Original artwork, not a still
You might be a cunning linguist, but I'm a master debater.
— Austin Powers in Goldmember · 2002
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the series' favourite kind of joke: a pun so well known it is spoken with a wink, from a hero who thinks he has been very clever. Austin cannot resist the double meaning, and Foxxy's reaction lets the audience in. The line stuck because the wordplay is so simple and so unashamedly cheeky, and it is still quoted as an all-purpose comeback to anyone showing off a skill.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Austin Powers in GoldmemberShow the scene
In Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), Austin and Foxxy Cleopatra go to Roboto Industries in Tokyo to ask its president, Mr. Roboto, about the kidnapped Nigel Powers. The film has the Japanese dialogue subtitled with comic mistranslations, hidden by cups or props. Austin thanks Mr. Roboto in Japanese, and Foxxy, to his surprise, politely adds that she speaks a little. He grins and tells her she might be a cunning linguist but he is a master debater, and they both laugh before he turns back to Mr. Roboto with his question.
Sources (3)
- Wikiquote: Austin Powers in GoldmemberDialogue section, Japanese translations at Roboto IndustriesReference checked
- Austin Powers in Goldmember film script (Springfield! Springfield!)Scene headed Roboto Industries Tokyo HeadquartersReference checked
- Austin Powers Wiki: Austin Powers in GoldmemberCast listReference checked
Context reviewed
