Which is correct, A or B? As he turns over the command, Kirk says
A) 'You have the COM' [as in Command]
or
B) You have the CONN.' [as in ???]
I've always assumed the former, A, is correct, but a recent television commercial for the new Star Trek app, claims B, which has left me thoroughly confused.
The command is "you have the conn", as can be seen in this original screenplay from Star Trek: The Motion Picture
KIRK: Mr. Decker, I'd like to see you in my quarters.
(toward helm)
You have the conn, Mr. Sulu.
The term "conn" is a naval/nautical expression;
One of the most important principles of ship handling is that there be no ambiguity as to who is controlling the movements of the ship. One person gives orders to the ship's engine, rudder, lines, and ground tackle. This person is said to have the "conn."
— James Alden Barber, 2005, "Introduction", The Naval Shiphandler's Guide, p. 8.
The etymology is lost, but it may have something to do with the conduct of the vessel.
My memory was 'You have the bridge'. So I checked and
http://star-trek.answers.wikia.com/wiki/What_does_you_have_the_bridge_mean
gives a good explanation of both the usages
The conn, likewise is the station one uses to directly control the ship's maneuvers. The "conning tower" on a submarine, for example, is so named because when a sub is on the surface, it can be commanded and steered from a secondary helm (or "conn") on the top of the conning tower. Both the watch officer (such as the captain) or the helmsman can be said to "have the conn" at any given time. The helmsman has the conn because he is physically manning the station and steering the ship. A watch officer may have the conn because while he doesn't man the station, he directs the helmsman, at the conn, where the ship is to be steered. It is often mistakenly misunderstood to represent the bridge itself, because the same watch officer that is said to "have the conn" is also said to "have the bridge" as he is in charge of the entire bridge watch.
Star Trek attempted to give verisimilitude to the show by basing the ship's culture on naval military structures, officers, and lingo. The proper expression is "you have the CONN." TNG was consistent in using "CONN" not "COMM." However, Shatner was famous for his mispronunciations of certain words, and he seems to use "COMM" rather than "CONN." In true seamanship lingo, there is no such statement as "you have the COMM"--the idea that this is short for command is incorrect.
Others have already clearly described what "you have the CONN" means in seamanship, but it is true that Star Trek often seems to use "CONN" to mean command, though at other times it seems to just refer to control of the bridge, referring to the more traditional meaning of the steerage or helmsmanship of the vessel. If Kirk or Picard is just going to his quarters, the meaning is clearly closer to the traditional one whereas if the captain beams down to a planet, the term "CONN" seems to refer to something more like "command." Scottie clearly makes command-like decisions when he has the CONN when Kirk is on a planet surface, though he still operates within the Captain's orders. In any case, fiction can take liberty with these terms in ways actual seaman would never do; but the original expression is CONN, not COMM.
“You have the conn” is borrowed from naval terminology. It most likely refers to the role of conning officer, who is the officer of the deck (OOD). This officer is responsible for carrying out the captain’s orders which includes controlling the direction and speed of the ship. The officer has full responsibility when the captain is off of the bridge. On naval ships the conn officer will stand watch at 4 hour intervals. The origination of the term conn and conning is uncertain but could come from conduct (conducting the ship) or from conning line, a rope that connected the wheel to the ship’s rudder.
