Sasquatch Phonetic Alphabet

On Sunday June 20th, R. Scott Nelson presented his findings from his 2+ years of research on the Sierra sound recordings obtained by Al Berry and Ron Morehead in the 1970's.

His presentation was delivered as an urgent plea for all researchers who have recorded audio of the vocalizations of what they suspect to be of a Sasquatch nature, to immediately begin deciphering their data by using the Sasquatch Phonetic Alphabet that he has created.

It is Mr. Nelson's belief that we will be able to learn so much more about the Bigfoot by learning their language rather than from footprint casts, hair samples or blurry photographs.

Scott Nelson retired from a successful career with the U.S. Navy as a crypto-linguist. He has many years of experience in deciphering and transcribing many conversations in foreign languages.

The following information has been cleared for publication and I will share it with you at this time.

Fm: R. Scott Nelson
To: Sasquatch Research Community

Re: Sasquatch Phonetic Alphabet (SPA) (attached)

Since I became involved in Sasquatch research a little over two years ago, I have received dozens of e-mails from around the country involving first-hand witness accounts, many containing recorded audio files, of perceived Sasquatch Language. Virtually all of these have included an attempt to spell out Sasquatch “words” using Standard English. This is of little value to the language researcher, since English is notoriously non-phonetic and is subject to widely-varied local dialects.

Since our ultimate goal is the recovery of Sasquatch Language, I have found it necessary to establish a phonetic alphabet and transcription standard (based on the transcription of the Berry/Morehead tapes), by which the contrast and comparison of all future suspected language can be facilitated.

To this end, as an invaluable tool in the future of Sasquatch Language research, I am requesting that the attached standard be published on research web-sites and that it be copied and distributed freely. With this, I am also requesting that local investigators begin using this alphabet as soon as possible to accurately document any perceived Sasquatch Language.

This standard should not be limited to first-hand witness accounts or recordings from North America, but should be used by investigators world-wide, since most languages have many of the same non-phonetic characteristics as English. The work is written in the style of a military SOP (Standard Operating Procedure).

It is my belief that there is nothing more important, at this early stage of Sasquatch Language study, than to standardize the documentation of evidence.

With highest regard for all those engaged in the work of Sasquatch recognition;

R. Scott Nelson

SPA Documents
Sasquatch Phonetic Alphabet and Transcription Standard
Submitted by R. Scott Nelson

The Sasquatch Phonetic Alphabet (SPA) will alternately be known by the more formal denomination, Unclassified Hominid Phonetic Alphabet (UHPA), until such time as the subject Being is scientifically classified, or documented linguistic contact has been established. “Sasquatch” is used here as a generally accepted term for the subject Being. A variation of the English Reformed Phonetic Alphabet is used, as transcribed from the Berry/Morehead Tapes (BMT).
The existence of the Sasquatch Being is hereby assumed, since any creature must exist before his language. Any argument for the existence of Sasquatch or his language should be given outside of this standard and outside any transcription endeavor that uses this standard. Transcripts should stand alone as tools for the language researcher; whereas SPA transcripts and excerpts should be freely used in other works to support linguistic arguments.
The purpose of this is to standardize all future transcription of suspected Sasquatch Language and to facilitate comparison of language articulations by future researchers; the ultimate goal being the recovery of Sasquatch Language.
Sasquatch Language is spoken approximately twice as fast as any known language in most analyzed recordings, therefore it must be slowed down to be transcribed accurately. 50% of real-time will be the standard; transcription at any other speed will be noted, e.g. (75%). Real-time will be noted as (rt). Tape-time hacks will be given as minute:second.1/100thsecond, e.g. 17:23.54.
Since this is an unknown language, transcribed for the first time, the grammar and syntax of it, likewise, cannot be known. Therefore, to differentiate between small and capital letters is useless and misleading. Sasquatch articulations will be transcribed using capital letters, human voices are to be transcribed by the standards of the language that is spoken (proper English, Russian, etc.). This eases reading of the transcripts when human and Sasquatch voices are mixed or alternating. Since words cannot be known, and only suspected in cognates, Sasquatch utterances will be given as individual morphemes (or syllables). An umlaut (Ä) is used rather than a macron (-) to avoid confusion with the English use of the same symbol.
Small letters within parenthesis will be used, in accordance with military transcription standards, to abbreviate specific notes, e.g. (2-3m) to mean (two or three words or morphemes are missing or inaudible here). Untranscribable vocalizations such as grunts or screams will be noted with capital letters within parenthesis, e.g. (G) or (SC). An abbreviation key follows the phonetics key.
Any document using this alphabet should be labeled (SPA) or (UHPA).
Use in first-hand witness accounts:
This alphabet is not intended to be used solely for the transcription of recorded language, but will be highly useful in first-hand witness accounts of Sasquatch phenomena where the witness perceived spoken language. Researchers, when documenting witness accounts, should endeavor to transcribe each Sasquatch utterance as accurately as possible using this alphabet. As an invaluable aid to the language researcher, several questions should be asked of the witness to correlate with the utterances of the Sasquatch Being:
What was occurring at the moment of each specific utterance?
How many Sasquatch Beings do you believe were present; how many were speaking?
Did you feel that the Sasquatch Beings were speaking to each other or to you (the witness)?
What do you think the Being was trying to communicate?
What do you feel was the emotional state of the Being (for each specific utterance)?
Was there interrogative inflection in the utterance (did it sound like a question)?
Was there imperative or command inflection in the utterance (did it sound like the Being was telling you or another Sasquatch to do or not do something)?
___
This alphabet is expected to grow as additional verified recordings of Sasquatch Language are collected and analyzed, and new extra-human articulations are documented. For example; the well-documented howls, whoops, growls, screams and whistles of Sasquatch may someday be found to have linguistic meaning; wood- and rock-knocking or tooth-popping may be found to be encoded. It should not be discounted that manipulated tree, limb and stick formations could be graphic expressions of Sasquatch Language, much like runic or pictographic human writing systems.
Since auditory perception is subject to the same limitations of all human perception, review and revision of any transcript by other qualified Crypto-Linguists or voice- transcription experts should be welcomed. With the recovery of Sasquatch Language being the anticipated outcome, cooperation and consensus between language researchers should be the first rule of this study.
The first two pages of Berry Tape I transcription are attached as an example of the prescribed usage of this alphabet.

Phoneme Key
Ä = a in father
A = a in can
B = b in bib
D = d in did
Ë = a in make
E = e in set
F = f in fife
G = g in gag
H = h in ham
Ï = i in machine, ee in meet
I = i in sit
J = y in yes, i in union
K = k in kite, c in cut
L = l in lull
M = m in mom
N = n in nine
Ö = o in lone
O = o in log
P = p in pipe
R = r in roar
Rr = rolled r, as in Spanish or in Scottish Brogue
S = s in sister
T = t in tight
Ü = u in plume, oo in boot
U = u in run, o in union
V = v in verve
W = w in way
Y = oo in book
Z = z in zebra, s in is
′ = glottal stop
c = tongue click, not evident in BMT
> = phoneme drawn out

Compound Phonemes
ÄÏ = i in like, y in my
JÜ = as in you, u in fume
KH = ch in Scottish loch, x in Spanish Quixote, x in Russian (khah)
SJ = sh in shirt
TSJ = ch in church
ZJ = z in azure, s in treasure
DZJ = j in jail, g in age
NG = ng in sing
Δ (Greek Delta) = th in then
Θ (Greek Theta) = th in thin

Abbreviation Key
(rt) = transcribed at real-time
(75%) = transcribed at a speed other than 50%
(h) = human vocalization
(1-2m) = one or two words or syllables are missing or inaudible here
(int) = interrogative inflection
(dr) = Inflected as a direct response
(imp) = imperative inflection
(w) = whispered
(q) = very low audibility, quiet, almost imperceptible at normal speeds
(im) = human imitating a creature
(ma) = possible male Sasquatch Being
(fe) = possible female Sasquatch Being
(ju) = possible juvenile Sasquatch Being
(G) = grunt, growl or grumble, possible language
(W) = whistle or squeak, possible language
(SN) = snarl, possible language
(SC) = scream, possible language
(TP5) = tooth pop, number in sequence, possible language, not evident in BMT
(WK3) = wood knock, number in sequence, possible language
(RK4) = rock knock, number in sequences, possible language


BERRY TAPE I

Transcribed by R. Scott Nelson


Time Utterance

0:4.5 (W) (W)

0:8.62 (W) (W) (W)

0:15.11 RAM HO BÄ RÜ KHÄ HÜ

0:16.70 WAM VO HÜ KHÖ KHU′

0:17.52 NÖ U PLÄ MEN TI KHU

0:18.82 NÄR LÄ

0:20.21 NA GÖ KÜ STEP GÄ KÜ BLEM

0:21.25 Ü KÜ DZJÄ

0:21.76 FRrÄP E KHÜK LE

0:22.65 ÜN Ï KÜ O GÜ AKH (int)

0:23.85 DÖ WÄÏ NÖ (dr)

0:24.52 MÜ Ï FWI KÖ PÏ KHU′ SJ΄

0:31.43 (ma) HU Ö NÖ> KHÄ HÜ

0:32.95 PLEN DÜTSJ TISJ

0:33.61 SÏ DZJAÖ GLÖ PÜ MËKH

0:34.90 PÄ KHÏ KÖ DÜ TÜ SEKSÏ

0:35.88 WA HEP DÜ TSJE DÜ FU HEP

0:36.95 (ma) FI KÜ ÄÏ> KHÜ′

0:44.80 FÄ LIP ÄBÄSJ KHU′

0:45.03 NE VER GÖ ΄ ÖM KHU′

0:47.03 FÖ WÄ Ï>

0:48.08 WA KHU΄ KVÄM

0:49.16 ITS KÄÏM VÄR US FO RI ZIS TENS

0:51.27 MÖ> FER BÏ KEN JÄ Ä VÄÖN SÏ RYK MI RO GHAP –
GÏ GO WYP

0:53.66 MÏ WÄTSJ FYD PLËN FYD NÜ AÖ> KHE KHU′

0:55.34 NÖ ÄÏ ÄKHSJ HÜ

0:57.13 (h) Come on, boy.

0:58.04 (h) Come on, let’s eat.

1:00.93 BÏ KAER FYL NAÖ PRÖS GYD

01.87 NÖÄ Ö JA LET KHE

02.99 MÖÏ PISJ FE KHE KHU′

(h) Come on.
1:11.58 KHU BEK
1:12.63 KHËÄ KHU′
1:13.77 Ä LÄF
1:14.46 MÖ VE KHÜ
1:14.86 LAF KHU′
1:15.35 NÖ KHÏÄ
1:16.01 KHÖ VË ÄER ZÏ RÄ KIL WÄ KÜ ′ÜSJ
1:17.49 BÜ GÄ TÄÏSJ KHU′

Now many scofftics will argue that before we recognize this language, we must first acknowledge that these creatures do indeed exist.

For those of you who have seen a Bigfoot, you probably won't have a problem with his findings.

There are some of you who will turn up your noses and begin shredding every word in these documents. No harm, it's what you do.

Points to consider:

How do we know if Bigfoots in Washington, use the same language as Bigfoots in Ohio?

Is the SPA to be considered the "root" language, allowing for cultural variations and adaptation? Such as humans use many words derived from Latin and Greek origins.

Mr. Nelson has taken this under much consideration and I am sure he will answer your questions and comments as they are presented.

Please use this website to add your comments and insight and I will forward them to Scott for explanation and rebuttal.

If you would like a copy of these Word documents, please send the request to:
sharonlee@thebigfootfieldreporter.com