Clevi Cloverspeak

Clevi Cloverspeak (pronounced Clee-vye) or Shivni (shiv-nye) is a made up language/sound-game invented by Winston Cook-Wilson and Nick Fesette that came to prominence on the Hamilton College "darkside" in 2006, and reached its zenith in The Boneshack.

Its origins can be traced to "the best week ever" during which Fesette discovered the character/persona of Clevi Cloverdoo. The genesis of the "language" in its mature form occurred the night Cook-Wilson got insanely drunk and filmed himself documentary-style. From this point on Clevi Cloverspeak became: 1.) A battle between two figures--usually bored or intoxicated--for the prize of who could make the most unexpected sound-word; and 2.) A method of describing a thing/human when pragmatic language fails. Today the battles are only an occasional occurrence, but many devotees still use Clevi Cloverspeak as a world-descriptor (i.e. Freakfuck).

There are no basic rules to speaking Shivni and it is generally free, but over time some common forms/themes were discovered. The first is a simple play on the name Clevi Cloverdoo itself (i.e. Xevni Hroogafloo). Another is to end a word with "-ong" as in Bavnong, Crangwong, Fraktong, etc. Also a kind of lilting tone can be used to string many words together and make a larger hypnotizing phrase: Viv na gab na swap swap swap na fry, etc. Also see "I believe..."

Cloverspeak battles have also resulted in the creation of new characters in the Cloverdoo universe. Notable personalities include Mary Magdalene, Nabiznibi, Bavni, Chimrangasnid, Irrideable Ed, Ichabod Maccabeus, Truefly, Bertram (from the short Cloverdoo-produced film of the same name) the mysterious woodland shroud Wobli (developed by Tom Lewek). Alternate personas of battlers have also been assumed during battles: Clambake, Parseltongue, Shimsham, Dick Minette, Crivram, Rick Rolette, Pierre (a French child molester), Mr. Valentino, Augustus Billingsworth, Slavnong and the omnipresent bird manchild Condor, to name just a few.