Understanding Simmish - Part One
Paul Evans
(i.e. me), understanding Simmish has been one of the main features of
playing The Sims effectively (or simply a way of writing pointless posts
after a few pints down the pub). It has been the subject of many questions
asked in the four main Sims newsgroups and is understood, in part at least,
by anyone playing the game, regardless of the language they speak
themselves.
People have been reported as saying 'Deg, deg' when they're leaving their
homes to go to work or shop, 'Commas nala?' when answering the phone, and
even 'Dis graw is fredeshay!' when eating their food! Now, whilst the game
may be very addictive, and continuous downloads has forced me to consider a
bigger hard drive, I have yet to experience this strange phenomena
first-hand.
Despite this however, people in general think they understand what their
Sims are saying in conversation with each other... or do they? Let's take a
popular (and more easily understood) phrase, 'Dis graw is fredeshay'. Now
the spelling of that phrase is approximate, for Simmish is not a written
language. Actually, classifying it as a language at all would be stretching
it a little! The phrase could mean a number of things; Livin-It-Up, uses a
modification of a well known phrase 'All the news that's fit to print'. In
their case, you replace news and fit with 'graw' and 'fredeshay'. However,
this would not work in the Sims proper, for the phrase 'Dis graw is
fredeshay' would mean 'this news is fit'. Appropriate possibly for reading
the newspaper perhaps, but for eating?!? Read on...
'Dis graw is fredeshay', as it turns out when playing the game, can be
applied to any number of subjects. When eating, it could be taken to mean
'this food is great/wonderful'. When watching tv, 'this film is fantastic!'
or when employing it in general conversation 'this <topic> is <something
complementary>'. It is a phrase that is interchangeable to suit any topic of
conversation.
The same rules apply for another easily comprehendable phrase; 'commas
nala'. Like the previous phrase, it can apply to almost every situation.
'commas nala' and it's sister phrase 'burro burro' (approximate spelling
based on poor-quality pc-speakers) are based on starter/introductory
questioning that your Sims use to strike up a conversation. Essentially,
'commas nala' simply means 'Would you like to...' and tends to be used for
phone conversation, whilst 'burro burro' appears to be used to invite
friends to participate in something - normally a dance.
Finally, for now, as the Guinness begins to wear off, I move on to 'Deg
deg', or 'Dag dag' depending on the player. This simply means 'goodbye' and
little more. Two other phrases I've come across for 'good bye' are
'shlendeg' and 'daba duchiya' and appear to be gender/age specific.
In the second (and final) part I will expand on the issue of gender and
age-specific phrases, but the booze is wearing off now, so I'll go back to
playing the game...
Paul.
--
------------------------------------------------------
Screw The EU and NF
Yahoo Chat id: uknortherner2000. Manchester Locals chatroom - Saturdays 1am
GMT
The Sims: Hot Date - 13th November (UK confirmed)
------------------------------------------------------
Libby
"Paul Evans" <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote in message
news:fRkH7.5158$is2.9...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
Um, Paul, darling, can I print this in our very grawly fredashayable Voice?
--
-----
Libby
+#+#+
"Until you've lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or
what freedom really is."
--Margaret Mitchell
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Paul Evans
"Libby" <si...@home.commasnala> wrote in message
news:p0lH7.494149$j65.12...@news4.rdc1.on.home.com...
> >
>
> Um, Paul, darling, can I print this in our very grawly fredashayable
Voice?
>
Sure! Go ahead!
Libby
>
> "Libby" <si...@home.commasnala> wrote in message
> news:p0lH7.494149$j65.12...@news4.rdc1.on.home.com...
> > >
> >
> > Um, Paul, darling, can I print this in our very grawly fredashayable
> Voice?
> >
>
> Sure! Go ahead!
>
Great, thank you :-)
Do you want your full name on the byline or would you prefer something
different?
--
-----
Libby
Newsgroup FAQ:
http://moonsims.asi.org/liu/ngqa/
Livin-it-up/Simwares:
http://moonsims.asi.org/liu/
Sims Village Voice:
http://moonsims.asi.org/voice/
Seahag
"Paul Evans" <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote :
> For those who have been playing The Sims for longer than a couple of
weeks
> (i.e. me), understanding Simmish has been one of the main features
of
> playing The Sims effectively (or simply a way of writing pointless
posts
<really funny stuff snipped for brevity>
Paul, get a grip!
Seahag
Ohmikeghod
kan figure is simmish for "Cool!").
--- Mike ---
Paul Evans
"Seahag" <sea...@toadmail.toad.net> wrote in message
news:7XpH7.36$cr1....@newsfeed.slurp.net...
Paul Evans
"Libby" <si...@home.commasnala> wrote in message
>
> Great, thank you :-)
>
> Do you want your full name on the byline or would you prefer something
> different?
>
You can use my full name if you like. I'm a little hungover at the moment
and can't think of a witty nickname to use. Besides, I think most of the
regulars know me by now... ;)
kidoki
> The same rules apply for another easily comprehendable phrase; 'commas
> nala'.
This phrase sounds very much to me like the French 'comment ca va?'.
(How ya goin'?), and is used in the same situations.
In fact, I have noticed a number of utterances that sound very
similar to French and German (and of course English), and I was
sorta wondering if this was Maxis' attempt to make the gibberish
Simmish lingo to sound somehow familiar to a broad range of
ppl. (it would certainly be a lot CHEAPER than releasing it
in diff. language wersions). I must admit it was something of
a disappointment upon first firing up the game.
Wonder if there are speakers of any
other languages that have heard familiar words?
> Finally, for now, as the Guinness begins to wear off, I move on to 'Deg
> deg', or 'Dag dag' depending on the player. This simply means 'goodbye' and
> little more. Two other phrases I've come across for 'good bye' are
> 'shlendeg' and 'daba duchiya' and appear to be gender/age specific.
FWIW, I hear it as Deg-deg.
They also say something that sounds like 'soon-soon' when they leave
for work. (even if there is no other Sim to hear them)
The only thing close to swearing that I've heard is 'Crust!', spoken
in the way that ppl would disgustedly say 'Christ!'.
Or maybe som other greedy Sim ate the best part of the pizza.
rj
Seahag
"Paul Evans" <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote:
>
> "Seahag" <sea...@toadmail.toad.net> wrote:
> >
> > "Paul Evans" <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote :
> > > For those who have been playing The Sims for longer than a
couple of
> > weeks
> > > (i.e. me), understanding Simmish has been one of the main
features
> > of
> > > playing The Sims effectively (or simply a way of writing
pointless
> > posts
> > > after a few pints down the pub)....
> >
> > <really funny stuff snipped for brevity>
> >
> > Paul, get a grip!
> >
>
Seahag
Paul Evans
"kidoki" <rj.ca...@auckland.ac.nz> wrote in message
news:cf7f20f7.01111...@posting.google.com...
> "Paul Evans" <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote in message
news:<fRkH7.5158$is2.9...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com>...
>
> > The same rules apply for another easily comprehendable phrase; 'commas
> > nala'.
>
> This phrase sounds very much to me like the French 'comment ca va?'.
> (How ya goin'?), and is used in the same situations.
>
> In fact, I have noticed a number of utterances that sound very
> similar to French and German (and of course English), and I was
> sorta wondering if this was Maxis' attempt to make the gibberish
> Simmish lingo to sound somehow familiar to a broad range of
> ppl. (it would certainly be a lot CHEAPER than releasing it
> in diff. language wersions). I must admit it was something of
> a disappointment upon first firing up the game.
>
have also involved recording a lot of sentences where two or three words of
Simmish would do.
Simmish is very deliberate and clever in sounding like common phrases in
almost every major Western language.
Being serious for a moment though, someone said on here a few weeks ago
that the Simmish language was ad-libbed as it was recorded. With that in
mind, the same language structures would still survive, even by accident.
I think the fact the sims don't speak an actual language makes the game
even more interesting. It places you as the player above the characters in
the game, and the fact they speak gibberish makes it easier perhaps for you
to disassociate yourself from your creations as it were. Then, when it comes
to drowning your annoying sims because they go to the toilet, sit down on
it, stand up again and piss on the floor despite sitting on that sodding
toilet just a few seconds earlier, you don't feel bad about it. Of course,
that might just be me...
> Wonder if there are speakers of any
> other languages that have heard familiar words?
>
> > Finally, for now, as the Guinness begins to wear off, I move on to 'Deg
> > deg', or 'Dag dag' depending on the player. This simply means 'goodbye'
and
> > little more. Two other phrases I've come across for 'good bye' are
> > 'shlendeg' and 'daba duchiya' and appear to be gender/age specific.
>
> FWIW, I hear it as Deg-deg.
>
I hear it as 'Deg-deg' as well. Some people on here write it as 'Dag-dag'
though, which was why I mentioned both.
> They also say something that sounds like 'soon-soon' when they leave
> for work. (even if there is no other Sim to hear them)
I was going to mention 'sool sool' or 'soon-soon' (I hear it as the former)
in the second part because I was just slightly intoxicated at the time, and
I was falling asleep in front of my pc. Sool-sool is only ever said by adult
males, just as 'deg-deg' is said by adult females.
>
> The only thing close to swearing that I've heard is 'Crust!', spoken
> in the way that ppl would disgustedly say 'Christ!'.
or 'crast!'. I think the connection with that and 'Christ!' is deliberate.
It is certainly something that sounds very familiar over here in the UK when
every sentence usually has 'christ' somewhere in it.
> Or maybe som other greedy Sim ate the best part of the pizza.
>
for forty big ones, that should be one hell of a pizza!
Paul Evans
"Ohmikeghod" <ohmik...@mirthlink.net> wrote in message
news:3BEEA50F...@mirthlink.net...
> I like this! It's definitely a Hootin Burwaddy! (which, as near as I
> kan figure is simmish for "Cool!").
>
I've gotta admit, I've never come across this phrase before!
Paul Evans
Next Friday!
Ice Man
> > for work. (even if there is no other Sim to hear them)
> I was going to mention 'sool sool' or 'soon-soon' (I hear it as the
former)
> in the second part because I was just slightly intoxicated at the time,
and
> I was falling asleep in front of my pc. Sool-sool is only ever said by
adult
> males, just as 'deg-deg' is said by adult females.
>
deg-deg.
Any idea what they say when they talk to the mirror?
Robert J. Muldoon
even more interesting. It places you as the player above the characters in
the game, and the fact they speak gibberish makes it easier perhaps for you
to disassociate yourself from your creations as it were. Then, when it comes
to drowning your annoying sims because they go to the toilet, sit down on
it, stand up again and piss on the floor despite sitting on that sodding
toilet just a few seconds earlier, you don't feel bad about it. Of course,
that might just be me... >>
Especially when they look up at you and wave. Makes you feel like a cruel
deity of some sort.
--
Sincerely,
Robert J. Muldoon
o--(|8[#]
"Comparing Britney Spears to the Beatles is like comparing a pocket
calculator to Albert Einstein."
http://www.geocities.com/bolognaornot
S1.3 OFF+++ NED+++# ABE+++ FRI+++># CBG+++# BOB+++ ASS--- f++++ n- pso $+++
MG20, 7G09, 9F15, 2F13, 3F24, 3G01, 4F10, BABF07, AABF22----- M1984
tulsasisraepsyentirb
Philip Newton
<killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote:
> the four main Sims newsgroups
Which are they? I know of alt.games.the-sims and alt.family-names.sims,
but which are the two others?
Cheers,
Philip
--
Philip Newton <nospam...@gmx.li>
That really is my address; no need to remove anything to reply.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
Philip Newton
<killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote:
> 'burro burro' appears to be used to invite friends to participate in
> something - normally a dance.
And it's often met with a response of "Mm Mmmmmm", shaking of the head,
and crossed arms *sigh*.
Seahag
"Paul Evans" <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote :
> "Seahag" <sea...@toadmail.toad.net> wrote:
> > When are you visiting the pub again?
> >
>
I'll be looking forward to a continuation!
Seahag
Ghost of Bella Goth
<pne-news...@newton.digitalspace.net> wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Nov 2001 01:50:54 -0000, "Paul Evans"
> <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote:
>
> > the four main Sims newsgroups
>
> Which are they? I know of alt.games.the-sims and alt.family-names.sims,
> but which are the two others?
I know of only 3 (besides a couple of Russian-language NGs):
alt.binaries.games.thesims, alt.family-names.sims, alt.games.the-sims.
GBG
--
Real address is gbg AT livin-it-up DOT net
Ghost of Bella Goth
Macintosh Consultant, Livin-It-Up.net <http://www.livin-it-up.net>
Ice Man
Are you thinking of the annexcafe? don't they have a sim site?
--
=====================================
If you're wearin' the boot.....it fits.--Emerald
TWIG--This World Is Garbage --Avaticus
AAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHH
---heard in the restroom after a toilet flushed
Signatures Are Bad---Ice Man
LOL---Helena Handbasket
=====================================
"Ghost of Bella Goth" <gbg@livin-it-up-REMOVE_THIS-.net.invalid> wrote in
message news:121120010816305730%gbg@livin-it-up-REMOVE_THIS-.net.invalid...
Paul Evans
"Ice Man" <geiswer...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9sopbt$14f3dv$1...@ID-89514.news.dfncis.de...
> alt.games.ea.maxis.sim-life is another, but nobody talks about sim stuff.
> Are you thinking of the annexcafe? don't they have a sim site?
>
> --
The four I meant (and the ones I contribute to) are:
alt.binaries.games.thesims
alt.family-names.sims
alt.games.the-sims
alt.games-the-sims
There is a Russian one, but nothing seems to appear on it from here:
fido7.ru.thesims
If anyone can tell me what goes on in there, I'd be very interested to know!
kidoki
> "kidoki" <rj.ca...@auckland.ac.nz> wrote in message
> news:cf7f20f7.01111...@posting.google.com...
> > "Paul Evans" <killthe...@spamfree.com> wrote in message
> news:<fRkH7.5158$is2.9...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com>...
> > They also say something that sounds like 'soon-soon' when they leave
> > for work. (even if there is no other Sim to hear them)
> I was going to mention 'sool sool' or 'soon-soon' (I hear it as the former)
I heard it as 'soo soo' the first time, and after that couldn't decide
between sool sool or soon soon, but the latter makes more sense so
I guess that's why I hear as such.
> > The only thing close to swearing that I've heard is 'Crust!', spoken
> > in the way that ppl would disgustedly say 'Christ!'.
> or 'crast!'. I think the connection with that and 'Christ!' is deliberate.
> It is certainly something that sounds very familiar over here in the UK when
> every sentence usually has 'christ' somewhere in it.
I first heard it after they'd had pizza, Tabasco Castanza came storming
out the front door and I missed what was going on inside, but I thought
it might be about the pizza. Again, the pronunciation is vague enough
for you to hear what you want to hear.
> > Or maybe som other greedy Sim ate the best part of the pizza.
> >
> for forty big ones, that should be one hell of a pizza!
Most pizzas in NZ are mostly crust at any price. :-(
rj
Althalus
credit, at least we can pretend to, they have torches in the Sims don't
they? <G> (BTW, has anyone found any torches)
-Althalus
--
God save America, the queen can wait.
Please don't send spam to this address, I can never get the can to come out
of the disk drive.
A message from the Spanish Inquisition: Don't expect us, it makes the job so
dull.
To email: Remove Spanish Inquisition
"Ice Man" <geiswer...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9sopbt$14f3dv$1...@ID-89514.news.dfncis.de...