Seagulls in 'Finding Nemo'

[WILLASS]

Are the seagulls in Finding Nemo saying 'mate' (as I think) or 'mine' (as my girlfriend thinks)? Is there anyway I can prove this as we are having a minor dispute and she asked me to find out for sure.

[Little Nemo]

It's "mine".

[gobear]

They are saying, "Mine?" The purpose is to indicate that they are dim-witted scavengers that can think of nothing more than food. If you are in doubt, turn on the English subtitles on the DVD.

[WILLASS]

Thanks, I don't have the DVD (nor will I probabley ever have it) but i'll take your word for it. We both figured that each explanation was reasonable, 'mine', because they always want stuff and they are greedy or 'mate' because they are Australian and the way they say mine and mate is quite similar in OZ ie. they kind of say 'mite' like that. Well thanks guys........

[paperbackwriter]

On the DVD there's a cute little bit where they show the dubs of the seagulls into other languages. It's definitely "Mine?"

[Diogenes the Cynic]

As long as there's a Nemo thread open, what was the deal with the crabs and the bubbles? Do crabs like bubbles?

[Poetgrrl]

I believe the crabs are scavenging particles of food out of the leaks in the sewer pipe (eewww!).

I thought they were pretty funny "EEEY! EEEY! EEY!" waving their little claws about in a hostile manner :D

[Max Torque]

As long as there's a Nemo thread open, what was the deal with the crabs and the bubbles? Do crabs like bubbles?
I don't think it was the bubbles they were after. More like, they were after the, erm, "stuff" that filtered out of the undersea sewer pipe. Crabs don't izzakly gots discriminatin' palates.

[Avalonian]

I don't think it was the bubbles they were after. More like, they were after the, erm, "stuff" that filtered out of the undersea sewer pipe. Crabs don't izzakly gots discriminatin' palates.

I figured as much, too, but the whole "sweet nectar of life" thing made me wonder if I was missing something.

One man's sewage, I guess... (yuck).

[RealityChuck]

It's "mine." No other word could better discribe what a seagull ("flying rat of the sea") would be saying.

BTW, the design of the seagulls was cribbed from the penguin in "The Wrong Trousers."

[don't ask]

I went to the video shop today and noticed that there were about 20 copies of Freaky Friday out but only about 5 copies of Finding Nemo and it's fresh out this week. Is it a similar rental dud elsewhere?

[Jonathan Chance]

Don't forget that most of us with small children were absolutely hammered into buying it when it came available a while back.

Hence, no need to rent.

[don't ask]

I'm not sur it's on sale here yet. Usually the video shops get a head start.

[Zebra]

I have a cousin that is 15. She told me that in her school, particullary at lunch, if one person say 'Mine' that the rest of the room would start in with 'Mine' 'Mine' 'Mine'.

I bet the teachers got sick of that one really quickly.

[gex gex]

don't ask - It went on sale in Australia on January 16. It's doing pretty well at my store, I think. Don't know about the rental situation.

[FilmGeek]

In our house, Ardred and I's favorite thing is to shout "MINE! MINE!" at every opportunity and raise our arms and "hey! hey!", mostly at the cats and dog.

We're geeks, though.

[FilmGeek]

In our house, Ardred and I's favorite thing is to shout "MINE! MINE!" at every opportunity and raise our arms and "hey! hey!", mostly at the cats and dog.

We're geeks, though.

[mobo85]

BTW, the design of the seagulls was cribbed from the penguin in "The Wrong Trousers."

According to an online chat (www.usatoday.com/community/chat_03/2003-06-06-stanton.htm) with Nemo's director (and the voice of Crush), Andrew Stanton, the similarity to Feathers McGraw is a coincidence. "We just wanted to make the birds look as stupid as possible. But I don't mind being compared to such a great character," says he.

[Kizarvexius]

As anyone who has even lived on a seagull-infested coastline can tell you, "mine" is an entirely appropriate translation for their obnoxious noises.

I lived in northern California when I was in junior high. Our school allowed us to eat our lunches outside the cafeteria, but very few people did -- because of the seagulls. I have witnessed these "rats with wings" grabbing food from off of the picnic table while the hapless diner tries vainly to wave them away. I even watched as a bird snatched a morsel off of some kid's fork as he raised it to his mouth.

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

Ahh! I'd wondered who this "Mike" fellow was that the seagulls kept going on about. It makes a lot more sense now.

Daniel

[elfkin477]

Thanks, I don't have the DVD (nor will I probabley ever have it) but i'll take your word for it. We both figured that each explanation was reasonable, 'mine', because they always want stuff and they are greedy or 'mate' because they are Australian and the way they say mine and mate is quite similar in OZ ie. they kind of say 'mite' like that. Well thanks guys........


While your explaination is rational, you have to bear in mind that this is a G-rated movie geared towards kids preschool and up. The last thing disney wants is a lawsuit from parents whose kids wanted to know what "mate" meant.

[bluddy_bloodnut]

Thanks, I don't have the DVD (nor will I probabley ever have it) but i'll take your word for it. We both figured that each explanation was reasonable, 'mine', because they always want stuff and they are greedy or 'mate' because they are Australian and the way they say mine and mate is quite similar in OZ ie. they kind of say 'mite' like that. Well thanks guys........


Have you been to australia? We really dont say mate like that, not even those kooky queenslanders. We tend to really accentuate the a. And yeah, Finding Nemo...love that movie.

[Richard Pearse]

Have you been to australia? We really dont say mate like that, not even those kooky queenslanders. We tend to really accentuate the a. And yeah, Finding Nemo...love that movie.

Hmmm, maybe not in your part of Australia, but I hear a lot of Australians say "mate" sounding almost exactly like those seagulls, particularly if they are Greek Australians or are imitating Greek Australians.


While your explaination is rational, you have to bear in mind that this is a G-rated movie geared towards kids preschool and up. The last thing disney wants is a lawsuit from parents whose kids wanted to know what "mate" meant.

Mate means "friend" in this context. Only animal documentaries use the word "mate" in the way you are thinking :).

[Cugel]

http://www.dailywav.com/1103/mine1.wav

At first it does sound like "mate" - it's a common expression, so it just sticks in the brain. Though it's clear it's "mine" for the most part.

[Richard Pearse]

http://www.dailywav.com/1103/mine1.wav

At first it does sound like "mate" - it's a common expression, so it just sticks in the brain. Though it's clear it's "mine" for the most part.

Yeah, I'd actually been told by someone else that they say "mate" before I saw the movie so I was always going to hear it that way.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Ahh! I'd wondered who this "Mike" fellow was that the seagulls kept going on about. I heard it that way myself at first.