Difference between revisions of "Alien languages"

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[[Category:Misc]]
[[File:AL1 DVD.jpg|thumb|AL1 appearing on the DVD]]
==Overview==
The '''alien languages''' in ''[[Futurama]]'' are set of background jokes, appearing in the background through out the length of the show.  The intention of these alien languages was for its viewers to discover how they work and then decipher them, feats at which its fanbase have excelled.
For a bit of fun, the creators of Futurama placed messages throughout the series encoded in some imaginary alien languages. There are at least two languages known to exist in the show, though some believe a 3rd language was introduced in the final season.  


==AL1==
Technically, they are not 'languages' per se, but a ciphered form of English, or more precisely, Latin characters, since not all of their 'translations' are in English.
The first alien language (AL1) was a simple substitution-cypher. This means that each latin letter was replaced with a new symbol. The language can be translated into english simply by learning each symbol, or by looking it up in a table.


In the episode [[Leela's Homeworld]], the language is referred to as "Alienese".
There are only two of these 'languages' known to exist, or at least deciphered. Some fans believe a 3rd language was introduced in the [[season 4|fourth season]], but this has been confirmed to be false.


===Symbols===
For a list of sightings, see [[list of alien language sightings]].
[[Image:AL1_Key.jpg|center|This translation table shows all known AL1 symbols.]]


===Appearances===
== AL1 ==
====Opening Sequence====
The first alien language (Alien Language 1; AL1) is a simple substitution cypher. This means that each Latin letter is simply replaced with a new symbol. The script can be translated into English simply by learning each symbol, or by looking it up in a table.
*[[New New York|NNY]] Bilboards
**Red sign near the begining reads "3D Rulez!"
**Yellow sign on top-right reads "Tasty Human Burgers"


====Season 1====
In the episode "[[Leela's Homeworld]]", the script is referred to as "Alienese".
=====[[Space Pilot 3000]]=====
*When [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] and [[Bender Bending Rodriguez|Bender]] first meet, after the [[suicide booth]] incident, they go to a bar. Behind them is a [[Slurm]] poster, which translates to "Drink".


*When [[Philip J. Fry|Fry]] and [[Bender Bending Rodriguez|Bender]] are escaping down the grate, there is graffiti on the wall of the alley. It says: "Venusians Go Home"
=== Symbols ===
[[File:AL1 Key-2.png|center|This translation table shows all known AL1 symbols.]]


=====[[The Series Has Landed]]=====
== AL2 ==
*There is a sign near the souvineer stand that reads "Tasty Human Burgers"
[[File:A Venusian Corporation.jpg|right|thumb|AL2]]
The second alien language is more complicated, a variation of the classic autokey cipher, and is not for the faint of heart. Each symbol has a numerical value. To decode a message, the first symbol's value is translated directly into a character (0='A', 1='B', and so on). For the remaining letters, you subtract the previous '''symbol's''' numerical value. If the result is less than zero, you add 26. Then that number is converted into a character as before.


=====[[Fear of a Bot Planet]]=====
Not until the release of ''[[Bender's Big Score]]'' was the symbol 1 ("B") known. It was not used in the movie, but was released as part of a special feature on the DVD called "Bite My Shiny Metal X", a special lecture discussing the math of ''Futurama''.  
*[[Turanga Leela|Leela]]'s [[Blurnsball]] scorecard features various AL1 letters and numbers, but no meaning can be extracted.


=====[[My Three Suns]]=====
'''Note''': If you ever see two identical symbols in a row, the second is always an "A".
*In "[[Little Neptune]]"...
**A shop across the street from the alley where fry first meets the organ dealer has a sign over the door that says "Market"
**The "Head Shop" they pass has a sign on the door that says "Open"
**They walk past a "Televideo" which has a small keypad, containing a key for the numbers in AL1.
*On [[Trisol]], one of the signs next to the emperor is in AL1. It reads "Please don't drink the Emperor."


=====[[Fry and the Slurm Factory]]=====
In {{commentary|The Why of Fry}}, David X. Cohen refers to the AL2 on the obelisks on Planet Eternium as "the Nibblonians' language".
*A long disclaimer appears durring the Slurm commercial about the contest. The disclaimer reads  "The following species are ineligible: Space wasps, space beavers, any other animal with the word "space" in front of it, space chickens, and the elusive yak-face." Yak-Face is actually an extremely rare Star Wars action figure.
*The eye chart in Dr. Zoidberg's office is in alienese, and contains a funny message. The chart in english:
<big>  N O </big>
  S Q U I
  <small>N T I N G</small>
  <small>F  O U  R</small>
  <small>E  Y E  S</small>


====Season 2====
=== Symbols ===
[[Image:HumanPower.jpg|right|thumb|"Disposable Human Temps"]]
[[File:AL2 Key.jpg|center|This translation table shows all known AL2 symbols.]]
=====[[Xmas Story]]=====
[[Image:Joyeux Noex.jpg|right|thumb|"Joyeux Noex"]]
*When Fry is leaving the pet store, he passes a window with a sign reading "Joyex Noex," which means "Happy Xmas" in an [[Universal Translator|incomprehensible dead language]].
*When the crew is returning home with their Xmas tree, you see a "Human Power" bilboard that reads "Disposable Human Temps"


==AL2==
== Other Alien Languages ==
The second alien language was more complicated, and is not for the faint of heart. Each symbol had a numerical value. To decode a message, the first symbol's value is translated directly into a character (0='A', 1='B', and so on). For the remaining letters, you subtract the previous symbol's numerical value. If the result is less than zero, you add 26. Then that number is converted into a character as before. Unfortunately, the symbols for 1 and 22 have never been seen.
[[File:ALsymbols.jpg|right|thumb|Various Alien Language symbols. The highest one up (in red) is {{w|Morse Code}}.]]
If two Alien Languages aren't enough, the ''Futurama'' [[writers and directors|writers]] have also done other Alien Languages that seem to be Gibberish, and have not been translated, like [[Leela]]'s bracelet under her [[Wristlojackimator]], various symbols in "[[My Three Suns]]" and others.


===Symbols===
In {{November}} [[2013]], [[David X. Cohen]] revealed in an interview that the writers had created a third complete alien language, one which he described as "more cryptographically secure". Due to its complexity, though, the language was never implemented into the show. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/11/futurama-math/|title=No TV Show Has Ever Loved Math as Much as ''Futurama'' {{!}} Underwire|author=Ashik Siddique|date=2013-11-15|site={{w|Wired (website)|Wired.com}}|accessdate=2013-11-15}}</ref>
[[Image:AL2_Key.jpg|center|This translation table shows all known AL2 symbols.]]


===Appearances===
== Additional Information ==
''stub''
=== Trivia ===
*Many fans think that AL1 is Alienese and AL2 is Betacrypt 3. Although Alienese is used to refer to AL1 in "Leela's Homeworld", Betacrypt 3 is never actually linked to either AL1 or AL2. Throughout the audio commentaries, the creators refer to each language as "Alien Language one" and "Alien Language two"&mdash;so we use the same standard here.
**In "Leela's Homeworld", {{the Professor}} says that Alienese can be translated into "Betacrypt 3, a language so complex there's *even less* chance of understanding it", possibly referring to AL2.
*In the commentary for "[[A Bicyclops Built for Two]]", David X. Cohen makes note of some fans referring to AL2 as Betacrypt 3. It is seen on a door to a chat room.
*On the [[Volume 3]] 4-Disc set, after the [[Fox]] Warning screens, there is a message in AL1
*AL1 makes [[:File:Beware My Cheating Bart 1.png|an appearance]] in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' in the episode "[[simpsons:Beware My Cheating Bart|Beware My Cheating Bart]]" while Homer is watching ''[[simpsons:Stranded|Stranded]]'', a spoof on the show ''Lost''. The Alienese is printed on a rock and says "Watch Futurama [[season 6|Thursdays]] at 10".


==Links==
== External Links ==
<!-- RIP, Aliens Unlimited.
*[http://www.geocities.com/aliens_unlimited/ Aliens Unlimited]
*[http://www.geocities.com/aliens_unlimited/ Aliens Unlimited]
*[http://futurama.yellopants.com/al2/trans.php Alien Languages of Futurama] - A very good AL2 translator.
-->
*[http://bbrp.atwebpages.com/index_eng.html Alien Language Translations]--A {{cat|real-world website|site}} with excellent alien language translations for each episode and other {{cat|media|s=no|''Futurama''-related media|s=no}}.
*[http://cs.oswego.edu/~dreichel/alienese_decoder/ Alienese Decoder WebApp]--A webapp to translate to and from Alienese.
*[http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kingdamian42.alienesedecoder&hl=en Alienese Decoder Android App]--An {{w|Android (operating system)|Android}} [[mobile app|app]] to translate to and from Alienese.
*[http://www.etlanguages.com/ E.T. Languages & Non-Human Origins]--A site discussing actual, real-world alien languages.
 
== References ==
{{reflist}}
 
[[Category:Languages]]

Latest revision as of 00:02, 9 November 2015

AL1 appearing on the DVD

The alien languages in Futurama are set of background jokes, appearing in the background through out the length of the show. The intention of these alien languages was for its viewers to discover how they work and then decipher them, feats at which its fanbase have excelled.

Technically, they are not 'languages' per se, but a ciphered form of English, or more precisely, Latin characters, since not all of their 'translations' are in English.

There are only two of these 'languages' known to exist, or at least deciphered. Some fans believe a 3rd language was introduced in the fourth season, but this has been confirmed to be false.

For a list of sightings, see list of alien language sightings.

AL1

The first alien language (Alien Language 1; AL1) is a simple substitution cypher. This means that each Latin letter is simply replaced with a new symbol. The script can be translated into English simply by learning each symbol, or by looking it up in a table.

In the episode "Leela's Homeworld", the script is referred to as "Alienese".

Symbols

This translation table shows all known AL1 symbols.

AL2

AL2

The second alien language is more complicated, a variation of the classic autokey cipher, and is not for the faint of heart. Each symbol has a numerical value. To decode a message, the first symbol's value is translated directly into a character (0='A', 1='B', and so on). For the remaining letters, you subtract the previous symbol's numerical value. If the result is less than zero, you add 26. Then that number is converted into a character as before.

Not until the release of Bender's Big Score was the symbol 1 ("B") known. It was not used in the movie, but was released as part of a special feature on the DVD called "Bite My Shiny Metal X", a special lecture discussing the math of Futurama.

Note: If you ever see two identical symbols in a row, the second is always an "A".

In the commentary for "The Why of Fry", David X. Cohen refers to the AL2 on the obelisks on Planet Eternium as "the Nibblonians' language".

Symbols

This translation table shows all known AL2 symbols.

Other Alien Languages

Various Alien Language symbols. The highest one up (in red) is Morse Code.

If two Alien Languages aren't enough, the Futurama writers have also done other Alien Languages that seem to be Gibberish, and have not been translated, like Leela's bracelet under her Wristlojackimator, various symbols in "My Three Suns" and others.

In November 2013, David X. Cohen revealed in an interview that the writers had created a third complete alien language, one which he described as "more cryptographically secure". Due to its complexity, though, the language was never implemented into the show. [1]

Additional Information

Trivia

  • Many fans think that AL1 is Alienese and AL2 is Betacrypt 3. Although Alienese is used to refer to AL1 in "Leela's Homeworld", Betacrypt 3 is never actually linked to either AL1 or AL2. Throughout the audio commentaries, the creators refer to each language as "Alien Language one" and "Alien Language two"—so we use the same standard here.
    • In "Leela's Homeworld", the Professor says that Alienese can be translated into "Betacrypt 3, a language so complex there's *even less* chance of understanding it", possibly referring to AL2.
  • In the commentary for "A Bicyclops Built for Two", David X. Cohen makes note of some fans referring to AL2 as Betacrypt 3. It is seen on a door to a chat room.
  • On the Volume 3 4-Disc set, after the Fox Warning screens, there is a message in AL1
  • AL1 makes an appearance in The Simpsons in the episode "Beware My Cheating Bart" while Homer is watching Stranded, a spoof on the show Lost. The Alienese is printed on a rock and says "Watch Futurama Thursdays at 10".

External Links

References

  1. ^ Ashik Siddique (15 November 2013). No TV Show Has Ever Loved Math as Much as Futurama | Underwire. (Wired.com.) Retrieved on 15 November 2013.
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