# "I'm givin 'er all she's got, cap'n" --History

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213346>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 15, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213346 "2003-11-15T00:32:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Puce\_Strands\_of\_GlibberPuklasM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7993a0/32.png) [@Puce\_Strands\_of\_GlibberPuklasM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puce_Strands_of_GlibberPuklasM)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213346/1 "2003-11-15T00:32:14Z")

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Dear Yall.

Most of you are probably familiar with Scotty’s responses to the Captain’s requests for more power. This cliche’ appears in Chicken Run and innumerable other shows and movies.

But we are told that it predates Star Trek. Apparently, somewhere in Hollywood history, there’s a scottish boilerman in the engine room hollering “I canna give ye the steam, cap’n!”

I am wondering if there is not some history or chronicle of this cliche’ somewhere. I’d especially be interested to know the original occurrence.

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**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213346/2 "2003-11-15T02:46:11Z")

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I just want to say I love your username. Can’t help you with your question though. Sorry.

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213346/3 "2003-11-15T04:14:09Z")

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I know that Doohan claims it was his idea of making the chief engineer a Scotsman. He said that all the great engineers have been Scots (And well, no offense to our neighbors to the North, it’s not particularly easy to tell Canadians and 'Merkins apart at times), so there might be some cinematic reference that he was pulling this idea from.

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**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213346/4 "2003-11-15T08:11:13Z")

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Welcome to the SDMB, grasshopper.  
the OP makes me think of this :

"Dammit Jim ! I’m a _Doctor_, not a _physician_!!

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**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213346/5 "2003-11-15T11:34:17Z")

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“Bones, this man needs medical attention”

“Damn it Jim, I’m a doctor not a… oh yea”