Posted May 22, 2022
A/N: Casey's grunts practically formed their own language. Early in "Chuck vs the Crown Vic," Chuck started identifying them. It's great that he understood his spy protector, but what about the rest of us? The Gruntish-English translation dictionary below contains the grunts heard in the show and those cited in other MyNameIsJeffNImLost stories. Hopefully, it helps you understand the NSA agent.
If you want to find out more about this unique guttural language, there's a behind-the-scenes interview with Adam Baldwin, Chris Fedyk, Ryan McPartlin, Linda Hamilton, and Yvonne Strahovski. (youtube: watch?v=H82f-OKKUj8) You could also re-watch the entire series to find things you don't understand. See if you understand better.
This story idea emerged after discussing with WillieGarvin about the grunts in his fantastic epic, "Chuck vs A New Day," chapter 176, the middle of the Sachem arc (the 27th). In that chapter, Chuck grunted. (Chuck did? He must have known what he was saying.) WillieGarvin is the beta of this dictionary. (*thanks*) Don't fear, this dictionary will not disrupt his regular posting pace that started in Fall 2018. (Surgery and Covid are legitimate reasons for delay, while this dictionary is not.)
My big story, "Chuck vs the In Between," will continue to alternate with my other in-progress and new stories. (It'll only be 91 chapters, so it'll be smaller, but it will take a while.) This story will continue with more translations periodically as In Between gets to various points.
Disclaimer 1: This dictionary is for translating the sounds that Casey uttered and is not about military infantry.
Disclaimer 2: While WillieGarvin was beta, "Gruntish" is tricky, so he and I might have missed something. If you PM me issues, I'll fix them. There's no expiration date.
Disclaimer 3: We don't own Chuck. Nobody else owns anything here, so why would we? Casey has something to say about the ownership of Chuck: *grunt*.
from "Chuck vs the Crown Vic" (1x11), aka the first of two consecutive episodes of "Chuck vs Casey's girlfriend"
Chuck started out of the Buy More towards Wienerlicious. The sky was clear, but it didn't feel that way to him. Sarah's car wasn't in the parking lot. He missed her.
Casey quietly came up behind him. It always amazed Chuck how a person so big could move so stealthily, spy or not. His Buy More co-worker said, "Decided to take up bird watching?"
"Just breathing in the view."
*grunt*
Casey didn't buy it, so Chuck came back with, "I know that grunt. Yeah, that's the number seven, right? Skeptical with a side of cynicism."
"Just clearing my throat. Also couldn't help but notice, Agent Walker's car isn't in her usual spot."
Going on the offensive didn't work. Chuck rambled a defense. "Oh... I didn't, uh… It's weird. I didn't even notice. I didn't even see that, at all."
*grunt*
That wasn't much of one. "Fine. Maybe I did. So, have you talked to Sarah lately?"
Oxford Languages definition of a grunt: a low, short guttural sound made by an animal or a person.
Chuck's definitions of Casey's grunts:
#1 - You don't know what you are doing, so stop trying. - When Chuck was trying to figure out what to call "John… Mr. Casey… Agent… Major…" "Chuck vs the In Between," chapter 1: "Don't Freak Out."
#2 - Idiot. - "Chuck vs Under the Cover," chapter 1: "Fixing the Record Scratch"; After "Hope you're ready for the real world," in "Chuck vs the Tango," 1x03; After hearing Bryce had tried to kiss Sarah in "Chuck vs His Former Handler," chapter 6: "Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows."
#3 - I'll take care of any emergency, without your help. - When Chuck tried to give Casey the Buy More's emergency response manual in "Chuck vs the In Between," chapter 1: "Don't Freak Out."
#4 - Why do you put up with Morgan? - "Chuck vs Under the Cover," chapter 1: "Fixing the Record Scratch."
#5 - Yes, I have a problem with it. Stop wasting my time. - During But More training, "Chuck vs the Helicopter," 1x02.
#6 - Try harder, Weakling. - When Chuck helped Casey up after he had been tranq'ed by Zarnow in "Chuck vs the Helicopter." 1x02."
#7 - Skeptical with a side of cynicism - In response to Chuck saying he's not obsessing about Sarah in "Chuck vs the Crown Vic," 1x11.
#8 - 1. Liar (or a less polite translation) 2. Casey clearing his throat. - "Chuck vs the Crown Vic," 1x11.
#9 - Now you did it, Moron. - After Sarah yelled at Chuck for putting himself at risk in "Chuck vs the Helicopter," 1x02.
#10 - What happened? Why does my head hurt? Why am I wet? - When Sarah poured water over Casey's head after Ellie had knocked him out with a frying pan in "Ellie vs the Ninja," chapter 4: "Ellie vs the Major."
#11 - 1. I should get out of here before she gets me again. 2. Goodbye. When Casey got up to leave after Ellie had knocked him out with a frying pan in "Ellie vs the Ninja," chapter 4: "Ellie vs the Major."
#12 - I can't believe you fell for it. - Laugh grunting after Chuck learned learning the tango was a joke in "Chuck vs the Tango," 1x03.
#13 - That doesn't make sense. - When Casey was confused because Sarah said she hadn't compromised herself in "Chuck vs Under the Cover," chapter 1: "Don't Freak Out."
#14 - This guy's heavy. - When Casey dragged La Cuidad's henchman Uri away from the back area of the Buy More after moving some merchandise in "Chuck vs the Tango," 1x03.
#15 - Good, because I'm not interested. - When Casey heard the plan of Chuck being Sarah's cover in "Chuck & Sarah vs Trust," chapter 3, "When You Can't Tango."
#16 - I did my job. - In reaction to Sarah making a comment about Casey crashing Chuck and Sarah's first date in Chuck & Sarah vs Trust," chapter 3, "When You Can't Tango"; When Casey acknowledged that he left on surveillance in the courtyard, so he had video Bryce coming to the apartment complex to talk to Chuck, in "Chuck vs Under the Cover," chapter 3, "The Nemesis is Back."
#17 - Of course. - In reaction to hearing the plan of Sarah Carmichael being a lawyer married to Charles Carmichael in "Chuck & Sarah vs Trust," chapter 3, "When You Can't Tango."
#18 - You don't say. (with sarcasm) - Chuck recounting one of Casey's grunts to Sarah in Chuck & Sarah vs Trust," chapter 5, "Practice."
#15 - That woman is crazy. - In response to Chuck mentioning that an undercover DEA agent was in the courtyard in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#16 - You are going to die, Smoker. - After taunting another chauffeur who asked for a light and Casey told him to pick up a paper from the 60s in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#17 - That American car will work. - Before Casey stole a Hummer to rescue Chuck and Sarah on the beach in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#18 - That crazy woman is hot. - In response to Carina flirting with Casey after she hid the diamond with Morgan in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#19 - I can't believe I let that crazy woman do it to me again. - When Casey was handcuffed to the headboard wearing his four-leaf clover boxers, in Carina's room in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#20 - Destructive grunt. - When Casey broke the headboard to which he was handcuffed in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#21 - Excuse me Ma'am and Miss. - When in his boxers, handcuffed to a broken headboard, Casey rode the elevator with a woman and her daughter in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#22 - Get away from me, crazy lady. - After Carina quipped about Casey pulling the four-leaf clovers out of the rotation next time, in "Chuck vs the Wookiee," 1x04.
#23 - Good. You're not going to hit me with a frying pan. - When Ellie went to Casey's to check on her "spastic colon" in "Ellie vs the Ninja," chapter 6: "Ellie vs the Chinese Spy."
#24 - Let it go. - (Not the song from Frozen, because that had not been released 2007) In "Chuck vs the Sizzling Shrimp," 1x05.
#25 - I could eat. - After Chuck suggested Casey go with him to get a hot dog to talk to Sarah in "Chuck vs the Sizzling Shrimp," 1x05.
#26 - I bet you did, Slugger. - After Chuck said he briefed Sarah about Laszlo last night in "Chuck vs the Sandworm," 1x06.
#27 - Even I don't know whether Chuck and Sarah are a real couple. - When Ellie asked Casey if Charah was a real couple in "Ellie vs the Ninja," chapter 6: "Ellie vs Princess Leia."
#28 - You're not funny. Leave the quips to me. - In response to Chuck suggesting Casey was rooting for Death because he was wearing black before a Standford Cardinal game in "Chuck vs the Alma Mater," 1x07.
#29 - Your nemesis is a dangerous man. - In response to Chuck saying that Bryce had betrayed a lot of people in "Chuck vs the Alma Mater," 1x07.
#30 - He's too good for you. - Casey's response to Sarah who said, "Chuck is a good guy and deserves better than me," in "Chuck vs the In Between," chapter 7: "Not All Right Now."
#31 - What does smell have to do with anything? - Casey's response to Sarah when she asked Casey if she smelled because she was concerned about Chuck complaining about having to smell her the entire road trip back from Stanford in "Chuck vs the In Between," chapter 7: "Not All Right Now."
#32 - Not bad - When Casey got the bug back from Chuck after he took it and came up with the plan to lure Reardon Paine in "Chuck vs the Truth," 1x08.
#33 - I agree (disgusted). - In response to Harry Tang, when he said, "I don't know what it is about this place. It gets under your skin," in "Chuck vs the Truth," 1x08.
#34 - You have no self-confidence. - As a reaction to Chuck, when he said that he didn't think Lou's ex was very handsome in "Chuck vs the Imported Hard Salami," 1x09.
#35 - I don't believe you. - Reaction when in the Club Ares mission's surveillance van, Sarah said, "I haven't fallen for Chuck," in "Chuck vs the Imported Hard Salami," 1x09.
#36 - That could work. - In reaction when Chuck sarcastically said to Casey about Lou, "Why don't you just club her over the head and drag her out by a foot?" in "Chuck vs the Imported Hard Salami," 1x09.
#37 - Your sister is nicer than you. - Before Thanksgiving dinner, Casey explained to Chuck, "You sister invited me to dinner," in "Chuck vs the Nemesis," 1x10.
#38 - Don't touch me. - When Chuck touched Casey's shoulder in "Chuck vs the Nemesis," 1x10.
#39 - Ugh. I'll take care of this. - In reaction to Chuck's dark and specific Thanksgiving statement about being thankful that Bryce was dead and not making out with his new girlfriend, in "Chuck vs the Nemesis," 1x10.
#40 -Sounds like Heaven. - In reaction to Bryce's mission being "off the radar," in "Chuck vs the Nemesis," 1x10.
#41 - Enough of this lovey-dovey stuff. - After Sarah took Chuck's hand and Ellie and Devon kissed and before Casey took an unconscious Bryce over to his place, in "Ellie vs the Ninja," chapter 11: "Ellie vs the Nemesis."
#42 - 1. Thank you. 2. It's about time. - In reaction to Ellie's thanks for his service and her declaration that Sarah was moving-in to the apartment, in "Chuck vs His Former Handler," chapter 7, "I Come in Peace."
#43 - I don't hug. - When Casey didn't join in the group hug in "Chuck vs His Former Handler," chapter 7, "I Come in Peace."
#44 - The plan is good - When Casey agreed with the plan of Sarah staying with Chuck to protect him and be Casey's partner in "Chuck vs His Former Handler," chapter 7, "I Come in Peace."
Casey grunted several times in "Chuck & Sarah vs Trust," chapter 8, "Marking Her Territory." Some of the meaning could be inferred, but in that chapter, Sarah agreed with Chuck's earlier statement that they needed a dictionary to distinguish the grunts, so it's better to not make assumptions.
Casey wasn't done with grunting after his Crown Vic was destroyed, so this dictionary will periodically be updated.