Shyriiwook is the native language of the fictional Wookiee race of hairy bipeds in the Star Wars universe. The language consists of animalistic roars and growls. Although it can be understood by members of other species, it is extremely difficult for most non-wookies to speak; presumably the word Shyriiwook itself, as well as other Wookiee words or names, are transliterations of the original Wookiee sounds into a form more easily pronounced by others. In one of the Star Wars novels, Leia Organa-Solo encounters a Wookiee with a speech impediment which conveniently renders his Shyriiwook pronunciation much easier to understand by Leia, who was learning the language at the time. No tongue or lip movement is required to speak Shyriiwook; the jaw is typically locked open, with sound eminating from the throat and back of the mouth. In the online game Star Wars Galaxies if the player chooses to be a Wookiee then they will speak in Shyriiwook, but many people can understand them, unlike in the Star Wars films. A Wookiee is a member of a fictional race of hairy bipeds in the Star Wars universe. ... A dogs fur usually consists of longer, stiffer, guard hairs—which can be straight, wiry, or wavy, and of various lengths, hiding a soft, short-haired undercoat. ... A biped (BY-ped) meaning two feet (Latin bi = two + ped = foot) is an animal that travels across surfaces supported by two legs. ... The cover of the 2004 DVD widescreen release of the modified original Star Wars Trilogy. ... Transliteration in a narrow sense is a mapping from one system of writing into another. ... Her Royal Highness, Princess Leia Organa Solo of Alderaan (born 19 BBY), a fictional character in the Star Wars universe played by actress Carrie Fisher in the films and by Ann Sachs in the 1980s radio drama. ... Speech disorders are a type of communication disorders where normal speech is disrupted. ... Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (SWG) is a Star Wars themed MMORPG for Microsoft Windows PCs, developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts. ...

Another Wookiee language, Xaczik, is indigenous to Wartaki Island on Kashyyyk and several outlying coastal regions. While Shyriiwook remained the common language of Wookiee trade and travel, the much rarer Xaczik language became the secret language of the Wookiee underground when Imperial forces took over their planet. Kashyyyk (pronounced kuh-SHEEK, kuh-SHIK, or kuh-ZOOK), also known as Wookiee Planet C, is a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe. ... In the fictional Star Wars universe, the Galactic Empire was the regime established by Palpatine to replace the Galactic Republic. ...

Examples

• Wyaaaaaa. Ruh ruh. ("Hello. How are you?")
• Huwaa muaa mumwa. ("Can I buy you a drink?")
• Wua ga ma uma ahuma ooma. ("I think my arm has been pulled out of the socket.")
• Youw. ("Goodbye.")
• Kabukk ("Ancestor", "councilor", or "guide"; a common suffix to many Wookiee names.)
• Wyogg, ur oh. ("I am well, thank you.")
• Ruh gwyaaaag. ("I am a friend.")

Common Words

• haaag ("doorway")
• awa ("go")
• yo agaaha ("headache")
• yaag ("how")
• muawa ("no")
• ohh haa ("okay")
• wuahh ("what")
• huaahh ("when")
• muaahh ("who")
• ah wu aaa ("why")
• uma ("yes")
• mu ("I")
• kourasaa("coruscant")
• muaarga ("peace")
• oid ("droid")
• ur oh ("thank you")
• yuow ("good-bye")
• yurinal ("journal")

Counting in Shyriiwook

• (1) ah
• (2) ah-ah
• (3) a-oo-ah
• (4) wyoorg
• (5) ah wyoorg
• (6) hu yourg
• (7) muwaa yourg
• (8) ah muwaa yourg
• (9) a-oo-mu
• (10) a-oo-mu wyaarg

References

• Ben Burtt, Star Wars: Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide, ISBN 0345440749.
• A.C. Crispin, Rebel Dawn, Book Three of the Han Solo Trilogy, ISBN 0553574175.