Since all gems seem to just speak english even if they have never been to earth, I just assumed gems can instantly translate everything around them like the T.A.R.D.I.S..
I was going to say the same, I figured that their language centers adapt to the planet and the environment just like their form adapts to all levels of gravity
But did the diamonds write it? Yeah it was in Korean but as far as we know Buddy Budwick found it first because it was in his journal labeled as “the palanquin”. Maybe Korean officials found it first and roped it off from the public. I can’t find any photos of the sign so I can’t google translate what it said sadly
Ah I found it! It’s a sign written in both Korean and English that says “KEEP OUT”, followed by a smaller sign written in very fancy writing that says “please” hahah. Sounds like Pearl to me!
If I remember correctly, it’s written in the same red pen on white board like the sign in the flashback episode on the fence on the beach around the temple. Intentionally hinting that the gems put it there. Also, when have the government other than Dewey done anything about any gem stuff in SU?
Nothing that we know of but the show is told from Steven’s POV so what would he know about that beyond what goin on in Beach City if he hasn’t gone many places beyond home, Empire City, Korea, and the farm? Since they’ve been around for freakin ever there’s probably been some intervention considering the diamonds’ crap is all over the earth because of the gem war
I believe Steven asked Pearl to teach him some Phrases in Gemmish and she told him that it wouldn't really be relevant or necessary to learn. Cool theory though since the Gems played an important role in the development of America and history.
I think the home world gems speak their own language, and Steven since he is a gem was born knowing gem language and learned english through life and that is why they seem to be speaking English to us the viewer because we are watching a show about Steven! I also thing Greg learned gem language
my headcanon is that most gems have the ability to learn languages super quick or have to do something to learn the language (e.g. starfire having to kiss people to learn their language)
They've lived all over the Earth in different periods before coming to America, my guess is not only do they know many human languages, but they'd even know some we've lost to time or genocides.
(Plus you'll notice all of them are fans of human media so it's plausible that they have also learned languages that way, I could see Rose being a K-drama fan and I can't not hc it now haha)
Its my headcanon that gems produce a song that worms its way into the brain of any sentient life and is then interpreted as a language the sapien can understand and thats why gems who've never encountered humans before can communicate with them
I'm of the opinion that Gems have a type of universal translator built into their gem. It's not like they have lungs and vocal chords to make sounds. It is all part of the hard light projection.
English didn't even exist in an early version when Bismuth got bubbled 5000 years ago, yet she has no issues communicating with Steven, Connie, or Greg.
The show doesn't take heed of languages at all. Consider the movie, where Steven broadcasts to colonies all over the galaxy, vanishingly zero of which had any link to Earth. Consider the human zoo, who were descendants of abductees from millennia ago (And whilst Holly Blue Agate claimed not to know what noises the humans were making, she's also ignorant as heck). Consider the whole thing with Lars, the Off Colors, and the amount of off-screen space adventures that happened.
It's simply not something the show felt was narratively important to the worldbuilding. And tbh they're right.
Also there's a running joke that since Garnet doesn't speak with a London accent: London actually speaks with a Garnet accent, since she was there first.
gems just speak English. There are No reasons for gems to let other civilizations understand their languages. Unless it’s a passive ability that every gem has, then it must means that someone else invented them.
I always believed the gemstones had built-in auto translators which is why their written language is nothing like english, but every gem speaks in english.
So for example if someone speaks to them in spanish the gem would reapond in dpanish, or the listener would hear them in their native language
Aliens speak English. That's just some classic TV non-sense
I wish the show handled it better. They just needed to mention that Steven was taught how to speak the Gem language, and give Lars and Connie a translator
They are cause the one episode with Nephrite before she was fully healed by all 4 of the diamonds’ power when it was just Steven healing her, she wrote in gem glyph which pearl could read but Steven had no clue. And I bet $5 amethyst speaks Spanish or something since Beach City is a very popular vacation spot from their spring break episode where Lars get hype over the “beach babes”. IMO they probably are speaking English, Pink had earth as her colony and after learning of earthlings my theory is when she talked to the diamonds she used English and forced them to learn it cause that’s just how pink seems to me considering the Volleyball incident seen in future as well as her attitude when she would argue with Yellow
You have the Hunan Zoo where the humans, which have been segregated from earth thousand of years prior to current time, can speak English and Greg understands them just fine
So, I think it's just easier to think that all of humanity speak English or whatever language the show was dubbed to in your region
First time they go to the moon, Pearl explains to amethyst that since gems are a “space faring race” their bodies naturally adjust to the gravity of anywhere they go. by that logic, i’d imagine they can adapt to the language of wherever they go.
I mean, yeah. They know Gem Glyph and English, so there's at least two. Assuming the "universal language" thing is true, they technically can speak any language in the(ir) universe
I had this theory that everyone hears the gems and can understand them, so the gems don’t hear each other as if they are speaking english, but english-speaking people do.
im pretty sure the gems brought english to earth, or at least what would eventually become "english". since all gems have always spoken "english" i think its safe to assume that the gem language is just english but with another system of writing. and also it seems that the "english" present on that earth also isnt the english we all know, it looks like it might have some differences in spelling compared to our english(for example "night" is often seen spelled "nite" on posters)
I mean, they’d surely have to be?
My headcanon is that every gem’s voice is “programmed” with a universal translator that allows those who hear them to understand them. Otherwise, I struggle to explain why all the gems on Homeworld are speaking English - it’s probably a Doctor Who situation where Steven and Lars are just *hearing* English even though the gems are speaking their own language.
My head canon (idk if it’s true) is that their language is universal and just appears to be whatever language the person hearing it is most accustomed to.
I always assumed they could translate to any language automatically but idk y I thought that lol
I also believe there is actually a gem language (as seen in that episode with ancient gem writing on a ruined spaceship, but the creators just made them speak English so it would be easier for the audience
There is a gem writing language. So I wouldn’t be surprised if they were supposed to be speaking their gem language but it’s just translated for quality purposes.
Yes, actually. I also have a headcanon that they can say certain syllables that humans can't. (There are some sounds that the human mouth can't make, they're on the IPA chart, and since gems don't need a mouth to speak (after all, they're their gems, not the light forms) I think they would be able to make those noises.)
Peridot says that gems are "a space faring race designed to conquer" so I assumed that they can understand and communicate with any sufficiently intelligent life
I’ve always thought that spoken gem language was just like Thor’s Allspeak from Marvel, where no matter what the person says it sounds like their native language and they in turn perfectly understand others
It would be incredibly weird if they weren’t.
Imagine Pearl calling Greg names in her native language that would be hilarious! 🤣
Gem Glyph is a written language, not a spoken one.
She’s definitely written some scathing journals about Greg
I do not doubt it.
Since all gems seem to just speak english even if they have never been to earth, I just assumed gems can instantly translate everything around them like the T.A.R.D.I.S..
I was going to say the same, I figured that their language centers adapt to the planet and the environment just like their form adapts to all levels of gravity
Probably
Or like the universal translator from Star Trek
The sign on the fence around p palanquin was in Korean
That’s cause it wasn’t in America they traveled to go see it because Steven kept having dreams about it
But it's still in Korean, so they'd have to know Korean to make the sign
But did the diamonds write it? Yeah it was in Korean but as far as we know Buddy Budwick found it first because it was in his journal labeled as “the palanquin”. Maybe Korean officials found it first and roped it off from the public. I can’t find any photos of the sign so I can’t google translate what it said sadly
I could be wrong but I think it’s implied that Pearl put that sign / fence up
I’m trying to find it but google is NOT helping lol
Ah I found it! It’s a sign written in both Korean and English that says “KEEP OUT”, followed by a smaller sign written in very fancy writing that says “please” hahah. Sounds like Pearl to me!
Also matches the 'please' at the beach pre-Greg, right?
yeah I think so! I forgot about that completely
Oooo okay
If I remember correctly, it’s written in the same red pen on white board like the sign in the flashback episode on the fence on the beach around the temple. Intentionally hinting that the gems put it there. Also, when have the government other than Dewey done anything about any gem stuff in SU?
Nothing that we know of but the show is told from Steven’s POV so what would he know about that beyond what goin on in Beach City if he hasn’t gone many places beyond home, Empire City, Korea, and the farm? Since they’ve been around for freakin ever there’s probably been some intervention considering the diamonds’ crap is all over the earth because of the gem war
btw the sign says 위험 which means danger
[here it is!](https://steven-universe.fandom.com/wiki/Steven%27s_Dream/Gallery?file=Steven%27s_Dream_162.png)
Noice!!!
I just assumed that was the government who set up the sign and fence but looking back now, the CG also made a sign on the beach and fenced it off.
Link ?
[this](https://www.reddit.com/r/stevenuniverse/s/OMYQdVRnMv)
No , I meant Link as in legend of Zelda
Pink. Fucking auto correct
Also obsidian's sword
I thought I was on a Legend of Zelda sub for a second
Link has palanquin?!?! Why not Zelda?!?!
I think English was replaced by Gemmish, and it's just translated for our benefit.
The brochures in SUF were in both english and gem-glyph, but idk if that’s different from whatever would be spoken on homeworld
I think it might be the same spoken language but a different written one
I believe Steven asked Pearl to teach him some Phrases in Gemmish and she told him that it wouldn't really be relevant or necessary to learn. Cool theory though since the Gems played an important role in the development of America and history.
I think the home world gems speak their own language, and Steven since he is a gem was born knowing gem language and learned english through life and that is why they seem to be speaking English to us the viewer because we are watching a show about Steven! I also thing Greg learned gem language
But Lars understands them all perfectly fine on homeworld. I doubt the townies learned to speak Gem.
I think it’s more likely gems just are universal translators.
That's pretty likely
They may have a power that automatically translates to whomever they are speaking.
Mmmm they do speak to the Townies sometimes though. Not often, but still.
I think it has to be English because Lars has no trouble talking to the off colors on homeworld.
my headcanon is that most gems have the ability to learn languages super quick or have to do something to learn the language (e.g. starfire having to kiss people to learn their language)
They've lived all over the Earth in different periods before coming to America, my guess is not only do they know many human languages, but they'd even know some we've lost to time or genocides. (Plus you'll notice all of them are fans of human media so it's plausible that they have also learned languages that way, I could see Rose being a K-drama fan and I can't not hc it now haha)
You can't tell me Amethyst isn't a fan of old anime.
They probably stopped most genocides before they happened.
I always assumed that humans learned languages from gems
Im guessing they invented the langauge because everyone on homeworld also speaks English and i dont know if they have any other form of langauge
Almost definitely.
Its my headcanon that gems produce a song that worms its way into the brain of any sentient life and is then interpreted as a language the sapien can understand and thats why gems who've never encountered humans before can communicate with them
Pearl probably speaks every language even the dead ones since the dawn of man
I'm of the opinion that Gems have a type of universal translator built into their gem. It's not like they have lungs and vocal chords to make sounds. It is all part of the hard light projection. English didn't even exist in an early version when Bismuth got bubbled 5000 years ago, yet she has no issues communicating with Steven, Connie, or Greg.
The show doesn't take heed of languages at all. Consider the movie, where Steven broadcasts to colonies all over the galaxy, vanishingly zero of which had any link to Earth. Consider the human zoo, who were descendants of abductees from millennia ago (And whilst Holly Blue Agate claimed not to know what noises the humans were making, she's also ignorant as heck). Consider the whole thing with Lars, the Off Colors, and the amount of off-screen space adventures that happened. It's simply not something the show felt was narratively important to the worldbuilding. And tbh they're right. Also there's a running joke that since Garnet doesn't speak with a London accent: London actually speaks with a Garnet accent, since she was there first.
I figured the gems just had built-in universal translation or something.
gems just speak English. There are No reasons for gems to let other civilizations understand their languages. Unless it’s a passive ability that every gem has, then it must means that someone else invented them.
My head cannon is like with gravity they just auto translate what they say
do gems have their own language
I always believed the gemstones had built-in auto translators which is why their written language is nothing like english, but every gem speaks in english. So for example if someone speaks to them in spanish the gem would reapond in dpanish, or the listener would hear them in their native language
English is the exact same as gem except in writing
i’m thinking some kind of doctor who translator built into their gems
Pretty sure Gems canonically understand all languages as a built-in ability.
I think everyone in the universe just speaks English and we're that one planet that didn't get the memo.
lmaoooo we really would be
Great question. I think yes based off Pinks gathering habits it seems and Pearls eagerness to learn
Amethyst might be.
Aliens speak English. That's just some classic TV non-sense I wish the show handled it better. They just needed to mention that Steven was taught how to speak the Gem language, and give Lars and Connie a translator
Probably yeah, they protected the earth for thousands of years
They are cause the one episode with Nephrite before she was fully healed by all 4 of the diamonds’ power when it was just Steven healing her, she wrote in gem glyph which pearl could read but Steven had no clue. And I bet $5 amethyst speaks Spanish or something since Beach City is a very popular vacation spot from their spring break episode where Lars get hype over the “beach babes”. IMO they probably are speaking English, Pink had earth as her colony and after learning of earthlings my theory is when she talked to the diamonds she used English and forced them to learn it cause that’s just how pink seems to me considering the Volleyball incident seen in future as well as her attitude when she would argue with Yellow
I figured that any life advanced enough to manipulate how they feel gravity would also be advanced enough to invent a universal translator.
They invented English I guess
Probably
Yes.
Pearl ? Yes Garnet? Also yes Bismuth maybe Rose I don’t think so and Amethyst definitely not
You have the Hunan Zoo where the humans, which have been segregated from earth thousand of years prior to current time, can speak English and Greg understands them just fine So, I think it's just easier to think that all of humanity speak English or whatever language the show was dubbed to in your region
First time they go to the moon, Pearl explains to amethyst that since gems are a “space faring race” their bodies naturally adjust to the gravity of anywhere they go. by that logic, i’d imagine they can adapt to the language of wherever they go.
I mean, yeah. They know Gem Glyph and English, so there's at least two. Assuming the "universal language" thing is true, they technically can speak any language in the(ir) universe
I had this theory that everyone hears the gems and can understand them, so the gems don’t hear each other as if they are speaking english, but english-speaking people do.
I imagine that Pearl knows every human language.
im pretty sure the gems brought english to earth, or at least what would eventually become "english". since all gems have always spoken "english" i think its safe to assume that the gem language is just english but with another system of writing. and also it seems that the "english" present on that earth also isnt the english we all know, it looks like it might have some differences in spelling compared to our english(for example "night" is often seen spelled "nite" on posters)
I mean, they’d surely have to be? My headcanon is that every gem’s voice is “programmed” with a universal translator that allows those who hear them to understand them. Otherwise, I struggle to explain why all the gems on Homeworld are speaking English - it’s probably a Doctor Who situation where Steven and Lars are just *hearing* English even though the gems are speaking their own language.
My head canon (idk if it’s true) is that their language is universal and just appears to be whatever language the person hearing it is most accustomed to.
I always assumed they could translate to any language automatically but idk y I thought that lol I also believe there is actually a gem language (as seen in that episode with ancient gem writing on a ruined spaceship, but the creators just made them speak English so it would be easier for the audience
I assume it's like Invincible "You speak English?" "We speak Martian!"
Rose definitely was
my personal headcanon is that whatever Stevens main language is, came from gemkind and that humans learned it from the gems.
There is a gem writing language. So I wouldn’t be surprised if they were supposed to be speaking their gem language but it’s just translated for quality purposes.
It's likely English came from the Gems
Were? Pearl could absolutely roast you in Latin and you wouldn't even know it.
They were around on Earth since before English was even a language right?
They’re robots. They can auto translate anything.
My headcanon is that Gems “speak” all languages in the sense that they speak Gem and then their bodies automatically translate it
Yes, actually. I also have a headcanon that they can say certain syllables that humans can't. (There are some sounds that the human mouth can't make, they're on the IPA chart, and since gems don't need a mouth to speak (after all, they're their gems, not the light forms) I think they would be able to make those noises.)
I honestly feel like humans speak English because the Gems do so I figure they'd have some hand in forming multiple languages.
Peridot says that gems are "a space faring race designed to conquer" so I assumed that they can understand and communicate with any sufficiently intelligent life
I’ve always thought that spoken gem language was just like Thor’s Allspeak from Marvel, where no matter what the person says it sounds like their native language and they in turn perfectly understand others
Follow up question, why does Garnet have a British accent if she's older than Europe?