(no subject)

[nursedianaklim.livejournal.com]

This is, perhaps, the stupidest question ever posted here. But it's something I've been wondering about for a while.


Okay, so, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home? Chekhov keeps saying "nuclear wessels" instead of vessels, and as I'm studying Russian now, I'm confused, because it doesn't look like there is a "w" sound in the language. (Unless I am completely stupid.) So what I'm wondering is if this is just absolutely horrid writing on their part or if there is a valid reason why a native Russian speaker would say "wessels" instead of "vessels".




I know, I know, I need a life.

Comments

[apollotiger.livejournal.com]

I think that oryx_and_crake’s explanation of the substitution is more reasonable: words using the “w” sound in English like “linguistics” and “Washington” use a “v” sound in Russian, like лингвистика (lingvistika) and Вашингтон (Vashington). After one realizes this pattern, it’s easy to see how one would hypercorrect.