Question: For those who watch Star Trek

[Barbara Moulton]

I know that all the aliens don't really speak English. It's simply the Universal translator that makes it possible for everyone to hear the other speaking in their language.

But where exactly IS the universal translator? I thought it was in the com badges but the other day I watched an old Voyageur in which the away team all had their com badges taken away, yet they were still able to undertand and be understood by the aliens.

[Dave McClung]

Barbara
Would you enjoy the program as much if everyone didn't speak English? The writers don't deal with the issue except when differences in language are part of the plot. The rest of the time, everyone speaks English -- even the Klingons.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I think that in Enterprise, it was supposed to be in development, and was a handheld device.

In DS9, it appeared to be built into the station somehow.

Also, there was an episode in which the Frengi accidentally traveled back into time. They couldn't understand what was being said, and they kept bumping the side of their heads with the palm of their hands to try to get their universal translator working. Apparently, theirs was implanted in their ears.

I really wish someone would come out with a nice, straightforward explanation, as the question has been keeping me up nights. :)


I know that all the aliens don't really speak English. It's simply the Universal translator that makes it possible for everyone to hear the other speaking in their language.

But where exactly IS the universal translator? I thought it was in the com badges but the other day I watched an old Voyageur in which the away team all had their com badges taken away, yet they were still able to undertand and be understood by the aliens.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Now for my pastoral theological response:

You see, Barbara, when the Lord confused the languages at the Tower of Babel, it was only earth languages that got confused.

When Star Trek started trekking, it was a surprise to find that we perfectly understood the Vulcans, Klingongs, etc. -- their words made perfect sense to us and our words were fine with them.

The universal translator is only needed when people of different Earth language groups talk to one another.

I am glad I am able to clear this theological problem for you today.

[Barbara Moulton]

Barbara
Would you enjoy the program as much if everyone didn't speak English? The writers don't deal with the issue except when differences in language are part of the plot. The rest of the time, everyone speaks English -- even the Klingons.

No...they aren't speaking English. Thanks to the Universal translator, everyone HEARS English. It's the only way the show could work. But once in awhile a casual reference about the Universal translator is thrown into an episode. For example when Janeway and her crew encounter some humans from the 20th century who were in cryrogenic sleep. One of them, a Japanese soldier, was astounded that they spoke his language. Janeway explained that they weren't really speaking Japanese, he just heard them speaking it.

SO, for the most part, I know we are just supposed to assume that the translator is there and working.

But I think the writers trip themselves up once in awhile when they put their characters in places where the Universal Translator couldn't be available, yet everyone still is able to communicate with each other. (This is particularly true in Voyageur. Since it is in the Delta Quadrant, we know that English would not be a known language.

One episode that was very intriguing was when Picard and the Enterprise encountered a race that communicated primarily by citing examples from their history and mythology. The universal translator was able to translate the words but they didn't make any sense because the Federation didn't know the mythology. (It would be like me saying to someone who didn't know the Bible that something was a "David and Goliath struggle")

That's one of my favourite episodes. My daughter Leisha and I even tried to go a whole day, communicating in that way. It was really tough :-)

I love a good Trekkie talk.

[Carol Lombard]

It must be a chip in the brain that does the translation.

[Stan Hall]

I like your theological explanation, Scott. LOL!

I've noticed for years that there's never a problem understanding aliens except when it serves a purpose for the plot.

Having read science fiction for many years, sometimes science and reality take a back seat telling a story. Isaac Asimov once mentioned that he wrote many stories which assumed space travel at many times the speed of light while never mentioning how it worked or that it was likely impossible.

Ever notice that almost all the aliens on Star Trek are humanoid. Human except for their bumpy foreheads, odd ears, and colors. They even seem to exhibit earth-like races. But then to produce such a show here on earth it's hard to find non-humanoid actors. Not to mention expensive.

In the last few years of Voyager, they did manage to use computer technology to create quite impressive non-humanoid aliens like species 8472.

Stan

[Dennis McClung]

I don't know about Star Trek, but in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the characters stick a special bread of fish in their ear, which feeds off of brain waves and excretes translated language.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babelfish

[David van Beveren]

Now for my pastoral theological response:

You see, Barbara, when the Lord confused the languages at the Tower of Babel, it was only earth languages that got confused.

When Star Trek started trekking, it was a surprise to find that we perfectly understood the Vulcans, Klingongs, etc. -- their words made perfect sense to us and our words were fine with them.

The universal translator is only needed when people of different Earth language groups talk to one another.

I am glad I am able to clear this theological problem for you today. So English is the heavenly language, from which all other languages are deviated. Is that what you are saying, Scott? :p