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Ke jorhaa'ir Mando'a!

Yes, it's true. There's now a Mandalorian language, Mando'a. I developed it for Lucasfilm and now it's a functioning language that you can learn and speak.

The language started life as the lyrics for the superb choral music in the Republic Commando game, written by Lucasarts composer Jesse Harlin; it didn't even have a name. From that springboard I was able to create a whole language. It features in the Republic Commando and Legacy of the Force novels.

Here's an interview with Jesse about his score and choral music for RepCom, with a reference to Mando'a.

I'm not an academic linguist, nor do I play one on television, but Mando'a has been beta tested by a few people from fans to LucasArts staff and it seems to work pretty well. It's flexible, and you don't need to get hung up about complex grammar. Well, would you correct the syntax of a guy in armour with a blaster held to your head? Didn't think so...

By the way, for the true enthusiast - Mando ne'tra gal, or black ale, is not Guinness. It's a milk stout like Mackeson - sweeter, more fragrant, and 3% ABV. As the Mandos would say, ne'tra gal mesh'la, jat'isyc, bal - wayii - jahaal'got; black ale looks good, tastes good, and - by golly - it does you good!

This file is the full dictionary/ lexicon of words published so far, updated twice yearly. © Lucasfilm 2007

This is the grammar file - © Lucasfilm 2006

It's in Excel spreadsheet format, so you can sort by Mando'a or by English, depending on wich way you're translating, so this file does double duty. If you don't have spreadsheet software, download a free Microsoft Office-type suite from OpenOffice. There are others, like Ability office software, but that's not free.

I plan to expand the database to at least 2,000 words - which is more or less the critical mass for a spoken language - and I'll aim to update it here and on the Lucasfilm Hyperspace pages a couple of times a year. Please use the grammar guide with these lexicons.

Please note that much as I would love to deal with individual queries, my workload is simply too heavy to deal with individual requests.

 

LEGAL NOTICE - and if you've not read the copyright notice on this site, now's a good time to do it.

Mando'a is Lucasfilm's property like all the Star Wars stuff I create, not mine, and so I can't give anyone permission to reproduce it - it's not mine to give. It's protected by copyright. Please do NOT reproduce it in any way that will break copyright law - which means don't just copy the lot onto your website or fanzine. It's for private invidual use. If you don't know what the copyright laws say, read the terms and conditions here on the Star Wars official site - see under Ownership.

If you want to hear how it sounds, try these MP3 files recorded by yours truly in the sleazier section of Keldabe.

At the Keldabe bistro.

The title crawler from Revenge of the Sith.

Useful phrases to try when you're nicked for speeding in downtown Keldabe.

The resol'nare - the six tenets of Mandalorian culture* - as taught to little Mandos in a rhyme at their buir's knee.

And here's Mr. Klingon, aka alien languages enthusiast Joel Anderson, interviewing me about Mando'a.

Verd ori'shya beskar'gam!

(* Translates very roughly as - Education and armour/ Self-defence, our tribe/Our language, our leader -/All help us survive.)