Orcish as a real learnable language?

[Deleted]

There's a thing called the "language creation society" and their advice were used to create the Dothraki language in Game of Thrones I think. So it's definitely doable and looks like an interesting project. Not quite for me but I'd quite like to see this get off the ground, dunno why though 0.0

[Xargoth6634]

If you're an aspiring linguist, why not learn a real language which would help you out in real life, instead of an imaginary language you could only use with a handful of other people in a video game?

[Deleted]

@Nah:
A language that can bring forth meaning and emotion counts as a language.
Great to see of what you achieved so far. In my head it kind of sounds like Klingon, although I have no understanding of neither of the language structures.

@Lei Shi:
Nobody's stopping you!
One thing which would put me off from developing an elven language is the existence of Sindarin.
But with enough imagination and motivation, I'm sure it's possible to develop something unique.

@Zness:
I watched the Warcraft movie panel and honestly didn't hear a word regarding the further development of the Orcish language.
Of course I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to do this, since a movie revolving around orcs (and humans) would be the perfect opportunity.
But even then, I'm convinced there wouldn't be a whole developed language ready for the community to use.
Starting a community-based language project is in my opinion a good initiative. When more canon information regarding the Orcish language releases, we could always tweak it up a little.

@Sibut:
Sorry, but that sounded really closed-minded. Although I get your point.
If such a project as this were to succeed, it probably wouldn't mean that I could use it in day to day conversations. But that's not necessarily what I care about.
Language can be perceived as a kind of art. You could stare at paintings all day, or you could paint things for other people to stare at. Some painters grow out to be famous, some of them don't. But at least they spent their time doing what they loved.
And creating a language feels like that for me. Maybe I will be the only who ends up learning it, or maybe not.
Aside of all that though... I am learning Czech

[Vinictus]

Thallasian or go home

[Deleted]

Guys, since I want to involve you all as much as possible in this project. Why not brainstorm a little together?
There are so many words the language still needs, it would be great to receive as much shared community input as possible.
The document has been updated with an alphabet of all the letters found in already existing Orcish words.
Submit any ideas and suggestions you have and I'll implement them in the document as long as they sound Orcish enough.
Be sure to submit not already existing words, and pay attention to the usage of (already existing) root words.

Here's an example of what I mean:
(note: these are words I made up myself and are not necessarily meant to be the final product)

Be - vrazar (verb only)
Can - mozar (verb only)
Day - borm
Enemy - zrago
Friend - mrogo
Friendship - mrogoshar
Hostility - zragoshar
Next - agash
No - nar
Now - zerg
Previous - nogar
Today - zergborm
Tomorrow - agashborm
Yes - zug (derived from "zug-zug" of course)
Yesterday - nogarborm

[Silentrogue]

Start a Forsaken language and im all in

[Deleted]

@Hadoouken:
Gutterspeak actually shouldn't be so hard to recreate, since it's a form of low/vulgar common (mostly a mix of English and Latin) with a slight bit of Thalassian.
But in my opinion it would be less appealing to the Horde faction in general, since Orcish is what we are all supposed to speak (according to game terms of course)

[WhiteRussianXD]

I don't believe so, sadly. The words an Alliance player sees when a Horde character talks and vice-versa was figured out to be an algorithm made up of mostly gibberish (A=Z, R=X, etc. or something like that). Then again I'm remembering this from a forum post in Vanilla, so not sure if anything's changed or been revealed since then.

I doubt that it's that simple, otherwise someone would put a translator up, and people would use it in PvP or something.

[Deleted]

This is the algorithm used for Orcish (source: wowwiki.com)

One-letter words A, N, G, O, L
Two-letter words Ha, Ko, No, Mu, Ag, Ka, Gi, Il
Three-letter words Lok, Tar, Kaz, Ruk, Kek, Mog, Zug, Gul, Nuk, Aaz, Kil, Ogg
Four-letter words Rega, Nogu, Tago, Uruk, Kagg, Zaga, Grom, Ogar, Gesh, Thok, Dogg, Maka, Maza
Five-letter words Regas, Nogah, Kazum, Magan, No'bu, Golar, Throm, Zugas, Re'ka, No'ku, Ro'th
Six-letter words Thrakk, Revash, Nakazz, Moguna, No'gor, Goth'a, Raznos, Ogerin, Gezzno, Thukad, Makogg, Aaz'no
Seven-letter words Lok'Tar, Gul'rok, Kazreth, Tov'osh, Zil'Nok, Rath'is, Kil'azi
Eight-letter words Throm'ka, Osh'Kava, Gul'nath, Kog'zela, Ragath'a, Zuggossh, Moth'aga
Nine-letter words Tov'nokaz, Osh'kazil, No'throma, Gesh'nuka, Lok'mogul, Lok'bolar, Ruk'ka'ha
Ten-letter words Regasnogah, Kazum'nobu, Throm'bola, Gesh'zugas, Maza'rotha, Ogerin'naz
Eleven-letter words Thrakk'reva, Kaz'goth'no, No'gor'goth, Kil'azi'aga, Zug-zug'ama, Maza'thrakk
Twelve-letter words Lokando'nash, Ul'gammathar, Golgonnashar, Dalggo'mazah
Thirteen-letter words Khaz'rogg'ahn, Moth'kazoroth

But that's not what we are going for here!

[Nah]

Ok I can't resist...I've started working on Common. I'm debating how heavily to rely on currently existing works like O Thanagor. They were written to sound pretty, not necessarily make any real sense, and seem mostly derived from Latin. Meanwhile, most Human place names along with the words in the algorithm sound more like Old Norse, which makes sense considering their Vrykul origins.

I'm considering three options:

1. Consider the latin-based works "old" common, building new definitions and idioms from their base meanings.
2. Consider the latin-based works a newer poetic dialect invented for use in the Church of the Holy Light.
3. Use the existing translations as-is and work from there, incorporating more Latin sounds (and perhaps grammar) into the final lexicon.

Personally I'm leaning more towards 1 or 2. What do you think?

[Deleted]

@Nah:
I'm happy and curious to hear about your interest in Common

It's tough to decide which option would be the most fitting in order to make it a vast intelligible language.
Personally I would advise you to start with the language as it is right now and consider it a more formal/higher form of Common.
Although you shouldn't take the official translations too literally. You could loosen them up a little, but try to keep a similar or at least a distant meaning to them.

Whatever you'll go with in the end, I'll support your idea!

[Deleted]

What does Dabu mean?

[Deleted]

I don't believe so, sadly. The words an Alliance player sees when a Horde character talks and vice-versa was figured out to be an algorithm made up of mostly gibberish (A=Z, R=X, etc. or something like that). Then again I'm remembering this from a forum post in Vanilla, so not sure if anything's changed or been revealed since then.

If this is the case, then why we dont have addons reverting this algorithm by now?

[Amnaught]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Blizzard has already hired a few linguists to flesh out Orcish for their 2016 movie; confirmed at Blizzcon 2012.

[Deleted]

@Fulla:
It means "to obey" or "I obey".

@Amnaught:
Got any source for that information?
All I know is that during every Blizzcon up until 2014, they kept reassuring us the movie was still "in progress" with no further detail.

[Zoaric]

@Fulla:
It means "to obey" or "I obey".

@Amnaught:
Got any source for that information?
All I know is that during every Blizzcon up until 2014, they kept reassuring us the movie was still "in progress" with no further detail.

It's here, at aboot 58:12. They have someone who's worked on other similar projects
fleshing out Orcish further, but he doesn't say all of the way. I expect that sort of thing
would be done for a sequel or just for world building.



Good luck on your project, though.

[taliey]

They did it for Klingon.

They did it for Hylian.

I don't see any reason why Blizzard Orcish can't be a language.

[athenaricham]

Hey there! Stumbled upon this in 2021. Are you still continuing the project? I tried going to the link yoi provided but it's broken. And here i am looking for some basis on Orcish language for my written works. I hope you're okay!