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- "As you may know, I am See-Threepio, a protocol droid fluent in over six million forms of communication. But even this spectacular achievement does not represent the total number of languages present in our galaxy. There are many others—some used only by very small populations, or others lost to the winds of time."
- ―C-3PO
Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn" speaks in Galactic Basic Standard before switching for Sy Bisti to say "preemptive strikes," a phrase he did not yet know in Basic.
A language was a method of sentient communication, either oral, written or sign, consisting of the use of sounds, words and/or physical gestures in a structured and conventional way.
Prevalent languages in the galaxy included Galactic Basic Standard and Bocce. Languages like Huttese, Aqualish, and Mando'a dominated in systems controlled by those societies.[2]
Some languages used more than one script. For instance, Galactic Basic used the Aurebesh, Outer Rim Basic, and High Galactic forms of written communication depending on the situation. Additionally, most societies used a base ten number system, however, there are exceptions. Jawas used a base nine system, and the Hutts counted on their fingers, of which they only have eight, and their numbers jump from seven to ten.[2]
In order to overcome language barriers between beings from different species or ethnic groups,[3] protocol droids were equipped with formidable language skills.[4] When communicating among several species, a trade language such as Sy Bisti[5] or Jawa Trade Talk could be used.[6]
To some, credits were considered a universal language.[7]
Phrases and slang[8] were a part of language.
Behind the scenes[]
Aurebesh inserts[]
Some on-screen Aurebesh texts contain excerpts from other, real world languages:
German[]
In the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Liberty on Ryloth," an all-Aurebesh Republic monitor includes the text "UND UBERHAUPT,"[9] German for "and anyway."
Italian[]
In the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "The Academy," when Soniee and her fellow students break into the Government warehouse, her datapad says "ENTRARE" in Aurebesh,[10] which is Italian for "enter."[11]
Spanish[]
In the Star Wars: Visions episode "T0-B1," the big monitor in Professor Mitaka's laboratory is filled with Aurebesh text. Most of it is written in Spanish; for example, there is "PERMANENCIA DESARROLLO DATOS,"[12] Spanish for "continuation development data"; and "ATMOSFERA MINERALES,"[12] meaning "atmosphere minerals." When T0-B1 continues the professor's work, he fills the monitors with notes. Most of them are a transcription of[12] excerpts from the lyrics of the 2018 song "Malamente" by the Spanish singer Rosalía,[13] but with some spelling errors.[12] For example, one excerpt from the original song reads "Ese cristalito roto yo sentí cómo crujía / Antes de caerse al suelo ya sabía que se rompía,"[13] but the show's version reads "Ese cris talito roto yo sen cmo crujía antes d ecaerse al suelo y asaba que se rompía".[12]
Norwegian[]
One of the lab tech's readouts in The Mandalorian episode "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire" contains two paragraphs written in Norwegian. The first one is reads:[14]
DEN NORSKE SKOGKATTEN ER ET |
The Norwegian Forest cat is a |
*Note that "innendors" (spelled "innendørs" in Norwegian), the Norwegian word for "indoor", has incorrectly been split into two words.
The second paragraph consists of[14] lyrics from the Norwegian national anthem, "Ja vi elsker dette landet" ("Yes, we love this country"):[16]
JA VI ELSKER DETTE |
Ja, vi elsker dette |
Yes we love this |
Finally, "ALLIANSEN", which is Norwegian for "the alliance,"[15] is written vertically in a different readout.[14]
Appearances[]
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
- LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Side: Doodle Activity Book (Indirect mention only)
- LEGO Star Wars: Build Your Own Adventure
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Star Wars (2020) 9
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- ↑
Amda Wabo in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Protocol Droid in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Thrawn
- ↑ Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- ↑ Rebel Rising
- ↑ The High Republic (2021) 7
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Liberty on Ryloth"
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Academy"
- ↑ "The Academy" Trivia Gallery on StarWars.com: "Once Soniee slices through the lock on the warehouse, her computer screen says "Entrare," which is Italian for "enter."" (backup link) (Slide 6)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Star Wars: Visions — "T0-B1"
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 MALAMENTE (Cap.1: Augurio) on genius.com (archived from the original on April 17, 2022)
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 The Mandalorian — "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire" (Note that the top line in the first Norwegian paragraph is only seen from behind, and is therefore mirror-inverted; while the entire second Norwegian paragraph is only seen clearly from behind; when it is seen from the front, it is too blurry to decipher)
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Translated by user: Nightlily, a native speaker of Norwegian
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 What is the national anthem of Norway, and what are the lyrics in English? on Classic FM (February 4, 2022): "Norway's official national anthem is 'Ja, vi elsker dette landet' ('Yes, we love this country') (...) It has been in use since the mid-1860s, but wasn't officially recognised as the nation's national anthem until just a few years ago in 2019. (...)
Yes, we love this country
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, over the water,
with the thousands of homes, —
love, love it and think
of our father and mother" (archived from the original on July 5, 2022) - ↑ Ja, vi elsker dette landet on genius.com: "Ja, vi elsker dette landet,
som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,
med de tusen hjem, —
elsker, elsker det og tenker
på vår far og mor" (archived from the original on October 23, 2022)
