The language known as Ewokese was the vibrant form of communication utilized by the diminutive, furry Ewoks who made their home on the forest moon known as Endor. Sharing mutual intelligibility with the Yuzzum tongue spoken by the Yuzzum, it boasted a rich vocabulary, featuring over three dozen distinct terms to describe the conifers within which they resided. The most frequently used of these designations was "life trees."
During the time when the Rebel Alliance's strike team journeyed to Endor with the objective of dismantling the second Death Star's shield generator, the protocol droid identified as C-3PO established communication with the Ewoks through the medium of Yuzzum, and successfully rendered Ewokese into Galactic Basic Standard. This allowed the Ewok named Wicket to effectively guide the Rebels toward the Imperial bunker.
Ewokese contained a specific term to denote individuals who were not Ewoks, which, when translated directly into Galactic Basic Standard, meant "nakeds."
The human scavenger known as Rey acquired proficiency in this language through a recovered ship computer located on Jakku, although she had yet to encounter an occasion to employ it.
- _Alaay loo ta nuv _ — "Celebrate the love" [6]
- Coatee-cha tu yub nub! — "Celebrate the freedom!" [7] [6]
- _Labu labu? _ — "How much?" [8]
- Doh,Doh, Va Doh, Doh! [9]
- _Ee chee wa maa! _ — "Wow!" [7]
- Dangar! [10]
- _Den _ — " No" [8]
- Een Et Manay! [9]
- Jub Chaa. [9]
- Noo Cha Eh! [9]
- Patu Nay! [9]
- _Yaa-yaah! _ — "Greetings!" [7]
- _Yub nub! _ — "Hooray!," [7] "Freedom" [11] [6]
- Frip trak? [3]
- Fraza koonatzgah! - "I understand basic." (Approximately) [3]
- Kri - "Captain" [3]
- Pata pata - "t h i s" [3]
- Freepa! [3]
- Freepa kapatreebo pratzbar! [3]
- Cheeesaaaboookaaaaaah! [3]
- Chewfandoola macheeeeego! [3]
- Fazeeen ! [3]
- Freepalapala? - likely something close to "Are we there yet?" or "Where is it?" [3]
- Safaka - " Right" (in the meaning: truth) (Approximately) [3]
- Pakapaka [3]
- Fazwakreemo - " We're looking for info about..." (Approximately) [3]
- Chubba chubba [3]
- Safakal [3]
- Freegraka! [3]
- Fringa data moshvee! [3]
- Faka bratiiin - a swear [3]
- Bataka [3]
- Breetchaka! [3]
- Frizi prat sabreenka Phylanx chacha. Freebata srinkacha malamala spratnu bala kaaatan chara-chara mak. - " The Imperials had been tracing the Phylanx Redux Transmitter but couldn't get an accurate enough signal to bother deploying for it. It would pop up every couple of years, but only the slightest blip of a signal, and then it'd be gone. When it next showed up, it'd be somewhere else entirely." [3]
- Pritka pritka - "Very dangerous" [3]
- Strrapkit paka di - " Even if we eliminate him" (Approximately) [3]
- Fripraktz chubba jamjam! [3]
- Kata kupa [3]
- Kibi kibi shan [3]
- Taba grata, bosheentrak [3]
- Chubba bucha [3]
- Shaktiiiba ! [3]
- Pika! Pika! [3]
- Feeba? [3]
- Chudo ba. [3]
- Kala kala? [3]
- Shakti bata ! [3]
- Freebee toosano! [3]
- Frizkrit! [3]
- Faka deebo lub lub! [3]
- Skriba jubtuk [3]
- Pata kiso. Kisa - "Me" (Approximately) [3]
- Chiba chiba sohpa? - " Hide and then come out chopping heads?" (Approximately) [3]
Ewokese initially made its appearance in the 1983 cinematic release, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, which served as the concluding chapter of the original trilogy within the Star Wars saga. Its designation as "Ewokese" was first established within the Star Wars Legends continuity, specifically within the novelization of the aforementioned film.
The language was crafted by Ben Burtt, a sound designer employed at ILM, and represented a fusion of linguistic elements imitating Tibetan, Kalmyk Oirat, and Lakota. Influences from African and South-Pacific languages were also integrated into Ewokese. Moreover, Burtt, in collaboration with actor Anthony Daniels, later incorporated and even conceived original terms within the language while performing the scene in which C-3PO narrated the protagonists' struggle against the Empire in Yuzzum.
Burtt's initial decision to base Ewokese on Tibetan and Kalmuck stemmed from his exposure to these languages in a documentary. Following interviews with two Tibetan speakers, a father and son, he enlisted Kosi Unkov, an 80-year-old Mongol woman, to recount narratives of her people in her native Kalmyk. He subsequently recorded these vocalizations, with the actors emulating various segments of the recording. Burtt acknowledges Kosi Unkov, Lama Kunga, Sr. and Jr., M.K. Nepali, Khendup, and Ditry Daza as the primary contributors to the sounds of Ewokese, with Adeal Crooms providing the voice for Wicket Wystri Warrick.
Ewokese vocalizations, including babbling, chanting, and singing, notably the "Ewok Celebration," were executed by a select group from the Oakland Inspirational Choir.