The aliens really DO speak English! (General season ten spoilers.)

[Syera]

We've heard the shiny explanations before...

"They're not really speaking English - they're speaking their own language to each other."

"They're not really speaking English - someone is translating."

"The Stargate imprints extra languages, etc. etc." (I still do like this one, though.)

It seems that in season ten, English is definitely the dominant language of the Milky Way.

-The Ancient riddles Daniel translated into English actually rhymed in English.
-Vala assumed that the Ancient words for directional right and correct would match in Ancient as they do in English.
-Vala's father was familiar enough with English that he was able to start setting up scams on Earth almost immediately. Also, he was familiar with Earth phrases like "Is this thing on?" before coming through the gate.

It seems to me that English really *is* the language of choice across the universe.

[Jackie]

We've heard the shiny explanations before...

"They're not really speaking English - they're speaking their own language to each other."

"They're not really speaking English - someone is translating."

"The Stargate imprints extra languages, etc. etc." (I still do like this one, though.)

It seems that in season ten, English is definitely the dominant language of the Milky Way.

-The Ancient riddles Daniel translated into English actually rhymed in English.
-Vala assumed that the Ancient words for directional right and correct would match in Ancient as they do in English.
-Vala's father was familiar enough with English that he was able to start setting up scams on Earth almost immediately. Also, he was familiar with Earth phrases like "Is this thing on?" before coming through the gate.

It seems to me that English really *is* the language of choice across the universe.

If they didn't speak English I don't think I would watch the show. I'm not into sub titles.

When I watch the show i would expect them to speak the same language that I can under stand the story in. If it's a full feature film, like the original film, and the language barrier is part of the plot--then I would expect sub titles.

after ten years of watching SG-1--I don't want sub titles and I think most viewers would feel the same.

It's also cost effective to have the show in the language viewers understand.

[Naonak]

-The Ancient riddles Daniel translated into English actually rhymed in English.

Which ones?

-Vala assumed that the Ancient words for directional right and correct would match in Ancient as they do in English.

Wrongly...

[Flyboy]

The reason for this is simple.

Britain is supreme. Britain not only had a global empire but we created Earth's first galactic empire. We travelled into the stars and colonised just as we did on earth. FORCING other races and civilisations to speak our language otherwise we would shun them. The Galactic British Empire was prosperous and all was good. Then World War 2 came and America got arsey and said we had to surrender all our colonies, including our galactic ones...

So... we did. But we also didn't give the US the secret fast and cheap space flight. And they still haven't worked it out yet. MUHAHAHAHAHA!

[Agent_Dark]

wrong.

[Flyboy]

(s'called a joke)

[Agent_Dark]

orly

[LaCroix]

orly

Gamespeak or the airport in Paris?

[Agent_Dark]

www.orlyowl.com

[LaCroix]

www.orlyowl.com

Thank you. Lovely website.

[The Prophet]

Ya rly

... Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the stars!...

[Col. Shadow Quinn]

It's called feasibility. It's not feasible to have every culture speak a different languager because nobody wants to spend 15-20 minutes an episode watching the characters try to understand the language. it would take time away from the plot and action.

[EnterTheWormhole]

Ya rly

... Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the stars!...

Britons never, never will take Mars!

Though the "understanding" theory does have a bit of evidence for it - there seemed to be a lot more spoken foreign tongues in the earlier season than in the later...