Under construction

Matoran (Language)

Notes

The people of Mata Nui had their own language and alphabet.2

When liquid protodermis was purified in the Great Temple, a few members of a special group of Matoran read passages in an ancient Matoran dialect asking for the protection and aid of Mata Nui.3

Ga-Metru schools taught ancient Matoran dialects, among other things.4

Matoran was actually a programming language, unlike Agori.5

Matoran was basically a universal language in the universe because they were the most populous intelligent species.6

Matoran did not speak English; they spoke their own language, and the story is translated for the reader's benefit.7, 8

The Matoran language was not English with a few words changed, they had a wholly separate language that was translated in their dialogue and in visual media, save for a few words which remained untranslated.9

Vakama uses the word "children" in the epilogue for BIONICLE Adventures #7: Web of the Visorak. This isn't a literal translation of the Matoran word Vakama would have said; the English equivalent to the word he used would likely be closer to "new beings".10

There was no connection between the words "Matoro" and "Matoran".11

"Mata" was never confirmed to mean "spirit".12

"Zamor" possibly meant "sphere", but "Rhotuka" was unlikely to mean "spinner". Its English translation would likely have something to do with the energy coming from inside the user or being unique to them.13

"Protodax" probably meant something in the Matoran Language.14

The Toa Mata's names were not the Matoran words for their elements.15

The Toa Mata's names were based on the elemental prefixes, not the other way around.16

"Mahri" likely meant something like "coastline" or "near water" because the village of Mahri Nui was originally built right on the coast.17

"Mahri" didn't have an official translation in December 2006, but Greg Farshtey's preference was for it to mean something like "on the coast".18

"Kardas" was unlikely to mean "dragon".19

In reference to a mask, "Kanohi" always came before the word describing its power.20

The official title of a Toa was their Toa Team name followed by their individual name.21

Inika meant "energy from a star" and Ignika, one had to assume, meant "life" – and its role was reviving life energy – so it made sense the spellings were similar to each other.22

Other Information

  • Greg Farshtey likened the BIONICLE movies to foreign films dubbed into English.23
  • Greg Farshtey couldn't read the Matoran alphabet.24

Vocabulary

  • Av was a Matoran prefix meaning "light."25
  • Ba was a Matoran prefix referring to the element of Gravity.26
  • Barraki was a Matoran word meaning "warlord."27, 28, 29
  • Bo was the Matoran prefix for the element of Plant Life.30
  • Ce was a Matoran prefix referring to the element of Psionics.
  • Cordak was the Matoran word for "desolation."31 The term was originally applied to the Toa Cordak, the first Toa team, which was led by Lesovikk. After news of the team's slaughter by Zyglak spread throughout the Matoran universe, a new, pejorative use of the term became prevalent: "desolation."32
  • De was a Matoran prefix referring to the element of Sonics.33
  • Fa was the Matoran prefix for the element of Magnetism.30
  • Fe was a Matoran prefix referring to the element of Iron.33
  • Ga was a Matoran prefix meaning "water."34, 35
  • Hagah was a Matoran word meaning "guardian."36
  • Hordika was a Matoran word meaning "half beast."37
  • Inika was a Matoran word meaning "the energies of a star."
  • Kanohi was a Matoran word meaning "mask."38
  • Kanoka is what disks were called in the Matoran language.39
  • Ko was a Matoran prefix meaning "ice."34, 40
  • Koro was the Matoran word for "village."41
  • Le was a Matoran prefix meaning "air."34, 42
  • Makoki was the Matoran word for "key."43
  • Manas was the Matoran word for "monster."44, 45, 46 Manas was both singular and plural.47
  • Manas zya was a phrase meaning "monster attack."48 Hydraxon used it to order his energy hound, Spinax, to attack. Manas was the Matoran word for "monster," but zya was an ancient term that was so old that even Makuta Teridax barely recalled it.49
  • Mangai was a Matoran word meaning "protector."
  • Mangaia was an archaic variant of the word mangai.
  • The name Mata Nui meant "Great Spirit."50, 51
  • The name Matoran itself came from the name Mata Nui.1
  • Metru was the term for one of the six districts of Metru Nui.
  • Mistika was a Matoran word meaning "spirits of the mist."52
  • Nui was a common component in names, meaning "great."
  • Nuva was a word that possibly meant "new," though this is not confirmed.53, 54
  • Onu was a Matoran prefix meaning "earth."34, 55
  • Phantoka was a Matoran word meaning "spirits of the air."56
  • Piraka was a Matoran term meaning "thief and murderer."57 It was a Matoran term that was rarely used. Loosely translated, it meant "thief and murderer," and it was so vile a term that the Matoran considered it an obscenity.58 In the Matoran language, the word Piraka meant "thief," among other things, although it meant much more than that as well. A common thief might sneak into a village to steal something of value; a Piraka would set the whole village ablaze to cover up his theft. A robber would normally make an effort to slip in and out unnoticed; a Piraka would destroy whatever or whoever was in sight, purely out of spite. Piraka were criminals, looked down upon even by other criminals, as scum. Calling someone by that name had the potential to start a violent, centuries-long feud. There were few words more vile that an intelligent being could utter.43
  • Po was a Matoran prefix meaning "stone."34, 59
  • Rahaga was a term coined by Roodaka as a play on the words Hagah and Rahkshi.60
  • Rahi was the Matoran name for a wild animal.61 Rahi was a Matoran word that could roughly be translated to mean "wildlife." The term encompassed creatures of the land, air, and sea.62 Rahi was the general Matoran term for all animals, fish, birds, insects, and reptiles. The name roughly translated to "not us," since it was used by Matoran to describe living things other than themselves.63
  • Rhotuka meant "spinner."64
  • Su was the Matoran prefix for the element of Plasma.65
  • Ta was a Matoran prefix meaning "fire."34, 66
  • Takea in Matoran meant "king of sharks."67
  • Toa meant "hero" in Matoran.68, 69
  • Tobduk meant "survivor."33
  • Valmai was a Matoran word that roughly translated to "cursed place."
  • Vezon was the Matoran word for "double."70, 43, 71
  • Vo was the Matoran prefix for the element of Lightning.72
  • Voya was the Matoran word for "journey".73
  • Wahi was the term for one of the six regions on Mata Nui.74
  • Zya was a term that evidently meant "attack."48 It was an ancient term that was so old that even Makuta Teridax barely recalled it.49