I watched it.
(VI) Uhura gets for not being fluent in Klingon
- Thread starter Shat Happens
- Start date
I watched it.
Just because Uhura answers the phones doesn't mean she speaks a dozen languages. It really is just the pile of books that is the issue. If they had her with just one, or a tricorder (or some kind to TOS movie "padd") and she stumbled along, it would have worked great.
It just wouldn't have been funny.
As for Red October, yeah the courtroom scene switch from Klingon to English by dollying in was right out of that movie. So was the hunting torpedo at the end. Change "to be or not to be" to Chang's first saying "you arrogant ass, you killed us" and you have the same climax.
But the TUC version gives me a bigger thrill.
It just wouldn't have been funny.
As for Red October, yeah the courtroom scene switch from Klingon to English by dollying in was right out of that movie. So was the hunting torpedo at the end. Change "to be or not to be" to Chang's first saying "you arrogant ass, you killed us" and you have the same climax.
But the TUC version gives me a bigger thrill.
> Uhura gets for not being fluent in Klingon
but nobody gives McCoy it for not knowing Klingon anatomy
He literally boarded the Klings ship to made things worse
Dadblammit McCoy why
but nobody gives McCoy it for not knowing Klingon anatomy
He literally boarded the Klings ship to made things worse
Code:
KIRK: I'm going aboard. Spock, you have the conn.
SPOCK: I am responsible for involving you in this. I will go.
KIRK: No, I'll go. You'll be responsible for getting me out of this. We'll not be the instigators of a full-scale war on the eve of universal peace.
McCOY: I'm going too. They may need a doctor.
SPOCK: Perhaps you're right.Dadblammit McCoy why
Just thought that I'd comment on Uhura speaking Klingon.
I was semi-fluent in French from around 1998 to 2001. Now I am not. For sure, I'd understand a bit, but I couldn't hold a conversation any more. I guess the crew didn't have time to bone up on Klingon anatomy and language before meeting with Kronos One.
I was semi-fluent in French from around 1998 to 2001. Now I am not. For sure, I'd understand a bit, but I couldn't hold a conversation any more. I guess the crew didn't have time to bone up on Klingon anatomy and language before meeting with Kronos One.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Uhura not knowing the Klingon language. The original series characters were not experts at everything. They had their limitations. Just like real people do. Only later iterations of these characters made them super experts at everything. The whole point of the universal translator was to make up for the fact that somebody like Uhura couldn't speak 50 different languages.
It was the volumes in volumes of books on the bridge and everybody having to help her out that was the problem.
It was the volumes in volumes of books on the bridge and everybody having to help her out that was the problem.
You can argue one way or the other on Uhura's aptitude but the book is irrefutable.
EDIT: Also the fact that they clearly were not ready for this. Did they not think the Klingons would try to talk to them?
They weren't prepared to sneak behind Klingon lines, no. They could use the UT for official communications with Gorkon's people if necessary, but as Chekov said, the UT would be recognized. That part makes sense to me.
As for Uhura's skills, in the original series and movies, she was shown to be the communications officer, i.e. the switchboard operator. Until the Bad Robot films, that's all she really was officially (and sure she was great at it and could wire than console like a pro). The books and maybe the comics and other non-canon stuff made her more. So the film was well within reasonability to make her unable to speak Klingon.
It's not that they didn't know in advance that they were going to sneak into Klingon territory. Obviously.
But how long was it before the time that they got the news "Hey, we're going after the Captain!" to "Oh, crap! Um... Do we have a book on Klingon or something?"
The scene is played entirely for laughs. It's the space equivalent of teenagers getting pulled over right after one of them just spilled beer all over the dashboard.
Oh, yeah, that I entirely agree with. As I probably said up thread, if this scene were played seriously, it could've been a very effective moment of tension.
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