Inside the vast universe of languages, invented or artificial languages (also known as constructed languages or conlangs) have their own micro universe, fascinating for exploring from end to end. We can encounter very curious languages that defy our imagination, like Esperanto, Volapük, Klingon or High Valyrian, and some of them can be learned by language enthusiasts.
However, constructed languages (conlang from now on) aren't a unique group of languages. In fact, conlangs are divided by function or desire of the creator(s): auxiliary languages (intended for international communication, like Esperanto), philosophical languages (created to prove hypothesis or theories, like Láadan), world languages (a mix of many languages, like Lingwa de Planeta) and artistic languages (created for TV shows, movies and games, like Star Trek's Klingon), just to name a few. In this last group, you can find a language called Simlish.
If you've ever played The Sims, you may know that the characters that we create don't speak any language that we can recognize, but Simlish, the language of Sims. This language has its own vocabulary and structure and it even has its own alphabet.
That's why in this article we'll talk about this language, its history and characteristics, and we'll take a look at some vocabulary to speak Simlish.
So, if you're a The Sims fan that wishes to speak Simlish or you're just a language lover that enjoys learning new languages, this article is for you.
A brief history.
Simlish first appearance wasn't in a The Sims game, but in the 1996 game SimCopter, placed in the same fictional universe. Game designer Will Wright didn't want to use real-world languages because he wanted players to relate to the emotions of the characters rather than their speech. To do this, he created a dialogue team with Robi Kauker (audio lead), voice director Claire Curtin, sound designer Kent Jolly and composer Jerry Martin, and their first approach was using musical instruments. Nevertheless, this idea was scrapped very quickly.
Then, real-world languages were used to do a mix. These went from Ukrainian to Tagalog, but Wright found this mix hard to do and the creation of an identity for the new language was compromised. In addition, he and his team was struggling to find any voice actors to do the dialogues.
Luckily, Wright found voice actors and Stephen Kearin and Gerri Lawlor joined the team. And this is when the Simlish we all know was created. Kearin suggested to speak gibberish rather than mixing languages from around the world and he and Gerri became not only the voice actors for the games until 2006, but also the creators of the Simlish language.
The rest is history.
What kind of language is Simlish?
Since its creation, Simlish wasn't intended to have a grammar and vocabulary structure like other artistic conlangs such as Klingon, Quenya or High Valyrian. Actually, the language was created to communicate emotional expressions and situational scenes.
However, you can't speak Simlish using random sounds. As for the phonology, it has specific rules to pronounce words. Like any other language, Simlish words are mostly formed combining a consonant, a vowel and a consonant again. Since it's a language created for expressing emotions, intonation and rhythm are key for expressing the right emotion.
There are pronouns and verbs too. For example, ma is used for personal possessions, like Ma doctork (My doctor), zerpa means "there is".
Some Simlish vocabulary.
1.Sul sul.
This is the most common greeting in Simlish. It means "hello" or "hi" and it's used in an informal and friendly setting.
There are other alternatives to Sul sul like Suly suly, Hooba noobie? ("What's up?") or Wut sa dib ("What's up, dude?").
2.Dag dag.
Meaning "goodbye", it can be used for saying "hello" or "hey" to a friend as well.
3.Ah, van vesua!
This is a more formal phrase meaning "Good day".
4.Vadish.
This is the phrase used to say "Thank you".
5.Yibs.
This has many meanings: "yes", "cool", "wow", "awesome".
6.Awww Yibbbss.
This is the equivalent to "Oh, yeah!".
7.Awngee.
When you take a picture, say this phrase to the camera. So, it means "cheese!" or "smile!".
8.Malanae.
Say this if you want someone to meet you the next day ("Meet me tomorrow").
9.Por See Gab Lurv!
If you love someone, say this phrase to him or her. It has a powerful and emotional meaning ("I love you").
10.Boobasnot.
This is a very cruel and very straight phrase meaning "I don't like you".
11.Blursh! Meshaloob Blursh.
If a place is very crowded and a Sim needs to pass, this is a polite request meaning "Excuse me, get out of my way".
12.Shoo Flee!
Sims use this phrase when they're in trouble. So it's the equivalent to "Help me" or "There's a problem".
13.Ongie!
This is the Simlish word for "Selfie".
14.Oh Feebee Lay!
When you are hungry, use this phrase ("I'm hungry").
15.Humple Borpnah!
When it's someone's birthday, say this phrase to him or her ("Happy Birthday!").
Some final words.
Simlish is a very interesting and special conlang that demonstrates that digitized characters can express emotions. Languages like this help to build a credible and unique world that breathes and feels. It's quite wonderful when this language comes to the real world and fans start to speak it.
If you're a The Sims fan and you also love languages, Lingopie is the language learning platform and app for you. Learn Spanish, French and many other languages by watching great and real TV shows. What's more, Lingopie offers lessons with professional tutors too! Sign up and start your free trial now!
See you in a next article!
Milena Andrade
Lorena Macedo
Betül Dağ
Some questions about Simlish.
1.Can you actually speak Simlish?
In some kind of way, yes. You have the games and a strong fan community that collect all the phrases and words in Simlish. There is music sang in Simlish too (more of that later)! Using all the data available, you can learn some phrases, create some sentences and practice talking to yourself, recording the phrases or speaking with other fans. Despite all of these, remember that Simlish isn't a complete language, so there are some limitations when studying it. Also, consult the community if a word is true Simlish or not.
2.Is Simlish just gibberish?
Yes. People may think that Simlish is some kind of mixture between real-world languages like Ukrainian, Estonian or Navajo, but in fact it's just gibberish and made-up words. At the beginning of this article, game designer Will Wright wanted to create Simlish mixing real-world languages at some point. However, voice actor Stephen Kearin suggested him to use gibberish instead. So, we can say that Simlish is gibberish with some grammar and phonological rules. It also has an evolution like any other language. Simlish spoken in The Sims 1 isn't the same as the one in The Sims 4. New words are added and changes in intonation or pronounciation happen.
3.Is there a way to translate Simlish?
You can, but it isn't needed at all. Simlish was created as an emotional language by its creators. Intonations in words tell you what's being said, so there is no need to know the language. However, if you really want to translate something in Simlish, you can check the charts from the fan community and ask questions if you need help.
4.What is WooHoo in Simlish?
It's a term that refers to a romantic and intimate love encounter between two Sims. Before a WooHoo, there must be the first kiss and then the Sims go under the covers or into a hot tub. In other words, places where they can "WooHoo".
5.What kind of media in Simlish is there?
Apart from the games, there is music sang in Simlish. Several real-world bands and singers were chosen to translate the lyrics of one of their songs to the language of the Sims. The list includes Katy Perry, My Chemical Romance, La Oreja de Van Gogh, among many others. One thing to say is that words can change depending if the singer's mother language is English or Spanish. Take for example the Spanish band La Oreja de Van Gogh, whose song title is Mulce Mocuna, which is a translation for "Dulce Locura"("Sweet Craziness"), the original title in Spanish. However, as an experience, it's quite fantastic to listen to songs sang in a fictional language.
