Windtalkers

[Mithrea]

I keep seeing the commercial for this movie and something keeps bothering me. In the clip, someone says, [Someone] "has developed a new code BASED ON the Navajo language." (The caps are mine) The reason it's bugging me is because I always thought the code they used WAS the Navajo language -- not based on it somehow. Is this a subversive attempt to belittle their contribution? Is it just another Hollywood inaccuracy? Or, if it was only based on it, then how did it differ? Can anyone help me out?

[Danustouch]

These links might help you out.

http://www.mgm.com/windtalkers/html/index.html

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-2.htm

I don't think it's hollywoods intent to belittle the navajo in any way..or they wouldn't have made the movie in the first place. I think the reason they said "Based On", is because the Navajo language is not a written one, and there are such variances in dialect, and syntax, that it was probably most difficult to transcribe it into a written code.