View source for Simlish

{{Short description|Fictional language in the Sims}}
{{Original research|date=January 2021}}
{{Distinguish|Singlish}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Simlish
| creator          = [[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]]
| created          = 1996
| setting          = The world of ''[[The Sims]]'' franchise
| script           =
| fam1             = [[constructed language]]s
| fam2             = [[artistic language]]s
| fam3             = [[fictional language]]s
| iso3             = none
| linglist         =
| glotto           =
| map              = File:Simlish.svg
| mapcaption       = ''Simlish'' written in Simlish
| notice           = IPA
| familycolor      = 
| nativename       =
}}
'''Simlish''' is a [[constructed language]] devised by game designer [[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]] for the ''[[The Sims|Sims]]'' game series developed by [[Electronic Arts]]. During the development of ''[[SimCopter]]'' (1996), Wright sought to avoid real-world languages, believing that players would grow to show disdain for repetitive dialogue. For the release of ''The Sims'', [[Maxis]] recorded hundreds of voice clips with unique cadences and emotional nuance.

Simlish is featured prominently within the franchise of ''[[The Sims]]'' and its spinoff ''[[MySims]]'' series. It has since extended to various video games within the ''Sim'' series, including ''[[SimCity 4]]'' (2003), ''[[SimCity Societies]]'' (2007), ''[[SimCity (2013 video game)|SimCity]]'' (2013), and ''[[SimCity BuildIt]]'' (2014) of the ''[[SimCity]]'' series of games. Simlish appears as a language within ''[[Spore (2008 video game)|Spore]]'' (2008) and [[Firaxis Games]]'s ''[[Sid Meier's SimGolf]]'' (2004).

==History==
While developing ''[[SimCopter]]'' (1996),{{Sfn|Adams|2011|p=147}} designer [[Will Wright (game designer)|Will Wright]] explicitly avoided using real-world languages such that players could resonate with the emotions of the characters rather than their speech. The initial dialogue team—comprising Wright, audio lead Robi Kauker, voice director Claire Curtin, sound designer Kent Jolly, and composer [[Jerry Martin (composer)|Jerry Martin]]—began by using musical instruments reminiscent of the "wah wah" sound effect heard in some [[Peanuts animated specials|''Peanuts'' animated specials]]. The idea to use musical instruments was quickly scrapped.<ref name="TheVergeHistory">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/7/21126705/the-sims-simlish-language-history-20th-anniversary-game |title=A history of Simlish, the language that defined The Sims |date=February 7, 2020 |last=Kilbane |first=Brennan |work=[[The Verge]] |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref>

Wright experimented with several real-world languages to use within ''The Sims'', including [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]], [[Navajo language|Navajo]], [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]],{{Sfn|Adams|2011|p=147}} and [[Estonian language|Estonian]], but faced difficulty in finding voice actors and developing a unique identity for the language; with regards to the Ukrainian language, its [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] undertone was unsuitable for the project. Simlish ultimately became a combination of these languages.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-making-of-the-sims/ |title=The Sims turns 20: Creator Will Wright reflects on the battle he waged to get one of the best games of all time made |date=February 4, 2020 |last=Barnes |first=Adam |work=[[GamesRadar+]] |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref> One voice actor based in [[San Francisco]], Stephen Kearin, recounted being given a [[pidgin]] version of [[Swahili language|Swahili]] and [[Cherokee language|Cherokee]]. Kearin then suggested he speak gibberish, and Wright agreed. Until 2006, Kearin and his female counterpart [[Gerri Lawlor]] served as the Simlish actors.<ref name="TheVergeHistory"/>

===Development===
Since ''SimCopter''{{'}}s release, Simlish has adapted. In ''[[The Sims (video game)|The Sims]]'' (2000), a trill is heard that resembles a [[Spanish language|Spanish]] trill, whereas later games have chosen to favor [[English language|English]] pronunciations.<ref name="EJMInfo"/> Online Simlish dictionaries have emerged, signalling a departure from pragmatic uses.<ref name="Hooba">{{Cite web |url=https://hlamh.com/simulationreality.html |title=Hooba es game: Simulation and reality |date=2018 |last1=Valin |first1=Ivan |last2=Decaudin |first2=Maxime |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref> According to Kauker, ''The Sims'' had 3,000 to 4,000 voice events split between Kearin and Lawlor. In ''[[The Sims 2]]'' (2004), over 50,000 lines of dialogue were recorded across a team of 11. For ''The Sims 2'', Maxis used [[Max (software)|Max]] developed by [[Cycling '74]] with the [[digital signal processor]] (DSP) plugin MSP and the manipulation plugin Jitter, both by Cycling '74.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Jackson |first=Blair |date=October 2002 |title=From Scarface To Simlish |magazine=[[Mix (magazine)|Mix]] |location=New York City |publisher=[[Future US]]}}</ref>

==Phonology==
Although Simlish is not intended to be a structured language, it shares several rules in how it is pronounced.<ref name="EJMInfo"/>

===Consonants===
Simlish consonants are limited; while English permits three consonants in a row, such as in the word "strong", Simlish words may use up to two consonants sequentially. However, these consonants may be used in unorthodox ways in comparison to English, such as ''bwu''.<ref name="EJMInfo">{{Cite web |url=https://ejlinguist.wordpress.com/2020/02/23/a-phonology-of-simlish/ |title=A Phonology of Simlish |date=February 23, 2020 |author=EJM |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref>

:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ 1. Simlish consonants
! 
! [[Bilabial consonant|Labial]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Postalveolar consonant|Postalveolar]]
! [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
![[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n}}
|
|
| {{IPA link|ŋ}}
|
|-
! [[Plosive]]
| {{IPA link|p}} {{IPA link|b}}
| {{IPA link|t}} {{IPA link|d}}
| {{IPA link|tʃ}} {{IPA link|dʒ}}
| {{IPA link|tɕ}}
| {{IPA link|k}} {{IPA link|ɡ}}
|
|-
! [[Fricative]]
| {{IPA link|f}} {{IPA link|v}}
| {{IPA link|s}} {{IPA link|z}}
| {{IPA link|ʃ}}
|
|
| {{IPA link|h}}
|-
! [[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
|
| {{IPA link|l}}
| {{IPA link|r}}
| {{IPA link|j}}
| {{IPA link|w}}
|
|}

===Vowels===
In Simlish, some vowels may become diphthongized. For example, e may become eɪ, and o may become oʊ.<ref name="EJMInfo"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; float:right"
|+2. Simlish vowels
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
||{{IPA link|i}} {{IPA link|ɪ}}|| ||{{IPA link|u}}
|-
! [[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
||{{IPA link|e}}||{{IPA link|ə}}||{{IPA link|o}}
|-
! [[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
||{{IPA link|æ}}|| ||{{IPA link|ʌ}} {{IPA link|ɔ}}
|-
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
||||||{{IPA link|ɑ}}
|}

===Syllables and stress===
Simlish and [[English language|English]] have an equal amount of energetic masking and [[Speech perception|acoustic-phonetic interference]], but while the English condition has [[linguistic interference]], Simlish does not.{{Sfn|Brouwer|Akkermans|Hendriks|van Uden|2022|p=578}} Additionally, the Simlish condition does not suppress [[semantic processing]] and is thus less resource-demanding.{{Sfn|Brouwer|Akkermans|Hendriks|van Uden|2022|p=581}}

===Phonotactics===
The author of the linguistics blog Wug Life argued that the [[phonotactics]] of Simlish and [[English phonology#Phonotactics|English]] were the same, allowing artists who speak [[Spanish language|Spanish]] to effortlessly translate their songs into Simlish due to the similarities in the phonotactics of English and [[Spanish phonology#Phonotactics|Spanish]]. The post cites the lack of Simlish and English words that lack vowels, such as the word ''vlk'', which means "wolf" in [[Czech language|Czech]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://wuglife.tumblr.com/post/54539477245/simlish-is-an-interesting-case-of-a-conlang |title=Simlish is an interesting case of a conlang |date=July 3, 2013 |work=Wug Life |access-date=May 18, 2023}}</ref>

==Grammar==
===Pronouns===
The word "vou"{{Refn|group=S|name=HaC}} or "voo"<ref name="TheVergeJB">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2021/6/10/22528386/japanese-breakfast-the-sims-4-cottage-living-be-sweet-simlish |title=Japanese Breakfast did a Simlish cover for The Sims 4 because nonsense never gets old |date=June 10, 2021 |last=Carlos Campbell |first=Ian |work=[[The Verge]] |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref> means "you" in English. The word "ah" can be used as a first-person subject pronoun, such as ''Ah sha noop!'' "I should know!"{{Refn|group=S|name=HaC}}

===Possessive determiners===
To demonstrate personal possessiveness, the word "ma" can be used.{{Refn|group=S|The ''[[Sims 4]]'' (2014) expansion pack ''[[The Sims 4: Get to Work|Get to Work]]'' (2015) features a translation of [[Katy Tiz]]'s 2015 single "[[Whistle (While You Work It)]]" that shares similarities with the English version.}}

:''Ma doctork.'' "My doctor."

===Verbs===
In the [[indicative mood]], the word "zerpa" means "there is" or "there's", as in ''Zerpa stamby imba bweb.'' "There's a stranger in my bed."{{Sfn|Brouwer|Akkermans|Hendriks|van Uden|2022|p=578}}

==Vocabulary==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; float:right;"
|+ 3. Basic vocabulary in Simlish
! English || Simlish
|--
| baby || ''nooboo''
|--
| fire || ''fliblia''
|--
| night || ''noop''
|}
Several Simlish words are officially recognized, such as ''nooboo'' "baby" and ''fliblia'' "fire". English may be transcribed into Simlish, as was done to transcribe [[Katy Perry]] songs into Simlish.<ref name="TheVergeHistory"/> For instance, the word "boo leyar" is equivalent to "boulevard", as are "par" to "park" and "crabbi car" to "credit card".{{Refn|group=S|The ''[[Sims 3]]'' (2009) stuff pack ''[[The Sims 3: Katy Perry's Sweet Treats|Katy Perry's Sweet Treats]]'' (2012) features a translation of [[Katy Perry]]'s song "[[Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)]]" from ''[[Teenage Dream (Katy Perry album)|Teenage Dream]]'' (2011) that shares similarities with the English version.|name=LFN}} The word "like" is unchanged between English and Simlish.{{Refn|group=S|The ''[[Sims 2]]'' (2004) expansion pack ''[[The Sims 2: Apartment Life|Apartment Life]]'' (2008) features a translation of [[Katy Perry]]'s song "[[Hot n Cold]]" from ''[[One of the Boys]]'' (2008) that shares similarities with the English version.|name=HaC}}

===Phrases and words===
* ''atohteh'': I really have to pee.<ref name="TheGamerVocab">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thegamer.com/simlish-phrases-add-daily-vocabulary/ |title=Essential Simlish Phrases To Add To Your Daily Vocabulary |date=April 7, 2023 |last=Tedesco |first=Lianna |work=The Gamer |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref>
* ''awasa poa'': I'm bored.<ref name="TheGamerVocab"/>
* ''boobasnot'': I don't like you.<ref name="TheGamerVocab"/>
* ''oh feebee lay'': I'm hungry.<ref name="TheGamerVocab"/>
* ''o mee pooba'': I'm pregnant.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Gilson |first=Dave |date=May 2007 |title=Even Better Than the Real Thing |magazine=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |location=San Francisco}}</ref>
* ''shpansa'': cheers.<ref name="TheGamerVocab"/>
* ''wabadebadoo'': [literally or figuratively] I'm on fire.<ref name="TheGamerVocab"/>

===Greetings===
The most universally agreed upon greeting in Simlish is ''sul sul'' (equivalent to ''[[aloha]]'' in [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]]), which may be used for greetings or farewells. According to the developers, it was created as a spliced phrase{{what|date=February 2024}}.<ref name="TheVergeHistory"/> Alternatively, the phrase ''o vwa vwaf sna'' "nice to meet you" or ''dag dag'' "goodbye" can be used.<ref name="TheGamerVocab"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/how-the-sims-translates-pop-songs-into-simlish-1832998368 |title=How The Sims Translates Pop Songs Into Simlish |date=March 1, 2019 |last=Jackson |first=Gita |work=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref>

==Writing system==
In the world of ''The Sims'', text is often omitted from signs. Stop signs in ''[[The Sims (video game)|The Sims]]'' (2000), for example, do not have text and use a flat, white hand against a red octagon to depict the object. The Simlish alphabet does not match either the [[Latin alphabet|Latin]] or the [[Cyrillic]] alphabets. The symbol for the Simoleon—a currency used throughout the series—is §. When writing texts, [[dingbat]]s from the [[Wingdings]] font appear.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://blog.codinghorror.com/software-internationalization-sims-style/ |title=Software Internationalization, SIMS Style |date=March 9, 2007 |last=Atwood |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Atwood |publisher=Coding Horror |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref>

==In other media==
Simlish appears in ''[[Spore (2008 video game)|Spore]]'' (2008),<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thegamer.com/the-sims-simlish-facts/ |title=10 Things Most People Don't Know About Simlish |date=March 27, 2019 |last=Cole |first=Chantelle |work=The Gamer |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref> developed by [[Maxis]], as well as [[Firaxis Games]]'s ''[[Sid Meier's SimGolf]]'' (2004).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thegolfnewsnet.com/davidoakley/2021/03/19/look-hard-and-play-easy-simgolfs-secret-to-golf-course-design-122226/ |title=Look hard and play easy: SimGolf's secret to golf course design? |date=March 19, 2021 |last=Oakley |first=David |publisher=Golf News Net |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref> An app for [[Amazon Alexa]] devices that understands Simlish was released in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/official-sims-smart-speaker-app-will-understand-simlish-1831611743 |title=Official Sims Smart Speaker App Will Understand Simlish |date=January 9, 2019 |last=Jackson |first=Gita |work=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref> [[Howard Jones (British musician)|Howard Jones]] produced a Simlish version of his song "[[Things Can Only Get Better (Howard Jones song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]." It can be found on CD 4 of the clamshell edition of ''Celebrate It Together - The Very Best Of Howard Jones 1983-2023.''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/howard-jones-celebrate-it-together-the-very-best-of-howard-jones-1983-2023-4cd-clamshell-box-edition/ |title=Howard Jones: Celebrate It Together - The Very Best Of Howard Jones 1983-2023, 4CD Clamshell Box Edition - Cherry Red Records |access-date=October 17, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
===Primary===
{{Reflist|group=S}}

===Secondary===
{{Reflist}}

===Works cited===
*{{Cite book |last=Adams |first=Michael |date=October 27, 2011 |title=From Elvish to Klingon: Exploring Invented Languages |location=Oxford |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=9780191631603}}
*{{Cite journal |last1=Brouwer |first1=Susanne |last2=Akkermans |first2=Noortje |last3=Hendriks |first3=Lieke |last4=van Uden |first4=Hanne |last5=Wilms |first5=Veerle |date=2022 |title="Lass frooby noo!" the interference of song lyrics and meaning on speech intelligibility.  |url=https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-68504-001 |journal=Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=576–588 |doi=10.1037/xap0000368 |pmid=34323547 |s2cid=236498338 |access-date=May 15, 2023|hdl=2066/240874 |hdl-access=free }}

{{Sim series|all=yes}}


[[Category:Fictional languages]]
[[Category:Gibberish language]]
[[Category:Maxis Sim games]]
[[Category:The Sims]]
[[Category:Constructed languages introduced in the 1990s]]
[[Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1996]]