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Subject: Elites speaking clear english to humans- please no....

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In Halo 2, I understand that the Mc does have a new translator so it is understood that he should comprehend more of the Covenant language. However, I do not think that we should know such words as "banana" in their language. It would make more sense to have some of their words decipherable while other more complex words are left in their native tongue.

Still, reguarding the Arbiter, leave those sections in English, and perhaps during cut scenes we can see how the elites dont know all of human's language. It would show that there remains a barrier between the two people especially if we end up in an alliance with them.

What are your thoughts? Can I get a "Wort Wort Wort?"

  • 05.22.2006 1:42 PM PDT

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the covenant were speaking english in halo CE also. granted it was stunted english on the level of about a 3 year old, it was english. it is not too hard to believe that they could speak the language after being engaged in war with them for several years.

  • 05.22.2006 1:47 PM PDT
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yeah i miss the wort wort wort .. :( they should have an alien language or comunicate with sounds like signs.. now that would be awesome

  • 05.22.2006 1:48 PM PDT

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wort wort wort....I'm supporting this thread because i've made about a billion talking about this and one other thing...Think back to Halo CE, bloodthirsty (not literally) aliens who just want to destroy humans because "your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instrument". Now in H2 the covies were all sophisticated and religous. please remove most, not all because then it wouldn't be fluent going back and forth, but just reduce the sophistication a bit...
I love when the aliens say stuff in alien language that I can't understand...not when they say stuff in perfect english

  • 05.22.2006 1:53 PM PDT

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Posted by: SweetTRIX
the covenant were speaking english in halo CE also. granted it was stunted english on the level of about a 3 year old, it was english. it is not too hard to believe that they could speak the language after being engaged in war with them for several years.


Actually that is inaccurate. The covenant in Halo CE spoke in their own tongue and they still do. The Master Chief is outfitted with a translator in his helmet so he can understand what his enemies are saying. While I understand that you believe we should be capable of understanding their language, it is very difficult. We should have a very fragmented basis of their language as humans have seen very little of the covenant language. Generally, humans have never gotten ships in tact. Therefore, we have only really heard their language and havent seen it. Hearing it is more difficult to translate then to see it.

Anyway, not a great deal of time passed between Halo CE and Halo 2 due to the time crystal effects if you follow the books. I simply wish that we did not understand them fully as there are bound to be words we do not understand in their language, perhaps even full sentences so in reality it should be fragemented english we hear.

Plus, I really miss the wort wort wort....and i wonder what it means.

  • 05.22.2006 1:54 PM PDT

Doc: "i'm a pacifist"
Caboose: "your a thing that babies suck on?"
Tucker: "no dude, that's a pedephile"
Church: "tucker, i think he means a pacifier"

Posted by: x Lord Revan x
Posted by: SweetTRIX
the covenant were speaking english in halo CE also. granted it was stunted english on the level of about a 3 year old, it was english. it is not too hard to believe that they could speak the language after being engaged in war with them for several years.


Actually that is inaccurate. The covenant in Halo CE spoke in their own tongue and they still do. The Master Chief is outfitted with a translator in his helmet so he can understand what his enemies are saying. While I understand that you believe we should be capable of understanding their language, it is very difficult. We should have a very fragmented basis of their language as humans have seen very little of the covenant language. Generally, humans have never gotten ships in tact. Therefore, we have only really heard their language and havent seen it. Hearing it is more difficult to translate then to see it.

Anyway, not a great deal of time passed between Halo CE and Halo 2 due to the time crystal effects if you follow the books. I simply wish that we did not understand them fully as there are bound to be words we do not understand in their language, perhaps even full sentences so in reality it should be fragemented english we hear.

Plus, I really miss the wort wort wort....and i wonder what it means.


i hate to play captain obvious here but if his suit is equipped with a translater that can indeed decipher covenant language then someone had to decipher it and then create the translater correct? meaning that at some point in the several years that humans and covenant have been going at it (it's much longer than just between the two games) UNSC broke it down and translated it. i do agree that they are a little too articulate for an alien race, but comparing them in halo 2 to halo one is a bad comparisson. in halo 1 you only see soldiers again and again, you don't see high commanders (later to become the arbiter) and you don't see prophets or anyone in the higher end of the covenant cast. it's not too far fetched that higher up the chain the covenant is more sophisticated much like the aristocracy of early days of humanity.

but too my origional point. if humans could translate covenant language (made evident by MC translator) then it is not too hard to believe that the covenant, who is far more technically advanced then humanity is capable of translating english. just my take on it.

  • 05.22.2006 2:17 PM PDT
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It's the Star Trek effect. Tons of different aliens speaking there own languages, but all being translsted via nifty not to mention tiny universal translators. The same thing is happening here. Get used to it.

  • 05.22.2006 2:19 PM PDT
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WOrt wort wort is "go go go" backwards... the whole Halo CE Elite language is backwards english. try it and see!

  • 05.22.2006 2:23 PM PDT
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Elites lost a lot of their character, and become downright irritating in H2 with their pompous "I will smite thee, demon" crap. Give me David Scully's reversed Elite language over the grating pompous rubbish. It's not scary at all, just laughable in the ironic "Man this is so bad it's funny" way.

  • 05.22.2006 2:26 PM PDT
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maybe cortana upgraded the covenant language to mc suit after spending time studying halo

  • 05.22.2006 2:27 PM PDT

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Posted by: SpecOps527
wort wort wort....I'm supporting this thread because i've made about a billion talking about this and one other thing...Think back to Halo CE, bloodthirsty (not literally) aliens who just want to destroy humans because "your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instrument". Now in H2 the covies were all sophisticated and religous. please remove most, not all because then it wouldn't be fluent going back and forth, but just reduce the sophistication a bit...
I love when the aliens say stuff in alien language that I can't understand...not when they say stuff in perfect english


I think that they were more brutish in Halo CE is because they were all by themselves with no prophets or anything. They were like the lowest regiment or whatever.

And I think that they were so sophistaceted in Halo 2 because they were more higher up in the ranks. Closer to the prophets and the city.

  • 05.22.2006 2:27 PM PDT
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Actually, the 'wort wort wort' Is Sarges voice played backwards and with the pitch toned down. Check HBO.

  • 05.22.2006 2:30 PM PDT
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Wort wort wort---thank God for an intelligent post....I do understand why we can communicate with the Covenant. I mean, we've been battling them for almost 40 years now, so we probably have a better idea on how to translate their language, especially if we're scavanging the armor from elites (thus MC's armor).
Again: wort wort wort.

  • 05.22.2006 2:32 PM PDT

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Posted by: SweetTRIX
i hate to play captain obvious here but if his suit is equipped with a translater that can indeed decipher covenant language then someone had to decipher it and then create the translater correct? meaning that at some point in the several years that humans and covenant have been going at it (it's much longer than just between the two games) UNSC broke it down and translated it. i do agree that they are a little too articulate for an alien race, but comparing them in halo 2 to halo one is a bad comparisson. in halo 1 you only see soldiers again and again, you don't see high commanders (later to become the arbiter) and you don't see prophets or anyone in the higher end of the covenant cast. it's not too far fetched that higher up the chain the covenant is more sophisticated much like the aristocracy of early days of humanity.

but too my origional point. if humans could translate covenant language (made evident by MC translator) then it is not too hard to believe that the covenant, who is far more technically advanced then humanity is capable of translating english. just my take on it.


Im not saying that either side shouldnt understand some of their opponents language. Im just simply making the statement, that they shouldnt know all of their opponents language. It really doesnt add up. The war has lasted for years and only in the past few months were stives made in translating. Then magically as though star trek people popped in with translators, we now know so much more. Granted, that could have been produced over several months, but wouldnt the master chief or at least Cortana had of had the best quality translator on Halo? Idk...

[Edited on 5/22/2006]

  • 05.22.2006 2:43 PM PDT

Doc: "i'm a pacifist"
Caboose: "your a thing that babies suck on?"
Tucker: "no dude, that's a pedephile"
Church: "tucker, i think he means a pacifier"

Posted by: x Lord Revan x
Posted by: SweetTRIX
i hate to play captain obvious here but if his suit is equipped with a translater that can indeed decipher covenant language then someone had to decipher it and then create the translater correct? meaning that at some point in the several years that humans and covenant have been going at it (it's much longer than just between the two games) UNSC broke it down and translated it. i do agree that they are a little too articulate for an alien race, but comparing them in halo 2 to halo one is a bad comparisson. in halo 1 you only see soldiers again and again, you don't see high commanders (later to become the arbiter) and you don't see prophets or anyone in the higher end of the covenant cast. it's not too far fetched that higher up the chain the covenant is more sophisticated much like the aristocracy of early days of humanity.

but too my origional point. if humans could translate covenant language (made evident by MC translator) then it is not too hard to believe that the covenant, who is far more technically advanced then humanity is capable of translating english. just my take on it.


Im not saying that either side shouldnt understand some of their opponents language. Im just simply making the statement, that they shouldnt know all of their opponents language. It really doesnt add up. The war has lasted for years and only in the past few months were stives made in translating. Then magically as though star trek people popped in with translators, we now know so much more. Granted, that could have been produced over several months, but wouldnt the master chief or at least Cortana had of had the best quality translator on Halo? Idk...


i see what your saying and i agree with you to some degree. i'm just saying that it shouldn't be suprising that while the soldiers and low level troops speak fragmented english, the higher level of the cast understand and speak it well. but i definately agree with you in saying that they shouldn't sound like humans, thats kind of a leap.

  • 05.22.2006 2:55 PM PDT
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I think the bananna thing was meant as a joke...

  • 05.22.2006 3:02 PM PDT

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Posted by: SweetTRIX
i see what your saying and i agree with you to some degree. i'm just saying that it shouldn't be suprising that while the soldiers and low level troops speak fragmented english, the higher level of the cast understand and speak it well. but i definately agree with you in saying that they shouldn't sound like humans, thats kind of a leap.


Wait are you implying that the Covenant are speaking English through their own automatic translator? To an extent I could understand that, but then the humans wouldnt require translators. Although..in some ways it makes sense because the Covenant directly insult the humans almost on the basis that the humans should understand them. It would also make sense because they speak with their own voice. If the humans had a translator it might sound more robotic in translating it. Although, its advanced technology so they might not. Either way, the cut scenes with the Aribiter at High Charity are not ment to be in english i hope you know. They are spoken in their native tongue but translated to us because it would suck to read subtitles. I mean, it wouldnt make sense for a group of Aliens who wants to kill all humans because they find them inferior to begin to use their language....


Also, yes the banana thing was a joke...but in a mature rated game with the emense story and drama...idk if it has the place there. Its as if Halo 2 kinda took the seriousness out of the storyline and made it open for kids when kids arent supposed to be playing the game.

[Edited on 5/22/2006]

  • 05.22.2006 3:06 PM PDT

Doc: "i'm a pacifist"
Caboose: "your a thing that babies suck on?"
Tucker: "no dude, that's a pedephile"
Church: "tucker, i think he means a pacifier"

Posted by: x Lord Revan x
Posted by: SweetTRIX
i see what your saying and i agree with you to some degree. i'm just saying that it shouldn't be suprising that while the soldiers and low level troops speak fragmented english, the higher level of the cast understand and speak it well. but i definately agree with you in saying that they shouldn't sound like humans, thats kind of a leap.


Wait are you implying that the Covenant are speaking English through their own automatic translator? To an extent I could understand that, but then the humans wouldnt require translators. Although..in some ways it makes sense because the Covenant directly insult the humans almost on the basis that the humans should understand them. It would also make sense because they speak with their own voice. If the humans had a translator it might sound more robotic in translating it. Although, its advanced technology so they might not. Either way, the cut scenes with the Aribiter at High Charity are not ment to be in english i hope you know. They are spoken in their native tongue but translated to us because it would suck to read subtitles. I mean, it wouldnt make sense for a group of Aliens who wants to kill all humans because they find them inferior to begin to use their language....


Also, yes the banana thing was a joke...but in a mature rated game with the emense story and drama...idk if it has the place there. Its as if Halo 2 kinda took the seriousness out of the storyline and made it open for kids when kids arent supposed to be playing the game.


i wasn't so much implying the auto translator and i understood about the "translate for benefit of audience thing" i was just saying that both the humans and the covenant should AT LEAST have a general understanding of what the other is saying in their own toungs after being at war with eachother for a few decades.

  • 05.22.2006 3:19 PM PDT
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did you read the books at all?

itd benefit the covenant to learn english. seeing how its universal in the halo universe, it would make fighting humans far easier since they could understand what we're saying faster than having to go through a transator.

And the part of them talking to us? well what better way to taunt someone than in their own language? how is "wort, wort, wort!" supposed to make someone quiver in fear? sure, to us, "i shall smite thee!" isnt so much a taunt. But you would have to look at their culture. Grunts are always saying crap about you...and they say it about eachother as well as just humans. Elites generally treat eachother with respect. get the idea?

also, just a thought, the elites on the truth and reconciliation could be one clan that never learned to speak english. If you didnt notice, the grunts spoke english pretty well, why wouldnt that make sense?

i see no problem with elites speaking english.

  • 05.22.2006 3:24 PM PDT