# Say what, homeboy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 23, 2000, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956 "2000-10-23T09:28:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/1 "2000-10-23T09:28:03Z")
Anybody know the English translation of the Russian line that Chekov speaks in surprise to Scotty upon learning that someone (McCoy) has broken into Mr. Spock’s quarters in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock"? Even with my set on closed-captioning, it only says \ or something like that. Sir ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/2 "2000-10-23T12:52:46Z")
Apparently it’s not good… ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/3 "2000-10-23T16:52:51Z")
In the books, Chekov often says “Bozhe moi!” (My God!) Is that it? How about a phonetic attempt, so the Russophones have a chance? And if you do, can one of them tell me what “Vas yashmudya(?)” means? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/4 "2000-10-23T17:29:42Z")
Hijack: You know, this reminds me-WHY oh WHY does Chekov pronounce any word with a V in it with a W. Like Wessels, and Wiolations! D’uh! There is no **W** in the Cyrillic alphabet. Wouldn’t he instead pronounce his V’s correctly but always say a word with a W in it like a v. Like, Vat are you doing? Vhere are ve? Not a very good accent, but at least it would be closer. What the HELL is up with Wessels? NO Russian would say that! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/5 "2000-10-23T17:35:17Z")
Ya ne gavaryu pa-Russki. ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/6 "2000-10-23T21:20:04Z")
Guinastasia, I’ve wondered the same thing, but I’m not so sure no Russian would say that. For example, I’ve heard Finnish people pronounce a “v” as a “w”, but they **do** have a “v” sound in their own language (I don’t know if they have a “w” sound). I know Finnish ain’t Russian, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some Russian speakers speak English that way, too. I can understand why Japanese may have trouble with "l"s, or Germans may have trouble with "w"s, but why would anyone have trouble with a “v” sound when _it’s in their own language to begin with?_ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/7 "2000-10-23T21:41:02Z")
Exactly. I mean, the V is very present in the Russian language. My favorite professor is from Russia and his accent is NOTHING like Chekov’s. Hell, Boris and Natasha have better accents than Chekov! (And considering the man has the same name as the famous playright…_shaking head_) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/8 "2000-10-24T05:50:10Z")
For the member who asked me to try a phonetic rendering of the line, oh, god, I don’t actually own the movie, but if memory serves, Chekov says something like: “Blah, blah, Yummy vuuch, blah, blah.” Scotty looks at him in puzzlement, Chekov gestures angrily at the readout and says something like “Nouveau!!” If had to guess what he says, it would be something like: “How did anyone get in there? I sealed the damn quarters myself.” Scotty stares, Chekov says “There.” Just a guess of context. Sir ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2000, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/9 "2000-11-04T08:19:02Z")
He says (forgive the spelling) something to this effect: “Yahni suma seechie… nouvort.” I have separated it into what I think are word units, but suma and seechie may be one word. Hard to tell. If anyone speaks Russian out there, I’m still hoping to solve this. Thanks, Sir ---
**Author:** ![Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2000, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/say-what-homeboy/37956/10 "2000-11-05T09:55:56Z")
FWIW, I’ve met a number of Russians who pronounce “V” as “W”. I admit, I find it puzzling too. -Ben