History Main / OneWordVocabulary

* Groot in ''Comicbook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' spends a long time only able to say "I am Groot". This started out being a reflection of how much his intelligence had been reduced since ''Tales to Astonish'', but was later presented as if he was saying quite complex things if you could understand him (the first character to claim this was [[Comicbook/TheInhumans Maximus the Mad]], and most people assumed he was living up to his name, but later Rocket Raccoon became a TranslatorBuddy). In ''Infinity Countdown'', Groot's speech returned to what it was in his original appearance.

* Groot from ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' only ever says "I am Groot". [[spoiler: Though near the end of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', he manages to say, "We are Groot."]]

* ''Westernanimation/{{The Tick}}'' has two alien races, the Whats and the Heys, whose languages consist solely of the words "What" and "Hey" respectively. The Whats sent to gain the Tick's aid do speak fluent English, and their interrogator also appears to speak Hey quite well.

* During the 2019 U.S. tax season, financial software company Intuit ran a series of commercials for their [=TurboTax=] software in which every speaking character, in place of actual dialogue, only uses the word "free" throughout to emphasize the fact that using [=TurboTax=] won't cost you a cent.

* The Turk mentioned under Webcomics? That was a real machine.

In short, someone with an ''extremely'' limited vocabulary. It may be a single word or a short phrase. The single word may be gibberish or a nonsense word. Sometimes, the tension that builds up from this limited communication is resolved by having the character finally add another word or two to their vocabulary. The limited vocabulary may be due to being very terse and laconic, not speaking the dominant local language, a mental disability, or an old age-related condition.

In short, someone with an ''extremely'' limited vocabulary. It may be a single word or a short phrase. The single word may be gibberish or a nonsense word. Sometimes, the tension that builds up from this limited communication is resolved by having the character finally add another word or two to their vocabulary.

In short, someone with an ''extremely'' limited vocabulary.

* Shnitzel from ''WesternAnimation/{{Chowder}}'', can only say "Radda." When he drew a card in a board game and read it, the card contained the text; "Radda radda radda."
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' had Dexter screw up trying to learn French in his sleep and wake up the next morning only able to say "omelette du fromage" (roughly "omelette with cheese".) Curiously, though, he finds that saying that actually works in normal conversation, to the point that he's able to answer class questions, order lunch, and even ''bring about world peace'' just by saying that single phrase. But the only thing he can't do? Speak the password to his laboratory.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheFlaminThongs'', Rerp's entire vocabulary consists one word: "Rerp". Nevertheless, Holden seems to understand him. {{Lampshaded}} is "Jurassic Dork" when Holden asks Rerp what he should name his new pet diprotodon. Rerp replies "rerp", and Holden considers that for few seconds before deciding two pets named "Rerp" would be too confusing.

* ''WesternAnimation/JimmyNeutronBoyGenius'': Jimmy's DoAnythingRobot dog Goddard only ever says "Bark!" - and not like a normal dog would; he actually, literally says that word as-is, just like it's spelled.
* When ''WesternAnimation/JosieAndThePussycats'' were RecycledInSpace, they appended the alien creature Bleep, who speaks only in bleeps. Fortunately, GeniusDitz Melody is SuddenlyFluentInGibberish and can easily translate Bleep-speak into English. Curiously, no reverse translation is needed for Bleep, who can understand English just fine.

* Al from ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' is never seen, he is only ever heard shouting "[[BigWhat WHAT?]]" from offscreen.
* The only thing ''WesternAnimation/RoadRunner'' ever said was "Beep Beep".
* Played with for Chuckie. Although he can use actual dialogue with the babies, in the last three seasons of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', following ''WesternAnimation/RugratsInParis'', the only word he can say to the adults is "No," regardless of the context.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns", Mr. Burns awakens from a coma, with only the words "Homer Simpson" in his vocabulary.
* The anchovies in ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' only ever say "meep", over and over again. Although this is (sometimes) [[SuddenlySpeaking averted]] in later episodes.

* Pumpkin Ellingboe from WesternAnimation/{{Klaus}} only ever says “Mine!”.

* Groot in ''Comicbook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' spends a long time only able to say "I am Groot". This started out being a reflection of how much his intelligence had been reduced since ''Tales to Astonish'', but was later presented as if he was saying quite complex things if you could understand him (the first character to claim this was [[Comicbook/TheInhumans Maximus the Mad]], and most people assumed he was living up to his name, but later Rocket Raccoon became a TranslatorBuddy). In ''Infinity Countdown'', Goot's speech returned to what it was in his original appearance.

* Vault 108 in ''VideoGame/Fallout3'' featured a cloning experiment GoneHorriblyWrong, and the clones were only able to utter the name of their original template called "Gary".
* In ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', the Super Mutant Behemoth Swan can only say his name, which is a step above other Behemoths, who don't speak at all.

* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' has Groundhawk of the G-Men; all he does is growl the word "Gonna!"
* Groot in ''Comicbook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' spends a long time only able to say "I am Groot". This started out being a reflection of how much his intelligence had been reduced since ''Tales to Astonish'', but was later presented as if he was saying quite complex things if you could understand him (the first character to claim this was [[Comicbook/TheInhumans Maximus the Mad]], and most people assumed he was living up to his name, but later Rocket Raccoon became a TranslatorBuddy). In ''Infinity Countdown'', Goot's speech returned to what it was in his original appearance.

* In ''Literature/MaryPoppins'', the Bird Woman only says two phrases: "Feed the birds!" and "Tuppence a bag!". Subverted in the sequels that reveal that she can also speak other words, when not selling birdseed.

* Cody from ''Literature/LanguageArts'' knew a lot of words as a toddler, but lost all of them except for "God." That word got shortened to "Gaaaah," which he applied to everything, including his sister Emmy.

* In ''Theatre/LadyWindermeresFan'', the only phrase Lady Agatha says is "Yes, Mamma".

* In one of ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'''s commercial reviews, this is used for a joke in the commercial about Denny's "Red, White & Blue" pancakes. When the old man says "America" in response to the question about what the pancakes taste like, the Critic goes off on an inspired tangent about how the entire history and everything the country stands for is contained within these pancakes, only to realize shortly after that "America" is all that the old man can say.

** The vocabulary of Big Macintosh from mostly consists of two words: "Eeyup" and "Nope". He's a victim of {{Flanderization}}, though, as he did have actual dialogue in earlier episodes. He still will have other lines on occasion, but usually only in the context of OOCIsSeriousBusiness.
** Pinkie Pie's sister Marble Pie only says "Mmm-hmm."

* ''WebVideo/YugiohTheAbridgedSeries'' Bandit Keith's underling Bones only says "Brains", though the inflection changes and translates to more complex sentences. It is unclear whether others actually understand his meaning.

* ''WebVideo/YugiohTheAbridgedSeries Bandit Keith's underling Bones only says "Brains", though the inflection changes and translates to more complex sentences. It is unclear whether others actually understand his meaning.

* The Drew Carey run of ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' featured an improv game titled [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "Two Word Vocabulary"]], in which two panelists are each limited to two different lines' worth of dialog.

* ''WesternAnimation/TuffPuppy'': Bird Brain's BumblingHenchmenDuo Owl and Bat only say "Who?" and "Where?" respect

* Groot in ''Comicbook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' spends a long time only able to say "I am Groot". This started out being a reflection of how much his intelligence had been reduced since ''Tales to Astonish'', but was later presented as if he was saying quite complex things if you could understand him (the first character to claim this was [[Comicbook/{{Inhumans}} Maximus the Mad]], and most people assumed he was living up to his name, but later Rocket Raccoon became a TranslatorBuddy). In ''Infinity Countdown'', Goot's speech returned to what it was in his original appearance.

* In ''Series/Bread'', small-time gangster Yizzel only says the single word "Yeah!", usually in response to his more talkative colleague (billed as 'Yizzel's Mate') calling on him for support.