Please stop translating "Simlish"

coldplay2233 · July 2023

This is becoming a trend in a lot of EA/Maxis marketing now, and I believe it could become a huge problem for The Sims going forward.

The entire point of Simlish was to be a gibberish language you could never quite understand or get it's hooks into you. That's beginning to change now when we have EA/Maxis solidifying Simlish words and translating them into english, and now we're getting 3rd party articles that are supporting it (just do a google search for "simlish translation" to see for yourself)

My suggestion? For the next game Sims 5, they need to jumble everything up again. Have our Sims use completely different phrases for Hello, goodbye, thank you, etc. This will pull the rug out from this trend and return Simlish back to it's original intent.

But who am I kidding.. I know they won't do that. I fully expect these words to be a huge part of their marketing on the next game..

coldplay2233 · July 2023

I just wanted to add a final thought.

I think once these 20-odd words become more solidified as words with direct translation, this will actually harm the game because now that we actually have an understanding on what our Sims are saying (and it's not just gibberish), it will start becoming incredibly obvious how our sims are simple people who only have a vocabulary of about 20 words.

The giberish simlish is supposed to be giberish for the reason of giving the illusion of a much wider vocabulary. By solidifying 20-odd words, you undermine that illusion completely.

lisamwitt · July 2023

I find the translation amusing and don't mind it. I was annoyed when some words that were used in past songs were changed in newer songs. But I get what you are saying. The language was created to keep it from being repetitive and allow players to imagine what was being said.

ULIBABA66 · July 2023

Yes I do not really like the current trailers for Sims 4 DLC and the way they announce packs as if this game has mostly a teenage girls who make cringe social media posts and use lame quotes/viral memes as their IG captions. I also have mixed feelings about the Sims franchise being so much more popular now that there are way too many memes and relatable Sims videos, back when Youtubers didn't make all these insane "24 hours as a Sim" challenges, that one is the worst and gross challenge especially if they pretend to be the Toddler lifestage and splash toilet water, yikes...back to the OT, I agree that the Simlish sounds way too much like English nowadays, and I do not like the Kardashian/Jenner vibes in the voice actress/actors for The Sims 4, all the voices sound way too soft and gentle, even when Sims are arguing or fighting, there is not much personality unlike in Sims 1 and Sims 2, since Sims 3 it got downhill with the modern Americanized Simlish...I loved the Sims 1 overdramatic voice for Sims because when I was young, I loved watching Pingu and it had a similar funny accent/Gibberish language to the original Simlish...sometimes simpler is better, and Simlish probably should have always stayed the same it was in the first game.

Oldeseadogge · July 2023

Another point is that Simlish is universal, equally effective regardless of the native language of any particular player.

fruitsbasket101 · August 2023

I don't mind it. Translating simlish in to english words has been a thing since the sims 2/3. I've never really seen it as a problem and the majority of the language is still gibberish for the most part.

Simmingal · August 2023

Yeah I don't like simlish being translated
I don't mind when they do words like Sul Sul
cause fine that much is obvious from how sims use it
and as long as rest is gibberish who cares really but eh...

it also kind of reminds me of sims version of live laugh love
when they be using those english text designs on stuff

LeGardePourpre · August 2023

As a non-English player, Simlish or English or Chinese, it doesn't matter.
It's still not my native language.

I don't understand the meaning of this thread, all the popups and notifications in the game are translated.
When the sims discuss, nobody can translate it into full sentences so I don't know what is the issue.

Everybody end up to recognize repetitive terms, for example "Kon'nichiwa" (Hello) and "Arigatō" (Thank you) in the Japanese animes.

Simlish is a language with a small dictionary, it's not just a bunch of random sounds.

LeGardePourpre · August 2023

coldplay2233 wrote: »

My suggestion? For the next game Sims 5, they need to jumble everything up again. Have our Sims use completely different phrases for Hello, goodbye, thank you, etc.

"Sul sul" is recognized by any players around the world as a term from The Sims franchise for decades.
Changing it could have same effect as replacing the plumbob by a new shape, the franchise would lose a part of its identity.

lisamwitt · August 2023

I think they could jumble up everything else, but sul sul, dag dag, and nooboo would have to stay. lol

LeGardePourpre · August 2023

But does it really matter ?

I mean how many players listen to their sims talking in the game ?
And how many players know more than 5 words in Simlish ?

Renato10 · September 2023

I agree 100%

Sul Sul e Dag Dag I don't mind but let's stop there!

fujicakes1 · September 2023

I think it's funny when my sims are flirting and it sounds like they say, "You're such a dork."

Beyond that, I don't have much of a horse in this race, as in I don't really care either way, so....that's all.

EgonVM · September 2023

I'll bring up the initial goal of Simlish from this Wikipedia article.

While developing SimCopter (1996), designer Will Wright explicitly avoided using real-world languages such that players could resonate with the emotions of the characters rather than their speech. The initial dialogue team—comprising Wright, audio lead Robi Kauker, voice director Claire Curtin, sound designer Kent Jolly, and composer Jerry Martin—began by using musical instruments reminiscent of the "wah wah" sound effect heard in some Peanuts animated specials. The idea to use musical instruments was quickly scrapped.

Wright experimented with several real-world languages to use within The Sims, including Ukrainian, Navajo, Tagalog, and Estonian, but faced difficulty in finding voice actors and developing a unique identity for the language; with regards to the Ukrainian language, its Slavic undertone was unsuitable for the project. Simlish ultimately became a combination of these languages. One voice actor based in San Francisco, Stephen Kearin, recounted being given a pidgin version of Swahili and Cherokee. Kearin then suggested he speak gibberish, and Wright agreed. Until 2006, Kearin and his female counterpart Gerri Lawlor served as the Simlish actors.

So yeah, I also remember in videos that Will Wright experimented with languages like Estonian and Tagalog, but he found even these too repetitive, thus he went with Simlish.

So yeah, as the article tells, the goal of Simlish is for players to resonate with the emotions of the characters rather than their speech. While I do kind of agree that translating some phrases will go against the goal, it could also build up an unique culture for The Sims fans (hold up... which could be used in marketing... oh no...).

Personal off-topic opinion under spoilers (ignore if unwanted).

Though to be honest, it still feels to special to me that Estonian was considered...

friendlysimmers · September 2023

what would be useful is a language toggle option in the game to select what language the character speak that way if players wants there sims to speak full English or French or in there native language they can and if they went simlish just toggle the language option to that choice just giving my honest opinion here as a player if you look at other game for exemple nobunaga ambition thats a playstation game also on steam they offer the option to select the language

The_Mercuria · September 2023

Over the years i've been able to make out a few words of Simlish and that's how I want it. I can associate a task or action with the sounds coming out of their little Sim mouths and figure it out myself. I avoid spoilers that translate it into English.

pvrescue1 · October 2023

TRUE. Let it be the gibberish language it's always been. Leaves everything up to the imagination. I don't think there's much of a reason for the translations, honestly.

passionfruit · October 2023

I don't necessary mind it myself, but a new language would do more harm than good.

Flikka_Flikka · October 2023

If you can translate my username, you really need to age your Simself up to Adult now.

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Please stop translating "Simlish"

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