"It looks like damage." |
The Yautja language is a complex verbal and written language used by the Yautja. The Yautja (pronounced: Ya-OOT-ja)[1][2] language contains many peculiarities, such as a rare object-verb-subject (OVS) word order.
Known Yautja Words[]
The following is a list of known Yautja words and their (approximate) English translation.
Singular words[]
- agaj'ya — realm
- amedha — meat[3]
- 'aseigan - servant
- 'awu'asa — armor[4]
- bhu'ja — ghost/soul/spirit
- bpi-de — end
- ch'hkt-a — excited/nervous/agitated[5]
- dhi'ki — unconsciousness[6]
- dhi'ki-de — death[7]
- dhi'rauta — cunning
- dia-shui — musk[8]
- dto — forest/jungle/woodland
- gahn'tha-cte — ruthless
- gkei'moun — easy/simple[9]
- guan — night
- h'chak — mercy/merciful
- h'dlak — fear
- h'dui'se — smell/scent/odor/musk
- h'ka-se — now[10]
- h'ulij-bpe — crazy[11]
- hult'ah — spotter/lookout[12]
- halkrath — shadow
- ikthya-de — umbra
- jehdin — spar[13]
- ju'dha — water
- kainde — hard[3]
- kehrite — training room/dojo[14]
- ki'cte — enough[15]/quickly[16]
- kjuhte — void
- kwei — sly
- l'ulij-bpe — mad
- lar'ja — dark
- luar-ke — moon
- m-di — no
- m-di mar'ct — no killing
- m-di h'chak — no mercy
- m-di h'dlak — no fear
- mi — fuel[17]
- n'ithya — ground/dirt/earth/land
- nan'ku — alive[18]
- nok — unit of measurement (equivalent to around 13 inches)
- nracha-dte — relentless
- ooman — human[19]
- Oomani-di - Human woman/human women[20]
- pauk — fuck[21]
- Pauk-de -- Fucker or Fucking[22]
- pyode — soft[19]
- r'ka — fire
- s' — a/the/and/are/is
- sain'ja - warrior
- s'yuit-de — pathetic/idiot[23]
- setg'in — deadly
- tarei'hsan — scorpion[24]
- te'dqi — Hive resin[25]
- than-guan — midnight
- thar'n-dha — strength
- thei-de — death[26]/dead[27]
- thwei — blood[28]
- ui'stbi — abomination
- vayuh'ta — air
- yeyin — brave
- yin'tekai — honor
- z'skuy-de — convulsions/spasm
- zabin — insect
Phrases[]
- dtai'k-dte sa-de nav'g-kon dtain'aun bpide/Nau'gkon dtain'aun bpi-de — the fight that begun would not end until the end[29]
- gkaun-yte — hello
- gkei'moun — sheet
- jkiu — sheet
- ki'sei — I agree/I understand
- n'dhi-ja — farewell/goodbye
- n'jauka — welcome
- na'tauk — salute
- payas leitjin-de Hma'mi'de — remember the gods' practice
- sei-i — yes/affirmative
- thar'n-da s' yin'tekai — strength and honor
- thin-de le'hsaun 'aloun'myin-de s' bpi-de gka-de hou-depaya — learn the gift of all sights or finish the dance of the fallen gods
- non-co — life
Actions and events[]
- chi'ytei — embrace/hug
- chiva — trial
- dha-viath — disaster
- dtai'kai'-dte — Hunt[29]
- gry'sui-bpe — stampede[30]
- ikthala — cataclysm
- ka'Torag-na — lurking
- kv'var — Hunt
- n'ritja — dance
Objects[]
- d'lex — strong, metallic, crystalline Yautja material
- dekna — eye/eyes/eyeball
- gkinmara — sensors/detector/camera[31]
- ki'cti-pa — Wristblades[7]
- kiloun — wood
- s'pke — Yautja fruit stew[32]
- syra'yte — head
- th'syra — skull
- tjau'ke — rock made of compressed dust
- tyioe-ti — escape pod[33]
Weapons[]
- akrei-non — bombs/explosives
- al'Nagara — longsword
- awu'asa — armor
- bhrak-chei — Speargun
- chakt-ra — Smart Disc
- dah'kte — Wristblades
- dah'Nagara — shortsword
- h'sai-de — Sword[34]
- ki'cti-pa — Combistick
- kv'Vurj-de — Energy Flechette
- sivk'va-tai — Plasmacaster
- taun'dcha — Plasma Pistol
- t'gou u'linja — Netgun
People definitions[]
- jehdin — individual/one
- mei'hswei — brother
- mei-jadhi — sister
- hulij-bpe — crazy
- hult'ah — observer/spotter[12]
- vor'mekta — Stalker
- kv'var-de — hunter
- ic'jit — Bad Blood
- sain'ja — warrior
- p'kya'uha — sniper
- nrak'ytara — guardian
- n'yaka-de — master
- mar'cte — killer
- kujhade — destroyer
- u'darahje — abomination
- kha'bj-te — maniac/reckless
- dteinou — messenger
Names[]
- Bakuub — Straight Spear
- Cetanu — The Black Hunter (Yautja god of death)
- Dachande — Different Knife[3]
- Da'dtou-di — Little Knife
- Guan-thwei — Nightblood
- Kaail — Rage
- Paya — God/Warrior
- Yeyinde — Brave One[3]
Expressions[]
- c'ntlip — intoxicating Yautja beverage[35]
- cjit — shit[36]
- dhi'ki-de — "The Long Sleep" (death)/unconsciousness/coma[6]
- ell-osde' pauk — fuck you[37]
- h'ko (M-di) — no/negative
- ka'rik'na — the summoning (of other Yautja)
- kainde amedha[38] — Hard Meat (Xenomorphs)
- lou-dte kale — child-maker (female)[31]
- mesh'in'ga — The Battle Dreamtime
- n'dui'se — Yautja scent
- nain-de — type of Hunt
- nain-desintje-de — pure win (absolute victory)[39]
- Nan-deThan-gaun — "The Kiss of Midnight"/no mercy[40]
- pyode amedha — Soft Meat (humans)/female (slurs)[41]
- tjau'ke — compressed dust
- u'sl-kwe — final rest (death)[42]
- z'skvy-de — birth of Xenomorph from host (Chestburster)[43]
- zazin — completely centred/within oneself
Body Language[]
As well as their spoken language, the Yautja also have range of identifiable body language that is used to portray emotion.
- Back arched and mandibles flared — rage
- Head and eyes lowered — submission
- Head cocked to one side — curiosity
- Lower mandibles flared — aggression
- Push with one hand at another's shoulder — challenge
- Placing one hand on another's shoulder, and shaking — greeting
- Mandibles click together — regard
- Mandibles flared — anger
- Arm raised up diagonally — guarded
- Head bowed — mourning/grief
- Mandibles spread, eyes wide — fear
- Rapid mandible clicking — deep amusement/laughing
Behind the scenes[]
Steve and S. D. Perry developed the Yautja language from the Polynesian and Hawaiian languages.[1] The term "kainde amedha", as originally printed in Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, has occasionally been misspelled "kiande" in other works, which is of Kenyan derivation rather than "kainde" which is of Polynesian. Later printings such as the 2016 The Complete Aliens vs. Predator Omnibus maintain the originally coined "kainde amedha" spelling.
Trivia[]
- The Yautja language has never been heard on screen in the Predator or Alien vs. Predator films; aside from seemingly meaningless clicks and screeches, the only times Predators have spoken is by using Vocal Mimicry, often to mock or taunt prey. Their language is predominantly a feature of the Alien vs. Predator novels, for which it was created by author Steve Perry.
- The Predator is the first time in the franchise that the Yautja language is not only heard, but also shown in the form of subtitles.[44]
- The Yautja language was featured in a "Decryption Codes" released as part of the #HuntthePredator promotion for the 3D re-release of Predator.
- In reality, the chances of the Yautja alphabet exactly aligning with the English alphabet (i.e. featuring exactly 26 symbols with each one corresponding to a letter in the English alphabet) are infinitesimal. Even on Earth, many alphabets used by mankind do not align. For example, the Cyrillic alphabet does not directly correspond with the Latin alphabet, while the Chinese language uses a non-alphabetic script, with an alphabet only for supplementary use. It would be almost inconceivable for an extraterrestrial race to use a language that could be so easily and directly translated into English.
- In Aliens vs. Predator: War, Yautja seemingly possesses a form of sign language that they can use to communicate with each other, known as 'Silent Hand'.
- Another, as-yet-untranslated Yautja language appears written on the numerous NECA Predator toyline packages. This particular typeface appears to consist of curved glyphs resembling those that appeared in the Dark Horse Comics and are dissimilar to the angular digital glyphs previously depicted in the films.
Gallery[]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Author Steve Perry Talks Origin of Predator Language & How To Correctly Pronouce Yautja!
- ↑ Predator: If It Bleeds, p. 107 (2017), Titan Books.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 3 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 40 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 61 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 76 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 162 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ S. D. Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: War, p. 1 (1999), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 6 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ S. D. Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: War, p. 78 (1999), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 93 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 137 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 10 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 8 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 11 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 72 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 75 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 153 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 4 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ AVP:WAR,pg. 190
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 258 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ AVP:WAR,pg. 190
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 166 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 25 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 231 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 14 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 101 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 33 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 128 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 178 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 23 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ S. D. Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: War, p. 68 (1999), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 239 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ S. D. Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: War, p. 27 (1999), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 34 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 73 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ S. D. Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: War, p. 6 (1999), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 232 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 16 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 15 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Aliens vs. Predator: War, Page 8
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 189 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ Steve Perry, Stephani Perry. Aliens vs. Predator: Prey, p. 203 (1994), Bantam Spectra.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1QcElxo8mc
- ↑ Nate "Blambot" Piekos's "Xenotribal" font developed for Dark Horse Comics