What language is this song in?

[Matrix]

Battle of Lepanto from the Europa Universalis IV DLC 'Guns, Drums, and Steel'.

Also, can I get a transcription of the lyrics and a translation and such, as well? I can't find anything via google.

[Yagia]

It sounds Greek to me. And since the battle of Lepanto took place in Greek waters, that seems reasonable.

[Matrix]

Yeah, I was figuring that it was probably Greek, what with all the [st] and [x].

[Élerhe]

But I think I can make out a few 'sh' - maybe Albanian?

[linguoboy]

In Standard Modern Greek, /x/ is pronounced [ç] before front vowels. Could that be what you're hearing?

[Valdeut]

It's not Greek, says native speakers. There are some discussions in the Youtube comments and on Reddit but apparently the language is still a mystery. From what I've been able to find, these languages can be ruled out:
English
Greek
Turkish
Italian
Spanish
Latin
Chinese
Japanese
Hebrew
Arabic
German
Swedish, or any Scandinavian language

In Standard Modern Greek, /x/ is pronounced [ç] before front vowels. Could that be what you're hearing?

In this case, the language is not actually Greek, but to my ears Greek /s/ often sound closer to [ʃ] than it does to Swedish or English /s/. Like most languages that only has one place of articulation for sibilants, the /s/ of Greek is more retracted – and apical I think – than its English or Swedish counterpart. Which makes a lot of sense phonetically, as Greek contrasts /θ/ and /s/ but not /s/ and /ʃ/.

[jal]

It's not Greek, says native speakers. There are some discussions in the Youtube comments and on Reddit but apparently the language is still a mystery.

Could it be... a conlang, perchance? :)


JAL

[Valdeut]

It's not Greek, says native speakers. There are some discussions in the Youtube comments and on Reddit but apparently the language is still a mystery.

Could it be... a conlang, perchance?

Yes, the idea has definitely crossed my mind. Or maybe not even a true conlang, it could just be foreign-sounding nonsense (is there a term for that sort of conlang-with-only-a-phonology?).

But there are still many natlangs to be ruled out of course.

[Xephyr]

I don't think those are called conlangs.

[Dewrad]

it could just be foreign-sounding nonsense (is there a term for that sort of conlang-with-only-a-phonology?).

Yes.

[Valdeut]

it could just be foreign-sounding nonsense (is there a term for that sort of conlang-with-only-a-phonology?).

Yes.

Right, but what I was thinking of is really a special kind of gibberish, namely something that's made to give the impression of being a foreign language (for books, movies, video games, songs etc.), without going through the trouble of designing a grammar and vocabulary.

[Zaarin]

it could just be foreign-sounding nonsense (is there a term for that sort of conlang-with-only-a-phonology?).

Yes.

Right, but what I was thinking of is really a special kind of gibberish, namely something that's made to give the impression of being a foreign language (for books, movies, video games, songs etc.), without going through the trouble of designing a grammar and vocabulary.

I've heard the term "simlish" generalized for that sort of thing (modeled on the nonsense language from The Sims).

[zompist]

The old vaudeville term for that is "double-talk"; Sid Caesar was a master of it.