Languages in Star Wars
Encyclopedia
The fictional universe
of Star Wars
contains many language
s. The languages have a role in the story line
s. Because of the various languages characters speak in Star Wars they often cannot understand each other. The character C-3PO
is a translator fluent in over six million languages who acts as a go-between for other characters in the stories.
most often heard, a lingua franca
, in the Star Wars films and stories is Galactic Basic (shortened to Basic), although this name itself is never explicitly mentioned in the film
s. Basic is heard or printed in the vernacular of the audience (English in English versions, Spanish in Spanish translations, etc.) and written in "Aurebesh", an alphabet which has letters corresponding to each of the 26 letters of the alphabet, as well as letters representing Latin letter combinations such as "th", "sh", "ng", etc.
. Developed by a merchant fleet, it combines multiple languages to provide trade communication between different species."
in the Star Wars Universe that is spoken by many groups and species is Huttese, spoken on Tatooine
and other worlds in and around Hutt space. It is spoken in the films by both non-humans (Jabba the Hutt
, Watto
, Sebulba and others) and humans. In fact, the whole Max Rebo Band
communicates and sings in Huttese. Its phonology is said to be based on the Quechua language.
s of the forest moon of Endor
speak a "primitive dialect" of one of the more than six million other forms of communication that C-3PO
is familiar with. Ben Burtt, Return of the Jedi’s sound designer, created the Ewok language. Burtt has told rather differing stories about how he developed the language. In Bantha Tracks #17 August 1982, he states
Several years later, on the commentary track for the DVD of Return of the Jedi, Burtt identified the language that he heard in the BBC documentary as Kalmyk
, a tongue spoken by the isolated nomadic Kalmyk people
. He describes how, after some research, he identified an 80-year old Kalmyk refugee
. He recorded her telling folk stories in her native language, and then used the recordings as a basis for sounds that became the Ewok language and were performed by voice actors who imitated the old woman's voice in different styles. For the scene in which C-3PO speaks Ewokese, actor Anthony Daniels
worked with Burtt and invented words, based on the Kalmyk recordings.
Marcia Calkovsky of Lethbridge University maintains that Tibetan language contributed to Ewok speech along with Kalmyk, starting the story from attempts to use language samples of Native Americans and later turning to 9 Tibetan women living in San Francisco area, as well as one Kalmyk woman. The story of the choice of these languages is referenced to Burtt's 1989 telephone interview, and many of the used Tibetan phrases translated. The initial prayer Ewoks address to C-3PO is actually the beginning part of Tibetan Buddhist prayer for the benefit of all sentient beings, or so called four immeasurables, but also there is a second (out of four) part of refuge prayer
. Tibetan diaspora was puzzled as many of the phrases they could make out did not corellate to events on screen.
race. Also they speak xyro. The language consists of roars and growls. Although it can be understood by members of other species, it is extremely difficult for those with non-Wookiee physiology to speak. Conversely, Wookiee mouthparts physically cannot create the sounds of Galactic Basic, thus while Wookiees such as Chewbacca can understand characters speaking Basic, he cannot speak it. In Timothy Zahn's "Heir to the Empire", Leia Organa Solo encounters a Wookiee with a speech impediment which conveniently renders his Shyriiwook pronunciation much easier to understand by Leia. Another Wookiee language, Xaczik, is indigenous to Wartaki Island on Kashyyyk
and several outlying coastal regions.
whose language includes click consonant
s.
of Tatooine
, according to the video game Knights of the Old Republic, speak a language of their own; it is, however, difficult for non-Tuskens to understand this language. In the game, a droid named HK-47
assists the player in communicating with the Tusken Raiders. Generally, they utter roars and battle cries when seen in public.
is "fluent in over six million forms of communication" and protocol droids are often employed as translators. Astromech droids such as R2-D2
communicate through an information-dense language of beeps and whistles known as Binary; devices exist that can translate this language into Basic. A few non-droids can also learn to understand it through working with the droids for long periods of time, and protocol droids are able to translate Binary into other languages.
crops up in the original version of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
("POWER – TRACTOR BEAM 12 (SEC. N6)"). Text in the other films is either illegible, offscreen, or in fictional scripts. For the 2004 DVD
release, this writing was changed to the Aurebesh alphabet. In the novel The Truce at Bakura
, the Ssi-ruuk speak some sort of tonal language which involves whistles. A human prisoner devises an orthography for this language.
's Elvish languages, and the Klingon language
of Star Trek
. The fictional languages of Star Wars
, in contrast, are not systematically worked out. The Wookiee growls and the beeps of the astromechs mainly carry emotional indicators for the audience via intonation, and Huttese is mainly a jumble of words taken from numerous real human languages. The language most often heard in the films, Galactic Basic, is itself identical to modern English (or whatever language the film is shown in), with only a few changed idioms and additions of words related to the Star Wars setting. Mando'a, the language of the Mandalorians, is being developed into a working language by Star Wars author Karen Traviss
.
Other languages heard are also human languages, albeit ones likely unfamiliar to most of the audience. In A New Hope, for instance, the language spoken by the character Greedo in conversation with Han Solo (in the cantina) is actually a simplified version of Quechua
, an indigenous language of the Andean region of South America
. In Return of the Jedi, Lando Calrissian's copilot, Nien Nunb, speaks the real human language Haya
, spoken in Tanzania
(Star Wars Insider #67, 31). Nunb's voice was performed by a Tanzanian exchange student. In Return of the Jedi (2:12:00)Lando Calrissian's co-pilot briefly speaks Gikuyu, spoken primarily by the Kikuyu people of Kenya. Similarly, the Ewok language was based on Tibetan
, although some fans claim that they also hear English being spoken by the Ewoks at some points during the film. One can also hear some Finnish
in the The Phantom Menace
, and "Teräs Käsi", the name of a martial art in the Expanded Universe, comes from Finnish and translates as "steel hand".
The Star Wars: Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide summarizes book and movie information pertaining to Huttese, Bacce, Ewok, Shyriiwook, droid, Jawa, and Gungan.
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
of Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
contains many language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
s. The languages have a role in the story line
Story line
Storyline is the only current affairs show in the country that allows the story to be told by those who lived through it, without the filtering voice of a host...
s. Because of the various languages characters speak in Star Wars they often cannot understand each other. The character C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
is a translator fluent in over six million languages who acts as a go-between for other characters in the stories.
Basic: the common intergalactic language
The spoken languageSpoken language
Spoken language is a form of human communication in which words derived from a large vocabulary together with a diverse variety of names are uttered through or with the mouth. All words are made up from a limited set of vowels and consonants. The spoken words they make are stringed into...
most often heard, a lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
, in the Star Wars films and stories is Galactic Basic (shortened to Basic), although this name itself is never explicitly mentioned in the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s. Basic is heard or printed in the vernacular of the audience (English in English versions, Spanish in Spanish translations, etc.) and written in "Aurebesh", an alphabet which has letters corresponding to each of the 26 letters of the alphabet, as well as letters representing Latin letter combinations such as "th", "sh", "ng", etc.
Bocce
Bocce is a language of trade within the Star Wars UniverseStar Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...
. Developed by a merchant fleet, it combines multiple languages to provide trade communication between different species."
- "Luke, tell Owen that if he gets a translator to be sure it speaks Bocce."
Huttese
Another lingua francaLingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
in the Star Wars Universe that is spoken by many groups and species is Huttese, spoken on Tatooine
Tatooine
Tatooine is a fictional planet and setting for many key scenes in the Star Wars saga, appearing in every Star Wars film except The Empire Strikes Back, although it is mentioned at the end of the movie...
and other worlds in and around Hutt space. It is spoken in the films by both non-humans (Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt is a fictional character in George Lucas's space opera film saga Star Wars. Designed as a large, slug-like alien, his appearance has been described by film critic Roger Ebert as "Dickensian," a cross between a toad and the Cheshire Cat....
, Watto
Watto
Watto is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, featured in the films The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. He is computer-generated and played by voice actor Andy Secombe. He is a mean-tempered, greedy Toydarian, and owner of a second-hand goods store in Mos Espa on the planet...
, Sebulba and others) and humans. In fact, the whole Max Rebo Band
Max Rebo Band
The Max Rebo Band is a fictional alien pop music band that appeared in the 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi as in-house performers for crime lord Jabba the Hutt. The original lineup consisted of the blue-skinned Ortolan keyboardist Max Rebo, a plump Kitonak woodwind player named...
communicates and sings in Huttese. Its phonology is said to be based on the Quechua language.
Tribal tongue of the Ewoks
The EwokEwok
Ewoks originate from the Star Wars films. In the series, they are a species of teddy-bear-like hunter-gatherers that inhabit the forest moon of Endor. The Ewoks live in various tree-huts and primitive dwellings. They first appeared in the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
s of the forest moon of Endor
Forest moon of Endor
The second moon of Endor, also referred to as the forest moon of Endor, or sanctuary moon, is a moon in the Star Wars universe. It appears in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi as the home to the Ewoks, and is the body over which the second Death Star is constructed...
speak a "primitive dialect" of one of the more than six million other forms of communication that C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
is familiar with. Ben Burtt, Return of the Jedi’s sound designer, created the Ewok language. Burtt has told rather differing stories about how he developed the language. In Bantha Tracks #17 August 1982, he states
- "For the Ewoks, I was inspired by a recording on a BBC documentary of an elderly woman speaking Tibetan. It was very high-pitched and sounded like a good basis for Ewokese to me. Eventually then, what evolved was a pidgin, or double talk version of words from Tibetan, Nepali and other Mongolian languages [sic, neither TibetanTibetan languageThe Tibetan languages are a cluster of mutually-unintelligible Tibeto-Burman languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering the Indian subcontinent, including the Tibetan Plateau and the northern Indian subcontinent in Baltistan, Ladakh,...
nor NepaliNepali languageNepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
are Mongolian languages]."
Several years later, on the commentary track for the DVD of Return of the Jedi, Burtt identified the language that he heard in the BBC documentary as Kalmyk
Kalmyk language
The Kalmyk language , or Russian Oirat, is the native speech of the Kalmyk people of the Republic of Kalmykia, a federal subject of the Russian Federation. In Russia, it is the normative form of the Oirat language , which belongs to the Mongolic language family...
, a tongue spoken by the isolated nomadic Kalmyk people
Kalmyk people
Kalmyk people is the name given to the Oirats, western Mongols in Russia, whose descendants migrated from Dzhungaria in 1607. Today they form a majority in the autonomous Republic of Kalmykia on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. Kalmykia is Europe's only Buddhist government...
. He describes how, after some research, he identified an 80-year old Kalmyk refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
. He recorded her telling folk stories in her native language, and then used the recordings as a basis for sounds that became the Ewok language and were performed by voice actors who imitated the old woman's voice in different styles. For the scene in which C-3PO speaks Ewokese, actor Anthony Daniels
Anthony Daniels
Anthony Daniels is an English actor. He is best known for his role as the droid C-3PO in the Star Wars series of films made between 1977 and 2005.-Early life:...
worked with Burtt and invented words, based on the Kalmyk recordings.
Marcia Calkovsky of Lethbridge University maintains that Tibetan language contributed to Ewok speech along with Kalmyk, starting the story from attempts to use language samples of Native Americans and later turning to 9 Tibetan women living in San Francisco area, as well as one Kalmyk woman. The story of the choice of these languages is referenced to Burtt's 1989 telephone interview, and many of the used Tibetan phrases translated. The initial prayer Ewoks address to C-3PO is actually the beginning part of Tibetan Buddhist prayer for the benefit of all sentient beings, or so called four immeasurables, but also there is a second (out of four) part of refuge prayer
Refuge (Buddhism)
Buddhists "take refuge" in, or to "go for refuge" to, the Three Jewels . This can be done formally in lay and monastic ordination ceremonies.The Three Jewels general signification is: * the Buddha;* the Dharma, the teachings;...
. Tibetan diaspora was puzzled as many of the phrases they could make out did not corellate to events on screen.
Wookiee language of Shyriiwook
Shyriiwook (also called Wookiee Speak, or contracted as "Wookieespeak" in the Expanded Universe, and video games) is the native language of the WookieeWookiee
Wookiees are a species of bipeds in the Star Wars universe. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, a companion to Han Solo.-Inspiration:...
race. Also they speak xyro. The language consists of roars and growls. Although it can be understood by members of other species, it is extremely difficult for those with non-Wookiee physiology to speak. Conversely, Wookiee mouthparts physically cannot create the sounds of Galactic Basic, thus while Wookiees such as Chewbacca can understand characters speaking Basic, he cannot speak it. In Timothy Zahn's "Heir to the Empire", Leia Organa Solo encounters a Wookiee with a speech impediment which conveniently renders his Shyriiwook pronunciation much easier to understand by Leia. Another Wookiee language, Xaczik, is indigenous to Wartaki Island on Kashyyyk
Kashyyyk
Kashyyyk , also known as Wookiee Planet C, is a planet in the Star Wars universe. It is the tropical, forested home world of the Wookiees...
and several outlying coastal regions.
Ithorians
Ithorians have two mouths, one on each side of their head. As a result, their native language is extremely complicated and essentially impossible for non-Ithorians to speak. Despite the stereophonic quality of their voices, Ithorians are able to speak Basic, and be understood by others, with ease.Geonosians
Geonosians, insectoid species seen in Episode IIStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
whose language includes click consonant
Click consonant
Clicks are speech sounds found as consonants in many languages of southern Africa, and in three languages of East Africa. Examples of these sounds familiar to English speakers are the tsk! tsk! or tut-tut used to express disapproval or pity, the tchick! used to spur on a horse, and the...
s.
Tusken Raiders
The Tusken RaidersTusken Raiders
Tusken Raiders are fictional creatures in the Star Wars universe. They are characterized as a nomadic warrior race that lives on the planet Tatooine.-Appearances in Star Wars media:...
of Tatooine
Tatooine
Tatooine is a fictional planet and setting for many key scenes in the Star Wars saga, appearing in every Star Wars film except The Empire Strikes Back, although it is mentioned at the end of the movie...
, according to the video game Knights of the Old Republic, speak a language of their own; it is, however, difficult for non-Tuskens to understand this language. In the game, a droid named HK-47
HK-47
HK-47 is a fictional assassin droid from the 2003 video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, its sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, and the Trials of Obi-Wan expansion pack to the massively multiplayer online game Star Wars: Galaxies...
assists the player in communicating with the Tusken Raiders. Generally, they utter roars and battle cries when seen in public.
Jawaese and Jawa Trade Language
The Jawas, also found on Tatooine, speak in a high-pitched, squeaky voice, many times shouting, "Utini!"Ryl language of the Twi'leks
Twi'leks speak their own language, Ryl, which incorporates spoken words and a form of sign language, using subtle manipulations of the tips of their lekku (head tails).Rodian language
Rodians have their own language called Rodese.Hapan language
Hapan was the language developed by residents of the Hapes Cluster due to their isolation from the rest of the galaxy. Due to their limited contact with residents outside the Cluster, Basic was not commonly known to the average Hapan.Droids and computers
Droids (robots) and computers in Star Wars use either the natural languages or machine languages. C-3POC-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
is "fluent in over six million forms of communication" and protocol droids are often employed as translators. Astromech droids such as R2-D2
R2-D2
R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...
communicate through an information-dense language of beeps and whistles known as Binary; devices exist that can translate this language into Basic. A few non-droids can also learn to understand it through working with the droids for long periods of time, and protocol droids are able to translate Binary into other languages.
Writing
Hindu-Arabic numerals appear throughout the films, mainly on computer displays counting down time or distance. At least one instance of the Latin alphabetLatin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
crops up in the original version of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
("POWER – TRACTOR BEAM 12 (SEC. N6)"). Text in the other films is either illegible, offscreen, or in fictional scripts. For the 2004 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release, this writing was changed to the Aurebesh alphabet. In the novel The Truce at Bakura
The Truce at Bakura
The Truce at Bakura is a 1993 science fiction novel by Kathy Tyers, set in the Star Wars universe. It takes place immediately after the events depicted in the 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. It's followed by the novel The Glove of Darth Vader...
, the Ssi-ruuk speak some sort of tonal language which involves whistles. A human prisoner devises an orthography for this language.
Language building
The languages of some fictional worlds have been worked out in great detail, with grammatical rules and large vocabularies, such as J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's Elvish languages, and the Klingon language
Klingon language
The Klingon language is the constructed language spoken by the fictional Klingons in the Star Trek universe....
of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
. The fictional languages of Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, in contrast, are not systematically worked out. The Wookiee growls and the beeps of the astromechs mainly carry emotional indicators for the audience via intonation, and Huttese is mainly a jumble of words taken from numerous real human languages. The language most often heard in the films, Galactic Basic, is itself identical to modern English (or whatever language the film is shown in), with only a few changed idioms and additions of words related to the Star Wars setting. Mando'a, the language of the Mandalorians, is being developed into a working language by Star Wars author Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss is a science fiction author, and full-time novelist from Wiltshire, England. Originally from the Portsmouth area, Traviss worked as both a journalist and defence correspondent before turning her attention to writing fiction. She also served in both the Territorial Army and the Royal...
.
Other languages heard are also human languages, albeit ones likely unfamiliar to most of the audience. In A New Hope, for instance, the language spoken by the character Greedo in conversation with Han Solo (in the cantina) is actually a simplified version of Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
, an indigenous language of the Andean region of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. In Return of the Jedi, Lando Calrissian's copilot, Nien Nunb, speaks the real human language Haya
Haya language
Haya is a Niger–Congo language spoken by the Haya people of Tanzania, in the south and southwest coast of Lake Victoria. In 1991, the population of Haya speakers was estimated at 1,200,000 people .-References:...
, spoken in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
(Star Wars Insider #67, 31). Nunb's voice was performed by a Tanzanian exchange student. In Return of the Jedi (2:12:00)Lando Calrissian's co-pilot briefly speaks Gikuyu, spoken primarily by the Kikuyu people of Kenya. Similarly, the Ewok language was based on Tibetan
Tibetan language
The Tibetan languages are a cluster of mutually-unintelligible Tibeto-Burman languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering the Indian subcontinent, including the Tibetan Plateau and the northern Indian subcontinent in Baltistan, Ladakh,...
, although some fans claim that they also hear English being spoken by the Ewoks at some points during the film. One can also hear some Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
in the The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
, and "Teräs Käsi", the name of a martial art in the Expanded Universe, comes from Finnish and translates as "steel hand".
The Star Wars: Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide summarizes book and movie information pertaining to Huttese, Bacce, Ewok, Shyriiwook, droid, Jawa, and Gungan.
Further reading
- Ben Burtt, Star Wars: Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide, ISBN 0-345-44074-9.
- Stephen CainStephen CainStephen Cain is a Canadian poet and academic.In his three books of poetry Cain demonstrates an interest in various poetic forms including sound poetry and concrete poetry, as well as constraint-based writing and procedural poetics...
, Tim Conley, and Ursula K. Le Guin, "Star Wars," Encyclopedia of Fictional and Fantastic Languages (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006), 173-176.
External links
- "Language," Wookieepedia