Krillain

Krillain is an alien language spoken by the Krill people, a reptilian humanoid species frequently at odds against the Planetary Union.

History

Main article: Krill

Krillain's history stretches back far in time, at least centuries and perhaps millennia. The Anhkana, the sacred text of the Krill, is written in Krillain. To what extent other languages are or were used by the Krill is unknown.

Krillain is attested by the Planetary Union as early as September, 2419, used by soldiers raiding the Epsilon Science Station of Epsilon 2. At the time, the tongue could not be rendered into other languages by the Union's translators, and Union officers heard only the incomprehensible sound of spoken Krillain. By late that year, Union translators could successfully process it.

Lexicon

Terms

Few lexical items are fully translated.

• Davoro'kos (also the name of a Krill destroyer) - "bringer of blood."
• Anaya (a female Krill/human hybrid) - "gently falling rain"
• CHA-Faj! - This possibly means "Guards!" Teleya called to the Krill guards with this word, before she orders them to take Mercer back to his prison cell.
• Do'maflach! - This was spoken by a Krill gunman posing as a merchant in the Grand Marketplace. It is unknown what this phrase means.

Phrases

• Salla tallo ka vaspa ko loy. - This phrase was spoken by a Krill diplomat in Shadow Realms before the Orville entered Krill space. This is prayer for those who are about die.
• There was a phrase that Korin spoke to Teleya before being executed. Based on his tone, it is likely that the phrase means "Go to hell" or "I'll see you in hell" in Krillian.

Writing system

Krill texts and inscriptions are ubiquitous in Krill society, appearing in writings as well as on their architecture. However, only several examples have been translated thus far. Written Krillain operates as a simple English cipher.

• Two sets of identical buttons on the control panel of the captured shuttle read C, A, K. The center button is the letter D. On two identical circular screens are the letters W and K.
• The walls of the Yakar's chapel are inscribed with "GOD" and "PROTECTOR OF KRILL GUARDIAN OF OUR SOULS."
• The digital display in the classroom of Teleya shows a great deal of text, but only one paragraph is translated: "HELLO TODAY IS THE DAY YOU WILL MADELEINE DOTTO MADELEINE DOTTO IS THE COOLEST PERSON ON THIS LOT JUST REMEMBER THAT AND YOU WILL BE FINE JUST FINE."

• A page of the Anhkana found in the Yakar's chapel is simply the numbers 0 through 9 in random order.
• A page of the Anhkana is found on Karx's computer reads: "SETH MACFARLANE DAVID GOODMAN DAVID CABEZA MICHAEL ATIYEH".
• Text on a monitor showing Janel Tyler's torture in a Krill Brig reads "DESIGNATED PREFECT PRISON MONITOR STATUS CELL BETA" and "AB BA."
• An escape pod interface panel shows the number "8" flanked by "T H E" on both sides.

A clue of the Krill language can be found on the monitor inside "Chris" and "Devon's" quarters when they survey a passage of the Anhkana. The 37 letters and signs of the Krill alphabet, its number system, and one symbol of unknown value are shown. On the subsequent screen is the time, 04:25, and below is simply the letters and numbers of Krillain as well as an unknown symbol.

Phonology

The spoken Krill language is far more developed than most other species encountered by the Union. The oral language has a simple consonantal series with several surprising features: no nasals such as [m] and [n] (which is extremely rare), no indication of aspiration, and no [ʒ] on its own but it does appear in the larger co-articulated stop [d͡ʒ].

Consonants
		Bilabial	Labio-dental	Dental	Alveolar	Post-alveolar	Velar
Stops	voiceless	[p]		[t]			[k]
	voiced	[b]		[d]			[g]
Fricatives	voiceless		[f]	[θ]	[s]
	voiced		[v]	[ð]	[z]
Affricates						[d͡ʒ]

Krillain sports a much more varied and larger vocalic series than the one found in the consonants. Note that some phonemes occur only as long vowels, and others as short, but not both; further, that [ʊ] and [a] occur only in diphthongs and not independently.

Vowels
	Front	Near-front	Central	Back
Close	[i:]
Near-close		[ɪ]
Mid			[ə]
Open-mid	[ɛ]		[ɜ:]	[ɔ:] , [ʌ]
Near-open	[æ]
Open				[ɑ:] , [ɒ]

There is a small number of diphthongs: [ɪə], [eɪ], [ɑɪ], [ɛa], and [ɑʊ].

Production

Krillain was designed by the digital effects supervisor Brandon Fayette and the show's futurist Taylor Faulkinberry for use in the sixth episode, Krill. It is unknown who developed Krillain for earlier episodes, especially Old Wounds.

The first description of the language is revealed in the book Jeff Bond's behind-the-scenes book The World of the Orville, as well as a working name of the language "Krillain." However, Bond's material is probably from an early state of development. For example, the putative phonological inventory above is frequently violated. According to its phonology, there are no sounds [j], [ɻ], [l], [h], and the nasal [n]; yet the following violative examples are found:

• The name Yakar [ja.kaɻ] contains two phonemes considered non-existant.

• Anhkana [an.ka.na] has two instances of [n].

• The name Teleya [tə.leɪ.ja] contains [l] and [j].

• Captain Haros [he.ɻos] contains the aspirant [h], which is also implied in the spelling of Anhkana, and [ɻ].

On June 11, 2018, editor Tom Costantino revealed the definitive cipher for Krillain-to-English.

Trivia

• Madeleine Dotto is the crewmember responsible for video playback on the show.

Gallery

A passage of the Anhkana, which shows all 37 written symbols of the language.

English-to-Krill cipher