The Traveler's name

[Khan Harrison]

In Where No One has gone before the Traveler tells Riker that his name is not pronouncable by humans.

Why didnt Riker just say "why dont you just say it for us then, so we know what it sounds like?"

 

[QuarkforNagus]

"In order to pronounce it properly, we would have to cut out your tongue."

 

[Pavonis]

In Where No One has gone before the Traveler tells Riker that his name is not pronouncable by humans.

Why didnt Riker just say "why dont you just say it for us then, so we know what it sounds like?"

Maybe the proper pronunciation of the Traveler's name involves sounds that are out of the range of human hearing. Or maybe his name was a particular shade of infrared or ultraviolet that humans can't see. In either case, "pronouncing his name" would leave everyone no more informed about his name than just saying it is unpronounceable.

 

[GalaxyX]

Isn't this a typical Sci-Fi trope? The alien's name who is unpronounceable to humans.

They did this with Spock in TOS as well. If I remember correctly, his Vulcan name is supposed to be unpronounceable. It seems they dropped that idea pretty quickly though. I'm surprised it survived to TNG.

 

[Pavonis]

It's a trope for a reason. The idea that aliens would use the same phonemes as all human languages would be unrealistic.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Why didnt Riker just say "why dont you just say it for us then, so we know what it sounds like?"

Because whenever people hear a name that's unusual, they try to pronounce it even if they can't. My name is Indian, and people frequently get it wrong even though it's not hard to pronounce.

--Sran

 

[Timo]

Exactly. For all we know, the name of Spock that humans could never pronounce correctly was "Spock", and Spock had just learned to control his grimace reflex whenever Kirk butchered the word...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Exactly. For all we know, the name of Spock that humans could never pronounce correctly was "Spock", and Spock had just learned to control his grimace reflex whenever Kirk butchered the word...

You might be onto something, Timo. Maybe that's why he went through the Kolinahr.

--Sran

 

[R. Star]

In Where No One has gone before the Traveler tells Riker that his name is not pronouncable by humans.

Why didnt Riker just say "why dont you just say it for us then, so we know what it sounds like?"

It's just a random plot device to make this guy seem that much more alien. That's all. As if the funny forehead and creepy looks weren't clue enough.

 

[Crazyewok]

Why didnt Riker just say "why dont you just say it for us then, so we know what it sounds like?"

Because the actor is human and cant pronounce it either

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^

--Sran

 

[Leviathan]

...actually....not far off! The Traveler was in humanoid form thus maybe couldn't pronounce it.

...or he was just being a jackass. Either works.

 

[Mojochi]

Unpronounceable by human standards could mean many things. Maybe it's ultra or infrasonic. Could be if he said his name, only dogs on the ship would hear it or Spot

 

[doctorfoto]

Maybe he's just embarrassed by it, like his parents named him Blues Traveller or something.

 

[Doug Otte]

I'll tell you a secret. His name is "Herbert."

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Keyser Soze.

 

[Doug Otte]

I'll tell you a secret. His name is "Herbert."

...and his middle name is "Fenton."