also, I never heard ピンチ by itself being used as an interjection; always at least ピンチだ . So I think {pinči} should be fit to use as "a fine pickle" and "to be a fine pickle" or should be reserved as {yu pinči}.

In terms of military ranks (really a JFF):

After "åkku," how would we order "zoness" and "kyrii," and what would be intermediate (or higher/lower) ranks?

I know where the {zones} came from, but what's {kyrii} (I assume you meant {kërii})?

 

[EclipseMT]

We should not have syllable-end consonants, or at least limit them to just {n} and perhaps {s} or {r}. The reason is that {*n} has a set syllable-end character, and adding more would arise the need to make another set of syllable-end characters, or to change it to a full-on alphabet.
Also, I never heard ピンチ by itself being used as an interjection; always at least ピンチだ . So I think {pinči} should be fit to use as "a fine pickle" and "to be a fine pickle" or should be reserved as {yu pinči}.


I know where the {zones} came from, but what's {kyrii} (I assume you meant {kërii})?

Note on ピンチ: I have seen 大ピンチ as an interjection.

Other note: In regards "kyrii:" that was derived from "valkyrie," the mythical (female) riders of Odin who were choosers of the slain. I decided to make most military (ranks or units?) named after female figures in mythology, even though it would be ludicrous to have a female-only fighting force.

Also, the reason why it's "Zoness:" Star Fox. I know it's derived from "amazoness" (which is actually redundant). Both, however, were written ゾネス in Japanese, but the English version spells it with two Ss.

On a side note: |bënshii| ca be another rank/unit.

EDIT: Why couldn't they translate タコゾネス as "Octozoness?" It would eliminate all this ambiguity about male Octoling troopers.

 

[MissingNumbers]

EDIT: Why couldn't they translate タコゾネス as "Octozoness?" It would eliminate all this ambiguity about male Octoling troopers.

Well really it doesn't roll off the tongue as well, if you want my humble opinion.

 

[EclipseMT]

So here is a summary of both models.

The Division model:

Zoness team: Ground forces.
Banshee team: Covert ops.
Kyrie team: what would it be? Vehicular ops?
Orks: Of course, Octarians.

Rank model (applies only to octolings, as basic octarians have the "Ork" moniker attached regardless):

Rank is based on how high in mythology the figure stands.

*Highest rank would be |ateena|.
*Series of maybe 3 intermediate ranks, one of which (the highest of these) is |minenva|
*Kyrie.
*Banshee.
*series of 3 intermediate ranks
*Zoness.
*Any other ranks? Zonesses are easily killed.

Which model is best?

This is (for now) as far as I would take this concept. More practical words coming in a moment.

 

[EclipseMT]

Some notes regarding some extraneous elements.

WHEN ADDING NATIVE NAMES: Native names are to only be used for proper nouns referencing popular Octoling items. For the most part, everything else outside of this list (including Inkling cultural elements) is to use the Common Speech term (which for purposes is either Japanese or English).

WRITING LOANWORDS: Loanwords are written in a custom-set mode of inkling script retrieved from them covertly (Think katakana).

ADJECTIVES: I just realized this is a naught-covered subject.

Should adjectives have a common (and unique) word ending (like how Japanese ends all adjectives in i or na [some of these so-called na adjectives can take no ending] depending on the word)? My proposal is to end all adjectives in na.

Or end some in i and some in na.

WORD ENDINGS: Oh, and in regards to the word endings, nouns take no ending.

Changing the ending vowel to u on a noun makes it a verb. Adding |na| (or whatever the adjective word ending is) makes it an adjective, and likewise (with apppropriate word ending) for adverbs (The two are seperate parts of speech).

And some words regarding the things we see Octolings with (all treated as native words).
|zonessu|: Take a guess. Of course, this depends on how I group something.
|putaa|: Helicopter.
|torneedo|: Airstrike.
|doåzaa|: Take another guess.
|derai|: High-rank (How is this not a native Japanese adjective?).

 

[EclipseMT]

Some thoughts.
When nouns take a prefix (like co-, pre-, etc. in English), how would they fare?

And some JFF transportation words.

General:
|sla|: A vehicle.
|itenu| (vb.): to transport
|| (vb.): to depart
|| (vb.): to arrive


Rail transport (all Japanese loanwords):
|eki|: train station.
|densha|: train (TBH I was thinking of making this |nihyakugo| until that was too specific a term for train).
|kakutei|: "local" train.
|kaisoku|: "rapid" train
|tokkai|: "special rapid" train (BTW special when referring to someone's traits is |tokui|)
|tsuukai|: "commuter rapid"
|tsuutoku|: Guess.
|kaisoo|: Out of service (deadheading to home base).
|untenshi|: Motorman.
EDIT: |shashoo|: conductor.

For air transport, most should be English loanwords.

 

[theFIZZYnator]

WRITING LOANWORDS: Loanwords are written in a custom-set mode of inkling script retrieved from them covertly (Think katakana).

That's a bad idea. The Octoling script already covers every vowel and consonant of Inkling; I see no purpose in adding another script to convolute the language anymore.

ADJECTIVES: I just realized this is a naught-covered subject.

Should adjectives have a common (and unique) word ending (like how Japanese ends all adjectives in i or na [some of these so-called na adjectives can take no ending] depending on the word)? My proposal is to end all adjectives in na.

Or end some in i and some in na.

I support the idea that {-u} changes a noun into a verb and {-na} changes it into an adjective. I reckon {-ni} would change it to an adverb.

WORD ENDINGS: Oh, and in regards to the word endings, nouns take no ending.

I advocate the Esperanto-esque {-o} ending for nouns, but that's just me, apparently.

|| (vb.): to depart
|| (vb.): to arrive

"To depart" could be {hasshu} from 発車, and "to arrive" could be {toočaku} from 到着.

 

[EclipseMT]

"To depart" could be {hasshu} from 発車, and "to arrive" could be {toočaku} from 到着.

Initially I was trying to be more creative, but that's actually a good idea.

Or what about |hasshau|?

EDIT: In terms of the alternative loanword script, how is it a bad idea?

 

[theFIZZYnator]

Initially I was trying to be more creative, but that's actually a good idea.

Or what about |hasshau|?

I think "departure" should be {haššoi} and "arrival" {toočakoi}. Why don't we regularize all nouns to end in {o} or {oi} to be consistent?

EDIT: In terms of the alternative loanword script, how is it a bad idea?

I see no necessity in it, and doing so just convolves the language further than it needs to be convoluted. I personally don't see Octolings wanting to write Inkling script when their own semisyllabary is more than sufficient for transcription.

 

[theFIZZYnator]

Also, I've been browsing the Wiki page for untranslatability, and found out that Finnish and Hindi have multiple levels of causation.

I think we should incorporate a few levels of causation in the Octoling language, like "DJ Octavio [multiple levels of causation] the Octarian to attack".

 

[EclipseMT]

I'm honestly not leaning toward having nouns take endings. English has no regular noun ending except for gerunds and plurals, and Japanese nouns just add する or します to make it a verb.

German, AFAIC, takes gender-specific noun endings. EDIT: I believe there are languages that have nouns take endings based on gender.

Octoling does not decline based on gender or number. To indicate plurals, one appends the pluralizer, which is technically a noun.

 

[EclipseMT]

Also, I've been browsing the Wiki page for untranslatability, and found out that Finnish and Hindi have multiple levels of causation.
View attachment 1722
I think we should incorporate a few levels of causation in the Octoling language, like "DJ Octavio [multiple levels of causation] the Octarian to attack".

We already have |sasu| appended to the end of an infinitive (e.g. |(noun)susasu| = to make do (noun).

In terms of the "to depart/arrive" dilemma, can we agree "to depart" is |hasshasu| and "to arrive" is |toochakusu| with the derived words |hassha| and |toochaku| as nouns for "departure" and "arrival?"

 

[theFIZZYnator]

We already have |sasu| appended to the end of an infinitive (e.g. |(noun)susasu| = to make do (noun).

In terms of the "to depart/arrive" dilemma, can we agree "to depart" is |hasshasu| and "to arrive" is |toochakusu| with the derived words |hassha| and |toochaku| as nouns for "departure" and "arrival?"

If we already have one level of causation, we could add more levels; I was tinking something like {-usasasu} for "to make something make something [verb]" and {-ususasasu} for "to make something make something make something [verb]".
{Denša hašš·u.} The train departs.
{Untenši hašš·usasu.} The conductor makes the train depart.
{Zonesë hašš·usasasu.} The Octoling urges the conductor to make the train depart.

I'm still an advocate of haššu/toočaku, since it's more subtle and compact.

 

[EclipseMT]

For now, let's focus all efforts into vectorizing the font so I can get on with the first copy of the language guide.

 

[EclipseMT]

In terms of |zonessë| and |amidhekku|, the former is used solely to refer to the military unit, and the latter is the native name of the species as a whole.

It's WMG at this point, but my assumption is that what we see in-game as octotroopers are naught but the severed tentacles of octolings that develop a primitive central intelligience (and other primitive organs, like a larynx, hence the reason why octotrooper speech is unintelligible).

Actual octolings reproduce sexually.

EDIT: Eventually, I would come up with translations and transliterations of the Octoling-written scrolls.