A l t e r E g o 9 Posted October 15, 2003 Since before the advent of ENT one of the major complaints non-trekkers would bring up was the way the characters on Trek would speak. You know, that perfect proper way of saying everything, so totally un-like the way people of today use words. I think it was a big deal to many people and served to turn them off of Trek. Not so on ENT huh? Whatever happened to cause them to speak that way in the future has not yet occurred during the time frame of ENT. Do you think some of the things we are seeing on ENT will serve to lead up to the change in speaking styles for Starfleet personnel? What could it be that causes change like that, the need for better Diplomacy? What could it be? Do you miss the older way the characters on later series spoke? I apologize for all grammatical errors I probably did in the making of this post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1 Posted October 15, 2003 Personally, I admire the effort they put in having their grammer be correct in the previous shows. The "difference" in the way they talk in ENT, I just see it as another example of this being a different and unexplored era. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Klingonmike 0 Posted October 15, 2003 I think the way they speak makes it more real. Maybe after a couple of centuries of travling with other aliens the human vocabulary changes a bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A l t e r E g o 9 Posted October 15, 2003 I've added a new poll! Please cast your vote! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Shirt Volunteer 0 Posted October 15, 2003 It's an interesting point that they've decided to incorporate this concept into the show. If you go to a major urban centre with people who have come from different areas or parts of the world, I think you'll find they speak a more standardised form of their language than rural areas where people tend to grow up together. This is necessary so that people with diverse linguistic abilities and cultural backgrounds are able to communicate with each other on common ground. An example is Tokyo, which attracts workers from all over Japan. Japanese has a lot of different dialects, but Tokyo Japanese is known as the standard. Part of this is a result of the fact that so many people migrate there to find work from other parts of the country after university. Another factor is that the media is centred in Tokyo, which means news, TV programs and dramas produced there are broadcast to and received by viewers across the country, and thus they need to be familiar with that standard way of speaking. Perhaps Ent. is also exploring the concept that the diverse aliens that end up interacting with Starfleet influence how they communicate with each other from a "Starfleet-is-the-centre-of-it-all" point of view. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8247 0 Posted October 15, 2003 I like the more evolved way. The first 2 seasons of every series were raw, and there were senseless comments made in the beginning...example...TNG, Encounter at Farpoint...Q had just frozen the crewman who had picked up the phaser. Picard says "DONT YOU RECOGNIZE THIS??? THE STUN SETTING???" I thought that was kind of dumb, the same thing in just about everything that Tasha Yar ever said. Excessive. I know this was about Enterprise, but Encounter was the first thing that came to mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Ericks 0 Posted October 16, 2003 I am kind of torn. (I voted new way of talking) But I was like the evolved that DS9, VOY, and TNG speak, but ENT has a certain edge to it (Trip especially) that I really have taken a liking to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
~Crims~ 0 Posted October 16, 2003 (edited) I definitely like the fact that Enterprise is more raw; it's perfect for the era they are representing and it adds a certain dynamic the other shows couldn't explore. Edited October 16, 2003 by ~Crims~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LadyNarana 0 Posted October 16, 2003 I hereby null my vote - I used to teach English! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
subcommanderbeavis 0 Posted October 16, 2003 I like the way they speak on Enterprise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barry 0 Posted October 16, 2003 I like the way they speak on Enterprise. I'm with you on that choice B) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mj 7 Posted October 16, 2003 (edited) I honestly had not noticed, and had never heard of this issue. I did not vote because of this, and will try to see if I notice anything in the future. This completely slipped my notice... B) Edited October 16, 2003 by mjham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bella Posted October 16, 2003 I like the way they speak on Enterprise. I also think it's good how they slip from more formal to more casual depending on the situation. The occasional curse adds interest, but did you know that Archer's line in Shockwave II when he tells Silik what he said was cut from the UK terrestrial transmission! It goes out at 6:40 pm on Sundays on Channel 4. The repeat is in the early hours 2am or such, later in the week. I don't know if it was included then. And why do they bother with the repeat at all if they put it out at that time...?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Admiral Kirk 1 Posted October 16, 2003 I prefer the way that they speak in Enterprise. They sound more realistic and since they are only 150 years from our time (not 361) it makes since. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KayTroi 0 Posted October 17, 2003 I like the way they speak on Enterprise because they seem more in tune with people of our time. The only difference is that they are more advanced tech wise than we are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ddillard 2 Posted December 20, 2003 I like that way that they speak on Enterprise because it is closer to the language that we use today Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted December 20, 2003 Another vote for I hadn't really noticed. Exactly what are you talking about? Are you talking about grammar or the addition of certain words like Trip's famous "if you don't start moving I'm going to shoot you in the a$$"? I have noticed the addition of some commonplace expletives but I haven't really noticed grammatical errors. Someone please clarify. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1 Posted December 20, 2003 I voted The way they speak in the latter series, more evolved that way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stelfan 0 Posted December 21, 2003 I like both of them, it definitely makes it more real that they talk more "raw" on ENT. The more evolved vocabulary used on the other series also make them more real since the language probably will change a lot in the future. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
archerfan 0 Posted December 21, 2003 I also had not noticed this. I had never heard of an issue with non-trek fans either. The only thing I ever heard non-trekkies didnt like was all the techno babble. Anyways the only thing I really noticed that was different with ENT was Trips accent. I didn't vote since I never noticed a difference. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted December 21, 2003 (edited) I'm still not sure what everyone is talking about but the language on TNG etc is not "evolved"; it is modern American English. It is the same language used on ENT. If there is a difference it is in vocabulary choices- or formal over informal usage. If it were an "evolved" language we wouldn't understand it - besides the writers can only write in a language they know. ENT, because of vocabulary - not grammar - is less like the language I hear daily. Edited December 21, 2003 by TheUnicornHunter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SuraksSoul 0 Posted December 22, 2003 Doust thou not liken to the way upon which they speaketh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TransporterMalfunction 1 Posted December 24, 2003 Personally I like a bit of both, but if I had to go one way or the other I would vote with the "latter series" option. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A l t e r E g o 9 Posted December 24, 2003 Personally I like a bit of both, but if I had to go one way or the other I would vote with the "latter series" option. ENT does have both; the humans sound very much like people sound today but Phlox has that "Galaxy Speak" which is so prevalent in latter series. I guess that answers my original question of what happened or why the difference; we human's adopt the more correct sounding speaking habits of other species. Score another point for ENT and it's ability to answer questions about things unexplained in the latter series! :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted December 24, 2003 I guess that answers my original question of what happened or why the difference; we human's adopt the more correct sounding speaking habits of other species. That may be the answer for the ST world but in real life it works both ways - you pick up slang, accent and incorrect usage if you're subjected to it everyday AND don't make a concious effort to not do so. Would someone please, please explain what the difference is you are all talking about? Are you discussing accent, grammar, vocabulary or the use of more colorful metaphor? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A l t e r E g o 9 Posted December 24, 2003 TUH, others on the thread seem to understand what was meant but if you don't know what I'm talking about then I'm sorry, I don't know how to explain it to you other than to say (some) non Trekkers have said they don't like Trek because in real life people do not speak the way they do on Trek. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted December 24, 2003 Thanks AE, I just wasn't sure if they meant using certain words - borderline language like A$$ which I know ENT uses more than previous series did. My mama classifies that as a "bad" word. And I have noticed Phlox has an accent - not only that Fiezal had it too when she visited - I thought that was a good touch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunderfish 0 Posted January 7, 2004 Interesting point and not one I'd thought of before. I think that the way they speak on Enterprise is absolutely right for the stage of development - in a century or so when there will be so many more alien races within the newly formed Federation it may become necessary for speech to be more precise in order to avoid any misundertsandings. The UT will translate exactly what is said and perhaps we humans will have to pull our proverbial socks up when it comes to vocabulary in order to make intentions 100% clear. Judging by the latter shows there won't be language experts on board like Hoshi to patch up any communication problems. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bakula Bird 0 Posted January 9, 2004 (edited) I love that the characters are not afraid to say what they think, like the number of times they have said something like 'son of a ______' etc... it gives it more edge and passion. Edited September 10, 2005 by mj Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stardreamer 1 Posted January 9, 2004 Sorry, I'm not able to vote here. Ok I see the difference in the way the characters speak on ENT and on the latter shows. But I wouldn't define the way of speaking on ENT as "Primitive" or "Raw". Since ENT is the show which is the closest to our time it's appropriate that the way of speaking is close to our's - but to call that "primitive". No, I cannot go with that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites