# R2-d2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208 "2003-04-30T19:26:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mjenn2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8edcca/32.png) [@Mjenn2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mjenn2)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/1 "2003-04-30T19:26:48Z")
How come R2-D2 doesn’t english in star wars? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/2 "2003-04-30T19:28:26Z")
How come you doesn’t english in your post? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/3 "2003-04-30T19:33:39Z")
It English does too. ---
**Author:** ![db4530](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@db4530](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/db4530)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/4 "2003-04-30T19:36:10Z")
I guess my status as a Star Wars geek will shine through on this post. R2-D2 was an astromech droid. His/her primary purpose was to communicate with and fix faulty electric/electronic/mechanical equipment. As such, the language which Artoo would speak is that of computers/starships and other machines. In Star Wars, English was only spoken by those droids intended to interact with humans (like the droids on the refugee ship or Dex’s diner in Attack of Clones). While C3-PO often translated for Artoo, such translation wasn’t necessary as many humans could interact directly with Artoo (especially Luke in the original trilogy and Amidala and Anakin in the Prequal trilogy). NaNoo NaNoo. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/5 "2003-04-30T19:39:00Z")
In Star Wars, everybody can understand the language the everybody else is speaking. Doesn’t matter whether it’s R2-D2, Greedo, or Chewbacca. Nobody has to learn to speak another language, they just learn to listen it. Why they needed C-3PO is the real question. ---
**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:** [April 30, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/6 "2003-04-30T19:55:25Z")
What’s interesting is that if she had asked “Why doesn’t C-3PO beep in star wars?” it would’ve made sense! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/7 "2003-04-30T19:55:26Z")
Mjenn2, forgive the gentle teasing - welcome to the boards, enjoy your stay. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/8 "2003-04-30T20:05:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by db4530 \* > **I guess my status as a Star Wars geek will shine through on this post.** And my status as a different kind of geek… :dubious: > [@](#): > > R2-D2 was an astromech droid. His/her primary purpose was to communicate with and fix faulty electric/electronic/mechanical equipment. As such, the language which Artoo would speak is that of computers/starships and other machines. > > In Star Wars, English was only spoken by those droids intended to interact with humans (like the droids on the refugee ship or Dex’s diner in Attack of Clones). I can understand the need for a more efficient communication between droidkind and ships… but why use an audible communication signal at all? That seems analagous to using a crappy dialup connection when you could upgrade to broadband… Even if there is a good reason for this (all machines can hear and understand a standardized language, but they don’t all have a USB connector or something?), why do astromech droids understand English if they can’t speak it? Even if language production costs extra, it seems that being unable to report directly to the pilot that the reactor’s on fire would be a Very Bad Idea… ---
**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:** [April 30, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/9 "2003-04-30T20:11:50Z")
Actually, X-wings (and assumably all astomech-using fighters) have translators for the droid. You can see it in the movies - it’s a little screen that scrolls the words across as the droid beeps. And the droid has to understand English (called Basic in the Starwars world, and it actually has a different alphabet, IIRC) or else the pilot couldn’t give it commands. ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/10 "2003-04-30T20:16:08Z")
But how did they learn to speak English in a galaxy far far away? Just kidding. ---
**Author:** ![db4530](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@db4530](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/db4530)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/11 "2003-04-30T20:18:46Z")
Here’s a funny story… When I was in high school (and before I became the scifi nerd that I am today) I asked a friend of mine (who was already a full-fledged scifi nerd) the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek. He replied to my question in all seriousness by stating: “Star Trek takes place in the future. Star Wars took place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” He and I lost touch after high school. ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/12 "2003-04-30T20:19:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Speaker for the Dead \* > \*\* > And the droid has to understand English (called Basic in the Starwars world, and it actually has a different alphabet, IIRC) or else the pilot couldn’t give it commands. \*\* The Roman alphabet was occasionally used at least until the Death Star was destroyed… take a look at the work station where Obi-Wan is turning off the tractor beam. After that point, it was apparently banned, even though the only person left who could read it had been killed by Darth Vader. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/13 "2003-04-30T20:56:48Z")
R2 units are built to take orders from humans and not complain about anything to them. Droids in the SW universe are clearly regarded as tools at worst or pets at best from the way they are treated. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/14 "2003-04-30T21:13:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by db4530 \* > **R2-D2 was an astromech droid. His/her primary purpose…** His. Artoo is “male.” Threepio says (and I paraphrase greatly) that “he ran away” when Luke asks in SW:ANH where Artoo has gone after he removed the restraining bolt. And it’s C-3P0, not C-3PO. Note the use of a zero and not a capital “O.” Who’s the geek now? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/15 "2003-04-30T21:34:43Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, **Mjenn2**. Since this is about a film, I’ll move this thread to our arts forum, Cafe Society. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Firx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Firx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firx)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/16 "2003-04-30T22:25:34Z")
> [@](#): > > And it’s C-3P0, not C-3PO. Note the use of a zero and not a capital “O.” Since we’ve brought it up, what’s the deal with these “names” that the droids have? Are they supposed to be like serial numbers (for example, did R2-D2 come off the line right after R2-D1 or something)? If so, how does that mesh with the fact that C-3P0 was built out of spare parts but still has such a handle? Why not just call him, I dunno, Alex, or some other ‘real’ name? If they aren’t meant to be serial numbers then where do they come from? Again, why not just give the droid a normal name? ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/17 "2003-04-30T22:43:11Z")
I believe that the 'droids are “named” due to function and classification. For example, Artoo Deetoo would be an Artoo 'droid (mechanics/computer communication) of the Deetoo classification (possibly the specific types of mechanics he deals with–which seem to be military or commercial). Threepio would be a C 'droid (communications–the correllation between “C” and ‘communications’ may be irrelevent) of the 3P0 classification (human cyborg relations, translation of over 6,000(0?) languages). ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/18 "2003-04-30T22:48:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Firx \* > \*\*If they aren’t meant to be serial numbers then where do they come from? Again, why not just give the droid a normal name? \*\* Again, it’s to make it clear that droids are tools and not people. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/19 "2003-04-30T22:57:39Z")
Because it’s cute. It’s just a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208/20 "2003-04-30T23:19:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NYR407 \* > **But how did they learn to speak English in a galaxy far far away?** It was only a long time ago in a galaxy far far away from the point of view of the narrator. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t in our future. That would explain why they also say “hello.” 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r2-d2/172208.md?page=2)