Need help creating an alien language

For my Adobe Flash based project I've created a race of humanoid reptillians, made up of 4 different tribes, but they all share the same language.

However, I'm having trouble coming up with what their language should look and/or sound like. What should I do?

I was thinking of making them run their s' (They evolved from a distant genetic relative of snakes) and make it sound primitive (Because of their clothing and tribal tattoos all over their bodies).

sounds interesting good luck, but as for just running their S' that seems kind of lazy

Copy Halo Elite, speak backward.magicalclick

this.

Make them speak in chainsaw revs.CRS98

That wouldn't work unless they were robots.

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Make them speak in chainsaw revs.TransformerRobo

That wouldn't work unless they were robots.

[QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Make them speak in chainsaw revs.CRS98

That wouldn't work unless they were robots.

Ah, but they're very eco-friendly, so chainsaw speak would be inappropriate. Furthermore: http://transformerrobot.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3l4fee How does this look like a species of people speaking chainsaw?

You will definitely find a lot of xenolinguistic experts here. Good choice for a source of advice about this issue.

[QUOTE="CRS98"][QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

That wouldn't work unless they were robots.

TransformerRobo

Ah, but they're very eco-friendly, so chainsaw speak would be inappropriate. Furthermore: http://transformerrobot.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3l4fee How does this look like a species of people speaking chainsaw?

[QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

[QUOTE="CRS98"] What do you mean? These are aliens, they can speak in whatever language they want. They aren't humans.CRS98

Ah, but they're very eco-friendly, so chainsaw speak would be inappropriate. Furthermore: http://transformerrobot.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3l4fee How does this look like a species of people speaking chainsaw?

If they spoke chainsaw nobody would take them seriously. You know how they settle 95% of disputes on their planet? The winner of the argument is whoever hasn't lost their weapon. Ala Soul Calibur.

Usually it is fixed with stereotype type, like Native American style or Afrian style. Just listen to their language and copy some of the flow from them. And you can even mix even more stereotype, like bird chipps or fish bwoab. But, honest, don't think too much because no one understand anyway. magicalclick

I was thinking of Swahili played backwards, but because their gods are represented as snakes I'm worried it'd get religious nutcases after me.

Just make up some fancy name for it, but leave it the same as our language. Then when people ask why the aliens are speaking English you can say that they're actually speaking "_____", but by strange coincidence the two languages happen to be exactly alike.

why not choose sumerian and add your own twist to it? Maybe you could get extra points for adding a backstory to the ancient astronaut/sumeria theory to the aliens :)

why not choose sumerian and add your own twist to it? Maybe you could get extra points for adding a backstory to the ancient astronaut/sumeria theory to the aliens :)

Neo-ganon

*cue hrtsickdisple*

(Or however his name is spelled.)

Have them speak perfect English and then come up with some literary device that translates their language into decipherable English to us. That saves you the trouble of coming up with a language.spazzx625

Sounds like a good idea. :)

[QUOTE="spazzx625"]Have them speak perfect English and then come up with some literary device that translates their language into decipherable English to us. That saves you the trouble of coming up with a language.TransformerRobo

Sounds like a good idea. :)

My idea is better.

[QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

[QUOTE="spazzx625"]Have them speak perfect English and then come up with some literary device that translates their language into decipherable English to us. That saves you the trouble of coming up with a language.worlock77

Sounds like a good idea. :)

My idea is better.

http://192.20.225.36/tts/speech/c9019bde59b08091f070ca05bfe5d43d.wav I tried this: Swahili, but with the Js switched around with the Is, and the Gs switched around with the Hs.

This thread reminded me of the Codex Seraphinianus.

(in more ways than just the 'language' because of the reptilian part, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to show the picture of the naked couple turning into an aligator)

I don't have much to actually contribute, other than suggesting reading about the Codex Sep..[SPELLING] and false writing. But I think you've got it figured out all good already :)

Well I don't think I've figured it out, unless you mean coming up with my own alien language, then yes I have.

Copy Halo Elite, speak backward.magicalclick

Trow trow trow.

Have them speak perfect English and then come up with some literary device that translates their language into decipherable English to us. That saves you the trouble of coming up with a language.spazzx625

Consult your local alien

http://192.20.225.36/tts/speech/c9019bde59b08091f070ca05bfe5d43d.wav I tried this: Swahili, but with the Js switched around with the Is, and the Gs switched around with the Hs.

TransformerRobo

What about something simillar to Harry Potter's Parseltongue language? And then have what they are saying be in subtitles

[QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

http://192.20.225.36/tts/speech/c9019bde59b08091f070ca05bfe5d43d.wav I tried this: Swahili, but with the Js switched around with the Is, and the Gs switched around with the Hs.

parkurtommo

Why thank you. :) But I don't know if I'd be able to do that for all sentences. I tried "Kwa nhnh asante" in place of "Kwa nini asante" but it didin't come out well.

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"][QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

http://192.20.225.36/tts/speech/c9019bde59b08091f070ca05bfe5d43d.wav I tried this: Swahili, but with the Js switched around with the Is, and the Gs switched around with the Hs.

TransformerRobo

Why thank you. :) But I don't know if I'd be able to do that for all sentences. I tried "Kwa nhnh asante" in place of "Kwa nini asante" but it didin't come out well.

[QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"] That's a great way to do it, I definitely suggest this as well.parkurtommo

Why thank you. :) But I don't know if I'd be able to do that for all sentences. I tried "Kwa nhnh asante" in place of "Kwa nini asante" but it didin't come out well.

Can I rewrite certan words backwards then?

[QUOTE="parkurtommo"][QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

Why thank you. :) But I don't know if I'd be able to do that for all sentences. I tried "Kwa nhnh asante" in place of "Kwa nini asante" but it didin't come out well.

TransformerRobo

Can I rewrite certan words backwards then?

I was actually contemplating written languages on Sunday when at work (I do nothing on Sunday's at work, so I need things to pass the time). What about a language based entirely on diacritical marks? Two different symbols: one for vowel, one for consonant, and the rest of it is modified by diacriticals. I thought it was a pretty cool idea. As for making reptilians extend the "s" sound at the end of words... well, honestly, that's dumb. Its played out and is incredibly cliche. Try doing something original like coming up with unique compound sounds for formal speech or something (or use weird sounding particles).foxhound_fox

Well I was thinking of making their language sound like aligators http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3rzkrm98J0&feature=fvwrel or just Swahili with certain letters switched around and certain words backwards.

Along with all the other advice in this thread, for the best way to get away from the words sounding/looking like English, I'd recommend making it consonant heavy or even taking out any and all vowels altogether.

1. Choose what phonemes your language has - create basic rules of phoneme combinations: what is allowed and what isnt

2. Create your basic stem morphemes based on the above rules.

3. Expand on said morphemes by creating allomorphs for related notions

4. Create prefixes and suffixes (take note of the phonetic rules you already set and devise some rules about phoneme transformation if necessary) - create the inflection of verbs, nouns and other word categories

5. Start building up a basic vocabulary.

6. Syntax - choose what theta grid your verbs have, word order limitations etc

The basic steps

Scramble letters from a foreign language.curono

I was thinking of taking Swahili and spelling the words backwards, but then I was worried religious extremists would hound me for it.

[QUOTE="curono"]Scramble letters from a foreign language.TransformerRobo

I was thinking of taking Swahili and spelling the words backwards, but then I was worried religious extremists would hound me for it.

[QUOTE="TransformerRobo"]

[QUOTE="curono"]Scramble letters from a foreign language.curono

I was thinking of taking Swahili and spelling the words backwards, but then I was worried religious extremists would hound me for it.

No, but my aliens hiss as a sign of anger (like snakes and aligators).