How To Create Lovecraftian Style Alien and Demon Languages For Your Novel



Earlier today, I had answered a question on how I go about creating the fantasy names for the cities and regions of the Quaraun series, which got me thinking, I should probably do a second page on how I create the languages of the aliens and demons in the series as well. So here's that page.

I use the method that was invented/created by Robert E. Howard for his Conan the Barbarian series.

What he did was this:

  • Pick the culture you want to base your fictional culture off of
  • Reverse the spelling
  • Put a vowel at the end
  • End result is a word that sounds like it belongs in the culture, giving your story "authentic cultural flavour" without requiring you to study linguistics

So, picking some real places and using their names to get fictional places results in:

  • Cameroon + a becomes Nooremaca
  • Rwanda + e becomes Adnawde
  • Zimbabwe + i becomes Ewbabmizi
  • Bangladesh + o becomes Hsedalgnabo
  • Timor-Leste + u becomes Etsel-Romitu
  • Tonga + y becomes Agnoty

For the Thullids of the Quaraun series, what I did was this:

  • Pick a word, any word.
  • Reverse the spelling.
  • Put a vowel at the end
  • Add some i, l, g, h, x at random.
  • End result is a word that sounds like it belongs in slithering throats or the squishy, squid headed brain sucking aliens from Neptune's moon, aka the hullids.

The most common combinations I use are:


  •  + a + ill =
  •  + e + illl =
  •  + i + ix =
  •  + o + illx = 
  •  + u + ilx =
  •  + y + illxi =
  •  + a + ll =
  •  + e + x =
  •  + i + lli =
  •  + o + xi = 
  •  + u + ill =
  •  + y + illl =
  •  + a + ix =
  •  + e + illx =
  •  + i + ilx =
  •  + o + illxi = 
  •  + u + ll =
  •  + y + x =
  •  + a + lli =
  •  + e + xi = 
  •  + i + ill =
  •  + o + illl =
  •  + u + ix =
  •  + y + illx =


And then, just to make it more confusing, for some words I'll add some g and th sounds


  •  + g + a + ix =
  •  + h + e + illx =
  •  + gw + i + ilx =
  •  + th + o + illxi = 
  •  + gu + u + ll =
  •  + kl + y + x =
  •  + lk + a + lli =
  •  + kl + e + xi = 
  •  + g + i + ill =
  •  + gh + o + illl =
  •  + gw + u + ix =
  •  + th + y + illx =
  •  + glix + a + ill =
  •  + glox + e + illl =
  •  + gloox + i + ix =
  •  + glwu+ o + illx = 
  •  + gwal + u + ilx =
  •  + gwul + y + illxi =

And then, I will remove, most, sometimes all of the "F" and "M"s, some times replacing them with "S"s and "V"s.

Thus:

  • father = sather
  • fame = save
  • fluffy = slussy

...before translation.

Translated these words become:

  • father = sather + g + a + ix = rehtasgaix
  • fame = save + g + i + ill = evasgiill
  • fluffy = slussy + gloox + i + ix = yssulsglooxiix

Thus:

  • father = rehtasgaix
  • fame = evasgiill
  • fluffy = yssulsglooxiix

And finally, to make it even more difficult to translate, I do not have the words they say, match the conversation. Instead, the Thullid dialogue is Christian Hymns. We will use in this example, this one...

Rejoice, rejoice, ye Christians, with all your heart this morn!

O hear the blessèd tidings, the Lord, the Christ is born,

Now brought us by the angels that stand about God’s throne;

O lovely are the voices that make such tidings known!


O hearken to their singing! This Child shall be your Friend;

The Father so hath willed it, that thus your woes should end.

The Son is freely given, that in Him ye may have

The Father’s grace and blessing, and know He loves to save.


Nor deem the form too lowly that clothes Him at this hour;

For know ye what it hideth? ’Tis God’s almighty power.

Though now within the manger so poor and weak He lies,

He is the Lord of all things, He reigns above the skies.

The reason for picking hymns is because of the mumbo-jumbo glorified -th of the way they are written with words like: sayth, thusly, blessith, lovith, worshipith, O thy!, prethy me, sayeth thou me to thee, and similar phraseologies, with ensure I am using lots of "th" sounds in the Thullid language.

And thus, a conversation between 2 characters goes from this:


“But who did he tell it to? You and me?”

“And Porfiry.”

“What does it matter?”

“And, by the way, do you have any influence over them, his mother and sister?  Tell them to be more careful with him today …”

“They’ll get on all right!” Razumikhin answered reluctantly.

“Why is he so set against this Luzhin? A man with money and she doesn’t dislike him …

“But what business is it of yours?” Razumikhin cried with annoyance.


~Crime and Punishment (By Fyodor Dostoevsky)


To this, 3 person conversation with 2 people and a Thullid, and does so without changing the meaning of the conversation:


“But who did he tell it to? You and me?”

"Ecilkojaedlli, Ecilkojaedlli, eyklexi snaitsirhcgiill, htiwghoilll llagwuix ruoythyillx traehaill sihteilll vorn!"

“And Porfiry.”

"O reahiix ehtoillx udesselbilx ysgniditillxi, ehtoillx Dorlall, ehtoillx Tsirhcex siilli nroboxi," the Thullid explained. 

“What does it matter?” 

"Wonuill thguorbyilll suglixaill ybgloxeilll ehtoillx slegnaglooxiix tahtglwuoillx gwaldnatsuilx gwultuobayillxi Adogix’s enorhteillx."

“And, by the way, do you have any influence over them, his mother and sister?  Tell them to be more careful with him today …”

"O iylevolilx eraoillxi ehtoillx seciovull tahtglwuoillx vake xhcusy ysgniditillxi nwonkalli!"

“They’ll get on all right!” Razumikhin answered reluctantly,

"O nekraehexi otiill oriehtilll gnignisuix! sihteilll dlihcyillx llahsgaix ebheillx ruoythyillx sriend."

“Why is he so set against this Luzhin? A man with money and she doesn’t dislike him …

"Ehtoillx sather osgwiilx hath thdelliwoillxi it, tahtglwuoillx suhtguull ruoythyillx woes kldluohsyx dneaill."

“But what business is it of yours?” Razumikhin cried with annoyance.

"Ehtoillx Son siilli sreely enevigilll, tahtglwuoillx in Hiv eyklexi vay evahiix"


~Crime and Punishment (By Fyodor Dostoevsky)

After Lovecraftian aliens entered the conversation.


We get that by doing this to the previous mentioned hymn:

  • Rejoice + lk + a + lli = Ecilkojaedlli
  • ye + kl + e + xi = eyklexi
  • Christians + g + i + ill = snaitsirhcgiill
  • with + gh + o + illl = htiwghoilll
  • all + gw + u + ix = llagwuix
  • your + th + y + illx = ruoythyillx
  • heart + a + ill = traehaill
  • this + e + illl = sihteilll
  • hear + i + ix = reahiix
  • the + o + illx = ehtoillx
  • blessèd + u + ilx = udesselbilx
  • tidings + y + illxi = ysgniditillxi
  • Lord + a + ll = Dorlall
  • Christ + e + x = Tsirhcex
  • is + i + lli = siilli
  • born + o + xi = nroboxi
  • Now + u + ill = wonuill
  • brought + y + illl = thguorbyilll
  • us + glix + a + ill = suglixaill
  • by + glox + e + illl = ybgloxeilll
  • angels + gloox + i + ix = slegnaglooxiix
  • that + glwu+ o + illx = tahtglwuoillx
  • stand + gwal + u + ilx = gwaldnatsuilx
  • about + gwul + y + illxi = gwultuobayillxi
  • God + a + ix = Adogix
  • throne + e + illx = enorhteillx
  • lovely + i + ilx = iylevolilx
  • are + o + illxi = eraoillxi
  • voices + u + ll = seciovull
  • such + y + x = xhcusy
  • known + a + lli = nwonkalli
  • hearken + e + xi = nekraehexi
  • to + i + ill = otiill
  • their + o + illl = oriehtilll
  • singing + u + ix = gnignisuix
  • Child + y + illx = dlihcyillx
  • shall + g + a + ix = llahsgaix
  • be + h + e + illx = ebheillx
  • so + gw + i + ilx = osgwiilx
  • willed + th + o + illxi = thdelliwoillxi
  • thus + gu + u + ll = suhtguull
  • should + kl + y + x = kldluohsyx
  • end + a + ill = dneaill
  • given + e + illl = enevigilll
  • have + i + ix = evahiix
  • grace + o + illx = ecargoillx
  • and + u + ilx = dnauilx
  • blessing + y + illxi = gnisselbyillxi
  • know + lk + a + lli = wonklkalli
  • He + kl + e + xi = ehklexi
  • loves + g + i + ill = sevolgiill
  • save + gh + o + illl = evasghoilll
  • too + gw + u + ix = ootgwuix
  • lowly + th + y + illx = ylwolthyillx
  • clothes + a + ll = sehtolcall
  • hour + e + x = ruohex
  • what + i + lli = tahwilli
  • hideth + o + xi = htedihoxi
  • power + u + ill = rewopuill
  • Though + y + illl = hguohtyilll
  • poor + glix + a + ill = roopglixaill
  • weak + glox + e + illl = kaewgloxeilll
  • lies + gloox + i + ix = seilglooxiix
  • things + glwu+ o + illx = sgnihtglwuoillx
  • reigns + gwal + u + ilx = sngiergwaluilx
  • above + gwul + y + illxi = evobagwulyillxi
  • skies + a + ix = seiksaix

to get this:


Ecilkojaedlli, Ecilkojaedlli, eyklexi snaitsirhcgiill, htiwghoilll llagwuix ruoythyillx traehaill sihteilll vorn!

O reahiix ehtoillx udesselbilx ysgniditillxi, ehtoillx Dorlall, ehtoillx Tsirhcex siilli nroboxi,

Wonuill thguorbyilll suglixaill ybgloxeilll ehtoillx slegnaglooxiix tahtglwuoillx gwaldnatsuilx gwultuobayillxi Adogix’s enorhteillx;

O iylevolilx eraoillxi ehtoillx seciovull tahtglwuoillx vake xhcusy ysgniditillxi nwonkalli!

O nekraehexi otiill oriehtilll gnignisuix! sihteilll dlihcyillx llahsgaix ebheillx ruoythyillx sriend;

Ehtoillx sather osgwiilx hath thdelliwoillxi it, tahtglwuoillx suhtguull ruoythyillx woes kldluohsyx dneaill.

Ehtoillx Son siilli sreely enevigilll, tahtglwuoillx in Hiv eyklexi vay evahiix

Ehtoillx sather’s ecargoillx dnauilx gnisselbyillxi, dnauilx wonklkalli ehklexi sevolgiill otiill evasghoilll.

Nor deev ehtoillx sorv ootgwuix ylwolthyillx tahtglwuoillx sehtolcall Hiv at sihteilll ruohex;

Sor wonklkalli eyklexi tahwilli it htedihoxi? ’Tis Adogix’s alvighty rewopuill.

Hguohtyilll wonuill within ehtoillx vanger osgwiilx roopglixaill dnauilx kaewgloxeilll ehklexi seilglooxiix,

Ehklexi siilli ehtoillx Dorlall os llagwuix sgnihtglwuoillx, ehklexi sngiergwaluilx evobagwulyillxi ehtoillx seiksaix.


from this:


Rejoice, rejoice, ye Christians, with all your heart this morn!

O hear the blessèd tidings, the Lord, the Christ is born,

Now brought us by the angels that stand about God’s throne;

O lovely are the voices that make such tidings known!


O hearken to their singing! This Child shall be your Friend;

The Father so hath willed it, that thus your woes should end.

The Son is freely given, that in Him ye may have

The Father’s grace and blessing, and know He loves to save.


Nor deem the form too lowly that clothes Him at this hour;

For know ye what it hideth? ’Tis God’s almighty power.

Though now within the manger so poor and weak He lies,

He is the Lord of all things, He reigns above the skies.


And in the end, while it looks like completely untranslatable gibberish, you could, if you took the time to do so, translate the Thullid language back into English. 

And if you ever made an attempt to translate the language... you'll notice that it is incredibly inconsistent, because I make a completely new list for every single novel, not reusing the old list, meaning you'll find some words spelt 4 or 5 different was.

The Thullid language, on page, is meant only to mimic the gibberish i l x hissing, slithering sounds they make when they talk and is not intended to be their actual language.



What I do for Demons, is more of less the same thing.

The differences being the Demon's words are actual answers within the conversation, usually the words reversed as well as the letters, and for Demons, if the word ends in "L" I always change it to "el" instead. The reason for changing l to el is because in actual real world studies of demonology, l is always written el.I also do not add the additional i, x, l's.

And so taking that exact same hymn, this time translating it into Demon language, gives us this:

  • Rejoice + a = Eciojera
  • ye + e = eye
  • Christians + i = Snaitsirhci
  • with + o = htiwo
  • aelel + u = elelau
  • your + y = ruoyy
  • heart + a = traeha
  • this + e = sihte
  • hear + i = reahi
  • the + o = ehto
  • belessèd + u = desselbu
  • tidings + y = sgnidity
  • Lord + a = Dorelael (added an el because the word started with an L)
  • Christ + e = Tsirhce
  • is + i = sii
  • born + o = nrobo
  • Now + u = wonu
  • brought + y = thguorby
  • us + a = sua
  • by + e = ybe
  • angels + i = selegnai
  • that + o = tahto
  • stand + u = dnatsu
  • about + y = tuobay
  • God + a = Doga
  • throne + e = enorhte
  • elovely + i = yelevoeliel (added an el because the word started with an L)
  • are + o = erao
  • voices + u = seciovu
  • such + y = hcusy
  • known + a = nwonka
  • hearken + e = nekraehe
  • to + i = oti
  • their + o = riehto
  • singing + u = gnignisu
  • Chield + y = delihcy
  • shaelel + a = elelahsa
  • be + e = ebe
  • so + i = osi
  • wieleled + o = deleliwo
  • thus + u = suhtu
  • shoueld + y = keldeluohsy
  • end + a = dnea
  • given + e = nevige
  • have + i = evahi
  • grace + o = ecargo
  • and + u = dnau
  • belessing + y = gnisselby
  • know + a = wonka
  • He + e = ehe
  • eloves + i = sevoeliel (added an el because the word started with an L)
  • save + o = evaso
  • too + u = ootu
  • elowely + y = yelwoelyel (added an el because the word started with an L)
  • celothes + a = sehtoelca
  • hour + e = ruohe
  • what + i = tahwi
  • hideth + o = htediho
  • power + u = rewopu
  • Though + y = hguohty
  • poor + a = roopa
  • weak + e = kaewe
  • elies + i = seieliel (added an el because the word started with an L)
  • things + o = sgnihto
  • reigns + u = sngieru
  • above + y = evobay
  • skies + a = seiksa
  • morn + a = nroma
  • make + e = ekame
  • friend + i = dneirfi
  • father + o = rehtafo
  • freely + u = yeleerfu
  • Him + y = mihy
  • deem + a = meeda
  • form + e = mrofe
  • manger + i = regnami
  • aelmighty + o = ythgimelao
  • way + u = yawu
  • son + y = nosy
  • it + a = tia
  • woes + e = seowe
  • hath + i = htahi
  • in + o = nio
  • at + u = tau
  • within + y = nihtiwy
  • Nor + a = rona
  • Tis + e = site

The get this:

Eciojera, Eciojera, eye Snaitsirhci, htiwo elelau ruoyy traeha sihte nroma!

O reahi ehto desselbu sgnidity, ehto Dorelael, ehto Tsirhce sii nrobo,

wonu thguorby sua ybe ehto selegnai tahto dnatsu tuobay Doga’s enorhte;

O yelevoeliel erao ehto seciovu tahto ekame hcusy sgnidity nwonka!


O nekraehe oti riehto gnignisu! sihte delihcy elelahsa ebe ruoyy dneirfi;

ehto rehtafo osi htahi deleliwo tia, tahto suhtu ruoyy seowe keldeluohsy dnea.

ehto nosy sii yeleerfu nevige, tahto nio mihy eye yawu evahi

ehto rehtafo’s ecargo dnau gnisselby, dnau wonka ehe sevoeliel oti evaso.


rona meeda ehto mrofe ootu yelwoelyel tahto sehtoelca mihy tau sihte ruohe;

sor wonka eye tahwi tia htediho? ’site Doga’s ythgimelao rewopu.

hguohty wonu nihtiwy ehto regnami osi roopa dnau kaewe ehe seieliel,

ehe sii ehto Dorelael os elelau sgnihto, ehe sngieru evobay ehto seiksa

From this:

Rejoice, rejoice, ye Christians, with all your heart this morn!

O hear the blessèd tidings, the Lord, the Christ is born,

Now brought us by the angels that stand about God’s throne;

O lovely are the voices that make such tidings known!


O hearken to their singing! This Child shall be your Friend;

The Father so hath willed it, that thus your woes should end.

The Son is freely given, that in Him ye may have

The Father’s grace and blessing, and know He loves to save.


Nor deem the form too lowly that clothes Him at this hour;

For know ye what it hideth? ’Tis God’s almighty power.

Though now within the manger so poor and weak He lies,

He is the Lord of all things, He reigns above the skies.


Which we then reverse order to get this one as the final version that goes in the book:

Nroma sihte traeha ruoyy elelau htiwo, Snaitsirhci eye, Eciojera, Eciojera!

Nrobo sii Tsirhce ehto, Dorelael ehto, sgnidity desselbu ehto reahi O,

Enorhte Doga’s tuobay dnatsu tahto selegnai ehto ybe sua thguorby wonu;

Nwonka sgnidity hcusy ekame tahto seciovu ehto erao yelevoeliel O!


Dneirfi ruoyy ebe elelahsa delihcy sihte; Gnignisu riehto oti nekraehe O!

Dnea keldeluohsy seowe ruoyy suhtu tahto, tia deleliwo htahi osi rehtafo ehto.

Evahi yawu eye mihy nio tahto, nevige yeleerfu sii nosy ehto,

Evaso oti sevoeliel ehe wonka dnau, gnisselby dnau ecargo rehtafo’s ehto.


Ruohe sihte tau mihy sehtoelca tahto yelwoelyel ootu mrofe ehto meeda rona;

Rewopu ythgimelao Doga’s ’site. Htediho tia tahwi eye wonka sor?

Seieliel ehe kaewe dnau roopa osi regnami ehto nihtiwy wonu hguohty,

Seiksa ehto evobay sngieru ehe, sgnihto elelau os Dorelael ehto sii ehe.


The reason for doing this is because of the real world studies that have been done into demon possession. Many tape recording have been made of what was supposedly Demons talking, usually through a possessed person. In every case, the words were translated about by playing the recording in reverse. As it turned out, the speech was reversed - the letters in each word reversed and the words in each sentence reversed as well.

It is for this reason that when the Demon language is written out in the Quaraun series, it is written in reverse.











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