Title: On Cybertronian Names
Author: Koi Lungfish
Disclaimer: Based on characters and situations from The Transformers ((c)
1986 Hasbro, Ltd). Used without permission. Text (c) 2005, Koi Lung Fish (Mark of
Lung. All Rights Reserved.)
Subject: Translations and interpretations of Cybertronian names and linguistic patterns in naming.This essay will examine the canonical data for Cybertronian names, with particular attention paid to personal names and their origins, and how the reoccurring suffixes interrelate. It aims to provide a framework for the use of Cybertronian names and words in fan-fiction. The essay is divided into four sections: Translated and Suffixial Names, Nebulan Names, Untranslated Names, Suffixes, and Beast Wars/Beast Machines Names.
Sections:
Translated and Suffixial Names:
About Names
Patterns in Translated Names
Translations of Names
Nebulan Names
Notes on Names
Untranslated Cybertronian Names
Notes on Names
Suffixes
-ON
-EX
-A
-OR
-US
Beast Wars & Beast Machines Names
Notes on Names
TRANSLATED AND SUFFIXIAL NAMES:
ABOUT NAMES
Looking at the corpus canon for Generation 1 and Generation 2, we can see first that the names can be divided into six groups, thus: Simple names - a name that is a directly translated word, i.e. COSMOS, THRUST. Compound names - a name formed from two directly translated words together, i.e. SKYWARP from SKY + WARP, or STARSCREAM from STAR + SCREAM. Compound puns - a name formed from two words together with a double layer of meaning, i.e. SPINISTER from SPIN + SINISTER but also from SPINSTER. Suffixial names - a name formed from a translated word with a modifying suffix, i.e. CHROMIA, DEVASTATOR. Translated names - a name that has been translated from Cybertronian into a language that is not English, or into words that are not used in their English form, i.e. MEGATRON, OPTIMUS PRIME. Untranslated names - a name that has not been translated from the Cybertronian, i.e. XAARON, JHIAXUS.
This essay will deal with the latter three groups of names. This essay will not deal with the name ARCEE, as its unusual origin makes it hard to say which group it should be counted amongst. Nor will it deal with the name LEGONIS; this name seems to be derived from the word 'legion' but because of the spelling - i.e. Legonis not Legionus - it is impossible to say if it is a translated name or a Cybertronian one. For the same reasons, I set aside TRANNIS. I also leave out the Baird Beaming Transmitter, as it seems to be named for John Logie Baird, the Scottish inventor of the wireless.
An examination of the first three groups of names shows that a Cybertronian's name is intimately linked to their function and often their personality. For example, Skywarp; the particle SKY denotes a Cybertronian with a flight-dedicated alt-mode, in this case an F-15 jet fighter; the particle WARP refers to his teleportation abilities and the combined whole gives two translations - "teleporting jet " and "he who warps the sky"; it can also refer to his cruel and abusive sense of humour, thus; "flier who is warped/thinks in a warped fashion." Thus one can look a Cybertronian name and immediately draw conclusions about that individual: one with a name that contains particles such as STAR or NEBULA is almost certainly the name of a being who can achieve and maintain space-flight; one containing WAVE or SPECTRUM denotes a being with a broad range of sensitivity to or control over electromagnetic waves, etc; one containing WHEELS or AXLE would denote a being for whom driving is a major part of their personality. Some names, such as Gears, Hubs, Hubcap, or names referring to basic parts such as engine parts or components such as bolt, screw, chassis, etc are almost certainly common or generic names, in much the same was as Smith or Jones are in American or English societies.
PATTERNS IN TRANSLATED NAMES
Of the three latter categories, we find 47 examples: 34 names for sentient beings [ 29 individuals including 2 deities, and 5 gestalts], 16 names for places, 2 factions, and 3 planets. Given that some of these places are also sentient beings, there is some overlap.
In these names there is an observable trend Autobot names tend towards Latin roots, or Latin forms of Greek roots, whereas Decepticon names tend towards Greek roots. It is also notable that faction and place names lean more towards Greek roots; this seems most probably a representation of the modern Autobot and modern Decepticon languages having their origins in an older Cybertronian ur-language, which has diverged to form two separate but similar languages. Because of this, where applicable, more "Decepticon" and "Autobot" forms are included; these can be alternative spellings, variant forms of names or translations of names from one language to another. Note that this can be as simple as providing a Decepticon name such as Cyclonus with a less Latin spelling, the presentation of an alternative form of the name, or the conversation of an Autobot name such as Inferno to its Decepticon equivalent; Holocaust. It is also notable that the main exception to this rule is the Decepticon gestalts, who tend to have names with Latin roots. It seems probable that this is indicative of the gestalts having names in Autobot or near-Autobot dialects in order to sound more terrifying to their opponents. Likewise, see OMEGA SUPREME.
TRANSLATIONS OF NAMES
ABOMINUS: Name of gestalt, from ABOMINATION + -US ABOMINATION means 'that which causes hatred or disgust.' It is derived from the Latin abominari, from ab 'away' and omin 'omen.' -US - see SUFFIXES: -US Thus, ABOMINUS translates as "Mighty Abomination." A possible Autobot translation would be MAGNUS ABOMINATION.
ALPHA TRION: Name of individual, derived from ALPHA and TRI+ -ON ALPHA - this is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, transliterated 'a.' TRI - this is from the Latin tres and Greek treis, meaning 'three' -ON - see SUFFIXES: -ON. Thus, ALPHA TRION is a simple Cybertronian translation of the Quintesson designation A3 by the addition of suffix -ON; the most probable translation of this would be "He who is A3" or "Being A3". The main point of this translation seems to be to convert a designation into a name. As this is an old, root-language name, it is hard to present a Decepticon variant; however, ALPHA TRITRON is a possibility, as is ALPHATRON.
ALTIHEX: Name of a place, derived from ALTI + -HEX ALTI is from the Latin altus meaning 'high', related to the word 'altitude.' -HEX - see SUFFIXES: -X Thus, ALTIHEX translates as "high city" or "city at high altitude." A possible Decepticon equivalent would be METEOHEX or METEX.
AMPRODOME: Name of a place, derived from AMPRO + DOME AMPRO is a particle of obscure origin; possibly it is related to AMPERE, the base unit of electrical current, from the name Ampre. DOME refers to a round vault forming a roof. It derives from the Latin domus 'house.' Thus, AMPRODOME would literally translate as 'amp house' or 'dome of electricity." The form of the word is suggestive of words such as ASTRODOME, and clearly denotes a round building enclosed by a domed roof. The particle AMPRO remains a sticking point. Given that PRODOME refers to something indicative of the onset of a disease, it seems certain AMPRO is a particle in and of itself; its meaning remains occluded.
AUTOBOT: Name of faction, derived from AUTO + -BOT AUTO has two meanings: it is an informal word, abbreviated from automobile, used to refer to a motor car; it is also a prefix, derived from the Greek autos meaning 'self.' -BOT is derived from the word 'robot', which is derived from the Czech robota meaning 'forced labour.' Thus the faction AUTOBOT can be translated as "car robot" but also "self-forced labourers" - more fluidly, "willing slave." The former is the meaning most probably meant and used by the Autobots; the latter is probably the Quintesson term from which the former originated. As there are two possible translations to AUTOBOT, there are also two possible Decepticon equivalents: for "car robots" KUKLEPTRONS - "wheeled ones"; for "willing slave," AUTOHELOT or ONHELOS. Note that the latter term could quite easily apply to any slave-race, so a more specific term could be AUTOHELOTRONS - "Cybertronian willing slaves".
AXER: Name of an individual, derived from AXE + -OR AXE refers to the tool or weapon. The word is derived from the Old English ¾x, of Germanic origin. -OR - see SUFFIXES: -OR. Thus, AXER translates as "he who uses an axe." A possible Decepticon variant of this would be TEMNETOR. A more Autobot variant would be SECATOR.
BANZAI-TRON: Name of an individual, derived from BANZAI + -TRON BANZAI is a Japanese battle-cry or traditional greeting to the Japanese Emperor, literally meaning "ten thousand years [of life to you]." It has come to mean "to attack fiercely and recklessly" in common English usage. -TRON - see SUFFIXES: -ON. Thus, BANZAI-TRON translates as "Cybertronian who attacks fiercely." A more Decepticon variant of this would be BARBAROTRON; an Autobot translation would be FERATRON. Another possible variant, focusing on the meaning "ten thousand years," would by MURIOTRON.
BETA: Name of an individual, derived from BETA BETA denotes the second, or a second-class item. It is the second letter of the Greek alphabet, transliterated 'b.' Thus, BETA can be translated as "second" or "secondary." The name BETA dates from the Quintesson era, the same period as the name A3. As A3 later became ALPHA TRION, it seems plausible that BETA is a similar 'model number' name given by the Quintessons to denote a particular brand of goods. It is possible that the Quintesson form of BETA would be B, and that BETA is in the same Cybertronian ur-language as ALPHA TRION. A possible more Autobot - or more modern - version of BETA is BIA. A more Decepticon variant would be DIA; however, as there are no specifically female Decepticon names, it is not possible to be certain on the use of the suffix.
BOLTAX: Name of a place and an individual, derived from BOLT + -AX BOLT is a word of many meanings in Modern English, derived from the Old English meaning 'arrow.' -AX - see SUFFIXES: -X. Thus, BOLTAX seems to translate as "arrow city" or "bolt city." A more Autobot form would probably be TELEX; a more Decepticon form would be BALLEX.
BRUTICUS: Name of gestalt, from BRUTE + IC + -US BRUTE means 'something violent, physically powerful, mentally dull.' It is derived from the Latin brutus meaning 'dull or stupid.' IC appears as a particle can form either nouns - i.e. mechanic, someone who works with machinery - or adjectives - i.e. terrific, something that is terrifying. It derives from the Greek ikos. In this case, 'brutic' would mean 'one who is brutal' or 'that which is brutal.' -US - see SUFFIXES: -US. Thus, BRUTICUS translates "Mighty Brutal One" or "Brutal Lord." A more Decepticon spelling would be BRUTIKOUS; a more Decepticon variant of this name would be TERATIKOUS. An Autobot translation would be ULTRA BRUTE.
CARNIVAC: Name of an individual, from CARNIVORE + -AC CARNIVORE refers to an animal which feeds on flesh. It is derived from the Latin carnivorous. -AC as a particle forms adjectives which are used as nouns, i.e. maniac. It is derived from the Greek akos. Thus, CARNIVAC translates as "flesh-eating" in a sense that can be either a noun or an adjective as well as a name - that is, a word which means both 'carnivorous' and 'carnivore.' A more Decepticon spelling would be CARNIVAKOS; a more Decepticon variant of this name would be SARKOPHAGIK or SARKOPHAGIKOS [Sarcophagus]; a more Autobot translation would be CARNIVORAC.
CATILLA: Name of an individual, of complex origins.
CAT + ILL + -A CAT is the name of the animal which Catilla took as a beast-form and as a Pretender shell. It is the common name of the animal family Felidae and derives from the Latin cattus. ILL refers to something which is sick or unwell. It is derived from the Old Norse illr, meaning something that is evil or difficult. -A - see SUFFIXES: -A Thus, CATTILA would translate as "sickly cat woman." This is obviously not a correct translation. It is possible that CATILLA is a transliteration of the more fitting CATILLR, meaning "evil cat." It is also possible CATILLA preserves a pre-Quintesson version of the -A suffix [see PRIMA] and means "sickly cat person."
CAT + ATTILA CAT - as above. ATTILA is the name of the King of the Huns, whose name has become a byword for rapine. Thus, CATILLA would translate roughly as "infamous barbarian cat." However, this is dubious as the correct spelling would then be CATTILA.
It is hard to say which of the two origins of this name are correct. However, since both names have similar meanings, it seems probable that the correct translation of CATILLA is approximately "malevolent cat." It is possible the spelling CATILLA is a hybrid of CATILLR and CATTILA. A more Decepticon translation of this name would be AGONIPANTHER. A more Autobot variant would be MALOFELINOR.
CHROMIA: Name of an individual, derived from CHROME + -IA CHROME refers to chromium plate, used as a finish on items such as motor-vehicles; as a modifier, it denotes a compound or alloy of chromium. It derives from the Greek khroma meaning 'colour' [due to the bright colours of chromium compounds]. -A - SUFFIXES: -A Thus, CHROMIA can be translated as "chrome woman" or possibly "colourful woman." Chrome is referred to in series dialogue occasionally, seeming to denote some form of enhanced value, in the same sense as a human might refer to something that was gold-plated. Given that a chrome finish is particularly shiny, and the word itself refers to bright colour, it is possible another translation would be "brightly-shining woman." It is hard to offer a Decepticon translation of CHROMIA due to the lack of specifically-feminine Decepticon suffixes; one possible variant is KHROMIA.
COMPUTRON: Name of a gestalt, derived from COMPUTER + -TRON COMPUTER means a person or machine which computes. It is derived from the Latin computer 'to settle together [an account].' -TRON - see SUFFIXES: -ON Thus, COMPUTRON translates as "the Cybertronian who computes." A Decepticon translation of this would be KALAPOTRON [Calibratron].
CYBERTRON: Name of planet, derived from CYBER + -TRON CYBER refers to that which is related to or characteristic of computers, electronic communications networks and information technology. It is derived from cybernetics - the sciences of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things - which is in turn derived from the Greek kubernetes 'steersman' or 'governor' from kubernan 'to steer or guide' [see DECEPTICON]. -TRON - see SUFFIXES: -ON. Thus, CYBERTRON can be translated roughly as "hi-tech homeworld," or "the guiding/steering place." A more Decepticon spelling of CYBERTRON would be KUBERTRON.
CYCLONUS: Name of an individual, derived from CYCLONE + -US CYCLONE is a particular type of tropical storm, referring to a system of inwardly-rotating winds with a centre of low barometric pressure. It is probably derived from the Greek kuklos 'circle.' -US: see SUFFIXES: -US Thus, the name CYCLONUS can be translated as "Mighty Cyclone" or "Cyclone Lord" which is almost certainly a modification of a more common name, such as Cyclone, used to denote that the named individual is a being of notable power. A more 'Decepticonly' spelling for CYCLONUS would be KUKLONUS, or, for a standard-pattern Seeker name, STORMLORD. An Autobot translation of this name would be ULTRA TEMPEST.
DECEPTICON: Name of faction, of complex origin.
Of all the words translated from Cybertronian, DECEPTICON has the most complex origin. DECEPTICON has three possible etymologies:
DECEPTION + CON DECEPTION refers to the action of deceiving someone, or a thing that deceives. It is of late Middle English origin, from the late Latin deceptio[n] from decipere 'deceive.' CON as a verb refers to the act of persuading someone to do or believe something through lies, as in 'confidence trickster' or 'con job'; in this instance, it is derived from 'confidence.' It also refers to a disadvantage, as in 'pros and cons'; in this instance it is derived from the Latin contra 'against.' It is also an abbreviation of 'convict.' It also refers to act of directing the steering of a ship, or the action or post of doing so; in this instance, it is derived from the Old French conduire from Latin conducere 'to lead or bring together.' Thus, DECEPTICON here can be translated as "deceivers, con-men, lying convicts." This makes sense as an Autobot term used to refer to the Decepticons as a people.
DECEPT + ICON DECEPT here comes from the same root as DECEPTION above. ICON means the image or ideal of a thing. Thus, DECEPTICON here can be translated as "the images of the deceivers" - literally, "lying faces." This makes sense as an Autobot term referring to both the faction and the face-like symbol that represents it - the "deceiving icon."
DE + CEIVE + CON DE as a prefix can mean "completely" as in 'denude' or 'derelict.' CEIVE as found in DECEPTION [and conception, contraception, etc] is formed from the Latin com 'together' + capere 'to take.' CON - as above. Thus, DECEPTICON here can be translated as "complete group of thieves and con-men" - or more colloquially "pack of liars." This makes sense as a pejorative Autobot term.
However, as noted earlier, the Autobot language translated is a Latinised one, and all these etymologies so far have had Latin roots; indeed, Decepticon seems to be a Latinised word. It seems that a more correct or Decepticonly spelling would be DESEPTIKON, which has a rather different etymology.
DE + SEPT + EIKON DE - as above. SEPT means a clan or sect, from SECTA "following." Alternatively, however, SECT can form from secare "to cut." Thus, DESEPTIKON could also be rendered DESECTIKON or even DISSECTIKON - literally, "the complete image of the cutters." EIKON - as ICON above. EIKON is the original Greek form of the Latinised ICON. Thus, DESEPTIKON can be translated as "completely ideal followers." This makes sense as what the Decepticons would refer to themselves as.
It is also worth mentioning here the suffix -CON, as found in the group names CONSTRUCTICON, COMBATICON, TERRORCON, etc. It is possible that the suffix here is formed from IKON and the group names mean, for example, "the image of the constructors," "the image of terror," etc. However, it is also worth mentioning that -CON is also derived from the Latin contra, one of the meanings of which is "to steer or guide a ship," as in the sense of 'conduce." Given that CYBER is also from a root form referring to steering or guidance [see CYBERTRON], it seems possible that -CON is here present as the suffix form of CYBER. This would mean it is an alternative suffix to the -ON chain suffixes and not related to them. Ergo, -CON would have the meaning "technological being" and be an alternative suffix to -BOT [see AUTOBOT], which, given the suffix's origins, the Decepticons would certainly prefer. Thus, DECEPTICON or DESEPTIKON could also be translated as "the ultimate group of Cybertronians" - which certainly is an etymology that would please them.
DEFENSOR: Name of a gestalt, derived from DEFENCE + -OR DEFENCE means to protect or shield. It is derived from the Latin defendere 'to defend.' -OR - see SUFFIXES: -OR Thus, DEFENSOR means "who defends." A Decepticon translation of this could be PHALANXOR; a more comprehensive alternative would be SHIELDTRAUMA, from the Old English scieldtruma "shield troop" but also containing the Greek trauma 'wound', to mean also "shield from wounds."
DEVASTATOR: Name of a gestalt, derived from DEVASTATE + -OR DEVASTATE means 'to lay waste'; it is derived from the Latin devastat 'laid waste.' -OR - see SUFFIXES: -OR Thus, Devastator means "who lays waste." A more Decepticon variant on this would be APOLLYON.
ELITA-1: Name of individual, derived from ELITE + -A + 1 ELITE means 'the best in a particular group or society, especially because of their power or talent.' It is derived from the Latin eligere, meaning 'elect.' -A - see SUFFIXES: -A 1 is a cardinal number, referring to a single thing or person; referring to a thing that is singular, neither greater nor lesser than one. It is derived from the Latin unus 'one.' Thus, ELITA-1 can be translated as "one elite woman." However, the meanings of the name components bear closer examination: in essence, the name has a similar meaning to OPTIMUS PRIME. Thus, it is possibly a more contextual translation would be "elite and singular woman." It is also possible that the suffix 1 is an imitative or lesser form of PRIME; it is also possible it is a suffix descended from the Quintesson language, in the same form as names such as A3. Thus, the most complete translation possible seems to be "superior woman, indivisible" or "the first superior woman." This latter seems to make the most sense in light of her origin as the first female Autobot warrior. Possible Decepticon versions of ELITA-1 would be LIEGE ARISTA or MONO-HYPERIA.
FORTRESS MAXIMUS: Name of individual and place, derived from FORTRESS and MAXIMUS FORTRESS means a military stronghold, especially a strongly fortified town; it is derived from the Latin fortis 'strong.' MAXIMUS is a Latin adjective, the superlative of magnus [see ULTRA MAGNUS]; roughly speaking, it means 'very great.' Thus, FORTRESS MAXIMUS translates as "very great fortress." A possible Decepticon version of FORTRESS MAXIMUS would be GIGAMETROPLEX but this lacks the military connotations of "fortress."
GALVATRON: Name of an individual, derived from GALVANISE + -TRON GALVANISE is derived from the name Galvani, a scientist who is best known for his discovery of the twitching of frog's legs in an electric field. His name has become the root of the word GALVANISE, which means either to shock or excite, typically by talking someone into action, or to coat iron or steel with a protective layer of zinc. -TRON: see SUFFIXES: -ON. Thus, GALVATRON translates as "galvanising Cybertronian" or "the Cybertronian who incites others to action." A possible Autobot translation of the name would be EXHILATOR or EXHILATRON. However, as GALVATRON is a Unicronian name, it is also possible to look for a more Decepticon variant; the most obvious one is GIGATRON, the next evolution of MEGATRON on the numerical scale. However, this lacks the sense of "galvanisation." One possibility is EUANGELUS ["mighty evangelist"] or EUANGELITRON ["evangelizing Cybertronian"].
HELEX: Name of a place, derived from HEL + -EX HEL could be derived from either the Greek helio, referring to the Sun, or from helix meaning 'spiral.' -EX - see SUFFIXES: -X. Thus, HELEX can be translated as either "sun city" or "spiral city." More Autobot translations would be either SOLEX or SPIREX.
HYDRAX: Name of a place, derived from HYDRA + -EX HYDRA is from the Greek hudra meaning 'water snake', as in the mythical monster. -AX - see SUFFIXES: -X. Thus, HYDRAX would translate literally as "hydra city" or possibly, more contextually, "city of the water monster."
KALIS: Name of a place, of complex origin. KALIS may possibly be derived from the Greek word kallos meaning 'beautiful' [as in kallisti 'for the fairest']. However, kallos has a double L which KALIS does not. KALIS is also the name of a World War II ghetto outside the Polish capital of Vilna/Willinus. It is further possible that if -IS in city names is usually found in the form -AX-IS [see SUFFIXES: -X], denoting a governing city, it is possible that the name of the city is actually more correctly rendered KALAXIS. However, -IS is a Decepticon suffix and Kalis is an Autobot city, which would explain why -AX-IS is not used here. Given that -IS seems to be a weak form of -US, it could be taken to translate simply as 'very' or 'extremely.' If the particle KAL relates to kallos, then it seems possible that KALIS means 'very beautiful' with the city or settlement part implied. Possibly, if -IS is a supplantive particle, the correct form would the KALLISX, in which case the -X sound may have been absorbed into the -IS syllable. In any event, it seems most probable that KALIS should be spelt KALLIS, meaning 'fair city' or 'beautiful city.' The most correct Autobot spelling seems to be KALLIX. A more Decepticon translation would be KALLAXIS.
MEGATRON: Name of an individual, derived from MEGA + -TRON MEGA is a prefix meaning 'very large, huge, excellent,' or denoting a factor of 10 to the power of 6 and/or 2 to the power of 20. It is derived from the Greek megas meaning 'great.' -TRON: see SUFFIXES: -ON. Thus, MEGATRON can be translated very simply as "Great Cybertronian" or "Mighty Cybertronian." This seems to be a very generic title [translating it, for example, into the languages of Tolkien's elves one gets "Belegaur" or "Melkor," the name of the first Dark Lord; likewise, it is notable that in series dialogue Galvatron is often addressed as "Mighty One" - literally, as "Megatron"] and is almost certainly not Megatron's original name. This, combined with pieces of Megatron's back-story from "Five Faces of Darkness" and "The Secret of Omega Supreme" suggests Megatron was operating under another name and another configuration when the Constructicons joined the Decepticons and destroyed Crystal City, and that they were responsible for rebuilding him or otherwise assisting with the adjustments that lead to the abandonment of his previous name and use of the title Megatron as a name. It is often thought that the name MEGATRON can be translated as "Million Throne"; however, this is not the case. Whilst 'million' is a viable translation of MEGA, it is also only one part of the whole; likewise, the word 'throne' is derived from the Greek thronos so the syllable THR has been present from thronos to throne; ergo this is not a viable root for -TRON. There are several possible Autobot versions of MEGATRON, such as MAXITRON, ULTRATRON, or MAXIMUS. However, the most faithful translation would seem to be simply MAGNUS.
METROPLEX: Name of an individual and a place, derived from METROPOLIS + -PLEX METROPOLIS refers to the capital or chief city of a country or region, or a very large and densely populated city. It is derived via late Latin from Greek metropolis 'mother state,' from meter/metr 'mother' + polis 'city.' -PLEX: see SUFFIXES: -X Thus, METROPLEX translates as "Place which is the chief city"; more Autobot variants would be CAPITAPLEX or MAGNUS MUNICIPLEX. Combining with the etymology of "Autobot City," METROPLEX can also be translated as AUTOPLEX.
MONSTRUCTOR: Name of a gestalt, derived from MONSTER + UCT + -OR MONSTER means an imaginary or mythical beast of daunting size and power. It derives from the Latin monstrum 'portent/monster.' UCT as a particle here seems to be a play on words such as construct and instruct, which are derived from Latin roots: construct from con 'together' + struere 'pile up/build,' instruct from in 'upon/towards' + struere 'pile up/build.' -OR - see SUFFIXES: -OR. Thus, MONSTRUCTOR translates as "who forms a monster," presumably a reference to his gestalt nature. A more Decepticon variant would be TERATOGENITOR.
NAUTILATOR: Name of an individual, derived from NAUTILUS + -ATOR NAUTILUS is from the Greek nautilus, meaning 'sailor.' -ATOR - see SUFFIXES: -OR Thus, NAUTILATOR translates as 'who is a sailor' or 'who sails.' An Autobot translation of this would be MARINOR; it is also possible that the name could be rendered as MARINATOR but this seems a little less than sensible.
NOVA CRONUM: Name of a place, derived from NOVA + CRONUM NOVA is from the Latin novus, meaning 'new.' CRONUM seems to be from the Greek Titan Cronus. Although it seems similar to -CRON as in UNICRON, -CRON is a part of the -ON suffix chain and does not appear as a prefix particle. Thus, NOVA CRONUM appears to translate as "New Cronus City" but this is less than satisfactory as a whole. A more Autobot translation would be NOVA SATURNUM or NOVA SATURNEX; a more Decepticon translation would be NEO KRONOM or NEO KRONOX. Possible CRONUS is a mis-spelt CHRONOS, in which case it would be "New Time City," in which case the city would be NOVA CHRONUM; the Autobot variant would be NOVA CHRONUM or NOVA CHRONOX, and the Decepticon variant would be NEO KHRONOM or NEO KHRONOX.
OCTUS: Name of an individual, derived from OCTO + -US. OCTO is the Latin meaning 'eight.' It is very unusual to see a Decepticon with a straight Latin word for a name-particle as this usually only occurs in Autobot names; however, as the Greek okto meaning 'eight' is very similar it is not surprising. -US: see SUFFIXES: -US. Thus, OCTUS simply translates as "Mighty Eight." As Octus has six arms and two legs, giving him eight limbs, this seems sensible. It seems probable that OCTUS is a modification of a more common name, used by Octus before he became a member of the Triumvirate; possibly modified from OCTRON. It is also worth noting that the name OCTUS is made to ape the name Octavian, a Roman ruler. A more Decepticon spelling of OCTUS would be OKTUS or possibly OGDUS.
OMEGA SUPREME: Name of an individual, derived from OMEGA + SUPREME OMEGA means the last of a series, or the final development. It is derived from Greek o mega, meaning 'great o.' SUPREME means 'superior to all others.' It derives from the Latin supremus, superlative of super. Thus, OMEGA SUPREME translates as "the final development of superiority." A Decepticon translation of this would be OMEGA APOGAION. A more Autobot variant would be TERMINUS SUPREME.
OPTIMUS PRIME: Name of an individual, derived from OPTIMUS and PRIME OPTIMUS is Latin meaning 'best.' PRIME means 'of the best possible quality' or 'first importance.' It is derived from the Latin primus meaning 'first.' It also means a number divisible only by itself and 1, and refers to making something ready for action, in particular preparing a firearm or explosive device. OPTIMUS PRIME is sometimes translated as 'best first'; however, this is an erroneous translation, as 'best first' would be a translation of OPTIMUS PRIMUS. OPTIMUS PRIME translates more correctly as 'best of the best.' However, given that Optimus Prime is comprised of three units [Optimus module, Roller and the trailer unit] which form one being, it seems that the mathematical meaning of PRIME is applicable; likewise, as Optimus Prime was responsible for making the Autobots ready for war, it seems that PRIME in the sense of preparation for violence is also applicable. Thus, OPTIMUS PRIME seems best translated as 'the best one, who is divisible only by himself, who makes others ready' - more concisely 'the supreme and indivisible leader.' This is a hard name to provide a Decepticon equivalent for, as there is no real equivalent to PRIME in Decepticon linguistics; a possibility is either PROTON [from the Greek for "first being"] or the titular LIEGE. The Decepticon equivalent of OPTIMUS ["the best"] would be literally IDEAL or HYPERION, or the social equivalent MONARKHES or AUTOKRATOS as, in Decepticon society, to be the best is to be the ruler. Ergo there are several possible combinations that could serve as the Decepticon equivalent: LIEGE HYPERION, IDEAL MONARKON; however, AUTOKRATOS PROTON captures the spirit of the idea best.
ORION PAX: Name of an individual, derived from ORION + PAX ORION is Latin, from Greek; the name of a hunter from various Greek legends, who came to a tragic end in one of several ways, and of the constellation into which he was supposedly transformed. PAX is Latin, meaning 'peace.' Thus, ORION PAX is most easily translated as "peace hunter" or "he who seeks peace." A possible Decepticon variant would be ORION EIRENEON.
PARADRON: Name of a planet, derived from PARA + DRON PARA has two roots: Greek, meaning 'beside', often in combinations to mean amiss or irregular, and from Italian via Latin parare meaning defend or shield. DRON - see SUFFIXES: -ON. Thus, PARADRON roughly means "Cybertronian colony which is prepared for defence" or "Cybertronian colony where something is amiss."
PERCEPTOR: Name of an individual, derived from PERCEPTION + -OR PERCEPTION means 'to understand.' It derives from the Latin percipere 'to seize.' -OR - see SUFFIXES: -OR. Thus, PERCEPTOR means "who understands." A Decepticon translation would be AESTHETOR.
POLYHEX: Name of a place, derived from POLY + -HEX POLY is from the Greek polloi meaning 'many.' -HEX: see SUFFIXES: -X Thus, POLYHEX translates as "many cities", presumably denoting a city-state containing many cities or fortified settlements. An Autobot equivalent would be MULTIPLEX.
PRIMA: Name of individual, derived from PRIMUS/PRIME + -A PRIME - see OPTIMUS PRIME PRIMUS - see PRIMUS -A - see SUFFIXES: -A At first interpretation, it seems that PRIMA should translate as "first woman." However, PRIMA belongs to an era/continuity when Quintesson language had not reached Cybertron, and the use of the -A suffix to denote the feminine only appears after that period. Therefore, it seems impossible that the -A here should be the same -A of the post-Quintesson feminine, or the -A of the Quintesson singular. What seems most probable here is that PRIMA is a Quintesson rendering of a name in pre-Quintesson Cybertronian; i.e. Quintesson for 'first one.' Given that the -ON chain of suffixes seems to be native to the Cybertronian language, it seems probable that the original name of Prima was in fact PRIMON - 'first one.' A Decepticon translation for this would be PROTON.
PRIMACRON: Name of individual, derived from PRIMA + -CRON PRIMA - see PRIMA -CRON - see SUFFIXES: -ON Despite not being a Cybertronian, Primacron has a very Cybertronian name. Literally translated, it means "enemy of Primus" or "antithesis of Primus." A more Decepticon rendering of this name would be PROTOKRON.
PRIMUS: Name of a deity, from PRIMUS PRIMUS is Latin, meaning "first." Thus, PRIMUS literally means "first," and almost certainly contextually translates as "the first one" or "the first being," showing his place as the originator of the Transformer race. As PRIMUS is directly translated from Latin, so the Decepticon equivalent, PROTOS, is directly translated from Greek. Note that PROTEUS would almost certainly not be an acceptable variant on this.
PROTIHEX: Name of a place, derived from PROTOS + -HEX PROTOS is Greek for 'first.' -HEX - see SUFFIXES: -X. Thus, PROTIHEX would translate as "first city." A more Autobot translation would be PRIMAHEX or possible PRIMEX.
RODIMUS PRIME: Name of an individual, of complex origins.
ROD + OPTIMUS + PRIME ROD in this instance is derived from HOT ROD, a term meaning a motor vehicle modified for extra power and speed. The particle ROD derives from the Old Norse rudda 'club.' OPTIMUS + PRIME - see OPTIMUS PRIME. Thus RODIMUS PRIME has a double meaning. Firstly, as a fusion of HOT ROD with OPTIMUS PRIME, it roughly means "Hot Rod, supreme and indivisible leader." Secondly, as a more literal interpretation, it roughly means "club-bearing supreme leader."
RODIMUS + PRIME RODIMUS is Latin, roughly meaning "we corrode" or "we slander." PRIME - see OPTIMUS PRIME. Thus RODIMUS PRIME translates literally as "corruptor of the best."
A more Autobot spelling of this name would be PALUS PRIME, CLAVIMUS PRIME or CORRODIMUS PRIME. Viable Decepticon translations of this are IDEAL SKEPTRON and LIEGE PLAGUS; however, CADUCEUS PROTON seems to best capture the idea.
SCORPONOK: Name of an individual and a place, derived from SCORPION + -NOK SCORPION refers to the animal, from the Greek skorpios. -NOK is an apparently unique suffix; if the suffix is -OK, then it is shared with Krok and seems to be a rendering of -OC. In either case, it is not a translated suffix. However, what does seem possible is that -NOK/-OK is the Nebulan pronunciation of the Cybertronian suffix -EX. If -N/OK is Nebulan for -EX, then SCORPONOK translates simply as "scorpion city." If not, it is not possible to say what the meaning is. A more Decepticonly version of SCORPONOK could be SKORPITRON, SKORPIUS, SKORPOHEX or possibly SKORPOX. An Autobot equivalent could be SCORPOPLEX or SCORPLEX.
TRYPTICON: Name of an individual and a place, derived from TRIPTYCH + -CON TRIPTYCH is a word of mixed origins, meaning 'folded three ways.' -CON - see DECEPTICON. Thus, TRYPTICON translates literally as "he who folds in three ways," referring to his triple-changing abilities, in which case the name would be better spelt TRIPTYCON. However, as TRYPT is a variation on crypt, from Greek krupte meaning 'vault' from kruptos 'hidden', it is also possible to translate TRYPTICON as "he of hidden vaults" or "he who is the triple city." A more Decepticonly spelling would be KRUPTOKON. An Autobot equivalent would be TRITORQUEPLEX.
ULTRA MAGNUS: Name of an individual, from ULTRA + MAGNUS. ULTRA is Latin meaning "beyond." MAGNUS is Latin meaning "great." Literally, ULTRA MAGNUS means "beyond great"; more sensibly, "he who is beyond great" referring both to his size and physical power, and to his personal dispassion for leadership. The Decepticon equivalent here would be, literally, HYPERMEGA. However, this is meaningless in Decepticon linguistics, so it makes more sense to render ULTRA MAGNUS as HYPER MEGATRON or, for the sake of differentiation, HYPERION or GIGATRON.
UNICRON: Name of a planet and a deity, derived from UNI + -CRON. UNI means 'one', from the Latin unus 'one.' CRON - see SUFFIXES: -ON. Thus, UNICRON translates simply as "the one being not of Primus" or "the one enemy." It has been suggested that -CRON is referring to the Titan Kronos, father of Zeus, or to the Greek khronos, referring to time. In the former case, see SUFFIXES. In the latter case, the presence of the particle KHR as opposed to CR denies a relation. For a more Decepticon rendering, it seems fitting to use the Greek monos meaning 'alone', thereby producing MONOKRON.
NEBULAN NAMES
NOTES ON NAMES
The corpus canon of Nebulan names shows a very similar pattern to that of Cybertronian names, which is unsurprising, as it only seems plausible the names have been translated from Nebulan through Cybertronian into English. Nebulans who are associated with Autobots share the same tendency to have names from Latin roots, thus: Arcana, from Latin arcanus. Duros, from Latin durabilis. Galen, from Latin galena. Nebulans who are associated with Decepticons share a tendency to substitute C for K, thus: Krunk, possibly Crunch. Lokos, possibly Locos. Skar, possibly Scar. This pattern is also found in some Decepticon names: SCORPONOK, plus Skalor [Scalor "who has scales"] and Krok [Croc].
UNTRANSLATED CYBERTRONIAN NAMES
NOTES ON NAMES
The corpus canon provides a good number of untranslated Cybertronian names, both for individuals and for places.
Names of Places:
Corumkan
Iacon
Jekka
Kaon
Kolkular
Praxis
Scyx
Stanix
Tagon
Tarn
Tyrest
Uraya
Valvolux
Vos
Yuss
In these city names, we can see the use of the suffixes -IX, -UX, -YX and -IS in the same position and context as the suffix -EX. We can also see the particle -CON, and possible relative -KAN. We can also see in the name Kolkular the prevalent hard-K of Decepticon language, also seen in Corumkan and Kaon.
Names of Beings:
Emirate Xaaron
Huxx
Jhiaxus
J'mux
Straxus
Tomaandi
Traachon
Here we can see the -US and -ON suffixes identified as below. Another feature that appears is the particle AA, found in the names XAARON, TOMAANDI and TRAACHON. Interestingly, all three of these are names for Autobot High Council members. Whether AA is simply a common particle in Autobot names, or whether it is an elongated A-particle denoting high rank, we cannot say. Concerning XAARON: given that, in all other instances, the X in a Cybertronian name seems to be a hard X ["eks"] as opposed to a soft X ["z"] then it seems certain that XAARON is pronounced "cksaaron" rather than "zaaron."
SUFFIXES
-ON
This section concerns the -ON suffix chain, covering the suffixes -ON, -TRON, -DRON, -CRON, -THONE/THON and -SON. It also mentions -TRAN. For -CON see DECEPTICON.
-ON, as a suffix, can denote subatomic particles/quanta, molecular units or substances. However, in all cases it is derived from the Greek on meaning "being." As -ON appears not only in the Terranised ALPHA TRION hear but in the Cybertronian names TRAACHON and XAARON [see Untranslated Cybertronian Names] there is sufficient reason for us to see -ON as a particle in its own right and not a part of a theoretical root-suffix -RON or -CHON. -ON seems to be the root of the suffix group, literally meaning "being" - in short, -ON denotes that the name to which it is attached is the name of a sentient creature. In the case of Cybertronians, that "being" is almost certainly defined as "sentient machine."
-TRON is a suffix denoting a subatomic particle i.e. electron, neutron; it can also refer to a particle accelerator, i.e. cosmotron, or a thermionic valve. It is derived from 'electron', which is formed from 'eletric' + the Greek on meaning 'being', leading us back to the root suffix -ON. Basically translated, -TRON would mean "electric being." However, the distinction between -ON and -TRON requires a little more note. Given that a Cybertronian "being" would be defined as "sentient machine" then "electrical sentient machine" is pretty redundant. Ergo it seems that -TRON is a specific term used to denote a particular class of being. -TRON is found only in the place-name CYBERTRON and the individual names GALVATRON, BANZAI-TRON, COMPUTRON and MEGATRON. Ergo it is not a suffix specifically denoting a place versus a person, nor is it a suffix specifically denoting an Autobot versus a Decepticon. Thus, it seems that -TRON denotes a differentiation between certain classes of -ON-beings. Given that -TRON is part of Cybertron, it seems logical to surmise that -TRON is from Cybertron and denotes a being who is from or particular connected to Cybertron. Ergo, basically translated -TRON means "the planet Cybertron/a being from Cybertron."
From -TRON we can move on to -DRON and -CRON. Given that -CRON appears only once, in the name UNICRON, and that -DRON appears only in PARADRON, it seems logical to surmise on this little evidence that -DRON is a suffix denoting a colony [or, were it to appear in a name, a Transformer from a colony; i.e. if Megatron was from a colony, would could call himself MEGADRON] and that -CRON denotes the opposite of -TRON - the planet which is the antithesis of Cybertron, Primus' enemy Unicron. Considering the MEGATRON/MEGADRON example, it seems logical that GALVATRON should perhaps be more correctly GALVACRON [but see GALVATRON]. Some have suggested that -CRON relates to the Titan Kronos/Cronos; however, since -CRON has its place in the -ON suffix chain, and the myth of Cronos has very little to no bearing on Unicron, I do not think this suggestion is a valid one.
Taken together, -TRON, -CRON and -DRON suggest the existence of the suffix -RON, which would be the root form for a suffix-group used to denote a planet or a being from that planet. This allows us to break down the -TRON, -CRON and -DRON suffixes into four sections: the suffix -RON, denoting planet/inhabitant of planet and the particle-prefixes -T-, -C- and -D-. We can ascribe meanings to these particle-prefixes based on their meaning in combination with -RON. -T-, denoting the homeworld or source. -D-, denoting a colony of a homeworld or source. -C-, denoting a planet or group that are antithetical to a -T- group.
Given that we also have the suffix -THONE/-THON from the alien-mechanoid planet LITHONE, it seems possible to suggest -THONE/THON is a suffix of the -ON chain used to denote mechanoids of a non-Primus/Unicronian origin [i.e. a robot without a spark]. In short, -RON suffixes refer to the Primus/Unicron group of planets inhabited by mechanoids: -HON/-HONE suffixes refers to planets inhabited by mechanoids not from the Primus/Unicron group. This would give us new possible suffixes in this chain: -DHON/DHONE, denoting an alien-mechanoid colony [i.e. alien-mechanoids living on a planet which was not the one on which they originated]. -CHON/CHONE, denoting an alien-mechanoid planet antithetical or inimical to a -THONE planet. Whether the final E has a meaning is impossible to say here.
The last -ON chain suffix is -SON, as found in QUINTESSON. The Quintessons are, however, a fusion of machine and organic. QUINTESSON can be broken down into the Latin quinta essentia, referring to a fifth element thought to comprise heavenly bodies, and the root of "quintessence" referring to a perfect example or a refined essence [note also "quintessence" is a near homophone for "Quintessons"] plus a new -ON suffix. Roughly speaking, QUINTESSON would translate as "the being who is the perfect example." As they are QUINTESSONS and not QUINTETHONES, etc, this leads me to conclude that either the -SON suffix denotes an organic or cybernetic race, or that the suffix here is -ON and the name QUINTESSON preserves the very original form of the suffix - which, indeed, may have been derived from Quintesson language in the first place. However, if -SON is a valid particle it would be a root particle in the same group as -RON and -HON and therefore able to form new suffixes. For example: -TSON, an organic homeworld and its inhabitants. -DSON, a -SON-group's colony world or the inhabitants of said. -CSON, an organic group antithetical to the -SON group. These are unwieldy at first glance: however, if we look at the word QUINTESSON, we can see that the particle -TSON is present, but with an extra vowel between the T and S. Ergo, it is possible that in these cases -TSON is -TESSON, -DSON is -DESSON and -CSON is -CESSON. Thus also, QUINTESSON can be translated as "source group of beings concerned with the number five," and becomes a linguistic pun, meaning both quintessence and five-concerned organic beings.
Possibly related to the -ON suffix-chain is the suffix -TRAN, found in TELETRAN and DECEPTITRAN, both computers of Cybertronian manufacture and of debatable sentience. If -AN is the root of -TRAN, and is a particle denoting a lower order of sentience, or of semi-sentience, then it seems that -AN would be the cousin of -ON and able to form suffixes in the same manner. For example: -SAN, a race or planet of semi-sentient organics. -THAN/THANE, a race or planet of semi-sentient mechanoids not related to the Primus/Unicron group. -CRAN, a race or planet of semi-sentient beings antithetical to another group. If we apply this to Earth, we could say that, in Cybertronian language, Earth might be TERRATESSAN, and that a human colony would be TERRADESSAN. A group of organics known primarily for being hostile to us would be TERRACESSANS.
-A
This section concerns the suffix -A and its relative -IA.
-[I] A is a suffix occurring in then names CHROMIA and ELITA-1 [possibly also in BETA]. As -A as a suffix a feminine name in Latin or Latinized languages, and -[I]A only appears in the names of the female Autobots, it seems quite certain that -[I]A is a suffix noting a feminine person. However, -A also appears in the Quintesson language as a suffix to all names, translated, untranslated and of their homeworld. It seems thus that -A in Quintesson denotes a singular item, and that therefore the Quintesson -A is a different -A to the feminine -[I]A. It seems correct therefore to say that the feminine -[I]A is a translated suffix, and that the Quintesson -A is an untranslated suffix, and that the two possess different meanings and pronunciations in their respective languages.
-US This section concerns the singular suffix -US and its different meanings in Autobot and Decepticon languages.
-US is a common suffix found in several Decepticon names: Straxus, Jhiaxus, Cyclonus, Iguanus, Bruticus, Ruckus and Octus. It is also found in several Autobot names [see below]. We also have the examples Trannis and Legonis in which the particle -IS is most probably a variant 'weak form' of -US. Given that it appears unmodified in Cybertronian names, I believe this particle is of Cybertronian origin, not from Terran languages. Given the high incidence amongst high-ranking Decepticons, it seems that the particle US is a titular suffix in Decepticon names; ergo, 'Lord Megatron' would be more correctly rendered as 'Megatronus.' However, this might well be a redundancy. As there does not appear to be a hereditary peerage or titular system amongst the Decepticons, then the title translated as 'Lord' would almost certainly be correctly rendered as 'Mighty' - as in Mighty Megatron, Mighty Galvatron, etc. Thus, 'Megatronus' would mean 'Mighty Megatron' and, inversely, Iguanus would mean 'Mighty Iguana.' It is notable here that, in an Autobot name, the suffix -US does not form a seperate particle, but that it is part of the name, as it is in Fortress Maximus, Ultra Magnus, Nautilus, Rodimus Prime, Primus and Optimus Prime. The particle -US is also found in Repugnus, where it seems to follow the Decepticon usage, as it would translated as 'Mightily Repugnant.' Given that Repugnus is an Autobot who is reviled by most of his comrades and considered little better than a Decepticon, it seems highly plausible he would have a Decepticon-like name.
-X
This section concerns the suffix -X, in its forms -AX, -IX, -YX, -HEX and -PLEX, and its possible relatives -UX/X and -IS.
The most common form of -X found is -HEX, which is found exclusively in the names of cities [Altihex, Polyhex, Protihex]. From this we can surmise that -HEX denotes a Cybertronian city. Related to this are the city names Boltax, Helex, Hydrax, Scyx, Valvolux and Stanix. From this, it seems reasonable to surmise that the HE in -HEX can be supplanted by the closing particle of the city's name-root; i.e. the RA particle in HYDRA supplants the HE to form HYDRAX. Thus it seems that -HEX as a suffix is sufficiently indicative of a city than only a name that ends in a similar particle, such as -IX or -YX will be understood to mean -HEX.
The other major form of -X is -PLEX, as seen in the individual/city name METROPLEX. -PLEX seems to be derived from two related sources: COMPLEX and PLEXUS. Complex means 'consisting of many different and connected parts.' It also refers to a group of buildings or facilities on the same site, and its derived from the Latin complexus, from complectere 'embrace/comprise,' associated with complexus 'plaited.' PLEXUS means 'an intricate network or web-like formation.' It is also derived from plecetere 'plaited.' -PLEX only appears in the name Metroplex. It is therefore hard to say whether -PLEX is a form of -HEX meaning specifically a city who is also a sentient individual, or whether it has another meaning. Certainly the names are Polyhex, Protihex, Altihex and Metroplex, not Polyx, Protix, Altix and Metropolix, which suggests that the -HEX and -PLEX forms contain particular information that would be lost in a supplanted -*X form. On the basis that -HEX and -PLEX seem to have meanings beyong simply 'city' it seems probable that -HEX is the Decepticon form of -X, that -PLEX is the Autobot form of -X, and that supplanted -X is the neutral root from which -HEX and -PLEX have diverged.
Looking at Cybertronian names, we find the instances J'MUX and HUXX. Given that the particle -UX/X only appears in names of individuals, and never in the names of cities, it seems that -UX/X is a particle apart from -X and of separate meaning. The only possible suggestion for meaning on this suffix is that -UX/X is related to - or is the same as, in supplanted form - the suffix -O/X found in the Beast Wars name RHINOX. Given the context, it seems possible - at a long stretch - that UX/OX is the Autobot/Maximal equivalent of the Decepticon -US.
We also see the names STRAXUS and JHIAXUS. Given that -US as a suffix is a title, the names can be interpreted as Mighty JHIAX and Mighty STRAX. As -AX appears as a suffix denoting a city, and appears here in a suffix form, it seems possible that -AX may denote a person of rank, possible a city governor. If we hypothesis that the STR in STRAXUS is - purely for example's sake - short for strong, then STRAXUS could be translated as "Great Strong Governor." It is worth mentioning at this point the city of PRAXIS. Given that -IS may be a weak form of -US, PRAXIS could well mean "[PR-particle] governing city". This suggests that, where an AX-IS appears in an individual's name, it denotes the individual as a governor or individual of rank; where AX-OS appears in a city's name, it denotes a capital city or base of a governing individual.
-OR
This section concerns the suffix -OR and its relatives, -ATOR and -INOR.
The most common form of this suffix is -OR, which denotes both a person performing the action of a verb - i.e. 'governor' - one who governs - and forms a noun denoting a state or condition - i.e. terror. It derives from Latin, and is related to the suffixes -ATOR [terminator] and -ITOR [servitor], which share the same meaning in different forms.
BEAST WARS and BEAST MACHINES NAMES
This section will examine the names of the cast of characters seen in Beast Wars and Beast Machines. The first section will examine translations for the non-English given names of characters from the series. The second section will look at trends in the naming patterns.
TRANSLATED NAMES
BLACK ARACHNIA: BLACK + ARACHNID + -IA BLACK - dark colour, from Germanic bl¾c. ARACHNID - chelicerate arthropods, such as spiders, scorpions, etc. Derived from the Latin Arachnid, from Greek arakhne 'spider.' -IA - see SUFFIXES: -A Thus, BLACK ARACHNIA translates as "black spider woman." It is interesting to note the use of the -IA/-A feminine-denoting suffix in this name, as this is the first time it appears in a non-Autobot-aligned name. A more Decepticon variant would be MELANARAKHNE.
BOTANICA: BOTANIC + -A BOTANIC means the scientific study of plants. It derives from the French botanique, based on the Greek botanikos, from botane plant. -A - see SUFFIXES: -A Thus, BOTANICA translates as "plant-studying woman." A more Decepticon spelling would be BOTANIKA; a more Autobot variant would be PLANTACEREBRIA.
CHEETOR: CHEETAH + -OR CHEETAH is the animal which Cheetor took as a beast-mode. The word derives from Hindi cita. -OR - see SUFFIXES: -OR Thus, CHEETOR translates simply as "being a cheetah."
DINOBOT: from G1 group name, DINOBOT, from DINO + -BOT DINO is here from the Latin word dinosaurus 'terrible lizard,' referring to the extinct giant reptiles known as dinosaurs. This in turn is derived from the Greek deino 'terrible' and sauros 'lizard.' -BOT - see AUTOBOT Thus, Dinobot translates as "terrible [lizard] robot." It is notable that the animal which Dinobot took as his beast-mode, the velociraptor, belongs to the same family [Dromaeosaurids] as the deinonychus [from Greek 'terrible claw']. DINOBOT can be translated, with increased degrees of Decepticon-correctness, as DINOCON, DEINOCON or TERRORSAUR, and TERRORCON.
OPTIMUS PRIMAL: OPTIMUS + PRIMAL OPTIMUS - see OPTIMUS PRIME PRIMAL means both fundamental or essential, and also early or primitive. It is derived from the Latin primalis, from primus [see PRIMUS]. Thus, OPTIMUS PRIMAL can be translated as "best of the primitives," but also as "fundamentally the best"; a more contextual translation would be "best primitive essence." A possible Decepticon variant of this would be IDEAL PROTOS, or possibly IDEAL PROTOTYPE.
RHINOX: RHINOX + -O/X RHINO is here from the Latin rhinoceros, the animal which Rhinox took as a beast-mode. The name is derived from the Greek rhinokeras 'horn nose.' -O/X - see SUFFIXES: -X. As the meaning of the particle -O/X is not clear, it is possible that RHINOX translates as "mighty rhino," but also possible that it has another meaning which is not clear.
STRIKA: STRIKE + -A STRIKE means to hit forcibly and deliberately. It is derived from the German streichan, meaning a stroke. -A - see SUFFIXES: -A. Thus, STRIKA translates as "woman who hits with strength and purpose." A more Autobot variant might be IMPACTA; a more Decepticon variant might be PLAGA.
TANKOR: TANK + OR TANK is derived from British World War I code "water tank," used to refer to a armoured fighting vehicle. -OR - see SUFFIXES: -OR. Thus, TANKOR translates as "being a tank." There seems to be some confusion as to whether the name is spelt TANKOR or TANKORR but it seems unlikely the meaning would change in any case.
TERRORSAUR: TERROR + SAUR TERROR is Latin, meaning 'frighten.' SAUR is here from the Latin word dinosaurus 'terrible lizard,' referring to the extinct giant reptiles known as dinosaurs. This in turn is derived from the Greek deino 'terrible' and sauros 'lizard.' Thus, TERRORSAUR translates as "terrible lizard." It is interesting to note that TERRORSAUR has essentially the same meaning as DINOBOT. Given that DINOBOT is an Autobot name, it seems mostly likely that TERRORSAUR is the same name, or same essential meaning of name, in a different dialect or language. The translations for TERRORSAUR are the same as for DINOBOT.
TIGATRON: TIGER + TRON TIGER is the animal which Tigatron took as a beast mode. It is derived from the Latin tigris. -TRON - see SUFFIXES: - ON Thus, TIGATRON translates as "Cybertronian who is a tiger." A more Decepticon translation would be PARDOTRON.
WASPINATOR: WASP + -INATOR WASP is the animal which Waspinator took as a beast mode. It is derived from the Latin vespa. -INATOR seems to be a combination of the two suffixes -ATOR and -INOR. Thus, WASPINATOR seems to translate as "being a wasp." The unique -OR form -INATOR could possibly some reflection on Waspinator's speech irregularity. The Decepticon form would probably be the same.
NAMING PATTERNS
Comparing the name-corpus from Beast Wars to G1 and G2, we see an immediate shift in the established patterns. Firstly, the two-part name has become an almost exclusively Maximal trait [Rattrap, Airrazor, Depth Charge, Tigerhawk, Silverbolt, Quickstrike - the latter having been of Maximal origin and programming and never reprogrammed as a Predacon], only later being reclaimed by the Vehicons under Megatron's leadership [Jetstorm] but still being used by the Maximals [Nightscream]. Secondly, we see G1/2 names reappearing both in their original form and in altered forms. For the translations of Scorponok and Megatron, see SCORPONOK and MEGATRON. Thirdly, we see a massive shift towards Latinized word-origins and away from Greek, especially amongst the Predacons. For example, we have Inferno, an Autobot name based on the Latin infernos; the Decepticon equivalent would be Holocaust. What this suggests is that the Decepticon language has become almost entirely extinct as a spoken language, remembered only in the names of bygone heroes. It seems plausible, given the series context, that the Maximals have undertaken the systematic eradication of the Decepticon language [amongst other things] in an effort of pacify the Predacons.
Author's notes & addenda:
Feedback always welcomed.