Phyrexian (language)

File:Phyrexian transliteration key.png

This key is used for transcribing Phyrexian to more common characters.

For the creatures that use this language, see Phyrexia#Phyrexian life forms.

The Phyrexian language is a complete written, and spoken language, constructed and developed for Scars of Mirrodin block.

File:Phyrexian syntax tree.png

Proposed syntax tree

It uses a novel alphabet, with primary glyphs attached to a central line that runs continuously to the end of a sentence, save for line breaks. Both the beginning and end of sentences are explicitly marked. It is written vertically, and read top to bottom. These features lend it an appearance similar to a real-world script such as traditional Mongolian which is written vertically, and the the early Irish Ogham due to the use of a stemline along the characters. Horizontally written variants exist, often when mixed with English text, and notably including the Elesh Norn promo.

Translation

File:Phyrexianconsonants.jpg

Proposed consonant chart

A fragmentary understanding of the Phyrexian language has been acquired by the study of those cases where an English translation exists, and a transcription key developed. Transcription efforts are hindered by the low resolution of many samples, which can lead to confusion between similar diacritics. In particular, it is possible that ' and ` are equivalent.

The art for Dominaria's Phyrexian Scriptures, shared by its artist in high resolution, renewed interest in translation. The text in that artwork appears to be the flavor text of Dark Ritual (Urza's Saga). That translation effort also yielded a proposed syntax tree for the language.

In the study of pronunciation, the most recent theory proposes that the main glyph determines the manner of articulation, while diacritics determine the place of articulation. A further theory suggests that the vowel glyphs are determined by their articulation, rather than being arbitrary. Each vowel is composed of three lines on one side of the staff, one line longer than the other two, sometimes with a "hook" on the long line. The height of the long line indicates closed to openness, the side of the staff indicates front or back vowels, and the presence of a hook indicates roundedness. These can be further modified by diacritics. The same effort produced a partial association of consonant sounds with Phyrexian characters.

Samples

Elesh Norn Promo

Phyrexian is used for the card text of Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite (Judge Gift).

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
Card name File:Phy EleshNorn 1 name.png	'ZE_^Mx| T^HD^T^ MxNxL'ZNx A`KT^HZXx.	Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite	Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Type line File:Phy EleshNorn 2 type.png	N^LV^Z" 'X:E'ZN* X:N*LV^XxD^.	Legendary Creature - Praetor	Legendary Creature — Praetor
1. line of rules text File:Phy EleshNorn 3 text.png	N"VFXvT^D^QX:T.	Vigilance	Vigilance
2. line of rules text File:Phy EleshNorn 4 text.png	N*E| M:L_^_^| X^O| X^N*Q'X:Q_^N*| EN*O'X:EE'ZN* +2/+2 N^FXxLXvEX^.	(present tense) Other our controlled creatures +2/+2 receive.	Other creatures you control get +2/+2.
3. line of rules text File:Phy EleshNorn 5 text.png	N*E| X^O| ON*T^JJX^Ax| X^N*Q'XvE_^| N*E'X:EE'ZN* -2/-2 N^FXxLXvEX^.	(present tense) Our opponents controlled creatures -2/-2 receive.	Creatures your opponents control get -2/-2.
1. line of flavor text File:Phy EleshNorn 6 text.png	First sentence: N*E| X:HD^Z"ON*Xx| Z^FGXxN*| M:L_^_^X:ENxOOZ^N` N^F'ZFA`E'ZEXx.	First sentence: (present tense) Gitaxians [among themselves] other worlds whisper.	The Gitaxians whisper among themselves of other worlds.
2. line of flavor textFile:Phy EleshNorn 6 text.png	Second sentence: ZL| Z^FFXxN*| X:OT^LT^ 'X:L'X:L| 'NL| ~X:GD^N*X:ENxOZ^N` 'ZEMxNxL'ZNx T^LX:GXx.	Second sentence: If they exist, [we must/will] Perfect world's magnificence bring.	If they exist, we must bring Phyrexia's magnificence to them.

Dark Discoveries

Phyrexian can be found in the speech bubbles of Dark Discoveries Part 3.

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
Page 5	'XxLXxXx T^LX*T TFV^ET^M:. OX*'XvL| OV^T^LX^HAx| M:OX*Z^M:X:GFZ". 'X*L~XvL| Z^^XvNxLV^XxD^| 'XxOVHL^T.
Page 6	NxOO'ZHNxTT"E| Z^^TH'ZHNx| VAxXxOAxAx.

All Will Be One

Phyrexian can be found in each scene of All Will Be One.

According to Doug Beyer, there is a system for pronunciation. The audio heard on this promotional video is accurately pronounced spoken Phyrexian. It is uncertain if the spoken phrases are pronunciations of the corresponding writing.

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
Scene 1	N*E| X^O| 'ZOX:GD^N*T^L~X:GT| N*E| V^T^E~X:HT	(present tense) Our perfect work(now?) [flesh/is flesh/made flesh]	We are perfection made flesh.
Scene 2+3	N*E| N*QXxMxLN X^O| 'ZQC`FAx| N*E| X:OT^'ZGZ"| N*EN*O| 'N'X:EE'ZN*| MxOX:~NxLFEX:	(present tense) (?) Our voice (to) (now) lost broken creatures [calls out]	Our voice calls out to the lost and broken (creatures)
Scene 4+5	N*E| NxQX^N*| N*VFN*GAx Z^_^FX:| N"VFON*'XxENxQX^N*| 'ZQZ"'ZONxV	(present tense) Death [they fear] even as immortality [we offer]	They fear death even as we offer immortality
Scene 6+7	'X:L'X:L| Z^OX:ENxOZ^N`| ZGXxX:Xx N*GMx| N"JM^LZ^ N*E'ZQT| MxHX:D^LX:~X:GD^N"X:ENxGZ^N`| T^LXx_^GAx| X:D^EX:GZ^	(We must/will) this world's false skin flay (to now/in future) new Perfect world face reveal	We will flay the false skin of this world to reveal the face of a new Phyrexia
Scene 8	'ZQ| MxNxL'ZNxT^L'X:T| 'ZFFN*XxNvQ'ZE&	(perfect tense) Great Work [has begun]	The Great Work has begun

New Phyrexia

Phyrexian can be found in each scene of New Phyrexia.

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
Scene 1	'ZQ|MxHX:D^ X:Xx ~X:GD^N" X:ENxOZ^N` MxNxL'ZNxT^'X:FT| 'Xv_^ T^L~X:ET	(perfect tense) Great New Perfect world Work [was made?]	The Great Work of New Phyrexia is complete.
Scene 2	N*E| V^J'ZZ"'ZO'ZVZ"VOVV| TL'ZT^| MxHX:D^LX:Xx'ZT^T^EN*FN* N^F_^Q'ZENv	(present tense) Machine Orthodoxy mana? new sources power	New sources of mana power the Machine Orthodoxy
Scene 3	N*ETD^HZ^T^| 'ZOZO'ZGV| ~XvGD^N* Xv_^XxN*E N*GMx| OMxX^TT^GD^GN*	(present tense?) Mirrodin heart Perfect race? skin [(beneath?) burns]	Beneath Phyrexian skin, the heart of Mirrodin burns
Scene 4	N*E| X:N*OT^T^T^| N"EX^FXx 'ZFA`EE'ZXx| XxOYFD^Xx N^FAxX:LT^'ZEZ"	(present tense) Body whole is (but /present tense/) whispers mind splinter	The body is whole, but whispers splinter the mind
Scene 5+6	V^JJ'ZZ"| TH'ZGNx| THAxEX^| 'X:L'X:L	Machines Father come [will]	The Father (of Machines) is coming
Scene 7	T^L'X:TON*'Xv_^Z^FX^HMx	Work unmaker (or 'Making undoer')	Destroyer.

Phyrexian Scriptures

Phyrexian can be found in the artwork for Phyrexian Scriptures.

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
	Top row: Z'QMxZxL Main text: ~XvGD^N*X*ENxOZ"N*| N"V"OFN*FVV |MvOZ*NxZ^FMvMv. MxNxLZ'Nx | V^J'Z"Z_HZ'Nx | V^JJZ'Z"THZ'GNx | V^T^_L_~Z*_ET | N^FD^QN*ET. N*V"HZxMv | MxNxLZ'NxZ^FMvMv | Z'FFN*ZxNvQZ'EZx	Top row: ?? Main text: Phyrexia from void evolved. Great Yawgmoth ?? Great Machine Father perfection saw. Thus Grand Evolution began.	Top row: ?? Main text: From void evolved Phyrexia. Great Yawgmoth, Father of Machines, saw its perfection. Thus The Grand Evolution began.

Phyrexian Altar

Phyrexian can be found in the artwork for Phyrexian Altar (Ultimate Masters).

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
	ON*XxN*Mx	+negative-skin	Unskin
	~ZQM^XxL

Yawgmoth's Testament

Phyrexian can be found in the artwork for Yawgmoth's Testament.

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
		Columns from left to right: Column 1: Testament (of) Yawg- Column 2: -moth Column 3: Can that in-exile +present Column 4: face(up) +present-and cards Column 5: (this)turn play. Column 6: If-would cards Column 7: to-graveyard Column 8: to-exile-or Column 9: (this)turn put Column 10: instead library Column 11: bottom (of) put. Column 12: 2 [unknown phoneme] Sorcery	Yawgmoth's Testament Until end of turn, you may play face-up cards you own from exile. If a card would be put into your graveyard or exile from anywhere this turn, put it on the bottom of your library instead. 2B Sorcery

Phyrexian Swamp

Phyrexian is used for the card text of Swamp (Jumpstart, #58).

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
Card name File:Phyrexianswamp1.jpg	XxLMxX*T		Swamp
Type line File:Phyrexianswamp2.jpg	N"K'XvF'ZXxNxOZ^N^ XxLMxX*T		Basic Land - Swamp

Phyrexian Lore Blurb

Phyrexian is used for the lore blurb.

Sample	Transcription	Rough word-for-word translation	Known English equivalent
		Swamp [...] Sheoldred, Maker of Whispers	Swamp [...] Sheoldred, Whispering One