#splatlangs

[nintendoteuthis]

Callie can speak fluent Octolingo but only with the hypnoshades on. Without them she's terrible at it

[nintendoteuthis]

So because I'm insane, I have started making a third Splatoon conlang.

The Reef language (Dazat'e) is the fifth most widely-spoken language in the Mollusc Era. It's thought to have originated with crustaceans, and is now commonly spoken among non-cephalopod communities such as urchins, anemones, and some fish. Some traits of it:

Six vowels: a, e, i, o, u, and ə (the "uh" sound). Plus four diphthongs: ai, ei, oi, and ui

22 consonants: ch, ch' (ejective form), d, f, g, gh (voiced velar fricative), h, k, k', kh (voiceless velar fricative), l, m* n, r, s, sh, t, t', th, y, z, and ' (glottal stop)

The letter that's written down as "m" is extremely variable in pronunciation across species dialects: it could be pronounced as m, b, p, or (in crustacean dialects, since they do not have lips and therefore fully labial sounds are impossible) v

r, l, and n can also act as vowels, e.g. chrha "shoe"

Subject-verb-object word order

Verbs build off a root-pattern system similar to that of Arabic. For example, the verb "to walk" has the root form es_t_. Different patterns of vowels added in those two blank spaces will mean different things. "I walk" is esetə. "He walked" is esoiten. "A walk" is esate. Like that.

Thus, Reef is a fusional language. This contrasts with the mostly analytic Inklish, largely agglutinative Octolingo, and polysynthetic Salmonic

Four grammatical genders along which nouns, pronouns, and adjectives are inflected: masculine, feminine, collective (for animate plurals), and inanimate.

I think that many of the gear vendors would speak this.

[nintendoteuthis]

do you have any plans to share a dictionary for any of your splatoon conlangs? specifically octolingo, i think it'd be fun to use for my ocs but also just to skim through since i appreciate conlanging

Yes!!! Octolingo is fleshed out enough that I think it can be shared now. This document has a dictionary and all of the language's rules. It's a work-in-progress, of course, but I hope it's of interest!

(And yes, anyone is free to use it for things!!)

[nintendoteuthis]

Sagar Skiakca Kahlidzuxuyastunag kaz Wahoo World. Narkutsuug! Narkaxatkanu! Nartlakta dakxaglu!

[Translation: The Kahlidzuxu clan of Salmonids are going to Wahoo World. For honor! For lost glory! Most importantly, for fun!]

[nintendoteuthis]

Splatoon languages that I headcanon as existing

Inklish: The common language of the Inklings. Also spoken by pretty much all Octolings, many Jellyfish, and most other species. Represented by whatever language you set the game to (I have it set to English, so)

Splatino (Esplatino): Another language spoken by Inklings. Mostly exists because I want Spanish-, Portuguese-, and Italian-speaking Inklings

Octolingo (Mialekauri): The language spoken by Octolings and Octarians

Salmonic (Skiak-hazgu): The language of the Salmonids

Octo-Salmon Pidgin (Lataya hasku): A simple trade language used during Octarian-Salmonid communications. It's mostly based on Salmonic, with a more Octolingo-like grammar and a very simplified phonology (i.e. what the two languages' tongues have in common)

Reef (Dazat'e): A language spoken by crustaceans and sea urchins. Used as a lingua franca in parts of Inkopolis and Splatsville.

Manta (Ay): Big Man speaks this. It's extremely tonal; to non-speakers it just sounds like Ay.

Jelly Visual: A nonverbal language spoken by Jellyfish (not all of whom can talk). It uses color, bioluminescence, and body movements instead of words.

Splat Sign Language: The common sign language of Inkopolis and Splatsville. Can be spoken by anything that has hands

[nintendoteuthis]

I should note that, the way I'm picturing it in my head, Salmonid language doesn't consist solely of words. There's a repertoire of various barks, chirps, snarls, and hisses they make as well. These mostly convey interjections, commands, and short sentences. Things like "this way", "back off", contact and alarm calls, "I'm hungry", etc. Words usually come in when they need to convey something more complex, i.e. an actual sentence.

Salmonid vocals vary based on what type of Salmonid you are. Roughly, the larger the Salmonid is, the deeper and snarlier its voice gets. A Smallfry's babbling sounds relatively normal to the Inkling or Octoling ear. The average Chum or Cohock is capable of talking, but commonly use other vocalizations as well. Maws and Steelheads basically sound like orcs. Goldies are overall the most articulate and talkative; they're the ones that lead trade negotiations with Octarians. All the Cohozuna ever does is roar.

[nintendoteuthis]

Hello! I am the same anon who asked about glowflies a while ago! I'm curious, do you have a name for them in your Salmonid conlang? Also, what about Octolingo? If glowflies were brought to Octarians' awareness through their dealings with Salmonids, maybe it would be a loan word?

The Salmonic word for glowflies is jiaag singular, jiaagca plural. And I think it would be a loanword in Octolingo! Since glowflies seem to prefer the coastal, wetland, and brackish water environments that Salmonids live in, they probably wouldn't be common in Octarian lands. Due to the rules of Octo phonology it'd be incorporated as shianga.

Fun linguistic fact: a derivative of this word, jiak, is the Salmonic word for starlight. It's also used for certain artificial lights.

[nintendoteuthis]

Random Salmonid language tidbit: the Flipper-Flopper is known as Zashkadlashka (which is also the onomatopeia for "splish splash")