Re: Stargate Languages (was: Con-Names of Planets)

Davis, Iain E. writes:
 > > -----Original Message-----
 > > From: daniel andreasson [mailto:danielandreasson@SWIPNET.SE]
 > > Sent: Thursday, 2002 September 19 16:34
 > > To: CONLANG@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU
 > > Subject: Re: [CONLANG] Stargate Languages (was: Con-Names of Planets)
 >
 > > > Or Daniel himself, since the original reason he got
 > > > involved was because of his theories related to
 > > linguistics. Perhaps
 > > > he's a "linguistic genius"? :)
 > >
 > > Haha. That's what I like to think, since I'm also a
 > > Daniel and also a linguist (or almost one, in any case.)
 > >
 >
 > > > Mostly though, I think he was selected not because they
 > > thought he was
 > > > "smarter than the others" but because he didn't have any ties to
 > > > anyone, a job, etc.  Easy to pick up and move, and kept
 > > under wraps,
 > > > if necessary.
 > >
 > > No! Don't ruin my dreams of becoming just like him! ;)
 > >
 >
 > Er. In that case, I am absolutely certain that he was selected because
 > of his linguistic genius.  A case of the government actually selecting
 > the "right person for the job" (generally a miracle). ;)
 >

From the movie, I think he was selected in part because he had some
radical theories about Egyptian history which were rejected by the
archaeological establishment (whether they specifically indicated
aliens, I don't remember).  Consequently he was a) likely to accept
the existance of the stargate with a minimum of fuss b) in need of a
job and c) unlikely to be believed, should he run off and tell people
about it.

But seriously, he has to be the greatest linguist and polyglot in the
history of mankind.  He's a walking universal translator.  Even with
his help, though, and assuming he spends a lot of time translating
which isn't shown, and that the more advanced aliens learn English
really quickly, there are things that don't make sense.  I'm pretty
sure I've seen O'Neill and Carter speaking with extraterrestrial
humans without Jackson present, and I'm even more certain that O'Neill
doesn't speak Goa'uld.

What does "kri" (sp?) mean, anyway?

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