Vortigese
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- "Our finest poet describes it thus: Gallum galla gilla ma."
- ―Vortigaunt[src]
Vortigese[1]or flux-shifting is the native language of the Vortigaunts. It is used by them for communication purposes and sometimes to help them conjure up their electrical attacks.
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[edit] Overview
The language seems to consist of many words that start with the letter "G" (e.g. the All-Knowing Vortigaunt's phrase "Gallum Galla Gilla Ma"). As of now none of the word's translations are known, and considering how the Vortigaunts describe the language and its connection with the Vortessence, humans may never even be able to understand it fully. Most Vortigaunts are fine with talking in English but according to one in Half-Life 2, when they are just by themselves or they wish to say "unflattering" things about humans they go back to talking in Vortigese.
The language differs greatly from Half-Life to Half-Life 2. In Half Life, it is rather hoarse and aggressive. On the contrary, it is soft and deep in Half-Life 2 and its episodes. No canonical reason has been given so far, though it may have been because they were enemies and had to seem violent.
Conversations in Vortigese occur simultaneously; in other words, Vortigaunts talking to each other will talk at the same time, creating even more confusion for translation.
[edit] List of appearances
- Half-Life: Day One (First appearance) / (Retcon)
- Half-Life (Retcon)
- Half-Life: Uplink (Non-canonical appearance) / (Retcon)
- Half-Life: Opposing Force (Retcon)
- Half-Life: Blue Shift (Retcon)
- Half-Life: Decay (Retcon)
- Half-Life 2 (First identified as Vortigese)
- Half-Life 2: Episode One
- Half-Life 2: Episode Two
[edit] Notes and references
- ↑ As seen in the Half-Life 2 subtitles
