The Turtles' first words

[Scandia]

"Splinter"

"Pizza"

"Radical"

It's not hard to figure out who said each one of those.

But...


They forgot to say what was Donatello's first word! Poor Donatello- he's always getting neglected since he's so quiet and does not cause trouble!

I'm using "Television", even though Raphael seems to watch the most TV of them all (at least in the OT), because it is a rather big word that has to do with machines/technology/inventions.

What do you think Donatello said first? How canon is it that the other 3 turtles first mentioned words so specific and easy to pin on them? Why did the movie make such a change in first word said AND turtle who said it first?

[Jo Dawn]

Well, if we're being realistic here (and yes, realistic with baby mutant turtles) then none of those were their first words, it was all for commedic effect. Da da is more likely (which brings up a great plotbunny!)

As for Donnie, maybe he didn't talk until after the rest of them. That happens alot.

[Scandia]

Out of all 4, I can see Donatello not wanting to talk till he could say full sentences or at least big words.

But in this case, after one turtle spoke, the other 3 followed and began talking shortly afterwards. Now they all talk a lot- especially the one who said "Pizza" first!

[Revan]

Well, if we're being realistic here (and yes, realistic with baby mutant turtles) then none of those were their first words, it was all for commedic effect. Da da is more likely (which brings up a great plotbunny!)

As for Donnie, maybe he didn't talk until after the rest of them. That happens alot.

"da" isn't a word unless you are talking about a name like Vasco da Gama. I think scandia was talking about real words

[Buslady]

Raphs first words:

"Mikey *fwaps* butthead!":P

[VaughnMichael]

oh no no no it's differnt now..
It's motoguzzi and star treck...:roll:

[jenna]

I thought it was Donatello who was the first to say "Splinter" in the new toon. Don't know what I'm basing it on.

I always imagine that Donatello - he is one of the most empathetic of the turtles and the most cognitive - would be the first to recognise Splinter and identify him as a father figure rather than as a weird giant rat that was following them about (or leading them around the sewer).

[Scandia]

I assumed it was Leonardo because he is the one that's closest to Splinter as well as the eldest. In fact, Raphael nicknamed him "Splinter Jr.". So it makes perfect sense to me that Leo not only spoke first, but also said Splinter's name first.

It would make sense for Donatello to either be second to speak- with a big word- or to be last because he wants to say a big word.

Haven't watched that new toon episode where they first talk. I am just basing it on the comic.

It's awesome that Donatello is both systematic AND empathetic. Not easy to be able to do both.

[johnnyblaze]

in the first film when they show the turtles learning to walk 2 of them walk up to each other and I can clearly hear one of them say "All right!" Yeah!" The voice was very odd, a bit high pitched yet a bit gravely and it stood out to me because it seemed very distinctive. I actually always thought it was Donatello because it reminded me of his teenager voice which was kind of gravely but very distinctive.

I have to find my soundtrack tape as well because Splinter's Tales on that has even more baby turtle dialogue ending with baby Mikey saying "Cowabunga"

[odupianist]

I think Donnie said "radical". The only reason I think that though is cause he was the one trying to come up with the words. Bossa nova, chevy nova, excellent. :D

[triplexxx]

Ever notice that in the beginning of the old toon, when the ooze first mutated them, they were already teenage-sized turtles, what was that about?

[Sewer Bull]

How did they know Splinter's name, BTW?

I mean the new toon. It seems that right after their mutation, they followed him everywhere, seemingly much to his chagrin at first. And then one of them all of a sudden just says "Splinter?"

And that leaves the old rat pretty flabbergasted.

[triplexxx]

He most likely told them beforehand offscreen.

[Swany]

Out of all 4, I can see Donatello not wanting to talk till he could say full sentences or at least big words.

Heh, Dons first word- Deoxyribosenucleicacid.

...it could (have) happen(ed)

[Sewer Bull]

He most likely told them beforehand offscreen.

But what for? That wouldn't make any sense at all.

Heh, Dons first word- Deoxyribosenucleicacid.

...it could (have) happen(ed)

Hey, you stole my joke!

[Swany]

Hey, you stole my joke!

My bad. Next time let me know beforehand.

[Spawn Guy]

Ever notice that in the beginning of the old toon, when the ooze first mutated them, they were already teenage-sized turtles, what was that about?

Kids aren't interested in pre school ninja turtles.

If we want to go into the logic of the show, Splinter is always about...50 or so(?) after mutation because that's the rat age he was. The old toon turtles may have been the turtle equvilent of teenagers when the ooze hit.

Alternatively, they were man children.

[VaughnMichael]

But what for? That wouldn't make any sense at all.



Hey, you stole my joke!
They didn't know it's a wonder they even knew the word at all let alone any.
They named him Splinter because of his walking staff.

[Scandia]

As someone said somewhere else in this forum, in the OT the change is shown faster than normal time in order to better explain things to April. I do think they did mention that the turtles were babies when they hit the mutagen.

It seems to me that Raphael was the one to say "Radical" because he is the most radical of the 4. Very rash, very hotheaded, very impulsive. Donatello on the other hand is very rational and calm. Plus Raphael would be likelier to want to blurt something out, while Donatello would have a response rather than just a reaction.

Hmmm, "Deoxyribonucleic" sounds cool AND in character for Donatello.

And maybe Splinter told the turtles "Splinter loves you" or "Splinter is now a giant rat" or the sort.

[Swany]

Hmmm, "Deoxyribonucleic" sounds cool AND in character for Donatello.

Its fitting 'cause they've had theirs altered.

[triplexxx]

Kids aren't interested in pre school ninja turtles.

If we want to go into the logic of the show, Splinter is always about...50 or so(?) after mutation because that's the rat age he was. The old toon turtles may have been the turtle equvilent of teenagers when the ooze hit.

Alternatively, they were man children.
Sounds logical enough.
But what for? That wouldn't make any sense at all.
Only reason I thought so was because the Ancient One had already given Splinter his name, and to think the turtles would come up with a name for him right out of the blue and it be the same name he already had is a very unlikely coincidence; in the old toon, they called him Splinter as a nickname with no intentions of replacing or trying to figure out his real name.

[Tinuvielsdreams]

This may just be me but I pictured some Japanese words, I don't know what they would be but that's what I kinda always thought. I am sure they overheard a ton of English and picked it up very naturally. Learning english off the street of NY...Oh my
I think Splinter for sure and very butchered version of each other's names, plus probably names of items or food.

[Sage Ninja]

in the old toon it is specifically said that the turtles where only babies when they mutated, and that they had childhoods in the Missing Map episode. Also in the episode Michaelangelo meets Mondo Geko it is shown that Mondo Geko was also in the mutagent when they where exposed, and that he grew from being a child to a teenager, which means years passed between the time all the turtles where exposed to the mutatgent and the time we see them as teenagers.

[odupianist]

How did they know Splinter's name, BTW?

In one of the first episodes of the OT, Splinter mentions how the turtles gave him that name (it was in a flashback, probably to April). How they knew it in the 2k3 and movie timelines, I don't know.

[johnnyblaze]

in the old toon it is specifically said that the turtles where only babies when they mutated, and that they had childhoods in the Missing Map episode. Also in the episode Michaelangelo meets Mondo Geko it is shown that Mondo Geko was also in the mutagent when they where exposed, and that he grew from being a child to a teenager, which means years passed between the time all the turtles where exposed to the mutatgent and the time we see them as teenagers.
the cartoon contradicted theselves from the get go when it comes to that. I don't think there was any right answer to the entire childhood debate when it comes to the OT turtles because of that. I mean yes, they said those things in the episodes you talked about but that doesn't change the fact that we saw that they became teenagers seconds after being introduced to the mutagen.

[odupianist]

In the flashback portion of the story, I'm guessing they just sped up the mutation for time restriction purposes, not to say that they mutated that quickly.

[jenna]

Also, in Back to the Egg, they reverted back to an earlier form, not normal turltes but mutant turlte kiddie-winks..... so cuuuuute

[Coola Yagami]

True, but it makes sense in a way. The TMNT mutated into full-grown teenagers from the get-go in the old show, but think of the other mutants. If every mutant were to start out as a baby/child/teenager, how long would it take to introduce the Punk Frogs, Leatherhead, Groundchuk, Dirtbag, Slash and all the other animal mutants? Shredder would have created a new mutant to rival the turtles and then.... uh..... sit around and wait until it grew into adolescence??

Shredder- Bebop, Rocksteady! Baby Slash made a mess again! Clean him up!
Bebop- awww again???
Rocksteady- duhh... maybe da boss shoulda stuck wit' just mutating more punks like us....
Krang *at baby groundchuk and baby dirtbag' which one of you two was fiddling around with the tv remote again???

[Scandia]

Leatherhead was an adult when he mutated. Ditto for Bebop and Rocksteady. The frogs were already in their form with legs- in other words, adults. But the Turtles were babies when Chet dropped them and Splinter found them. They did the fast transition in the first episode as part of the explanation to April.

[Swany]

Ha, the magic of time lapse photography!

:lol:

[jenna]

The problem with the OT is that it is known to have made a number of errors, both in the animation and through contradicting itself in narratives (eg Krang lost his body, but in the episode where he narrates a flash-back there are lots of Krangs in his present form, (one with a moustache!) and we later find out as I recall what Krang's original body was (although I can;t remember it)). I think the OT has to be taken with a pinch of salt and our imaginations allowed to fill in the gaps. The turtles were shown to mutate instantly into their present size, but it was later confirmed they were kids as well. I just shrug off the mutation sequence and picture them as little tots!