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Post by gelosia on Jul 14, 2007 16:57:48 GMT -5
Sorry if this doesn't belong here, but I didn't know where else to put this question and since 10 is the current Doctor, I thought it might go here.
Something I can't figure out, does the Doctor really speak english? Or is he speaking whatever language Time Lords speak and the TARDIS is translating into everyone elses' language?
If the Doctor is actually speaking english? How come he does when he has a TARDIS to translate for him?
It just seems odd to me that a different species would ALWAYS speak one language on one random planet. I know the Doctor really likes earth, but the fact that he speaks it on other places is just weird.
Could someone clarify this for me?
Also surely the Doctor must have some other name on his home planet. Is he just not able to pronounce it to his companions and so made the title of the Doctor?
Thanks for any help. I tried looking this up myself, but couldn't find the answers.
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Post by Massimo on Jul 15, 2007 3:37:56 GMT -5
For what I know all we know about the language issue is that the Tardis acts as a universal translator but I don't remember the Doctor saying what language he's really speaking so it's possible that he's always actually speaking Gallifreyan.
Concerning the Doctor's real name in the series 3 finale he and the Master say that they both chose their names so we can assume that they had different birth names.
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Post by dbrummett2 on Jul 15, 2007 21:14:19 GMT -5
I asked the same question once. This is the answer I got. Well I should think that in some stories where the Doctor is in a different time to the TARDIS, ie 'Day of the Daleks', I think has been speaking English, probably having learnt it as a result of being near humans that speak that language.  |
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Post by dbrummett2 on Jul 15, 2007 21:30:15 GMT -5
Concerning the Doctor's real name in the series 3 finale he and the Master say that they both chose their names so we can assume that they had different birth names. I don't think they (the writers) should ever reveal his name. That would spoil it. It's called Doctor Who for a reason. |
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Post by The Thinker on Jul 16, 2007 11:25:55 GMT -5
I asked the same question once. This is the answer I got. Well I should think that in some stories where the Doctor is in a different time to the TARDIS, ie 'Day of the Daleks', I think has been speaking English, probably having learnt it as a result of being near humans that speak that language. Ah, you (or more appropriately, I) took the words right out of my mouth. ;D Well, it's only logical, isn't it? In fact, I should think he's been near them so often, he's practically speaking it all the time. Also I think something similar applies for Susan and Romana, as they've been seen in places where the TARDIS isn't in the same time zone (e.g. "The Keys of Marinus" for Susan, and parts of "City of Death" for Romana). If you're going to hang around a certain species or group of people, at least learn their language. |
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Post by dbrummett2 on Jul 17, 2007 22:02:19 GMT -5
Just thought of something. In Smith & Jones the Judoon had to assimilate English. So either the TARDIS has a limited range for translating, or the Judoon language wasn't one the TARDIS could translate. It's most alien languages, right? If it's the first then we can definitely say the Doctor is always speaking English.
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Post by leerogers on Jul 18, 2007 5:07:06 GMT -5
In response to dbrummett2, the TARDIS had been left behind on Earth when the hospital in Smith and Jones was taken to the Moon, so by the time the Judoon arrived, it must have been outside the range of the TARDIS's translator.
However, there must be many other races that also have the ability to translate - we saw Linx used a translator in the opening scene of The Time Warrior, and Scaroth in City of Death was clearly able to speak English throughout history without the presence of the TARDIS.
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Post by The Thinker on Jul 18, 2007 13:37:13 GMT -5
So, other species need help in translating things, but I think it's safe to say that the Doctor can easily speak English at the native level. Now, as for Scaroth in 'City of Death', there, either he had a translator, or had actually gone to the trouble of learning the various Earth languages (which would be Ancient Egyptian, Latin, the Celtic Languages, French, Italian, English and such in this case), I have a feeling that it could actually be both.
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Post by cindylouwho on Sept 21, 2007 10:21:59 GMT -5
I assumed he was speaking English, because when the TARDIS translation technology goes offline in Christmas Invasion, the doctor doesn't speak any differently. Also, his accent changes as Queen Victoria notes during Tooth and Claw. I think it safe to assume that anyone with an intellect the size his is supposed to be would be very capable of learning English in short order.
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Post by dbrummett2 on Oct 1, 2007 19:08:17 GMT -5
In The Christmas Invasion the Doctor was speaking to the Sycorax leader and said something in the alien's language, (presumably an insult) but the TARDIS didn't translate. Then in The Girl in the Fireplace he said Reinette was speaking the right period French, but we hear English. I guess since the TARDIS and the Doctor are telepathic, that must mean he can override the translation circuits.
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