Only if we assume that the translator works on output, though. If it works on input, everybody in a room will hear the output in his or her or its own language.
It then depends on the nature of the device whether they will additionally hear the original voice, or whether this will be replaced by the translation: it's not really "telepathy" if the UT works within the "hearing path" of the user, so that the ear hears, the signal moves along the nerves, the UT intercepts and translates it, and the brain receives an altered signal that no longer has the original sound in it.
However, if the UT indeed sits inside the head somewhere along that neural path, it's utterly trivial to also give it "telepathy": simple radio waves could carry additional information that the device receives in addition to whatever the ear provides.
What this as such reasonable setup fails to cover:
1) Why would the heroes be surprised in the slightest when the Melkot in TOS "Spectre of the Gun" speaks to everybody in their native language? (This was always utterly silly, considering how the TOS heroes could comprehend all alien languages.)
2) Why would the same thing happen to the folks of VGR "The 37s" who don't have UT devices on or in their persons? (Them being amazed is fine, though.)
3) When the UT goes crazy in DSC "Obol for Charon", why does everybody start hearing a dozen different languages from a dozen speakers if it's the input element that is getting translated? Why wouldn't Owosekun hear everybody speak Norwegian, say?
But the UT could easily handle output, too, if intercepting signals inside the user's head. Only, it couldn't produce multiple output types with a single set of vocal cords. (In comparison, lipsynch is easy: our brain has mastered the art of fooling itself, and the UT could always tickle it just the right way to make the user ignore lack of lipsynch, or lack of proper grammar, or indeed lack of clothing on the Emperor if need be.)
Timo Saloniemi
It then depends on the nature of the device whether they will additionally hear the original voice, or whether this will be replaced by the translation: it's not really "telepathy" if the UT works within the "hearing path" of the user, so that the ear hears, the signal moves along the nerves, the UT intercepts and translates it, and the brain receives an altered signal that no longer has the original sound in it.
However, if the UT indeed sits inside the head somewhere along that neural path, it's utterly trivial to also give it "telepathy": simple radio waves could carry additional information that the device receives in addition to whatever the ear provides.
What this as such reasonable setup fails to cover:
1) Why would the heroes be surprised in the slightest when the Melkot in TOS "Spectre of the Gun" speaks to everybody in their native language? (This was always utterly silly, considering how the TOS heroes could comprehend all alien languages.)
2) Why would the same thing happen to the folks of VGR "The 37s" who don't have UT devices on or in their persons? (Them being amazed is fine, though.)
3) When the UT goes crazy in DSC "Obol for Charon", why does everybody start hearing a dozen different languages from a dozen speakers if it's the input element that is getting translated? Why wouldn't Owosekun hear everybody speak Norwegian, say?
But the UT could easily handle output, too, if intercepting signals inside the user's head. Only, it couldn't produce multiple output types with a single set of vocal cords. (In comparison, lipsynch is easy: our brain has mastered the art of fooling itself, and the UT could always tickle it just the right way to make the user ignore lack of lipsynch, or lack of proper grammar, or indeed lack of clothing on the Emperor if need be.)
Timo Saloniemi
