#cybertronian language

[witchofthesouls]

Okay, so I'm thinking about linguistics on Cybertron, especially between city-states and caste influence.

I want to emphasize that I don't know jack shit about linguistics, so feel free to jump in if I'm using the term wrong or I'm veering into weird/silly territory.

Because of a lot of fanon interpretation and Bayverse, I'm viewing Cybertronian/Neocybex as ridiculously tonal and, unlike humans, are able to vocally include subglyphs -(sub)harmonics that closely act like written Chinese characters or Japanese kanji.

I'm really stressing the written part because Cybertronians have the capability to able to differentiate a word's very specific meaning without going through all the context surrounding it. So instead of vocally explaining that their names or meaning is "this," people already know.

Think of the name Miko and how many of us already immediately think of shrine maiden. But there are different kanji variations of Miko, so the meaning changes to exemplify certain characteristics or future aspirations.

There is a culture clash between dialects as names can rise from different conventions and inspirations. Hence, the IDW Megatron joke of his name being derived from neutron, the bomb. And TFP Megatron from the Fallen.

In terms of dialect by regional/city-state differences:

Kaon and Tarn: highly forceful and the underscores of territorality (mine versus not yours); very direct and clear cut; incorporated meanings with biolight usage and plating noise

Vos, Praxus, and Polyhex: aggressively stresses the group/flock/cohort rather than the individual (even Starscream with his me/I has a lot of accompanying subglyphs that stresses his position as the second-in-command to the Decepticons, Air Commander, and leader to the Elite Trine), very conscientious of social dynamics and ranks, pecking order is strictly held yet contains fluidity to be challenged, use of more "animalistic" noises, body language with wings/panels, expanded lexicon for spatial relationships during traveling operations

Iacon: emphasis on social hierarchy via one's occupation (aka their caste); formal and cold as it utilizes the least amount of subglyphs (viewed to be academic or stem from it); purposely more general rather than specific

I'm willing to bet the Lost Colonies of Cybertron had developed their own unique flavor of Neocybex/Cybertronian, especially without the immense pressure of Functionism.

#transformers #tf headcanons #cybertronian language #cybertronian culture #cybertronian biology #maccadam #my writing #my thoughts #imagine Nickel and Camien nurse blankly staring at the DJD from culture clash because of linguistic differences #yes Prion and Caminus have Conjunx Ritus #but what the fuck you mean “Primary” Conjunx and “Seconday” Conjunx?! #i cant believe i forgot a chunk of it #i updated it

[askvectorprime]

A thought occurs, Vector Prime

The word "master" comes up a lot across Transformers history, both as titles (e.g. of the Head-, Micro-, and Power- variety), and occasionally in names, perhaps most notably in the ignominious Motormaster. Is there a Cybertronian-to-English equivalency that describes this phenomenon, akin to ancient Cybertronian roughly translating to Earth Latin?

Dear Masterful Muse,

In the distant past, the medical code language of Diagnostic Drones and Medicroids was eventually patched into Old High Cybex, giving us medical terms for our bio-mechanical organs. Each organ or limb typically had a central control unit or "master" control system. At this point, it was strictly a medical term. You could refer to a damaged "legmaster" if you had trouble walking, or having a good "wheelmaster" if you were adapted for offroad driving. In fact, the "Master Sword" still serves to engage and control Fortress Maximus' transformation cog.

Over time, it became slang for confident (or arrogant) bots in some domain. For example, a "mouthmaster" is a clever or wily speaker. It became commonplace to even name yourself with this old suffix, as Turbo Master or Blaze Master can also attest, and whole organizations or subgroups later followed.

#ask vector prime #transformers #maccadam #cybertronian language #diagnostic drones #medicroids #old high cybex #master sword #fortress maximus #turbo master #blazemaster

[knight-says-rollout]

Thinking ab how there’s a sort of wing-speak thing for both wings and doorwings

It’s heavily rooted in body language so I’m positive there’s similarities but fliers and praxians are Definitely socialized differently. Plus the hinges, weights, and attachment angles are different! So in certain ways they Can’t move the same

There’s definitely stuff that has different motions but mean the same thing, like for example wings fluttering would be the same as doorwings bouncing, because doorwings Can’t flutter

But what about the motions they share? A lot of outside factors influence the tone or meaning a gesture can have, and I think the detail wingspeak has would just amplify that, so with the different backgrounds a lot of the same motions probably have different meanings

Are the differences read as accents are? Like a flier from altihex looking at a praxian and the wing language translates like someone speaking with a super thick accent? The message comes across but the details are lost in translation

Or would that apply more between a flier from altihex and another from vos? While a grounder from praxis is speaking a whole different language?

How does that come into play after Vos and Praxis fall. Did it fuel the fire? “They’re all Decepticons/Autobots, they’re Bad, they don’t even use their wings/doors properly”

Idk man I feel like this is potential that Everyone is underusing, if we as a fandom are making it function as a language I demand nuance, I demand variation

#transformers #wingspeak #doorwings #seekers #all fliers actually but. tumblr tags have biases #praxians #cybertronian culture #cybertronian language #I’m imagining the crack that could be accomplished with this #insert a game of gossip-telephone between the Decepticons and Autobots that gets increasingly ridiculous due to mistranslation #all of them are ‘eavesdropping’ on wing based communications and Everyone is confused #‘what do you mean they were talking about gun food. what does that even m e a n -‘ #‘I’m positive skywarps actually plotting something against thundercracker this time’ ‘that’s what you said the last 3 times.’ #‘why would TC need to fly north what are the autobots planning that hangs on us sending him North?’ #‘is a Decepticon dating smokescreen???’ ‘no ok That One you’re definitely reading wrong’ ‘yeah ur right’ #‘dude starscream they just called Decepticons smelly can I please fight em’

[earthstellar]

Here’s the Cybertronian Alphabet as it appears in Transformers Prime! 

I’ve been looking for this forever, as the script for the language used in TFP differs from several other appearances of the Cybertronian language in other TF media, but they included this alphabet chart in the first Transformers Prime Magazine! 

Since this is the only time we see any complete alphabet chart/symbol chart in any TFP canon-adjacent official material, I think this is as close as we can get to an “official” Cybertronian written/typed alphabet for this series. 

[Source: Transformers Prime Magazine Issue #1] 

#maccadam #maccadams #transformers prime #cybertronian #cybertronian language #tfp #cybertronian alphabet #tf resource #tf reference #tfp lore

[transingthoseformers]

Legitimately my favorite thing about Bayverse is when the transformers first meet the humans and just. Speak Neocybex first because they're used to it.

IMO we need to do that more, people will decode it and try to speak it like Klingon and Elfish anyways so we might as well

#transformers #cybertronian language #tf worldbuilding? #I'm just such a nutcase for this #also I'm working on the ''getting Cybertronian alphabets as a font'' thing #because once i figure that out i will be an utter menace #also absolutely love it when the humans have learned enough that they're dealed into the convos in Neocybex at least partially

[thunderpounce-inc]

(updated with Legible Text, and some additional notes)

here is more of my transformers bullshit, language edition (ft. WIP Blitzwing redesign for my fan continuity as they have the most concrete design atm)

I think the common 'seeker cant' trope aka special starscream language is kind of a whack idea, but it would be funny as something like, the humans see TFs talking like this, and the big-winged ones in the seeker armada stand out, so they assume the stridulation stuff is a winged thing, when it's actually an everyone thing!

(the 'bug ferrets' referrenced breifly are these guys; they have extremely busy media, and I feel like the Inc brand transformers probably have media that is sort of like that)

I like making them into bugs, ok

the infrasound communication probably sounds like these treehopper 'sounds' if converted to sound humans can hear

#transformers #maccadam #Inc's art #headcannon #TF: Autowar #Blitzwing #cybertronian language #cybertronian culture #transformer body language #world building #speculative biology #robot biology #cybertronian biology #transformer biology #alien language #bug biology transformers

[dragonsgirl572]

Hello males, females, and others!

Recently, I have noticed how popular this post was (over 100 notes!), and I thought to myself, "What if I do more?"

So! If any of you are having any trouble decoding the Cybertronian language or you're just too lazy to do it yourself, then just hop on over my ask box!

Totally not a way to get some asks.

Of course, if you wanna do it yourself, here's the link to the Cybertronian languages--Autobot, Decepticon, and others.

But feel free to request some episodes! I give permission to spam if you think I didn't receive it.

---------------------------------

You just have to:

Give the name of the Transformers series/movie

If it is a series, add the season and episode number (aka Season 2 episode 3, or something)

Add a timestamp

---------------------------------

Three simple steps! I look forward to your requests!

Love you guys!

#maccadam #macaddam #i didnt know how to spell it #cybertronian language #autobots #decepticons #predacon #transformers #transformers animated #transformers armada #transformers prime #rescue bots #rescue bots academy #transformers g1 #transformers g2 #any transformers show #LITERALLY ANY! #send asks #ask box #ask me stuff #tfp #tfrb #decoding

[logos-primes-pr-guy]

Losing my mind over Transformers: Earthspark

Gonna be discussing some spoilers for the first episode of the show here (both stuff that was revealed in-episode and also just theorisin') Aight, so, Quintus Prime!!! I am so so SO hyped to see one of the OG Thirteen getting more love, especially Quintus! Cyberverse set the bar big time with Maccadam/Alchemist, hoping we’re seeing a trend being set here! Even if we wouldn’t have known it was Quintus speaking if it wasn’t for the name drop in the end credits, I’ll hecking take it. Mayhaps we'll even have some flashbacks where we get to see Solus Prime do something cool other than dying, ehh?

Gotta say, it doesn’t look good for my poor boy. His line seems to be a recording, so it’s entirely possible Quintus is straight up dead by now. (I do have to admit, thanks to my horrible auditory processing, I thought he was speaking a Cybertronian language, and only realised he was saying “Legacy of hope” after translating the scrolling Autobot glyphs, which say the same thing on loop. It’s unclear if he’s rigged the cave with some kind of universal translator or if we’re just hearing the words in English for our benefit, but either way, it’s interesting… And also strangely poignant?

The thing is, Quintus Prime is famous for creating the Quintessons, so if he’s confirmed to be in it, they’re probably not far behind. Which begs the question… Why’d he make this cave in the first place? The cool swirly rock can probably be safely assumed to be the Emberstone, which is a very important artefact to leave lying around for just anyone to discover and possibly (mis)use. If he knows the Quintessons are coming, a weapon to defeat them with might make more sense from the Transformers’ perspective, but Twitch and Thrash have made it clear they’re not really interested in fighting, they’d rather play and learn cool stuff. Quintus is a pacifist who loves all forms of life, so it makes sense that he didn’t want to build a weapon. The Quintessons thrive best by sowing fear and mistrust between organics and Cybertronians, so Quintus left behind something that would bridge that gap, something which shows how organics and mechanoids can not only co-exist, but actually thrive and need each other. A legacy not of war, but of hope. That’s a message I can really get behind for the TF franchise!

Yeah, we’ve only seen 20 minutes of this show and I’m already Emotional, what of it?

#Transformers #Transformers: Earthspark #Earthspark Spoilers #Fan Theory #Headcanons #Quintus Prime #Thirteen Primes #Emberstone #Artifacts of Solus Prime #Quintessons #Robby Malto #Mo Malto #Cybertronian Language #Autobot Language #Twitch #Thrash #Binary Bonds #Fellas I am so hyped for this show you have no idea #Lots of folks are comparing Earthspark to TFP #But it's definitely very much its own thing with its own fresh ideas #And that is wonderful

[magpiecrust]

Cybertronian language hcs

Some of my ideas. I think their communication is a constant mix of vocal, sign, and body language at the same time.

Written language

Old Cybertronian was written in runes that were clawed or carved (handy before the invention of paints and brushes)

Modern and semi-modern Cybertronian can be painted with a brush, similiar to how Asian languages traditionally were (Transformers Prime episode "T.M.I" had Bulkhead paint sigils with a mop as a brush)

Cybertronian has alphabet like in cyrillic, as opposed to symbols being words like in japanese (makes more sense at least for modern Cybertronian as it's mostly typed on devices)

Vocalized language

Cybertronians all have some sort of engines, and aside from running their internal organs, the engine is also used for vocal communication

They can growl and purr like canines and felines, and might also be able to screech

Might also be able to make more mechanical noises, like whirring wheels and grinding gears?

Sign language/body language

I think most of them had four or five fingers, so humanlike sign language is possible. It's much more widespread among abled Cybertronians than sign language is among abled humans.

Wings, doorwings, and winglets are used to emote; for example they stand up, droop, flutter, and spread in threat display (there's one problem with this hc; many of them don't have any of these)

Finials express similiarly to cat and dog ears (again a problem with the hc; many Cybertronians do not have finials)

They also have more human-like body language signals because they're bipedal and have two arms and legs

#headcanons #headcanon #transformers headcanon #tf headcanon #transformers hc #tf hc #hcs #maccadam #cybertron #cybertronians #cybertronian culture #cybertronian language #cybertronian biology #original concept #propably #transformers worldbuilding #madge's

[highglossfinish]

Are there any particular names in Cybertronian that are thought of as being super generic? Like, it almost sounds fake because it's so unremarkable, like being named John Smith or Dave Jones in english. There are definitely people out there with those names, but it's also exactly the sort of thing someone on tv would say while haltingly and unconvincingly coming up with an alias on the spot.

This one's slightly tricky because of the whole translation issue, but the first one that comes to mind is Rainwing. There are most definitely bots out there that go by that, but it's also the name you give out to shady strangers.

#Anonymous #Cybertronian language #asks

[mat2modblog]

I tried translating one of the names on the memorial of the spacebridge museum using the G1 Autobot script off TFWiki and.... Uh... Looks like the set designers just mashed their keyboards...

#transformers earthspark #transformers #cybertronian language

[witchofthesouls]

Because I got the scene stuck in my head, Bumblebee and Raf are transporting the newspark found in the Esquivel home.

"Bumblebee," Raf said, voice small and shaky over the cell. "There's a baby bot in my house."

________

Raf held onto the squirming bundle of baby robot since it rocked and flailed all over the place. It didn’t like being placed into the Urbana's backseat. It tried to roll over as seatbelts coiled over its body, but it wailed and Raf could vaguely hear glass shattering in the distance. He climbed inside and tucked himself against it, allowing it to paw into his clothes and chew on his sweater vest. Eventually, Raf managed to sit up and have the baby sprawl over him.

Raf expected the heaviness, legs going numb under the weight of the head and torso, but not the softness. Unlike Bumblebee's solid heft, this one was… surprisingly squishy. Its metal body was firm enough to grip and retain a bipedal, infant-like shape but his fingers left slight indents on the metallic… skin.

Really, he didn't know a better word. It felt bizarrely similar to skin and completely unlike the plating from the Autobots. He watched it with queasy fascination ripple and reset its pristine look.

It also ran far hotter. Even with the AC at full blast, Raf felt sweaty from the outpour of heat through the blanket. His hands tingled from the buzzing skin, and with the physical contact, Raf could swear the baby was vibrating under the whimpers and squeaky chirps.

He was also aware that Bumblebee was destroying the local speed limits with every mile. The long stretch of road to the base became an endless blur of desert and sunlight, especially with Ratchet's increasingly aggravated rebukes on why the scout was causing road hazards.

"It's okay, little guy." He whispered, hoping that someone would tell him whether or not it was a guy or a girl or whatever Cybertronians used when they reached the base. It clicked, sightless optics loudly shuttering and Raf realized, this up close and personal, that it was covered in a thick film before the face tried to bury into his chest, mouthing at several buttons through the chest. "We're gonna get you help. Ratchet's the best."

Could robots be blind, he thought, what could even cause blindness without actual damage?

He swung an arm to curl around its back, stroking and rubbing, and there was a small hiccup, air hissing, and it began to purr.

Luckily, nothing else barricaded their way to the hideout. The few minutes to enter and clear the driveway was the longest in his life.

Ratchet, beyond irritated, had dropped English and turned to his native tongue. Cybertronian, to Raf's ears, was a storm of electronic noise: fast warbles, sharp clicks, buzzing, and trills along with shrill, high-frequency notes that made him wince.

Hold on, Raf chirped Bumblebee. And even with the warning, nothing could prepare him for the sudden jerk up and forward into a furious tempest of mechanical parts within a discordant blast of strange frequencies.

He groaned in Bumblebee's arms, not trusting his lunch to stay inside his stomach if he opened his mouth at the shocked expression of the Autobot medic -words dead with a slack jaw and almost owl-like optics staring unblinkingly. He shakingly corrected his skewed glasses and tried to get comfortable as the baby relatched itself again on his clothes, creating new wet stains.

Once his nausea subsided, he smiled at Ratchet. "We're back and we found something!"

#transfromers #transformers prime #tfp #raf esquivel #bumblebee #ratchet #bitlets #sparklings #jack darby #humans into cybertronians #humanformers #fic ideas #maccadam #cybertronian culture #cybertronian language #cybertronian biology #raf feels absolutely over his head #miko will shriek at the sight #“BABY ROBOTS!!!!!”

[askvectorprime]

Dear Vector Prime,

I’m curious about Bumblebee’s name since he has an organic like name even before landing on Earth, is there an explanation?

Thank you ahead of time for answering my question

Dear Nominative Nudger,

When translated into an Earth language, Cybertronian names are usually expressed as the closest equivalent concept which humans have. On our homeworld, there is a species of Insecticon, small and unassuming, but capable of delivering a powerful shock to defend its hive… the closest analogue to which, on your planet, is the bumblebee. As he has been known to say: "The least likely can be the most dangerous."

#ask vector prime #transformers #maccadam #bumblebee #cybertronian language

[knight-says-rollout]

I’ve decided I actually hate how all canon cybertronian is just a cypher for the English alphabet and not an actual conlang so I Will Be Fixing That actually

#transformers #maccadam #cybertronian language

[ultra-phthalo]

Reverse First Contact AU

This idea just dropped in my brain after watching Harambe's tragic back story. And I'm so excited to tell you this AU. Transformers have become extremely endangered because of the war. They are all on Earth and can't communicate with humans because of the language barrier. Years later, all the possible tech humans were able to extract from them did eventually satisfy human curiosity enough to see them as less of a threat. And humans just now treat the last surviving cybertronians on Earth as though they were simple space curiosities. To be kept in a zoo setting. That are owned by states. Sometimes they are shipped to other states as a way of maintaining cordial political affiliations between nations. Since they are so expensive to maintain and keep in one place. Think of it as a Planet Of The Apes, old gods situation lol. [I revised my ask and decided to make this a separate blog post others can add their ideas to]

#Reverse First Contact AU #transformers #transformers g/t #creative writing #writing #fan fiction #:D #fanfic ideas #first contact #first contact au #language barrier #autobots #decepticons #put your own twist on it #story prompt #earth #humans #cybertronians #reader x character

[transingthoseformers]

Cybertronian culture must have things that have complicated and wacky origins. Like, in humans the love heart symbol comes from an extinct flower that was used as an aphrodisiac (and it's extinct for that reason yeah). the words nachos and nazis come from the same root word, same origin as the name Iggy. We're Still fuzzy about the origin of fuck. The color orange is named after the fruit, before it was just called Yellowred. Some english words are Exactly the same as they were in latin. There is a mountain whose name when fully translated is just Mountain four times.

They Have to have glyphs with weird origins or that evolved from inside jokes, especially since the great Cybertronian war happened i mean I'm just correct. So many glyphs had to have entered their vocabulary that come from different alien languages with little to no translation. Glyphs that evolved and gained innuendo solely through translation errors and misspellings. Glyphs that come from a pun about extinct animals and long forgotten races among the stars. Glyphs that originally referred to some long forgotten dude who's been offline since the original predacons were alive.

#transformers #tf worldbuilding? #cybertronian language #linguistics #i am a NERD for linguistic drift and word erosion #Look up Calques and loanwords pleaseeeee #mmmMmmmMmm i forget how much i love linguistics sometimes #i wonder so much about how the translation of the transformers' names work in universe(s)