In the Original Star Trek series, or perhaps the later series, is it ever explained why aliens always understand earthlings? Do they have translator devices (not seen or mentioned)?
Or is it due to the obvious difficulty of subtitles and languages?
In the Original Star Trek series, or perhaps the later series, is it ever explained why aliens always understand earthlings? Do they have translator devices (not seen or mentioned)?
Or is it due to the obvious difficulty of subtitles and languages?
Technically, they are not actually speaking English, but are actually speaking Federation Standard.
The Universal Translator is built into every communicator. It allows them to speak with anything close to human. They do talk about it some in each Star Trek series. When Enterprise (2004) starts they can't speak to the Klingons because it's not finished yet. The Com Officer Ensign Sato has the newest version of the translator and works on it throughout the series.
No Sitcoms! No Sports! No Reality!
Later, in the books, they ave an implant that takes care of it.
shareWell, the Ferengi universal translator is implanted - somewhere inside their ear. When Janeway and her away team encountered abducted humans from the early 20th century; she pointed to her com badge when explaining the universal translator. They've always kept it ambiguous. According to Memory Alpha, it was referenced at least once as a wand-like device in the TOS episode, "Metamorphosis."
Somewhere, perhaps in a book, I got the impression that it had been suggested that there was a telepathic element to the circuitry of the translator. In that same wiki article, it does say something similar was proposed and dismissed in an early proposal for the series.
"I'm in it for the power and the free robes." - Harry Stone
No they aren't. They mention speaking English at least once or twice. As for example when Khan wakes up and says "English... I thought I dreamed hearing it." in Space Seed.
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If I could stop a rapist from raping a child I would. That's the difference between me and god.
Very good point, and I also love that last quote. Very true!
shareWell if you really want to get picky (and what Trekkie doesn't), when Khan went on the Botany Bay and was put into suspended animation it was called English.
As for Federation Standard, it's never been stated on any of the TV shows or movies that the official language is called Federation Standard. That only happens in books and other non official cannon sources.
No Sitcoms! No Sports! No Reality!
What's remarkable there is that it was the same English. If you spoke to an English-speaker from 250 years ago the way they spoke would sound quite strange, though you'd be abled to understand an educated person of the time.
What's remarkable there is that it was the same English.
Of course it's the same as English. It is English. The Federation and Starfleet were created by Earthlings, they spoke English, it became the standard language of the Federation. Hence Federation Standard.
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