Universal Translator

[Nerys Myk]

So how do the deepcover agents who rely on UT hide the fact their lip movements don't match the sounds?

 

[Rek]

So how do the deepcover agents who rely on UT hide the fact their lip movements don't match the sounds?

Good question. lol They would have to work on learning the language and fixing their "accent" huh?

It would depend on how the device actual work, how it works inside your mind. If I were standing in front of you right now speaking in spanish, would you simply hear in your head the words in english, or would you hear spanish and the UT somehow provide you with understanding?

I think it's the second case. We've occasionally seen our heroes, that do have UTs, talk to aliens who don't have Uts (like in prewarp societies) and the aliens could understand them just fine, meaning they were talking the aliens' language. So it's not really a one-way 'translator', it's a two-way thing. Sort of like an expansion of your brain's language centers, giving you instant knowledge of alien languages. So no problems with out-of-sync lips

Though it brings up a question - when say, Kira talks to Sisko, if both of them can (thanks to the UT) both speak and understand each others languages, are they both talking in English or both in Bajoran or each in his/her own? Probably depends on the situation. Since I suppose native and naturally learned languages are more 'deeply' ingrained than the ones the UT provides, ordinarily everyone talks in their own language. But if the situation warrants it you switch into the other language. Say if Sisko was talking to a group of Bajorans without UTs he'd be speaking Bajoran.

How does this affect the 'you're accent has improved' and 'I have to brush up on my Bajoran'? Well, since most of the time such lines were spoken in regards to ceremonies and rituals perhaps it was some sort of ritual, ancient Bajoran used only on special occasions and thus not covered by the UT. Or the UT gives you just a sort of artificial crude knowledge and you still have to work to perfect things like accents.

As for why Klingon is sometimes translated and sometimes not, aside from the mentioned explanations it may also be the UT simply needs some time to switch to the appropriate language, especially if the language isn't 'used' very often by the UT-wearer and the person that's speaking changes the language suddenly.

This is my favorite explanation of the UT so far.

To the others: If the UT is smart enough to "back off" if someone learns the alien language and doesn't need it translated, I wonder if the UT wearers could just switch the UT on and off with their thoughts?

Oh and, the UT seems to be located in the ear(or so I saw on DS9 with the Ferengi).

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

To the others: If the UT is smart enough to "back off" if someone learns the alien language and doesn't need it translated, I wonder if the UT wearers could just switch the UT on and off with their thoughts?

Oh and, the UT seems to be located in the ear(or so I saw on DS9 with the Ferengi).

Rek--that's why I think it interfaces with the auditory nerve somehow.

And I think that given what biofeedback can already be used to do, some sort of biofeedback signal could be sent to switch the UT on or off.