Creating Races

Pabbit_da_Rabbit · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 4:11 pm Post subject:

[quote="Stratadrake (Strata)"] [quote]Wow, strata. I never knew that you made your own language! That's cool! Did you post it up somewhere?[/quote]
We thought you knew that already -- http://www.fanart-central.net/pic-309860.html [/quote]
Whoa, cool. So is Atelier Shioren a real person or your made him up?
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[img]http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h98/Pabbit_da_Rabbit/Stuff/ESlogo2_01.png[/img][img]http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h98/Pabbit_da_Rabbit/Stuff/ESlogo2_02.png[/img]Left for FAC, Right for DA

Stratadrake · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:00 pm Post subject:

You mean [i]based on[/i] a real person? (Since they're a fictional species and all, you're not exactly going to meet one on your next trip downtown)

If Atelier's based on anyone, he's based on me. Like an avatar character.

Atelier's reclining pose though is DEFINITELY based on myself -- you can't do an upright "sitting" pose when the character has a tail longer than their legs (because, think about it, where would that tail [i]go?[/i]), I needed some references for his arms and hands, so I sat down in front of the wall mirror in my room to figure out a good angle to draw from. Would you believe me if I said I still can't draw hands? [img]http://forum.fanart-central.net/html/emoticons/laugh.gif[/img]

And for some reason, I always insist on a pose and angle that displays the underside between their legs. Dunno why. Maybe it reinforces [i]why[/i] they can simply go around without wearing clothes, because those organs are already sheathed, so when going about effectively naked, even in the presence of other Shioren (of same or opposite gender), they don't need to be concerned about others seeing their....

Moving on.

If anyone is wondering what that text is, here is a (lengthy) translation:

[b]QUOTE[/b] (Be ye warned! Do NOT highlight the below if you still want to translate Atelier's message yourself! Seriously! I MEAN IT!)

It took roughly an hour to "translate" (encode, technically) the message from English to Shiori. There are a few grammatical differences between Shiori text and the English equivalent, but to start with, the first step is to read the alphabet characters individually.

One thing that may throw you off is that I revised the symbol for "A" to distinguish it more from the symbol for "a". But anyway, let's start the translation, line by line, character by character:

The first four lines are:
(aa)(z) 'I' (s)(ih)(t) (h)(ee)(r) (aw)(n) (th)(uh) (sh)(oh)(r)(z) (uh)(v) ('me')(posessive)(m)(I)(n)(d)(,) (accent)(t)(I)(d) (d)(uh)(z) (ch)(A)(n)(j)(.) (I)(d)(yuh)(z) (f)(l)(O)(t) (aw)(n) (h)(w)(A)(v)(z) (uh)(v) (ih)(m)(aah)(j)(ih)(n)(A)(sh)(un)(,) ('they') (r)(I)(z) (soft)(d)(eh)(p)(th) (f)(oh)(r) (eh)(r)(.) (h)(w)(eh)(n) (accent)(l)(I)(t) (t)(uh)(ch)(eh)(z) ('them')(,) ('they') (t)(A)(k) (sh)(ae)(p) (h)(l)(I)(k) (b)(r)(ee)(ch)(ih)(n)(g) (h)(w)(A)(l)(z)(.)

Lines 5 and 6:
(accent)(l)(I)(t) (ih)(n) ('me')(posessive)(s)(oh)(l) (g)(ih)(v)(z) ('them')(posessive)(t)(r)(I)(uh)(m)(f)(,) ('and') (s)(oo)(n) (h)(w)(A)(v)(z) (k)(r)(aa)(sh) (uh)(sh)(oh)(r)(.)

Lines 7 and 8:
(Th)(oh) (s)(uh)(m) (b)(ee) (h)(w)(aw)(sh)(t) (uh)(w)(A)(yuh) (t)(oo) (s)(ee), (h)(w)(ih)(th) (ee)(ch) (h)(w)(A)(v)(,) (h)(n)(oo) (uh)(r)(I)(v) (aw)(n) (accent)(n)(e)(k)(s)(t)(,) (accent)(b)(eh)(t)(ou)(r)(.)

Lines 9 and 10:
('he')(posessive)('me')(,) (g)(aa)(th)(ou)(r)(ih)(n)(g) (accent)('them')(,) ('I') (sh)(eh)(r) (h)(w)(ih)(th) (me)(posessive)(k)(ih)(n)(.) (h)(w)(eh)(l)(k)(uh)(m) (t)(oo) (me)(posessive)(accent)(w)(ou)(r)(l)(d)(.)

Then the final text:
(~)(uh)(t)(eh)(l)(yuh)(A) (posessive) (accent)(sh)(ee)(oo)(r)(un)

The next step to decipher the Shiori text is to translate the words out loud -- because their written language is phonetic. As a Shioren rule, any wordphrase that begins with 'l','m','n','r','w', or 'y' are prefixed with an 'h' -- this is an aid for pronunciation. Pronouns have their own exclusive letters, so they do not need any translation. So the text becomes...

Lines 1 thru 4:
As I sit here on the shores of me(posessive)mind, (accent)tide does change. Ideas float on waves of imagination, they rist (soft)depth for air. When (accent)light touches them, they take shape like breaching whales.

Lines 5 and 6:
(accent)Light in me(posessive)soul gives them(posessive)triumph, and soon waves crash ashore.

Lines 7 and 8:
Though some be washed away to sea, new arrive on (accent)next, (accent)better.

Lines 9 and 10:
He(posessive)me, gathering them, I share them with me(posessive)kin. Welcome to (accent)me(posessive)world.

Final text:
~Atelier (posessive) Shioren

The translation is almost complete now -- all that remains are the discrepancies of grammar. In formal Shioren speech, the posessive symbol generally means "belonging to" or "of", and the owner comes [i]after[/i] the object. They sign their names in this fashion as well -- (first name) "of" (family name), or in artistic contexts, simply (first name) "of Shioren".

As a side note, "Shioren" is officially pronounced Shior[i]enne[/i], but it is occasionally inflected to Shior[i]un[/i], particularly when referring specifically to Shioren males.

Shiori language does have its slang to deal with, too: in informal, everday writing, the posessive construct is modified into (pronoun)(posessive) and added [i]before[/i] the given object, as a prefix. This is primarily used to refer to parts of one's own self, but may be used in reference to friends or family as a sign of affection or kinship.

The accent letter is also used as a prefix, essentially meaning "The" -- this is used to distinguish symbolic meanings and proper names from everyday words. Since Atelier's signature uses an accent letter in front of Shioren, for example, it can also be read as "Atelier of [i]the[/i] Shioren"

So, applying this knowledge to the Shiori text produces:

As I sit here on the shores of (my) mind, (The Tide) does change. Ideas float on waves of imagination, they rist (soft)depth for air. When (The Light) touches them, they take shape like breaching whales. (The Light) in (my) soul gives (their) triumph, and soon waves crash ashore. Though some be washed away to sea, new arrive on (The Next), (The Better). He(posessive)me, gathering them, I share them with (my) kin. Welcome to (My World).

~Atelier de Shioren

There are now just two remaining discrepancies to work out: (soft)depth and He(posessive)me. The (soft) symbol can be used to indicate "from", but He(posessive)me, or "my me", is an idiomatic expression that basically means "It is I". And there may be some lingering grammar mismatches as well. Therefore, a proper English translation might read:

[i]As I sit here on the shores of my mind, the tide begins to turn. Ideas float on waves of imagination; they rise from the depths for air. When Light touches them, they take shape like breaching whales. Light from my soul gives them triumph, and soon waves crash ashore. Though some ideas are washed out to sea, new ideas arrive with each next wave -- better ideas. It is I who gathers them, to share with my kin. Welcome to my world.[/i]

Because translation is about communicating the [i]message[/i], not the [i]words.[/i] [img]http://forum.fanart-central.net/html/emoticons/happy.gif[/img][/quote]
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