Matoran Language Variation

[Toa Lapaka]

It has been long known that Matoran is a programming language, but my question is why are there two variations of it? The Metru Nui version and the Voya Nui version. Were they always that way, or did they slowly drift in form after the Matoran gain of Sentiency?

[fishers64]

It has been long known that Matoran is a programming language, but my question is why are there two variations of it? The Metru Nui version and the Voya Nui version. Were they always that way, or did they slowly drift in form after the Matoran gain of Sentiency?

There were two versions? Toa Inika communicated with Voyatoran just fine.

[Toa Lapaka]

It has been long known that Matoran is a programming language, but my question is why are there two variations of it? The Metru Nui version and the Voya Nui version. Were they always that way, or did they slowly drift in form after the Matoran gain of Sentiency?

There were two versions? Toa Inika communicated with Voyatoran just fine.

True, but they had two different styles of writing the language, which was the point I'm making. If it's a programming language, then why were there two distinct versions of it? Edited March 3, 2012 by Toa Lapaka

[Waffles]

If I remember correctly, it was only the script that was different. Then it shouldn't matter, should it since they communicated orally?I don't know the canon explanation, but the only theory I can come up with is the same reason human scripts have changed over the years gradually. Since the hexagons turned to circles, I might actually make a conjecture that the Voya Nui script is older, and over time the hexagons turned to circles. It seems unlikely that a script would become more detailed and complex.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Irreverend Morgan Freeman

[fishers64]

It has been long known that Matoran is a programming language, but my question is why are there two variations of it? The Metru Nui version and the Voya Nui version. Were they always that way, or did they slowly drift in form after the Matoran gain of Sentiency?

There were two versions? Toa Inika communicated with Voyatoran just fine.

True, but they had two different styles of writing the language, which was the point I'm making. If it's a programming language, then why were there two distinct versions of it?

If you're only talking about how the langauge is written, then likely doesn't have anything to do with programming. It has to do with writing styles - writing is a mark of people, not computers. People have unique handwriting; thus I would expect Matoran to as well, and the Mata/Voya difference is likely a regional difference in such styles. It's like our oral colloquial dialects, only in a written form.

[Makuta Matata]

If I remember correctly, it was only the script that was different. Then it shouldn't matter, should it since they communicated orally?I don't know the canon explanation, but the only theory I can come up with is the same reason human scripts have changed over the years gradually. Since the hexagons turned to circles, I might actually make a conjecture that the Voya Nui script is older, and over time the hexagons turned to circles. It seems unlikely that a script would become more detailed and complex.

That makes sense. I'll go with that.

[T.B.O.C]

Well, the only difference is that one is in circles and the other is in hexagons, so I doubt it's a major difference, and it's more likely an artistic difference between tribes of matoran.

[Wotz]

I imagine it as being like American and British English. Essentially, they're the same language, but written and occasionally pronounced differently.So basically, what I think is that they were originally the same, but because Voya-Nui was separated from the rest of the universe, it kept the old version and the main universe moved on as they became more and more independent.In fact, it's possible that other islands have different shapes for the writing, but we haven't seen them.

[Toa of Nerds]

Well, it's just like in the real world, people develop different ways of communicating. Even within the same language you see variations in spelling and writing (just take a look at the differences between written American English and written British English). Tire/tyre, check/cheque, center/centre, color/colour. It goes on and on even thought its the same word and pronounced the same.-don't touch my pocket protector

[bonesiii]

Realistically, there were countless different versions of it as Matoran invented new things, so needed to come up with new words or repurpose old ones (probably usually mixing already accepted base components of words though, like prefixes and suffixes). This is mainly why there is a Kanohi Rau, Mask of Translation, after all.This is why I've theorized that the "stuff that can be programmed" (which seems to be protodermis) adapts over time to new meanings, including different writing styles, possibly by "reading the minds" of those who adapt the language, or at least the same way the Matoran/etc. learn new adapted forms (by extrapolating from context, known components, etc.).

[Toa Lapaka]

But the thing is Matoran isn't simply another language, its a programming language, so is there a reason for two versions, or did it happen after the Matoran gain sentience? And if it happened after sentience, do the variations still have programmable value?

[Dralcax]

I theorize that Voya Nui has harder rock because of geological variations between landmasses, and straight lines are easier to carve, so written language had a slight handwriting difference.

[fishers64]

But the thing is Matoran isn't simply another language, its a programming language, so is there a reason for two versions, or did it happen after the Matoran gain sentience? And if it happened after sentience, do the variations still have programmable value?

No and no. I theorize that it happened after sentience, and that the difference has nothing to do with programming. I doubt that the GBs would care to program certain Matoran to write with circles and others to write with hexagons.

[bonesiii]

But the thing is Matoran isn't simply another language, its a programming language, so is there a reason for two versions, or did it happen after the Matoran gain sentience? And if it happened after sentience, do the variations still have programmable value?

Almost certainly after, though other changes would be natural anyways, as they invented new things, mixed new powers, etc.