I liked that even when Teyla couldn't understand a word that anyone was saying, she knew where she wanted to be, but yet it still didn't help the isolation of being surrounded by words she didn't understand. Not understanding a word when you're home is a far different and worse feeling than not understanding a word in a far away land.
I had a far lesser version of her experience once when a roommate of mine was visited for several days by her parents and sister who all spoke perfect English but refused to speak in anything but Cantonese, even to say hi to me. My roommate joined in and only spoke Cantonese too while they were there, only dropping into English to translate some random jokes that didn't translate, and it was a very odd feeling. So even that tiny taste gives me vast sympathy for Teyla. You really captured that feeling.
And, oh, Rodney! Once he knows there's something to know, he can't stand not knowing! Go Rodney, for making it better!
There was something very right and awkward and touching about the fact that his words meant more when he had to fight to be understood because he would fight to be understood. The fact that he thought to fix the translator to work both ways speaks volumes, and was wonderful.
I had a far lesser version of her experience once when a roommate of mine was visited for several days by her parents and sister who all spoke perfect English but refused to speak in anything but Cantonese, even to say hi to me. My roommate joined in and only spoke Cantonese too while they were there, only dropping into English to translate some random jokes that didn't translate, and it was a very odd feeling. So even that tiny taste gives me vast sympathy for Teyla. You really captured that feeling.
And, oh, Rodney! Once he knows there's something to know, he can't stand not knowing! Go Rodney, for making it better!
There was something very right and awkward and touching about the fact that his words meant more when he had to fight to be understood because he would fight to be understood. The fact that he thought to fix the translator to work both ways speaks volumes, and was wonderful.
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