Line #245 Main/TranslatorBuddy


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gunnerkrigg_translator_h.png]]]]
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6	One character has a peculiar way of speaking that may be hard for other characters ([[ExpospeakGag and the audience]]) to understand.
7
8	The most obvious case is when the two main characters speak different languages, and have a LanguageBarrier. It can be a nice BilingualBonus for those in the audience that know both, but we'll need a third character who knows both languages to have some communication going on. There are many other reasons this could be: Maybe the IntellectualAnimal can [[PokemonSpeak only say their own name]], or [[TheUnintelligible mumbles everything they say]]. Maybe TheSmartGuy plunges into {{Technobabble}} and SesquipedalianLoquaciousness when they get excited. Maybe the {{Cloudcuckoolander}} is just too crazy for the average person to understand. There's also a good chance you've been thrown into a CrypticConversation.
9
10	No matter why they're hard to understand, this would ordinarily limit their ability to function both in-universe and as a character. Thankfully, however, this character has a friend who will interpret what he's saying. This friend is the Translator Buddy.
11
12	This is a common way to show that two characters are close friends, as only the "interpreter" understands his friend so well. Whether they're distilling ten minutes of technobabble to two sentences in LaymansTerms, explaining what all those beeps and whistles the robot is making mean, or playing charades with their squirrel AnimalCompanion to get the scoop on the enemy's campsite, they can generally be counted on to clue to the rest of us in on what their buddy is trying to say. {{Hilarity\|Ensues}} and [[PoorCommunicationKills drama]] frequently ensue [[EvenTheSubtitlerIsStumped when even the Translator Buddy is stumped]]. The translator may also come with the guy that speaks the common language, explaining the foreigners to him. They can either be full-fleshed characters or just a LivingProp, standing there to translate during a certain scene and then forgotten.
13
14	A frequent lampshade is to have the person being interpreted respond with a befuddled "That's what I just said: {brief recap of technobabble explanation/phrase in an incoherently thick accent/PoirotSpeak gag}"
15
16	This is one of the responsibilities of a CloudcuckoolandersMinder. Compare MouthOfSauron, VoiceForTheVoiceless, and RepeatingSoTheAudienceCanHear.
17
18	----
19	!!Examples:
20	[[foldercontrol]]
21
22	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
23	* In ''Manga/BlackLagoon'', Rock acts as a translator when Balalaika is speaking to a Yakuza head.
24	* Kaname can understand whatever Sōsuke is saying in his Bonta-Kun suit in ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'', despite the voice box glitch that makes everything comes out as "Fumoffu!". (In [[Anime/FullMetalPanicFumoffu the anime]], at least, this is explicitly due to a radio earpiece -- she's not actually translating the "Fumo-fumoff-offu" nonsense.)
25	* Camparri acts as this for his God of Destruction Mosco in ''Anime/DragonBallSuper''
26	* Chamber of ''Anime/GargantiaOnTheVerdurousPlanet'' analyzes the Earth people's language within a few hours, and begins acting as a translator for Ledo. This continues for most of the show, but slowly drops off as Ledo himself becomes more competent with the language.
27	* ''Manga/KurokosBasketball'': Koganei serves as Mitobe's "translator". Mitobe is TheVoiceless.
28	* In ''Anime/LastPeriod'', Kikazaru acts as one for Iwazaru, translating her unintelligibly muffled speech.
29	* In ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'', Meowth of Team Rocket translates for all the other Pokémon, especially in episodes or shorts where the trainers aren't around for the day or where Ash and friends are forced to cooperate with the Team Rocket trio. Most of the time, though, he translates for the Rocket trio's other Pokémon.
30	* The second arc of ''{{Anime/Shirobako}}'' gives this role to Ema Yasuhara for her junior Ai Kunogi, who is generally [[ShrinkingViolet too shy to get past the first syllable of her sentences.]]
31	* In ''Manga/YuruYuri'', Nishigaki-sensei does this for Rise Matsumoto, who moves her mouth but can't be heard. Nishigaki-sensei will then tell the other characters what she said, or if they're by themselves will comment on whatever discussion they're having at the time.
32	* In ''Anime/YuGiOhCapsuleMonsters'', Solomon Muto is able to translate the hieroglyphic tablets the group runs across.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Comic Books]]
36	%%* Ben Grimm/the Thing is this to Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour''.
37	* Freckles Friendly is this to his little brother Peewee who is TheVoiceless in the ''ComicBook/RichieRich'' comics. Freckles always knows what his little brother wants, seemingly "translating" a mere MeaningfulLook.
38	* The children's educational magazine ''Muse'' had a talking crow who somehow interpreted a completely mute character.
39	* In ''ComicBook/PS238,'' Prospero speaks only in a bunch of alien-looking symbols.[[note]]which can be translated by fans, however[[/note]] His friend Angela can somehow understand the gist of what he's saying, which is acknowledged as odd InUniverse.
40	* A variation is used in one story of ''ComicBook/TheSimpsons'' comic. When Homer and Comic Book Guy are tried on obscenity charges thanks to some comics Bart bought, Homer's nerdy roommates from college are bought in to translate for the jury the geeky jargon Comic Book Guy uses. As it looks like Homer and Comic Book Guy are going to be found guilty and sent to prison, [[BookDumb Bart,]] of all people, has the brilliant idea of having a jury of peers oversee the trial, since the people in the original jury had no idea what Comic Book guy was saying, and have no clue as to how the geek subculture works, thus were likely to be biased against comics books in general. The new jury comprised of nerds finds Homer and Comic Book Guy not guilty, since comics are protected speech, though they find Homer guilty of [[TheBully bullying]] the new jury and Comic Book Guy guilty of breaking some laws established under the [[Franchise/StarTrek United Federation of Planets,]] and sentenced to hold a sign above the entrance to a FanConvention.
41	* One of ComicBook/TheThing's common roles when ComicBook/MisterFantastic slips into SesquipedalianLoquaciousness.
42	* ''ComicBook/TwistedDark'': One story has a cartel boss confronting his accountant, who he thinks is stealing money from him. The accountant doesn't speak the boss' language, so he has a guy speak for him. [[spoiler:At the end, when the accountant reveals where he hid the money he laundered from his boss, the translator tricks the boss into killing the accountant so he can steal the money.]]
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Fan Works]]
46	* ''Fanfic/AllAssortedAnimorphsAUs'': Jake interprets for Marco in "What if Marco was Deaf?" until the others learn sign language.
47	* In ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'', it's [[IronLady Commander]] [[ActionGirl Cathy]] who fills this role between [[ADungeonIsYou Keeper]] [[BadPowersGoodPeople Mercury]] and her minions, since she's the perfect middle ground between the technobabbling TeenGenius and her more down to earth ArmyOfThievesAndWhores.
48	* Due to C.C.'s speaking only in AntiquatedLinguistics and Shakespeare quotes in ''FanFic/AColdCalculus'', most characters find it difficult to understand her until Kallen, Milly or Euphie translate for them.
49	* [[Wrestling/TheNastyBoys Bryan Knobbs]] fills this role for Wrestling/DustyRhodes on [[http://www.angelfire.com/fl3/jasonsite/jwl39.html Episode 39]] of ''Fanfic/TheJWL'', albeit much [[NoIndoorVoice louder]] than someone usually in such a role.
50	* ''Webcomic/{{Pawnstuck}}'' has Matchsticks for Quarters's bird speak.
51	* Pikachu often acts as this for Ash in ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'', since Ash is able to understand Pokémon he has a close bond with, but not ones he never met before.
52	* In ''Fanfic/StrangeScales'', while the Cullens and others are trying to learn Mermish to communicate with the transformed Bella and other mermaid allies, Edward uses his telepathy to help both sides communicate.
53	* Both Spike and Fluttershy act as this for Chirp, [[spoiler:a mute human, who communicates only by whistling]], in the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fic ''Fanfic/SilentKnight''.
54	* When Weiss gains the ability to understand Shades in ''Fanfic/TowerOfBabel'', he becomes the main translator for the team.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
58	* In the Creator/MarxBrothers' films, Chico translates for Harpo.
59	* ''Film/AccidentMan'': After Mac's jaw is broken and wired shut, his partner Mick is the only one who can understand his mumbling and translates for him.
60	* In ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', God is TheVoiceless -- mostly due to [[spoiler:her]] own voice causing all humans' head and hearts to explode.[[note]]it took them several Adams to figure this one out[[/note]] Thus the Metatron is the voice of God.
61	-->'''Metatron:''' Everyone here who isn't dead or from another plane of existence would do their best to cover their ears right about... now.
62	* Toyed with in ''Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral'', with Charles and his deafmute brother David. The time he has to translate what David says, it's when [[spoiler:he acts as Charles's best man during his wedding to Henrietta... ''and objects to the union in sign language''.]] [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Predictably]], HilarityEnsues.
63	* Pseudolous, ButtMonkey and LoveInterest of the Gymnasia in ''Theatre/AFunnyThingHappenedOnTheWayToTheForum''. After meeting for the first time his love interest ''Gymnasia the Silent'', a towering blonde amazon incapable of speech and expressing herself in oddly mismatched pantomimes, he reveals that her gestures are actually an highly organized form of sign language, and he's the only character of screen able to grasp it. Everyone else thought Gymnasia as incapable of expressing at all.
64	* ''Film/HogWild'': Bull, the leader of an outlaw motorcycle gang, speaks in incomprehensible gibberish, requiring one of his cronies to translate for him.
65	* Police Constable Bob Walker of the Sandford Police Service in ''Film/HotFuzz'' speaks with such a thick rural accent that Nicolas Angel needs other villagers to translate him -- a task usually handled by Danny. However, isolated country folk are unintelligible to everyone but Bob, forcing a translation chain. Interestingly, as Angel gets more familiar with the town, Bob's dialogue becomes more intelligible.
66	* In ''Film/InstructionsNotIncluded'', Valentin relies on his daughter to translate for him, as he is from Mexico and doesn't speak English. This causes problems when the school authorities notice that she is missing school too often.
67	* ''Film/LifeAnimated'' is about someone with UsefulNotes/HighFunctioningAutism who uses the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon as this to understand the world.
68	* Used in ''Film/LovePotionNumberNine''. When the female lead, Diane, gets a sample of the Love Potion no. 8, she receives the power of a CompellingVoice, of a sexual nature and working only with the opposite sex. Upon entrancing a rich mook, to avoid [[BlessedWithSuck the potential hassles of being chased, harassed or desired by every single man at her speaking distance]], she cleverly puts the mook under the assumption she just enjoys [[CuteMute "play the mute game"]], that is using a simplified form of [[HandSignals sign language while in public]], and letting him graciously act as her mouthpiece.
69	* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
70	** ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'': Despite Groot communicating exclusively through grunts and the phrase [[VerbalTicName "I am Groot"]], Rocket has no trouble understanding him.
71	** By ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'', it seems that nobody on the ''Milano'' has any problem understanding and communicating with Groot, as Quill can sustain a conversation with Groot just fine.
72	** In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', Thor is able to understand Groot after just meeting him. He says he took a class in his language "as an elective."[[note]]In the comics, all of Groot's species communicates the same way. The actual "language" is stated by one character to be communicated by subtle inflections in the way they repeat the phrase.[[/note]]
73	* Richard and Joe do this for each other in ''Film/MusicWithin''. Richard who is partially deaf, can understand Joe but has difficulty hearing anyone else. Joe, who has cerebral palsy, can hear just fine, but other people find him hard to understand.
74	* Played with in Creator/CheechAndChong's ''Film/NiceDreams''.
75	-->'''Lab Technician:''' This, smoke no. This, smoke yes.\
76	'''Noodles:''' Never mind that technical talk, Fu. He means that anyone who smokes that stuff will turn into one of these lizards.
77	* ''Film/PastLives'': Hae Sung's English is poor and Arthur's Korean is basic, so the Korean-American Nora translates between the two of them.
78	* Mr. Cotton's parrot in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'' is something like this, even though Mr. Cotton himself doesn't speak at all (because his tongue has been cut out). Played for laughs in that the parrot speaks entirely in stereotypical pirate phrases like "Pieces of Eight" and Cotton's expression never changes.
79	-->'''Jack:''' Mr. Cotton's... parrot. Same question.\
80	'''Cotton's Parrot:''' ''Rawk!'' Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!\
81	'''Gibbs:''' Mostly we figure that means "yes".
82	* ''Film/RRR2022'': Ram is fluent in English, while Bheem is not. He acts as the go-between when he realizes Bheem is interested in the British Jenny, who can't speak Telugu.
83	* Kyra in ''Film/SinbadOfTheSevenSeas'' has to translate her father Nadir's gibberish for Sinbad.
84	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
85	** [=C3PO=] does it for R2-D2, who is TheUnintelligible in ''Franchise/StarWars''.
86	** In ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' [=C3PO=] is temporarily the offical translator for Jabba the Hutt. Prior to [=C3PO=] translating for him, most of Jabba's dialogue came with subtitles.
87	** Cornelius Evazan is this for Ponda Baba at Chalmun's Cantina in ''A New Hope''. (i.e. "He doesn't like you!")
88	** In several novels, Luke claims he has spent so much time with R2-D2 that he can understand most of his beeps.
89	* There's a member of Myth/RobinHood's band in ''Film/TimeBandits'' who speaks only in growled gibberish. Whenever he says something, Robin turns to the guy's buddy for a translation.
90	* In ''Film/TheViewAskewniverse''. Jay usually just speaks for both of them, but often he will "translate" TheVoiceless Bob's more subtle hand gestures. It's worth noting that Silent Bob can speak... He just doesn't want to.
91	* In ''Film/WhenEvilCalls'', Detective Nelson is the only to understand what his partner Detective Ringwald is saying, as Ringwald mumbles everything in a drunken slur while switching between English and French. Nelson usually summarizes at the end of Ringwald's rants; cleaning it up a bit in the process.
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Jokes]]
95	* A musician joke:
96	-->'''Q:''' [[NobodyLovesTheBassist Why do bands have bassists?]]\
97	'''A:''' [[DumbAndDrummer To translate for the drummer.]]
98	[[/folder]]
99
100	[[folder:Literature]]
101	* In ''[[Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles The Enchanted Forest Chronicles]],'' there's a magician named Telemain who speaks almost entirely in {{Magibabble}}, so Mendanbar, the King of the Enchanted Forest, often winds up having to "translate".
102	-->"It's a self-sustaining barrier produced by recirculation of the initial power input," Telemain explained. "Because of the rotation effect, most physical substances cannot pass through the shield in either direction. Unlike the majority of spells, this one needs no exterior energy source, so the usual procedure for dismantling such sorceries would be completely ineffective."\
103	"What does that mean?" Cimorene demanded.\
104	"The spell keeps itself up, we can't get in or out, and we don't have any way of getting rid of it," Mendanbar translated.
105	* In ''The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler'' by Gene Kemp, twelve-year-olds Tyke and Danny are best friends. Danny has a speech impediment which makes most of his words begin with a D-sound and gets worse when he's upset. Tyke frequently has to translate his speech so others can understand it.
106	* Although they weren't friends, the [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarves]] acted like this during ''[[Literature/DarkLordOfDerkholm Year of the Griffin]]''. Headmaster Corkoran was entertaining a delegation of [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Roman senators]] and visiting dwarves at the same time, and the Senators' speech was so [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness eloquent and convoluted]] that Corkoran couldn't follow a word of it until the dwarves translated.
107	-->"And now he's offering you a bribe to snuff her," Dworkin said with a chuckle.\
108	"That is highly inelegant," Antoninus remarked.\
109	"But mostly accurate," Empodicles added.
110	* A running gag in ''Literature/JeevesAndWooster'' is that Bertie has to translate whatever Jeeves is saying for the benefit of one of his "pals", most of whom are fellow {{Upper Class Twit}}s.
111	-->"[[ZanyScheme The scheme I would suggest]] cannot fail of success, but it has what may seem to you a drawback, sir, in that it requires a certain financial outlay."\
112	"He means," I translated to Corky, "that [[LaymansTerms he has got a pippin of an idea, but it's going to cost a bit]]."
113	* ''Literature/LegacyOfTheDragokin'': The goblins never speak like the other characters and yet Rufus can understand them.
114	* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' the giant Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun speaks only a few words of the common tongue of Westeros, so he needs wildlings who speak the old tongue to translate for him, usually Leathers.
115	* ''Literature/MagicalGirlRaisingProject'':
116	** Lapis Lazuline in ''Restart'' is the only one who can easily understand Melville's slurred speech.
117	** Pythie Frederica in ''Limited'' is the only member of her team that can speak both Japanese and English fluently. As such, she's the one that handles communicating with other groups when necessary.
118	* Mira and Freko become this for each other (and each others' species) in ''Literature/MirasGriffin''.
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
122	* In ''Series/The10thKingdom'', Tony is the only one who can understand what Wendell (who was turned into a dog) is saying.
123	* ''Series/BabylonFive'':
124	** The comedy/magic duo Rebo & Zooty, played by the RealLife comedians/magicians Creator/PennAndTeller. Zooty doesn't speak but wears a machine that they claim translates his thoughts. Rebo usually interprets for him.
125	** The Lumati Ambassador's assistant performs a similar role in "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS02E12ActsOfSacrifice Acts of Sacrifice]]", speaking to Commander Ivanova on his behalf because the ambassador would suffer an unimaginable loss of face if he spoke to an inferior directly. He begins speaking to Ivanova directly once he feels she has proven herself his equal, and it is implied that his assistant is the savvier of the two.
126	* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'':
127	** Leonard spends much of his time translating Sheldon's sayings (and explaining his habits) to Penny and other strangers.
128	** Also, in a way, there's Howard repeating out loud everything Raj whispers in his ears when there's a girl around since he's unable to talk to girls.
129	* In ''Series/CriminalMinds'', Morgan sometimes acts like this to Reid when he slips into SesquipedalianLoquaciousness:
130	-->'''Cop:''' You really think this was only one guy?\
131	'''Reid:''' The level of overkill indicates an [=UnSub=] in a psychotic break. Multiple Unsubs in violent psychotic breaks operating in the exact same location is exceedingly unlikely.\
132	'''Morgan:''' Yeah. It's probably one guy.
133	* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E3UnderTheLake Under the Lake]]"/"[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E4BeforeTheFlood Before the Flood]]", Cass (who is deaf and doesn't speak) has Lunn as her sign-language interpreter. He translates her signing and occasionally translates what the others are saying if it becomes too difficult for her to lipread. When Clara tells them to split up, Cass quite understandably freaks out.
134	-->'''Clara:''' Look, he'll be fine. I promise.\
135	'''Cass:''' ''[angry signing]''\
136	'''Clara:''' ...okay. Didn't need anyone to translate that.
137	* In ''Series/{{Fringe}}'', translating whatever Walter says into something that other people can understand is one of Peter's responsibilities as his father's caretaker/minder.
138	* ''Series/KeyAndPeele'' has the recurring sketch of UsefulNotes/BarackObama (played by Peele) and his "anger translator" Luther (played by Key), with the former saying things in the President's famous mild-mannered professorese and the latter clearly and loudly expressing the anger and frustration behind the measured rhetoric. Luther eventually [[AscendedMeme ascended]] and made an appearance with the ''real'' Barack Obama at the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkAK9QRe4ds 2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner]].
139	* The ''Series/ILoveLucy'' episode "Paris at Last!" has a famous example of this trope, involving a ''chain'' of translators. [[Creator/LucilleBall Lucy]]'s been arrested due to a misunderstanding and needs to be interrogated by the sergeant. The sergeant only speaks French, and Lucy only speaks English. Fortunately, there's a lower-ranking cop who speaks French and German, a drunk tourist in another cell who speaks German and Spanish, and Lucy's husband Ricky speaks Spanish and English. The questions get translated down the line, then Lucy's responses get translated back ''up'' the line.
140	* ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'': Trini is this to Billy. After Trini left the show, Billy lost the need for this, with the writers toning done his SesquipedalianLoquaciousness along with his general nerdiness. He did the same for her, too. She presented a plate of squares from her gourmet cooking class, calling them by their given name. He instantly realized the snack contained snails.
141	* [=McGee=] is sometimes this for Gibbs on ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' whenever they have to deal with people speaking {{Technobabble}}. [=McGee=] also does the speaking for Tony when the latter is too hungover to put together coherent sentences.
142	-->'''Tony:''' [=McGee=]... say words...
143	* Officers Smitty and Hoppy, a black and white cop team, played this role for each other on ''Series/SanfordAndSon'':
144	-->'''Lamont:''' ''[to Smitty]'' What's this dude look like?\
145	'''Smitty:''' ''[to Hoppy]'' Do we have a make on the suspect?\
146	'''Hoppy:''' ''[to Smitty]'' The suspect is a male Caucasian with no distinguishing marks or features.\
147	'''Smitty:''' ''[to Lamont]'' He's a white dude.
148	* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': John does this ''a lot'' when he's with Sherlock. [[OnlySaneMan Oi. No wonder the guy's normal. His friend is - well, weird.]]
149	* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'':
150	** In the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS2E5LoudAsAWhisper Loud as a Whisper]]", Riva, a famous negotiator, is born deaf and mute (as are all members of his race's royal family). He has what he calls a chorus, three telepaths who speak for him, each one representing an aspect of his personality: Scholar/Artist, Passion/Warrior, and Harmony/Wisdom. When his chorus is killed, he is forced to speak by sign language. Data then takes on the role, due to his ability to learn and master five sign languages in a few seconds.
151	** Geordi is sometimes the {{Technobabble}} translator for Data, less often it's the other way around. Worth noting with the Geordi/Data interaction in ''The Next Generation'' is that Geordi translates the Technobabble that Data gives to the rest of the crew and also explains the meaning behind various human behaviors and idioms to Data, which might as well be a foreign language to Data due to him being an android. Geordi essentially does double-duty in this role.
152	* ''Series/SwitchedAtBirth'': Daphne (who signs, reads lips, and speaks) somewhat operates as this literally for Emmett (who signs, apparently does read lips, but doesn't speak).
153	* Kenny for Joey Lucas (who is deaf) in ''Series/TheWestWing''. The one time Joey has a different translator is the time Josh wants to speak to her about something highly confidential. Since he doesn't know and hasn't vetted the new translator, they have to try to communicate without one. Joey can read lips and write things down if needed so she's not completely reliant on Kenny, and several of the regular characters pick up some sign language as they interact with Joey more.
154	* Parodied in the second season of ''Series/HoleyMoley'' with [[TheQuietOne Course Marshall Joe]], who does this for [[{{Mascot}} Sir Goph]] in the Diving Range event. Sir Goph always scores each dive with a sign that has a nut or fruit on it, which somehow invariably means "4", as Joe shows by holding up that exact amount of fingers. The hosts conclude that this is the only number that Joe knows.
155	* In 1980s Creator/{{CBBC}} continuity announcements, Philip Schofield was the translator for Gordon the Gopher, who spoke in squeaks. (Tie-in books would claim Schof was one of a handful of humans who knew Gopherese.) This continued when they both moved to the SaturdayMorningKidsShow ''Going Live'', although co-host Sarah Greene could apparently understand Gopherese as well. The role of puppet character in the continuity slots was taken over by Edd the Duck, who spoke in quacks, with Andy Crane and later Andi Peters acting as translator.
156	[[/folder]]
157
158	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
159	* Wrestling/PlayboyBuddyRose would play this role in promos for Ed Wiskoski, due to the latter's tendencies toward SesquipedalianLoquaciousness. Doubles as an [[{{Pun}} Incredibly Lame Pun]].
160	* The reason ICW and then IWA Mid-South paired Wrestling/DaizeeHaze up with her till then long time enemy, [[Wrestling/HunterJohnston Delirious]], was that she could understand him.
161	* Alex Shelley to [[Wrestling/LondonAndKendrick Brian Kendrick]] in Wrestling/{{TNA}}, who seemed to be heavily medicated or something.
162	[[/folder]]
163
164	[[folder:Toys]]
165	* Matoro from ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}'' acts as one for Turaga Nuju, who only speaks in the [[AnimalTalk language of birds]].
166	[[/folder]]
167
168	[[folder:Video Games]]
169	* In ''VideoGame/ArmyOfTwo'', the main characters occasionally need help from {{Hollywood Hack\|ing}}er [=S3kshun8=], who apparently communicates only through LeetLingo text, meaning it is up to longtime friend Rios to translate it into plain English for Salem. The LeetLingo is actually quite tame, to the point a casual reader could easily figure it out, but it scrolls by so quickly it can be hard to catch every word if Rios didn't repeat them.
170	* ''VideoGame/BungoToAlchemist'': [[TheStoic Kawabata Yasunari]] is quiet as a stone and sometimes speaks in confusing metaphors, which leads his close friend Yokomitsu Riichi, who understands him incredibly well, to play interpreter for him.
171	* In ''VideoGame/ChicoryAColorfulTale'', Prunus becomes Pizza's translator for the insects by hiding in the latter's head.
172	* ''VideoGame/DeadlyPremonition'': The initial purpose of Michael Tillotson's character is to listen to and repeat clearly the words of his elderly employer [[spoiler:and adoptive father]] Harry Stewart, to point where his catchphrase is "So says Mr. Stewart."
173	* [[GenkiGirl Misha]] in ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'' can and will translate everything to and from sign language when her best friend, the deaf-mute [[StudentCouncilPresident Shizune]] is around. And [[CharacterTics sometimes]] when she isn't around.
174	** Hisao sometimes serves as this in Shizune's route, in which he learns sign language.
175	* In ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact'', [[{{Chuunibyou}} Fischl]]'s [[LargeHam hammy]], PurpleProse-laden dialogue is often [[TranslationYes simplified]] by her [[LoyalAnimalCompanion night raven familiar]] Oz.
176	* Played straight in ''VideoGame/Mother3'' with Fassad and his interpreter shortly after [[spoiler:the former falls off a building and is thereafter forced to communicate solely through horns]].
177	** He actually chose to [[spoiler:speak only through horns after his reconstruction, but to the extent that it could be the only way he could communicate]].
178	* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'':
179	** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'', [[TheTriadsAndTheTongs Triad]] boss Ran Fa Li communicates purely through unintelligible grunting and muttering, which his assistant Su Xi Mu translates to English.
180	** In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'', Little Jacob fulfills this role in conversations with Teafore "Real Badman" Maxwell-Davies, translating Badman's Jamaican Patois on behalf of Niko.
181	** Tao Cheng from ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' mostly only knows Chinese, so he's usually accompanied by a man who's [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep solely known as his "humble translator"]] to help him conduct business on behalf of the Triads.
182	* Straynap, the ExpositionFairy in ''VideoGame/NappleTaleArsiaInDaydream'', translates the [[StarfishLanguage MIS communication]] that [[{{mon}} Paffets]] use for the heroine's benefit.
183	* Inverted in ''VideoGame/TheJourneymanProject 3: Legacy of Time''. After [[BenevolentAI Arthur]] downloads himself into your suit's Translator biochip, he uses it to both translate the native peoples' language in each time zone, and allow you to reply in the same manner.
184	* In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', Zaalbar (being a Wookiee) can't speak Basic or Huttese, so he relies on his Twi'lek pal Mission to do most of the talking. He's pleasantly surprised when he realizes the PlayerCharacter can actually understand him.
185	* The ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'' games tend to have this with whoever the games' exposition fairy happens to be, considering how the titular characters tend to babble in vaguely Italian-sounding gibberish.
186	* In ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryII'', Poet Omar only speaks in poetry verses. He has an assistant that will "translate" for him when you talk to him, explaining what he means. [[spoiler:When Omar is unveiled to be the Sultan Harun al-Rashid, the man doing this turns out to be his majordomo, who also speaks in his name during court. Al-Rashid ''can'' speak normally, he chooses not to as part of the Omar persona.]]
187	* An odd case in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' in that the Wookiee smuggler Jakarro has attached the ''head'' of a protocol droid (C8-42) to his chest to act as a translator, but it doesn't stop the droid from trying to smooth over the Wookiee's rough manners, or [[ServileSnarker interjecting some sarcastic commentary]]. When the droid realizes he's talking to people who can ''understand'' Jakarro, he is noticeably perturbed since it means he ''can't'' try to pretend his master wasn't saying something rude.
188	* A few of the ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'' games feature a FrankensteinsMonster who can only speak in grunting. The frankenstein has a son who can understand him and translates it for other characters.
189	* In ''VideoGame/{{Stray\|2022}}'', the cat's RobotBuddy B-12 serves this role, being able to understand the language of the humanoid robots living within the city. That said, there are a couple moments when they are unable to help the cat communicate, all of which are dramatic and tied into the story:
190	** The first instance is in Antvillage [[spoiler:due to a HeroicBSOD from remembering they used to be a human scientist]];
191	** The second is when [[spoiler:they're taken away from the cat and both (along with their ally Clementine) are put in jail]]; and
192	** The last is [[spoiler:they upload themself into the Control Room's systems to open the city to the Outside, sacrificing their drone body (which they damaged severely in hacking the systems' security) in the process]].
193
194	[[/folder]]
195
196	[[folder:Webcomics]]
197	* In the third [[https://www.dominic-deegan.com/chapter/interlude-the-beast-part-3/ interlude regarding The Beast]] in ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'': Dominic's mother speaks with a horned elf-like being riding a [[NoMouth mouthless]] alien with a long, spiky snakelike body ending in five eye stalks, addressing the rider as Alduraithel, Archmage of the Fourth Circle. It's revealed (to the readers) at the end of their conversation that [[spoiler:[[ActuallyThatsMyAssistant the rider was the archmage's translator]]]].
198	* In ''Webcomic/TheMansionOfE'', history reports that Penelope served as this for her husband, the super-genius Earl of E [[MadScientist Ludwig]].
199	* In ''Webcomic/LatchkeyKingdom'' Rex Vunderdog apparently understands Inglish perfectly fine but is physically incapable of speaking it, being a dog, so he has a Babel Finch ride on his back and translate his barks and growls.
200	* The main cast of ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'' may have a complex LanguageBarrier, but get past the part of it via Icelandic being the CommonTongue and the similarities between Swedish, Norwegian and Danish. Lalli, who only speaks Finnish, needs to rely on his multilingual cousin Tuuri to verbally communicate with pretty much everyone else. The problem is that Lalli is also quite quirky and Tuuri has trouble distinguishing between TactfulTranslation and TranslationWithAnAgenda.
201	** Later, Emil starts learning Finnish to communicate more easily with Lalli. He eventually becomes the closest thing to this trope the crew has, [[spoiler:after Tuuri bites the dust]]. He does manage fine, but is not quite fluent.
202	* In ''Webcomic/{{Smithson}}'', Selina has taken a vow of silence, but whatever she wants to communicate through glares and facial expressions can somehow be understood by Gemma, and only Gemma. Even funnier because Gemma and Selina ''hate'' each other; she's a Translator Buddy who is in no way a buddy.
203	[[/folder]]
204
205	[[folder:Web Original]]
206	* Eleonora plays this role for her brother, Menelaos, in ''Literature/GreekNinja'' as his speech consists mostly of mistranslated Greek.
207	* ''WebAnimation/StoryBooth'': In [[https://youtu.be/zRzzDRZcUEA My Life with CP (Cerebal Palsy),]] Mandy's mother narrates her story, as she is [[TheUnintelligible unable to speak properly]] due to her condition.
208	[[/folder]]
209
210	[[folder:Western Animation]]
211	* Blueberry Muffin from the ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'' franchise acts as this in several generations.
212	** The original 1980s special had her translate Apple Dumplin's scribbles to the other Strawberryland residents, being the only one who can understand the handwriting.
213	** In ''Berry Bitty Adventures'', Blueberry would often have to put Mr. Longface's [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness verbose way of speaking]] into LaymansTerms for the other girls.
214	** In ''StrawberryShortcakeBerryInTheBigCity'', Blueberry claims she can communicate with plants and would relay their thoughts to the Berry Besties in several episodes. [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane It's implied more often than not]] that this isn't her being a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}, and that she can actually talk to plants.
215	* Scarlett to Snake Eyes, who is TheVoiceless, in ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeRenegades''.
216	* Raf is the one who interprets Bumblebee for the other kids in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''. How Raf intuitively understands binary clicks just as well as he does English is not explained.
217	* Alan is this for his brother [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness Tom]] on ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingChanAndTheChanClan'':
218	-->'''Tom:''' One can only surmise that this establishment manufactures prestidigitation equipment.\
219	'''Suzie:''' Alan?\
220	'''Alan:''' This is where they make magic tricks.
221	%%* Zilly, for Klunk, on ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines''.
222	* Super Chief on ''WesternAnimation/TheFunnyCompany'' speaks in nothing but train horn sounds. His partner, Broken Feather, translates.
223	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheBadBatch'': Because of her time spent as Nala Se's lab assistant, Omega is better versed in technical terms than some of her brothers, leading to her acting as this trope for Tech whenever his technobabble is too complex for the others to understand.
224	* Ruffled Feather from ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Underdog}} Go Go Gophers]]'' speaks in almost nothing but gibberish. He's actually the tactician of the group. His partner, Chief Running Board, understands him perfectly and translates for Col. Kit Coyote and Sgt. Okey Homa.
225	-->'''Running Board:''' Oopie-doopie! You-um genius!
226	* In the ''ComicStrip/DickTracy'' cartoons, Stooge Viller acted as Mumbles' interpreter. In one short, Mumbles was being tried in court, but since without Stooge [[ChewbaccaDefense his testimony was virtually unintelligible]], the case was about to be thrown out. [[EthnicScrappy Go-Go Gomez]] had to find Stooge and bring him in.
227	%%* Pinky is this to Chatta in ''WesternAnimation/PinkPantherAndSons''.
228	* Ray is this to Egon in ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters''. Although Winston and Peter are sometimes able to figure him out.
229	* On the TV series ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1992'', a deaf/mute mermaid named Gabriela had an octopus friend who interpreted her sign language.
230	* In Creator/HannaBarbera's animated series of ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleRascals'', only Buckwheat can translate Porky's gibberish.
231	* On ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', people who aren't used to Kenny's muffled speech will sometimes need one of his friends to explain what he's saying.
232	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Translating Twilight's often obscure technical talk into something other people can understand is part of Spike's job, but sometimes even he gets baffled by her explanations of things.
233	-->'''Cloudchaser:''' What exactly does this machine do?\
234	'''Twilight:''' This is an anemometer. It measures your accelerative velocity and translates it into wing power, thus gauging your cumulative [=H2O=] anti-gravitational potential. Any other questions?\
235	'''Flitter:''' Yeah. ''[to Spike]'' What exactly does this machine do?\
236	'''Spike:''' It tells you how fast you're flying and how strong your wings are.
237	* [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness In early episodes of]] ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'', Kaeloo had to translate for Quack Quack, [[TheUnintelligible who can only speak in quacks]]. In later episodes though, everyone else starts to understand him as well.
238	* ''The Dogfather'': In early cartoons, Pug had to translate Dogfather's speech to the rest of his gang, on the account of being ''very'' mumbled (parodying how Marlon Brando sounds in his movies). It was changed in later cartoons so that Dogfather can speak intelligible enough that no translation was needed.
239	* Similarily to the above example, in The Goodfeathers shorts on ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'', the Godpigeon speaks in a Marlon Brando-esque mumble that is uninteligible to everyone except Bobby, who proceeds to translate to the others.
240	* In ''WesternAnimation/CareBears1980s'', Secret Bear never speaks out loud and only whispers in Friend Bear's ear, so Friend Bear translates for him.
241	* ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'': Klunk speaks in sentences that alternate between regular words and weird vocal effects. Zilly is the only member of Vulture Squadron who knows what he's saying, so he translates.
242	* ''WesternAnimation/CoolMcCool'': In the ''Harry (My Pop, the Cop) [=McCool=]'' segments, Tom has to translate Dick's mumbling.
243	* ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'': General Amaya is deaf and uses sign language, so her second in command Commander Gren acts as an interpreter when she needs one.
244	[[/folder]]
245
246	[[folder:Real Life]]
247	* People who are Deaf, Blind, or Mute generally require Interpreters to help them communicate with others since they can only communicate via non-verbal means like Sign Language, which most people won't be able to understand.
248	* Creator/StephenHawking, the English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, was diagnosed with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]] at the age of 21. As the disease progressed, his speech became increasingly slurred to the point that only his family and close friends could understand him. He would teach classes and give lectures with someone translating for him. He eventually lost the ability to speak altogether after an episode of pneumonia required him to undergo a tracheotomy. From then on he famously used his signature text-to-speech device to communicate.
249	* Sharon Osbourne frequently turns the shaking, Brummie string of near-incoherent nonsequiturs that pass for speech in [[Music/OzzyOsbourne Ozzy]]'s world and translates for the world at large, especially in interviews. Ozzy has gotten sober in the last few years and is now perfectly understandable (for the most part).
250	* Deaf actress Marlee Matlin has an interpreter who accompanies her during public appearances.
251	* Baby talk. Sometimes nobody understands what a toddler says, except a parent or an older sibling. And sometimes not even them.
252	* Special needs children can sometimes require their caretakers to translate their speech or signs.
253	* Music/TheWho's manager Kit Lambert was briefly this to Pete Townshend when he had trouble explaining ''Music/{{Tommy}}'' in a coherent way to...''[[MindScrew anyone]]''.
254	[[/folder]]

Context Main / TranslatorBuddy