When Captain Kirk says “Sulu – you have the Conn”, most people think that this means “You have the CONtrol or CONsole of the Bridge. In actual fact, “Conn,” is a naval term meaning the power to metaphorically steer the course of an endeavor or enterprise.

 

When “conn” (in the form “cun”) first appeared in English in the 17th century as a verb, it meant “to direct the steering or course of a ship,” usually from the bridge of the ship or its equivalent. Obviously, the captain of a ship has the primary responsibility for “conning” the vessel, but often delegates the “conn” (the noun appeared in the early 19th century) to subordinate officers. Early battleships actually had elevated “conning towers,” armored to protect the captain, but today the same functions are usually carried out from a “conning station” on the ship’s bridge.

 

In today's Navy, the Officer of the Deck (OOD) is the Captain’s representative on watch. The OOD can, and often does, have the conn as well: he will announce it to the control room: e.g. “This is Lt. Sulu, I have the Deck and the Conn.” The conn can be delegated to a junior officer for convenience or training: e.g. “This is Lt. Sulu, and I have the Deck; Ensign Crusher has the Conn.” (and yes, we know Sulu is from the Original series while Wesley Crusher is from Star Trek:The Next Generation!)

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