Addressing and referring to Splinter
 

Is there a rule or at least pattern on how the Turtles address or refer to Splinter given the circumstance?

I would assume they would call him "sensei" when training or in battle, "father" when at home, and just plain "Master Splinter" in other circumstances.

But it almost seems random how they address him in all the various universes.

They only refer to him as solely "Splinter" when talking about him while he's not there. Which I understand due to the respect and formality.

Any specifics I may have missed?

I don't know of any 'rules' but they seem to call him 'Father' when they are in the role of sons rather than students, or when feeling vulnerable. On one occassion that I know of, in 2k3, Raphael refers to Splinter (in his absence) as 'Dad'.

I am asking because in the OT, Mikey once refers to Splinter as "man" and Splinter reprimanded him saying "what will you call me next, 'rat-faced dude'?".

I do agree with the vulnerability part. In the movie prequel comic, Donatello calls Splinter "father" when the monster is taking him away.

Other than the movie/prequel comics, I have only seen a Turtle refer to Splinter as his father. And that would be Raphael in the Casey Jones episode of the NT. He said something like "my father taught me/always said". So it was talking about him, not so much addressing him.

Yeah, they are more likely to talk about him as thier father, but address him directly more formally as a teacher.

I know in the new movie, he was referenced as "father" probably more than any other spinoff media.

In the movie both Leo and Raph called him father.
I refer to him as sensei, Splinter-sensei or just Splinter. :D

I too, refer to him as those three, and sometimes Master Splinter, and on occasion Hamato Splinter.

Yeah... Splinter's had so much impact on my life that I consider him a cromulent sensei of mine.

You know, I have to say that this name is a huuuuge pet peeve of mine, as this name has neverever been established in any official media.

2K3 isn't official media in your book? :o

Well, it ain't a spot-on match with the comics.

Was it used in 2K3? My bad if it was. Still annoys me, though...

Ah, been awhile since I watched that. I need to have a serious marathon.

Any reason why? Hamato was his father's surname, after all....

Honestly, I think it's just association with too many horribly written fanfics.

>.<' I feel weird without calling him Master Splinter. I keep wanting to "fix" my "Splinter's Dojo" shirt.
Ava has only very very recently started using "Sensei"...and she sounds silly wih her (my fake) british accent IMO :P
It always makes me wrinkle my nose when the turtles just call him "Splinter". Outsiders could do it sure, but even then MOST of them say "Master Splinter."

I think they only refer to him as just plain "Splinter" when talking about him without his being there. There are a few exceptions:

- the first word said by a Turtle was "Splinter"
- a Turtle in the first movie shouts "SPLINTER!" from a rooftop

I suspect it was Leo who spoke first and Raph who shouted it.

Usually it is just said in the third person. Such as in season 3 of the OT, the Turtles are in the van and realize that they forgot something. They are not sure what it is that they left behind- and then they all realize it and shout "SPLINTER!".

Actually this moment in film 1 is one of the many errors made in the film. The turtle we see on screen is Michelangelo, but the voice crying "Splinter" is Raphael.

Well, in any martial arts, you're suppose to refer to your teacher as "Master". That's how I refer to mine.