Words you've learned (and learned how to use) from Star Trek

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Now the temptation is to fill this thread with technobabble words like tachyons and duranium shadows... but

I'm trying to be a bit more serious.

Often, in Trek, the characters have a propensity to sue language well, to articulate themselves in a manner different than the way we do. also, many of the actors are theatrically trained, allowing for some unique word usage in their various speeches.

What words have you learned from Star Trek? How has it helped your vocabulary?

Example, I used today:
ineffable

Data used it in Measure of a Man. I use it to describe what is lost when I try to describe a dream I had to someone else. I'd never heard that word before I was 15, and that episode aired, yet, as soon as Data said it, I knew what he meant. It was a great learning experience for me!

 

[Metryq]

A high school friend once told me, "Stop that! Normal people don't talk that way." Aside from watching TREK as a kid, the 5000 books insulating the house may have been a factor.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

I believe my first encounter of the word "Trek" was as a wee lad watching first-run TOS. In fact, a significant number of my contemporaries consistently referred to the show as "Star Track." And, to be honest, "Star Trek" did sound rather dorky to my young mind.

 

[stj]

Cenotaph and elogium spring instantly to mind.

 

[Greg Cox]

Not Star Trek, but I got my introduction to Freudian theory from Forbidden Planet. "Dad, what's a monster from the Id?"

And, yes, I learned the word "mutant" from the original X-Men comics.

And I learned about communion wafers from Dracula . . . . .

Nothing from Trek immediately comes to mind, though.

P.S. One more: I learned about "antibodies" from Fantastic Voyage.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I probably learned the words "warp," "transport," and "starship" from Trek.

But I can't really say Trek has helped my vocabulary any, since I really don't use various terms from any series in real life.

 

[CaptainDave1701]

Earl Grey Tea....
No, really as I had never heard of it before. I have often wondered if it had not been for Star trek would Earl Grey Tea have had any sort of popularity . It was hard to keep on the shelves back when Next Gen was on.

 

[Moopsy]

"Peroration" (I, Mudd)
"Inculcate" (The Galileo Seven)

 

[SchwEnt]

I'm gonna take a guess and say that most of these words are gonna be coming from Spock.

I know it's true for me.

 

[Avon]

"Interferometric"

thank you voyager

 

[iguana_tonante]

Most English words.

Before I started watching Star Trek in the original language (opposed to the Italian dubbing they show on tv here), my English was limited to "Where is the restroom?" and "The pen is on the table"...

 

[sbk1234]

Boldly

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I've learned the word "limned" from the books. It seems its included in a special vocabulary list Treklit authors are encouraged to use.

 

[Sigokat]

Earl Grey Tea....
No, really as I had never heard of it before. I have often wondered if it had not been for Star trek would Earl Grey Tea have had any sort of popularity . It was hard to keep on the shelves back when Next Gen was on.

Similar to how Jelly Bellys became famous when Ronald Regan named them as his favorite candy?

And Earl Grey Tea is good and I'll admit I only tried it because Picard drank it!

As to other words...I can't think of any off the top of my head. I usually stick with quoting lines from Star Trek when I find a situation that's appropriate, but not specific words used in every day conversation.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

"Peroration" (I, Mudd)
"Inculcate" (The Galileo Seven)

I fucking love that word "inculcate"!!

And then there is that great and powerful word that would never have pierced my tech-tard mind without Star Trek: tachyon. Sweet, sweet tachyons.

 

[T J]

Deleterious.

Data suggested synthohol instead of normal alcohol stating it has none of the deleterious effects.

I had this absolutely ignorant woman from California, she thought she was the cleverest thing since sliced cheese, argue up and down with me that word did not exist and that I made it up. I was so amazed and disgusted by her blatant and proud ignorance I wrote off every person in California as the dumbest on Earth. I've since been proven right dozens of times.

 

[xortex]

They did that a lot in TOS like in 'Voyagers' where you learned a new history lesson every week and were encouraged to go the the library and use language and knowledge as a tool to get ahead, especially precise language like a scientist would use or write. It also garners you more respect by using the big words to say exactly what you mean. the first word I learned and loved was interpolate when Spock offered to to attempt to do so in WNMHGB.
There was an old joke about a school teacher asking a child's parent to say some words to see if she could speak well intelligently to which she replied, 'Purely irrelevant words, mom?'

 

[xortex]

Also reminds me of Kirk telling Kracko in 'A Piece os the Action' that his behavior was arrested to which he replies 'I've never been arrested in my entire life.' I'm still not sure about that word being right. Too lazy to look it up and see if it applies but probably used it a couple of times on people to see if they knew. noone seemed to though. I just got blank stares which worked just as well.

 

[at Quark's]

"directive"

In about, oh, 200 eps of TNG, I suppose

(I was a teenager then, and just beginning to learn English in secondary school).

also, several of the words mentioned earlier, like "inculcate" and "deleterious".

 

[Captain McBain]

Oh, I mistakenly clicked on this post. I don't comment on the threads of people with ignorant screennames.