The symbol used in the Foundation's expanded IPA notation system to transcribe SCP-3735

Item #: SCP-3735

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Foundation scanners must analyze phonetics blogs and popular online linguistic databases for any recordings with a sonic match for SCP-3735.

In any cases where an SCP-3735b-positive individual produces SCP-3735, MTF Mu-143 “Prescriptivists” is to be deployed to use class-B amnestics upon all surviving SCP-3735a-negative individuals who are exposed, contain all SCP-3735b-positive individuals present, and provide Standard Linguistic Cover Story 78 (Pirahã Malaria Strain) to family members and friends of deceased or contained individuals.

Any SCP-3735b-positive individuals contained are to be placed in Standard Humanoid Containment Units outfitted with full soundproofing.

Description: SCP-3735 is a cognitohazardous linguistic phone1 determined by Foundation linguists to be a pharyngeal nasal. According to non-anomalous phonetic analysis, said sound is impossible for human beings to produce. Nevertheless, approximately 0.03% of humans are anomalously able to produce SCP-3735 (a condition henceforth designated SCP-3735a). In most cases, this ability never manifests itself and SCP-3735a-positive individuals live normal lives, albeit at a statistically significant higher risk for late-life hearing loss.

However, when SCP-3735a-positive individuals are exposed to SCP-3735, they have a 93% chance of developing the ability to produce SCP-3735, upon which their condition is reclassified as SCP-3735b. SCP-3735b-positive individuals feel a compulsion to repeatedly produce SCP-3735, developing in multiple stages.

Stage B1 (immediately after exposure): SCP-3735 immediately replaces all dorsal nasals in the affected individual’s phonetic inventory.

Stage B2 (1 week after exposure): Coronal nasals, dorsal approximants, and any and all laryngeal consonants are replaced.

Stage B3 (7 weeks after exposure): All nasals and approximants, as well as voiced coronal and dorsal fricatives, are replaced.

Stage B4 (5 months after exposure): All consonants other than labial plosives and unvoiced labial fricatives are replaced, as well as all back vowels.

Stage B5 (1 year after exposure): All phonemes are replaced with SCP-3735.

As far as Foundation linguists can determine, SCP-3735b is entirely unconscious and irreversible, whether by amnestics or by any other means. SCP-3735b-positive individuals can understand spoken language, and hear nothing abnormal about their own speech.

Upon being exposed to SCP-3735, SCP-3735a-negative individuals develop symptoms based on exposure time. These symptoms cease upon conclusion of exposure, and their effects can easily be removed from memory through use of class-B amnestics if concluded before reaching Stage A5.

Stage A1 (upon exposure): Mild headache

Stage A2 (thirty seconds of exposure): Throbbing headache, hyperventilation, a sensation of a “swollen tongue.”

Stage A3 (one minute of exposure): Sharp headache, difficulty breathing, overproduction of saliva, visible swelling of the tongue

Stage A4 (two minutes of exposure): Acute anaphylaxis

Stage A5 (three minutes of exposure): The pharynx and tongue [REDACTED], inevitably causing severe blood loss and expiration.

Recovery: SCP-3735 was first identified in 2015, when an SCP-3735b-positive individual posted a recording of SCP-3735 in an online linguistics hobbyist group. Foundation online automated auditory memetic hazard scanners were triggered, and upon investigation by a Foundation linguist SCP-3735's anomalous properties were identified. The recording was deleted, SCP-3735a-negative listeners were treated and amnestized, and MTF Mu-143 “Prescriptivists” was deployed to contain the recording's originator, by the name of C██████ N████.

Interviewed: C██████ N████, SCP-3735b-positive individual

Interviewer: Dr. I████ P███████, Foundation linguist

Foreword: This interview was, except when marked in italics, conducted solely through written means, so as to prevent exposure to SCP-3735.

<Begin Log>

C██████ N████: I don't know what you are doing here, but it has got to be illegal.

Dr. P███████: This will go a lot easier for you if you cooperate, sir. When did you first develop the ability to produce a pharyngeal nasal sound?

C██████ N████: I have no idea what you're talking about!

Dr. P███████: Are you aware of the fact that your phonetic inventory is abnormal?

C██████ N████: I don't know what you mean.

Dr. P███████: So that's a no, then. Okay. Have you noticed any odd reactions to your voice? Things you wouldn't have expected?

C██████ N████: For instance?

Dr. P███████: Well, headaches, aches and pains, nosebleeds, difficulty breathing…

C██████ N████: Well, I don't go out much – I'm not a very social person. Most of my time I spend on the Internet, and I can order food online – I work from home. The last time I tried to talk to someone, she left in, like, thirty seconds. She said she had a bad headache, and never came back. I think that was a pathetic excuse. What a bitch.

Dr. P███████: Ah. So when was the most recent time you had a full conversation with someone?

C██████ N████: Why are you judging me for being antisocial? At least I work from home at a normal job, instead of at some sort of weird secret research facility.

Dr. P███████: Again, it would be easier for both of us if you work with us. When was the most recent time you had a full conversation with someone?

C██████ N████: I guess it was about five months ago. An old friend from ████ High2 called me. I don't know how he got my number, to be honest. But we talked for a few minutes until he abruptly hung up. Don't know why.

Dr. P███████: Can you tell me this high school friend's name?

C██████ N████: You know, I can't quite remember right now. It started with an N, I think. From Brazil3. Can I go now?

Dr. P███████: I'm afraid that won't be possible. Security, put Mr. N████ here in a regular quiet box. Sorry about this, sir.

<End Log>

Closing Statement: It seems clear from this interview that SCP-3735b-positive individuals are completely unaware of their condition. This could be a difficulty in maintaining containment.

Addendum:

+RESTRICTED to clearance level 3 and up

-Clearance approved

As of 13 May 2018, reports have come in of a remote tribe in the Amazon Basin whose language makes regular use of SCP-3735, whose members show no signs of any of the effects of SCP-3735 exposure. This group has been tentatively assigned as GoI-3735. Connections to PoI-3735 are being investigated.

Footnotes

1. In linguistics, a phone is defined as a distinct speech sound or gesture regardless of whether its exact sound is critical to the meaning of the word. This is distinct from a phoneme, which, if swapped with another phoneme, could alter the word's meaning. For instance, in English, aspirated phones are allophonic and do not alter the meaning of the word, whereas in Hindi aspirated phones are distinct phonemes.

2. Said school has not been identified.

3. Said individual has not been identified. He has been reclassified as PoI-3735 for the time being.