Summary
- Futurama is known for its complex lore and attention to detail, which includes the creation of two different alien languages: Alienese 1 (AL1) and Alienese 2 (AL2).
- AL1 is a simple substitution code, while AL2 translates English letters into numerical values and symbols. AL2 took years to decode and is primarily associated with the Nibblonians.
- Alienese can be found throughout the show, especially in the opening sequence and on various signs and buildings. There are online decoders available to translate the hidden messages in Alienese.
An alien language can be prominently seen throughout Futurama, but many viewers don't know the true meaning behind it. Futurama is a series full of lore, with each alien species, planet, and historical element being meticulously planned out to the point where every part builds one cohesive universe. The alien language seen in Futurama is no exception to this, as a lot of thinking went into the planning of this recurring series gag. So, here is everything there is to know about Futurama's alien language, including how to translate it, where to spot it, and what the alien language actually means.
Futurama is finally back for season 11, with Hulu releasing new episodes for the first time since the show's previous cancelation in 2013. Futurama season 11 maintains the quality of the show's original seasons, keeping all of the characters, gags, and stories that the show has become known for. One element that is key to Futurama is the show's complexity. Futurama is full of jokes relating to math and science, with the show doing things like inventing an incredibly complicated equation in order to solve a storyline. One of the most famous examples of Futurama's complexity is its alien language, and there's a lot of history behind it.
Futurama Actually Has 2 Different Alien Languages (& They Can Both Be Translated)
As it turns out, Futurama actually has not one but two different alien languages, and both of them can be translated. The first of these is Alienese, a language created as a joke early in Futurama. This version of Alienese, also known as Alien Language 1 (AL1), first appeared in the Futurama pilot, and it was solved almost instantly. AL1 is a simple substitution code, with each alien symbol representing one letter, number, or punctuation mark in the English language. AL1 appears throughout Futurama, with it being the easier version of Alienese to translate. Although the writers made Alienese as a joke, it quickly became a game with the audience.
After AL1 was cracked almost instantly, the Futurama writers knew that they had to try again. Thus, the second iteration of Alienese was made only a few years later, with it being spotted as early as Futurama season 3. Rather than being a substitution code, each English letter is translated into a numerical value. For example A=0, B=1, and so on. Each number is then given a corresponding symbol. To translate AL2, one must subtract a symbol's numeric value by the numeric value of the symbol before it, resulting in a letter. If the equation leads to less than 0, 26 is added. Although this is incredibly confusing, it works.
It took years for AL2 to properly be decoded, as some symbols weren't available until the Bender's Big Score movie years after AL2 was introduced. However, it was eventually cracked. In a 2013 interview with Wired, Futurama showrunner David X. Cohen actually revealed that a third language was created by the writers. However, it was never used in the show due to being way too complex. That's saying a lot, considering it took years to crack AL2. Luckily, there are now all kinds of Alienese decoders online, allowing Futurama's hidden messages to quickly and easily be unveiled.
Who Speaks The Alien Language In Futurama
Although the two alien languages in Futurama are mostly for the fans, there are some in-universe explanations for them. The episode "Leela's Homeworld" first revealed that the language was called Alienese, with AL1 appearing on a note alongside Leela, implying that her parents speak it. AL1 seems to be a common language throughout Futurama, as it can be seen on various signs and buildings across different planets in the Futurama universe.
AL2, however, is much rarer. It has been confirmed that AL2 is the language of the Nibblonians, the alien species that Nibbler belongs to. However, it can be found in other places, meaning that it may be learnable by the inhabitants of Futurama's universe. The development of Alienese hasn't been delved into in Futurama, but it seems it was developed across different species sometime between the years 1999-3000.
Where To Spot Futurama's Alien Languages & What They Mean
Alienese can be spotted all throughout Futurama, but it is most commonly seen in the show's opening sequence. Three Alienese signs can be seen in the intro, with them translating to "rent a human," "3D Rulez!," and "Tasty human burgers" respectively. Alienese has appeared multiple times in every Futurama season, and it even appeared in Futurama's crossover with The Simpsons, with one instance translating to Bart's iconic catchphrase "EAT MY SHORTS." The Infosphere, a Futurama fan wiki, has cataloged every instance of Alienese in the show, with the page acting as a great guide to Futurama's alien language.
New episodes of Futurama season 11 release Mondays on Hulu.