Binharic

Such sweet music is the chatter of binary, that has no tongue to lie.

-Sayings of the Archmagi, Appendix 4 ^[8]

Binharic, also spelled binaric,^[2] or binharic cant is one of the Cant Mechanicus languages.^[1] Bihnaric code-strings are known for their clarity in conveying information.^[3a]

Overview

Binharic is the de facto language upon Forge Worlds and aboard Mechanicus vessels. Even those native to such locations not formally inducted into the ranks of the Cult Mechanicus can speak binharic to a degree, however, it is made much easier with the aid of mechanical augmentations.^[2] Without augmentations, only a crude approximation of binharic can be produced at a slowed that a human mouth and vocal cords can produce. Vox-emitters and clarions on Mechanicus vessels typically blare binharic code rather than Gothic speech.^[3c] Binharic learned from teachers or specific forge world might have an accent. For example, an individual who learns binharic from a Ryzan tech-priest might thus their pronunciations might have a Ryzan accent.^[7]

Binharic can be conveyed both through vox clicks and through the noosphere. Statements can be conveyed over vox-bursts, and while binharic is still more efficient than Gothic, noospheric communion is the most efficient form of communication since information is conveyed at the speed of thought.^[3b]

Followers of the Cult Mechanicus near-universally agree that Machine Spirits find prayers made in binharic more pleasing than those made in gothic. To remedy lasgun issues, a guardsman might be instructed try praising its machine spirit in a binharic cant rather than gothic, if the latter isn't proving effective. Recommendations for simple praises include 01010000 01100101 01110111 00100001 00100000 01010000 01100101 01110111 00100001. Instead of reciting the Infantryman's Creed, the lasgun might prefer a catchier cant, like 01001111 01100100 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01100001 00100000 01000110 01101100 01100001 01110011 01101000 01101100 01101001 01100111 01101000 01110100.^[6]

Images

• 

  Guardsman-to-Skitarius Phrasebook, pg. 7^[4]

• 

  Binary message found on the Red Ark.^[5]

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

• "Binharic" is a reference to binary code used in the real world to encode data in a manner that computers can understand.

See also

• Cant Mechanicus
• Servitor
• Skitarii
• Skit-code
• Tech-Priests

Sources

• 1: Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus (8th Edition), pg. 19
• 2: Genefather (Novel), Chapter 5
• 3: Dominion Genesis (Novel):
  • 3a: Gryphonne IV, Chapter 2
  • 3b: Misery's Daughter, Chapter 2
  • 3c: The Almagest, Chapter 4
• 4: Regimental Standard: Introducing the Guardsman-to-Skitarius Phrasebook (posted 21 April 2021) (Page archived 21 April 2021. Last accessed 22 March 2025.)
• 5: Space Hulk: Deathwing
• 6: Regimental Standard: That's the (Machine) Spirit! (archived 20 March 2019, last accessed 27 July 2025)
• 7: Assassinorum: Kingmaker (Novel), Chapter 15
• 8: Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus