The "real" name of planets

[RoJoHen]

But the names of the Romulan planets are Romulus and Remus, two names ripped right from Earth mythology. That mythology still exists in the Trek universe. If I were the guy making first contact with the Romulans and they told me their planets were called Romulus and Remus, I would have to take a step back and go, "Huh?"

 

[Forbin]

Ah! I'm gald you said that parenthetical! I've been thinking “Rom II” for many years as well.

You’re galled?

Or should that be “Gauled”?

Didn't Picard find the Stone of Gaul? Or did he just have gall stones?

 

[Nerys Myk]

But the names of the Romulan planets are Romulus and Remus, two names ripped right from Earth mythology. That mythology still exists in the Trek universe. If I were the guy making first contact with the Romulans and they told me their planets were called Romulus and Remus, I would have to take a step back and go, "Huh?"

Doesn't matter. Its been established that the "Romulan" is what they call themselves. What they call their homeworlds is a different matter. My theory is that humans took that name and worked "backwards" when they discovered the Romulans had two homeworlds, giving them the names Romulus and Remus. Perhaps never actually knowing the real names until contact was re-established a Century later.

 

[RoJoHen]

My theory is that humans took that name and worked "backwards" when they discovered the Romulans had two homeworlds, giving them the names Romulus and Remus.

I would be fine with that explanation.

 

[Vanyel]

My theory is that humans took that name and worked "backwards" when they discovered the Romulans had two homeworlds, giving them the names Romulus and Remus.

I would be fine with that explanation.

So then the UT just ignores the translation of their home world's name and inserts "Romulus?"

 

[RoJoHen]

My theory is that humans took that name and worked "backwards" when they discovered the Romulans had two homeworlds, giving them the names Romulus and Remus.

I would be fine with that explanation.

So then the UT just ignores the translation of their home world's name and inserts "Romulus?"

What is a translation anyway, if not our word for it? Maybe the true name of the Romulan homeworld is Tinwfoinqdhasfjfuwnowief. The translation would still be "Romulus" because that's what we call it.

 

[Nerys Myk]

My theory is that humans took that name and worked "backwards" when they discovered the Romulans had two homeworlds, giving them the names Romulus and Remus.

I would be fine with that explanation.

So then the UT just ignores the translation of their home world's name and inserts "Romulus?"

Well in "Minefield" they refer to themselves as the "Romulan Star Empire." There is no mention of a "homeworld" by name. Perhaps they never mention its name or use a generic term like " the homeworld" or " the throneworld". So the stellar cartographers make up a name (Romulus) and that is programmed into the UT and used whenever the homeworld is mentioned. Even after the actual name is discovered.

 

[scotpens]

. . . Romulan is a word invented for Star Trek., just like Klingon. Yes its derived from “Romulus” just as Klingon is derived from the name of a guy Roddendberry knew.

Really? I never knew that. What was the guy's name -- Irving Kling?

Didn't Picard find the Stone of Gaul? Or did he just have gall stones?

Maybe he just had plenty of gall!

 

[Vanyel]

I would be fine with that explanation.

So then the UT just ignores the translation of their home world's name and inserts "Romulus?"

What is a translation anyway, if not our word for it? Maybe the true name of the Romulan homeworld is Tinwfoinqdhasfjfuwnowief. The translation would still be "Romulus" because that's what we call it.

No wonder the Romulans are always angry with the Federation, they want to be called Tinwfoinqdhasfjfuwnowiefians. I like my jokes, because someone has to.

 

[Sector 7]

I always rationalized it the way Battlestar Galactica has: Long, long ago the Romulans and Vulcans visited our world. Our mythology is based upon those visits, hence we used those names in our mythology. Centuries later we actually made contact with those races whose names really are Vulcan, Romulus and Remus, etc. Problem solved.

 

[M'Sharak]

. . . Romulan is a word invented for Star Trek., just like Klingon. Yes its derived from “Romulus” just as Klingon is derived from the name of a guy Roddendberry knew.

Really? I never knew that. What was the guy's name -- Irving Kling?

LAPD Lieutenant Wilbur Clingan, in fact. He and GR worked together during Roddenberry's time on the force.

 

[Nardpuncher]

I always rationalized it the way Battlestar Galactica has: Long, long ago the Romulans and Vulcans visited our world. Our mythology is based upon those visits, hence we used those names in our mythology. Centuries later we actually made contact with those races whose names really are Vulcan, Romulus and Remus, etc. Problem solved.

I guess you could call that problem solved....but it's quite nuts!

 

[Sci]

My theory is that humans took that name and worked "backwards" when they discovered the Romulans had two homeworlds, giving them the names Romulus and Remus.

I would be fine with that explanation.

So then the UT just ignores the translation of their home world's name and inserts "Romulus?"

A Universal Translator would almost certainly translate España, Deutschland, Zhōngguó, Miṣr, and Bhārat as "Spain," "Germany," "China," "Egypt," and "India," respectively. Why not expand that convention to include alien worlds?

 

[The Wormhole]

I always rationalized it the way Battlestar Galactica has: Long, long ago the Romulans and Vulcans visited our world. Our mythology is based upon those visits, hence we used those names in our mythology. Centuries later we actually made contact with those races whose names really are Vulcan, Romulus and Remus, etc. Problem solved.

Actually, that's quite good