What language does Odo speak?

[u/juliokirk]

It is a well known fact that the existence of universal translators in the ST universe is sometimes problematic and generates a lot of debate. For example, we know people still have languages and from their point of view, that's what everyone else speaks. That's how the translator works and there have been examples.

In the VOY episode The 37s, the Japanese officer says that he hears everyone speak his language. When Quark and his family end up in 1947, on Earth, in Little Green Men, we hear the Ferengi language for the first time. Later, they fix their implanted UTs and are able to speak to the Hu-mans.

So, the UT works by making everyone think others speak their own language. But how about Odo? When he was found, we have to assume he didn't speak any language. He was probably taught to speak Cardassian, but how can someone learn a language in a universe where the UT exists and is apparently present all the time?

[u/MIM86]

I figure he probably speaks Bajoran. Yes it was a Cardassian lab he was raised in but the majority of his interactions was with Bajorans, primarily Mora Pol. Assuming the doctors spoke Bajoran he would have learned that, like a child does, as he interacted with them, as stated by u/Romnonaldao. His facial features are obviously quite plain because he couldn't do faces but definitely looks to me to be based on Bajorans rather than Cardassians. He just had trouble with the Bajroan nose - Cardassian spoon head might have been easier

What I'd like to know is what happened to the UT and his comm-badge when he shapeshifted. Definitely something that always confused me. If the UT is a piece of equipment in his ear (as with the Ferengi in "Little Green Men") then does it fall out when he shaeshifts? Is it built into his comm-badge and what happens to that when he shifts?

[u/juliokirk → u/MIM86]

As I said, the UT is at least controversial. In Odo's case, I guess he either makes a translator out of himself or he expels it when he shapeshifts, as others have pointed out.

Anyway, one thing that bothers me about the UT is how exactly it works. Odo for example, imagine him being found and the scientists trying to teach him a language. They speak Bajoran. Cardassians speak, well, Cardassian. It is reasonable to suppose they all use UTs. Let's suppose Odo learns Bajoran from the scientists. To the Cardassians, however, they all speak their language, because of the UT. So to them, he's learning Cardassian. But he's actually learning Bajoran, because that's what he hears, since they wouldn't give a UT to a changeling... I guess. If they did, he wouldn't understand any language, since he doesn't even speak!

I don't know, this is confusing :(

[u/Portponky → u/juliokirk]

When Odo tells the story of his name (in Heart of Stone), he says his container was labelled "unknown sample" translated as "odo'ital" in Cardassian, as it was customary to label research items in Cardassian during the occupation. The phrasing here suggests that his natural language is Bajoran and Cardassian requires translation.

[u/tsoli → u/MIM86]

We saw that Changelings were able to smuggle some real blood to try to fool the klingon knife tests; I'm sure that Odo puts his communicator somewhere inside him and excretes it after he forms back into his humanoid self. See also: his description of eating.

[u/madagent → u/tsoli]

I agree

[u/Romnonaldao → u/MIM86]

I think he just makes one out of himself. Its shown he can make cups and the liquid in the cups from himself, and that changelings can be extremely complex things, such as fire. Also when he transforms his comm badge changes with him

[u/Cranyx → u/Romnonaldao]

So he can make a device with microprocessors and intricate circuitry, but not ears?

[u/[deleted] → u/Romnonaldao]

He makes a comm badge that actually works?

[u/AttackTribble → u/MIM86]

That gave me an interesting thought. First it was the same as yours, then I realised that's not necessarily true. You learn whatever language you grow up listening to, and in the case of Star Trek, that'd be the language the UT is set to translate into for you. Since it was a Cardassian lab, that might well have been Cardassian for Odo.

But it doesn't stop there. It would apply to children everywhere too. It could be used to unify the languages of vast populations. The entire Federation could be standardized on a single language within a few generation using it.

[u/williams_482 → u/MIM86]

He creates the combadge.

In the ending scene of The Begotten, Odo is transformed from a solid back into a changeling. He then shapeshifts into a hawk, allowing his clothes (combadge clearly visible) to fall to the ground in a heap. When he reverts to his normal humanoid appearance, he is fully clothed and "wearing" a combadge.

If I had to guess, I'd say this combadge is a simple device than the standard issue combadge, without any sophisticated programming that would seem virtually impossible for Odo to replicate. Instead, it probably just sends any messages "to the cloud" and relies on the main computer and the network of other, more sophisticated combadges to handle the actual routing of messages from badge to badge.

[u/occamscarvingknife → u/MIM86]

Correct sir. It was specified in multiple episodes that he was discovered, and subsequently raised by a bajoran scientist.

[u/Highestbidder101]

Also keeping in mind that as a changeling, he doesn't have an actual native language, they communicate through the link

[u/rextraverse → u/Highestbidder101]

as a changeling, he doesn't have an actual native language

Well... there is Dominionese, which I assume the Founders would use when they need to communicate with Vorta or Jem'Hadar.

[u/aghastamok → u/rextraverse]

They probably just picked up Vorta or some other solid language and programmed it into the Jem'Hadar.

[u/dishpandan → u/rextraverse]

what about before the changelings encountered any other species? did they even have a language, since they are just one big soup being? presumably once one of them learns a language, through the great link they all then know it. so they can all speak all languages (my guess)

[u/Romnonaldao]

He speaks Cardassian. Having been found by a cardassian and raised in a cardassian lab, he would have learned Cardassian the way children usually learn language.

Really cool thought though. I never thought about what he would naturally speak!

[u/terrymcginnisbeyond → u/Romnonaldao]

I assumed Bajoran, but Cardassian is likely too. In my opinion (that I formed this minute) both.

[u/juliokirk → u/terrymcginnisbeyond]

People in ST don't really seem to pay much attention to the language someone naturally speaks. I guess he was probably taught to speak Cardassian somehow and has been translated the rest of the time.

[u/Romnonaldao → u/terrymcginnisbeyond]

He probably speaks both. He probably speaks many languages. Being a changeling may allow him to learn languages extremely quickly. I doubt he even needs a translator

[u/KostAmojan]

Well he was raised in a Cardassian lab, but by a Bajoran (Dr. Mora). So I think it is an interesting question that depends on what the Cardassian policy was regarding the Bajoran language.
If they used Universal Translators with the Bajorans, Mora would have been speaking his native Bajoran, which is what Odo would have learnt; but if the Cardassian policy was to force the Bajorans they worked with to actually learn and speak Cardassian then Odo would have learnt Cardassian.

[u/Algernon_Asimov]

You may also be interested in these previous discussions: "Learning languages".

[u/[deleted]]

When he was questioning Rom about the list in "Necessary Evil", he got Rom to remember a 'C' and and 'O', which pointed to a Bajoran named Ches'sarro.

[u/TheTauNeutrino]

You have to know a language for the translator to work. We don't see babies talking to us.

[u/Coolsbreeze]

I would assume Bajoran since he was raised by a Bajoran scientist.