Editing 890: Etymology
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{{w|Etymology}} is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time. [[Randall]] wonders what Luke would say to Han if he had no idea what a falcon was. | {{w|Etymology}} is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time. [[Randall]] wonders what Luke would say to Han if he had no idea what a falcon was. | ||
| − | Normally in sci-fi aliens would have some familiarity with Earth and the things you can find on it, such as falcons. However, Star Wars takes place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" where nobody knows Earth even exists | + | Normally in sci-fi aliens would have some familiarity with Earth and the things you can find on it, such as falcons. However, Star Wars takes place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" where nobody knows Earth even exists, thus how could the Millennium Falcon be named after an animal they have no knowledge about? This could be an example of a translation convention made for the sake of the audience; presumably, fast birds of prey exist in the ''Star Wars'' universe, one of which is the namesake of Han Solo's ship, which is then artistically translated from Basic to English as "Falcon". Likewise with the parsec, which is a unit defined by the distance of a star from the Earth which experiences a '''par'''allax of one arc'''sec'''ond when viewed six months apart (i.e. it is the length of a triangle with a base of 1 AU and the opposite angle of 1 arcsec). A galaxy which is home to space-faring civilizations will have units of similar magnitudes, which are converted into parsecs for our convenience. |
In the Star Wars novelization, this joke is made in reference to a duck: [http://www.galaxyfaraway.com/gfa/2006/04/kenobi-and-the-extraterrestrial-duck/] | In the Star Wars novelization, this joke is made in reference to a duck: [http://www.galaxyfaraway.com/gfa/2006/04/kenobi-and-the-extraterrestrial-duck/] | ||
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Kenobi: I understand you are quite a pilot yourself. Piloting and navigation aren’t hereditary, but a number of the things that can combine to make a good small-ship pilot are. Those you may have inherited. Still, even a duck has to be taught to swim. | Kenobi: I understand you are quite a pilot yourself. Piloting and navigation aren’t hereditary, but a number of the things that can combine to make a good small-ship pilot are. Those you may have inherited. Still, even a duck has to be taught to swim. | ||
| − | + | Luke: What’s a duck? | |
Kenobi: Never mind. | Kenobi: Never mind. | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
| − | Having grown up on a desert world, Luke would have no idea of what a duck or any other kind of waterfowl is, while Obi-Wan Kenobi could have seen such creatures during his time as a Jedi | + | Having grown up on a desert world, Luke would have no idea of what a duck or any other kind of waterfowl is, while Obi-Wan Kenobi could have seen such creatures during his time as a Jedi. Perhaps Luke would have understood if Obi-Wan had used a desert bird as an analogy. |
In the title text, Randall muses over the fact that he as a child did not have any problems dispensing his disbelief in a distant galaxy full of humans, but was still derailed by the language. It would seem unlikely that another galaxy has creatures so similar to humans, while at the same time being filled with so many other types of creatures. | In the title text, Randall muses over the fact that he as a child did not have any problems dispensing his disbelief in a distant galaxy full of humans, but was still derailed by the language. It would seem unlikely that another galaxy has creatures so similar to humans, while at the same time being filled with so many other types of creatures. | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | :[Four people are sitting around a small round table in a room with large windows | + | :[Four people are sitting around a small round table in a room with large windows. The four are Obi-Wan Kenobi in a cloak and with beard, Luke Skywalker with black hair down his forehead and down his neck, Han Solo with shorter black hair and the hairy creature is Chewbacca. On the table is two cylinders, a white and a smaller black. Outside the window is two alien creatures walking by. Closest is a creature looking like a Rodian (like Greedo) and further back is a creature with two black horns on top of a regular Cueball like appearnce. They walk in a street outside with buildings behind.] |
:Han Solo: Han Solo. I'm captain of the ''Millennium Falcon''. | :Han Solo: Han Solo. I'm captain of the ''Millennium Falcon''. | ||
