The Complete Tyrannian Phrase Book by wenchphanny |  |
If you're an avid Neopian Times reader… you'll be wondering just how many Times
articles start with that statement, and if there's some way to outlaw it. Well,
there isn't, so just sit still and listen. I am a regular Times reader myself,
and I couldn't help but notice the continuing search for the meaning of the
Tyrannian language. Princess_grunge
first asked about it in Week 23, and now spuddie_hang
has started a partial dictionary of the language. Determined to not be the last
to know about something new, for once, I immediately rushed out to purchase
a Tyrannian phrase book. Unfortunately, the only thing I found at my local bookstore,
library, and supermarkets were funny looks. Finally, I found a web site claiming
to have a complete Tyrannian dictionary. I hastily downloaded it, to discover,
to my dismay, that the translation part of it was completely blank.
Discouraged, but not beaten, I decided to take my new "phrase book" to Tyrannia
itself, to see if anyone there could translate it. I wandered into Town Hall
where Sabre-X,
possibly the Tyrannian most fluent in Neopian, was happy to oblige in translating
each word. I also traveled all over both the Jungle and the Plateau, and wrote
down every phrase or snippet of Tyrannian I could catch. I took my dictionary
and notebook home, plopped down on the couch, and, very proud of my ingenuity,
began to translate each word. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that Tyrannia
doesn't translate well word-for-word. However, I was too tired to go back anytime
soon, and I had promised to take my pets to Terror Mountain for some sledding
the next day, anyway. So, here is my amateur attempt at decoding the impossibly
complex language that is Tyrannian.
Food Shopkeeper:
Uggh-Ugga-Ugg!
Please Watch You!
(Much of the food was displayed on rickety twig tables; I think that our friendly
shopkeeper was just trying to warn me to be careful.)
Furniture Shopkeeper:
Ahh-aka-aka-gal!
Hello Lots Lots Buy!
(I should buy a lot of furniture)
PetPet Shopkeeper (Pacha):
Gal-aka-aka-bo! Nah-de!
Buy Lots Lots Now! Not Then!
(Another convincing sales pitch)
Uggaroo (Switch-A-Roo Owner):
Aka aka UMBUKU!
Lots Lots HURRY!
(I should hurry up and bet, or else the coconut shells are very fast. You decide)
Holding your mouse over the Kacheekers link (HTML map) shows: Ugg Ugg Ugga
Ugg! This translation was particularly difficult; in previous articles it
was easily established that "Ugga" meant "click" (as in, "click here to return"),
but my dictionary translated it to "poke". The only translation I had for "Ugg"
was "you", so that the whole sentence read "You you poke you!" (Or "you you
click you", which wasn't much better.) Finally, I decided its bluntness came
from impatience and irritation, at people taking forever to take their turns.
They are either yelling to hurry up and click, or threatening to poke someone
if they don't.
Tyrannian Weaponry shopkeeper:
Gal-aka-fyaaaar!
Buy Lots Fire!
(Yet another subtly persuasive sales pitch)
Last, but certainly not least, the cry of Jarbjarb or Uggsul when you guess
wrong at Tyranu Evavu:
Uhhg Uuuuuuhhhhgggg!
You Looooose!
I would finish this article by saying I hoped you learned something, but of
course you didn't, there was nothing to learn. But go to Tyrannia! Win something!
Buy something! Talk to people! Maybe, just maybe, you'll learn something. (Besides
the fact that everyone in Tyrannia must end every sentence with an exclamation
point!) |
