# "I'm givin 'er all she's got, cap'n" --History **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213350 "2003-11-15T00:47:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**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, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213350/1 "2003-11-15T00:47:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213350/2 "2003-11-15T01:09:25Z")
HOO BOY! And they say my username is too long! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-givin-er-all-shes-got-capn-history/213350/3 "2003-11-15T03:59:09Z")
It wouldn’t be so long without those nasty unerscores.