Shyriiwook/Legends

Shyriiwook was the main trade language of the Wookiees. It was not the only Wookiee language, but, being the main trade language, it was the language understood by most non-Wookiees who understood "the Wookiee language"&mdash;in fact, most non-Wookiees were unaware of the existence of multiple Wookiee languages.

To outsiders, this language usually sounded like mere animalistic barks, roars, growls, and moans, conveying little more than emotion. However, Shyriiwook was in fact just as much an intelligent language as Basic.

The unique design of the Wookiee throat made Shyriiwook a very difficult, even impossible language to speak for most non-Wookiees; presumably the word Shyriiwook itself, as well as other Wookiee words or names, were transliterations of the original Wookiee sounds into a form more easily pronounced by others. No tongue or lip movement was required to speak Shyriiwook; the jaw was typically locked open, with sound eminating from the throat and back of the mouth.

It was also incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for most Wookiees to learn to speak Basic. As a result, most inter-species communication involving Wookiees had to be carried out in a bilingual format, usually with the Wookiee speaking Shyriiwook and the other party speaking Basic.

Leia Organa Solo encountered a Wookiee with a speech impediment which conveniently rendered his Shyriiwook pronunciation much easier to understand by Leia, who was learning the language at the time.

Shyriiwook had over 150 words for 'wood', depending on content, grain, moisture and underlying structure. It also had fifteen separate words meaning 'violence'.

Another Wookiee language, Xaczik, was 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.

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")

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

Notable non-native speakers of Shyriiwook

 * 4-LOM
 * Elegos A'Kla
 * Wedge Antilles
 * Depa Billaba
 * Noa Briqualon
 * Lando Calrissian
 * Tenel Ka
 * Durga the Hutt
 * Kyp Durron
 * Shran Etison
 * Borsk Fey'lya
 * Groex Gal
 * Pash Galae
 * Faltun Garr
 * Gilflyn
 * Ikrit
 * Wes Janson
 * Qui-Gon Jinn
 * Graxol Kelvyyn
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Dayla Kev
 * Hereven Kev
 * Plo Koon
 * Traest Kre'fey
 * Eryk Kroogar
 * Garik Loran
 * Gallo Memm
 * Mika the Hutt
 * Mon Mothma
 * Shalla Nelprin
 * Bail Organa
 * Leia Organa
 * Dia Passik
 * Yarael Poof
 * Rinn Renado
 * Profex Rynalla
 * Horox Ryyder
 * Tyria Sarkin
 * Fenn Shysha
 * Luke Skywalker
 * Han Solo and his children
 * Bultar Swan
 * Kell Tainer
 * Elassar Targon
 * Raynar Thul
 * Tu'rsc'yulir
 * Finis Valorum
 * Velsey
 * Volhei
 * Mace Windu
 * Cala Worner
 * Zonnos the Hutt