In Star Wars, how do they understand R2?

[Corran Horn]

I felt like Lando also understood Wookie. Am I wrong?

I'm sure that regular humans don't have the vocal capacity to talk Wookie for any length of time, though.

IIRC, there was a Star Wars novel (A Zahn written work) where Wookies actually can speak, it's just that Chewbacca has a speech impediment. Hence, his growling and hooting.

It was the other way around. Leia could only understand Ralra because *he* had a speech impediment.

 

[Smiley]

I felt like Lando also understood Wookie. Am I wrong?

I'm sure that regular humans don't have the vocal capacity to talk Wookie for any length of time, though.

IIRC, there was a Star Wars novel (A Zahn written work) where Wookies actually can speak, it's just that Chewbacca has a speech impediment. Hence, his growling and hooting.

Actually, in that novel (Dark Force Rising), one of the other Wookiees (Ralrra?) had a speech impediment that made his speech easier for humans to understand. He said that Chewbacca spoke most beautifully.

 

[John Picard]

I felt like Lando also understood Wookie. Am I wrong?

I'm sure that regular humans don't have the vocal capacity to talk Wookie for any length of time, though.

IIRC, there was a Star Wars novel (A Zahn written work) where Wookies actually can speak, it's just that Chewbacca has a speech impediment. Hence, his growling and hooting.

Actually, in that novel (Dark Force Rising), one of the other Wookiees (Ralrra?) had a speech impediment that made his speech easier for humans to understand. He said that Chewbacca spoke most beautifully.

Are you certain? The name sounds familiar (it's been about 17 years since I read the novel) but I remember the author put minor growls on the Wookies when they spoke and then it was explained to Leia that Chewbacca has a speech impediment, meaning he couldn't speak "Basic".

 

[stonester1]

Ralra is the one with the speech impediment.

 

[Stevil2001]

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ralrra

 

[John Picard]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ That sort of fanwank bollocks about Wookiee speech impediments is representative of why I can't stand the EU novels, at least, the OT ones.

 

[Maurice]

If Luke has spent years around Artoo and saw the translations on his cockpit screen, it's possible he got enough attuned to "read" Artoo's beeps enough to anticipate what he's bleeping about.

 

[Roshi]

Ahem, it's Wookiees...

 

[chrisspringob]

If Luke has spent years around Artoo and saw the translations on his cockpit screen, it's possible he got enough attuned to "read" Artoo's beeps enough to anticipate what he's bleeping about.

Years? Just how long is the time gap supposed to be between ANH and ESB?

 

[Smiley]

If Luke has spent years around Artoo and saw the translations on his cockpit screen, it's possible he got enough attuned to "read" Artoo's beeps enough to anticipate what he's bleeping about.

Years? Just how long is the time gap supposed to be between ANH and ESB?

It was roughly 3-3.5 years between the two movies.

 

[CDP]

I think Luke hears Artoo the same way we do. Scared-type beep, inquisitive-type beep, angry-type beep, and so on.

When you've lived with a cat for years, you know exactly what every single meow means.

Agreed, normally comes down to one of the 3 F's (Feed me, Fuss me, or Fuck off and leave me alone)

 

[Nick Ryder]

Kinda doubtful on that, I'm sure they just made it up as they went along

 

[hyzmarca]

I think Jedi and force-sensitive people might be able to understand Artoo to varying degrees.
Anakin was very good with droid language. Not surprising, since he built them and was excellent with tech all around.

Droids aren't connected to The Force, so it is unlikely that Force sensitivity would help understand them.

 

[O'Dib]