[Star Trek reboot] Langue (english)

[C_K_unlimited]

Langue

fandom: Star Trek – reboot
author: barb1808
prompt: accent
word count: 918

disclaimer: I do not own anything out of the Star Trek universes, not even a mirrored one. But I borrowed Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura and some others to play with them. I think I treated them well and put them back in best condition.

A/N: I'm sorry, but once again I have to submit this without beta. If you find anything odd or wrong feel free to tell me so I'll improve for the next time and can correct it here.
This is once again a ficgrab entry over at EyesSkyward.com. I saw the prompt "accent" and couldn't not write something for it.

~*~

langue (french word) Noun, feminine

(a) tongue; also (fig) délier la ~ à qn to loosen sb's tongue; se mordre la ~ to bite one's tongue; (fig) je m'en mordais la ~ I was kicking myself for having said anything; avoir la ~ dans sa poche to keep quiet about things, keep things to oneself; tirer la ~ to stick one's tongue out (à qn, at sb); (Infml) to be thirsty (neutral), be gagging for a drink (quite Slang); (Infml) to be strapped for cash, be a bit strapped (Infml); (fig) donner sa ~ au chat to give in, give up; (fig) t'as perdu ta ~? has the cat got your tongue?
(b) language, tongue (literary); ~ étrangère foreign language; ~ maternelle native language, (Ling) mother tongue; ~s vivantes modern languages; étudiant de ~s vivantes modern linguist (term used at some universities), modern language(s) student; de ~ française French-speaking country, French language newspaper; (fig) parler la ~ de bois to speak in clichés;
(c) (way of speaking) language; ~ parlée/écrite spoken/written language; la ~ journalistique journalistic language, journalese; ~ scientifique scientific jargon; ~ verte slang
(d) strip of land

~*~

Nyota Uhura loved being a member of Starfleet, being part of the crew of the USS Enterprise. There with all the different beings around she could indulge in her passion: languages. All kinds of languages made her happy. Their vocabulary, their grammar, structure, cadence, intonation all that made her skin tingle in joy. She always tried to get through the mumble jumble of syllables and words to get to the center of what the speaker was saying. But not only could she have fun deciphering different languages in her position. She could also enjoy a wide variety of accents. Every species brought their own language with accents and a different way of speaking standard. Just like humans themselves hardly ever spoke exactly the same due to their different origins, upbringing and character.

Sometimes off-shift she would sit in the rec room like now surrounded by friends and colleagues and just listen. In one corner of the room the Captain and his best friend the CMO were having a quiet conversation. The doctor's Georgian drawl evident even when she didn't really hear the words. But the flow of syllables could only be him. For Nyota someone's way of speaking was as unique as a finger print. Not only the doctors strong southern accent or the Scottish sounds their Chief engineer used as language. She could also tell apart Sulu's way of speaking from the Captain's from Ensign Smith's. Even the so called “twin Ensigns”, two redshirts of Lieutenant Giotto's security team, had each their own way of speaking. Although they were really twins, monozygotic even, Bob spoke slightly faster, tripping over his tongue in his eagerness, while Ben made more pauses, changed a sentence while saying it.

When the door opened and she heard several people entering talking animatedly Nyota smiled. Pavel Chekov was once again telling a story about something invented in Russia. But this time his audience obviously disagreed and they were in the middle of a discussion. The fact that someone answered back was enough to know already that at least one of the new yeomen from space station 3 was involved. They were only aboard for about a week and still thought they could convince the Russian genius of his error. But listening more closely the communications expert could hear that one of the yeomen involved was from earth, New Zealand. The second sounded like an Andorian who grew up on a star base. There were just too few traces of a real accent, so she must've been around beings from many different places. The third one spoke like a Tellarite. Curious Nyota turned her head to the left and seeing the group of four people seating themselves at a table her smile widened. She was right about all of them. A Tellarite, a female Andorian and a Human with obvious Maori background in a heated discussion with Ensign Chekov.

“What is the reason for your amusement?”

That deep precise voice could only belong to one person. Looking back to the her right Nyota lifted her gaze to the face of Commander Spock and smiled even more.

“I was playing the accent game and got some points.”

Raising an eyebrow the Vulcan took the seat next to his friend and inquired curiously:
“The accent game?”

The dark skinned Human nodded and explained passionately:
“Yes. Did you never realize how every species have their own accent when speaking standard?”

The second eyebrow followed the first and in his response Nyota could hear a hint of bewilderment and what she called “professor voice”.
“Of course I was aware of this fact. Based on their origins, physiology and surrounding use of language everyone has an accent, some stronger like Lieutenant Commander Scott or McCoy others barely audible like yourself or the Captain.”

She nodded again and quickly resumed her explanation.
“Exactly. But even the Captain, you, myself and all the others with, as you said, 'barely audible' accents do have them. The accent game now is about hearing and placing them. Finding out where everyone comes from without asking. - You see the four over there?”

Pointing to the group she continued.
“I only heard them and guessed their origins. When you arrived I just checked if I was right.”

Spock's features softened unremarkable, but Nyota who was well versed in reading the Vulcan's body language saw the smile that was in his mind and added:
“You know how much I love language. So when I have the opportunity I just listen to all the different people aboard, the way they speak standard as well as their native languages.”

Using her chin to point at the Captain and his CMO at their table she went on:
“I can even hear that McCoy is happy and relaxed right now and that he had a good conversation with his daughter. His southern drawl is always stronger in a situation like this.”

Reaching out with his hand Spock stopped half-way before giving her a Vulcan kiss and pulled back. But in his eyes Nyota could see so many emotions that were there only for her benefit. Love. Pride. And also contentment. She gave him another smile and asked:
“Are you ready for our weekly music session?”

The answering nod was all she needed to get up and leave. The evening would definitely end on a good note – no matter what they would do when their rehearsal was done.

~*~

END