Steven Universe

STUPID WORDS.

They're probably not "female", being just gems surrounded by a hologram of light (barring Rose's alleged shape-shifting of a womb?)...

Though they're all more feminine. And they all go by she and her. But eh.

Yeah, but they're feminine because they chose to do so (or because the creators decided to make them). Feminine and masculine aren't intransitive things to gems. Well, they are in the meta sense, but not from an in universe perspective.

But we don't know for certain that there isn't a hidden Translator Microbes factor in play when Jasper, Lapis or Peridot talk... it just makes a bit more sense than "Gems invented English" for me because there's no way a language spoken by humans could stay consistent enough to be mutually intelligible after 6000 years of separation.

They speak English when among themselves though. It's the way it is because they chose not to bring it up. It doesn't have to make sense. This show is just a classic example of Aliens Speaking English.

edited 30th Aug '15 6:21:00 PM by LSBK

What about Translation Convention- i.e. the translator works for the audience, too.

That also makes no sense. Who goes through the trouble of having a translator going when they think they're alone or speaking with someone who also speaks the same language?

I get your point; it used to bother me too. But things are the way they are probably because it's just easiest this way.

Edit: Oh, I get what you meant, it still doesn't work. Unless they also taught Steven (and Greg and possibly Connie) this gem language and it's never been referenced.

edited 30th Aug '15 6:26:48 PM by LSBK

Mmhm, fair enough, just thought that it might sort out the gender thing if Gems just didn't think of themselves as being male or female. Maybe that causes more problems than it solves, though.

With regard to multiple gems of the same type, perhaps "Pearl", "Amethyst" etc describe different "castes" of gem, but the names function similarly to first names for humans? They could well have a surname equivalent, but go by first-name basis unless clarification is needed.

Well Greg and Steven both have reasons to have learned this Gem language. I think Pearl would make it crucial to his education. Greg might have learned it from Rose. Actually... The only time Greg was present where this Gem language would have been used was in "The Message" I noticed his expressions don't change alongside the others watching, perhaps indicating that he doesn't actually understand was Lapis was saying.

They just speak Common. Like in Dragon Ball Z

People have been saying that for awhile. Though, if that's the case, I'd be most interested in learning what rubies and sapphires were on the hierarchy.

I still don't see that being the case without it ever being mentioned. Especially in Steven's case, seeing how little about gem culture and gems in general he knows, I can't buy it. It would make for an interesting episode though.

edited 30th Aug '15 7:03:22 PM by LSBK

I think you mean the Universal Language.

edited 30th Aug '15 7:07:03 PM by WillKeaton

You couldn't afford it.

Maybe the Gems have no default language and just speak whatever language the people they're talking to speak.

I suppose that would work if Gems communicate telepathically, but that hasn't been shown or hinted at really

I think, in that scenario, it's more 'when on Earth or interacting with Earth, speak whatever language the place you are interacting with speaks'. Maybe the Gems had a common language but they abandoned it out of convenience.

edited 30th Aug '15 10:19:52 PM by PushoverMediaCritic

Or we can apply the good ol' MST3K Mantra.

Really, that's basically the whole point of Aliens Speaking English: if you don't feel like making the language barrier part of the plot, you could come up with a Hand Wave (the most common being Translator Microbes and Translation Convention), but that would functionally be the same except more complicated. It's better just let it be and don't draw attention to it.

edited 30th Aug '15 11:46:31 PM by thatother1dude

But didn't Mr Gus had male gemsona? Male gemsonas never bothered me cause a) they sometime author avatars who want matching gender and b)gemsonas don't generally fit the canon anyway.

Gusite is best Gem. Just like how Mr. Gus is best character on Uncle Grandpa.

Sugar's been very supportive of fan material. Her response said more than once that fans are free to ship all of the characters, and make Gemsonas, and their creativity should be their guide. In general, she seems to be happy that she can be in a position where people can be fanboy/girls over something she's doing.

That makes a lot of sense, since she's said she always imagined SU as the cartoon she would have wanted to watch as a kid.

Making porn of kids' shows is probably not cool though.

Kinda rude, for one thing.

though it's not like Rebecca has any room to talk on that front, does she?

Yeah, I think she expects it on some level. Probably of what most modern creators decide, that most of it is probably out of their range of interest and a little bit ick, but mostly it's done out of affection for characters and most at the least mean well.

Given SU is what it is, outside of the more riske blogs, most of it seems to focus on the Gems. In general unless you're going for pure smut that's labeled as such where you can throw all shame out the door, there's a rule not to ship Steven with anybody aside from Connie, and they're usually aged up about 3/5 years depending how old you think they are.

.

You know what, never mind. I have a feeling whatever conversation would have resulted from that would not have borne much fruit, and I'm not sure I interpreted their post correctly anyway.

edited 31st Aug '15 8:45:01 AM by FawfulCrump

Ian Sinclair has given his thoughts on it, and claims that the fanbase hasn't even scratched the levels of depravity the crew talks about daily.