History Main / TranslatorMicrobes

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* All the aliens in ''SuperRobotWars Original Generations'' use translation devices, though they are pointedly not perfect. When one guy tells the alien his name (which means 'Mysterious Gourment' in German) one of the alien commanders incredulously asks if his translator is broken. Also, in a fourth-wall breaking moment, another guy begins his normal battlespeech, which segues into an episode splash-screen. After this, the same alien commander just has to ask "... 'Chapter 30'? What the hell?"

* In the ''Snarfquest'' comic strip, a goofy-looking critter called a gaggaleech[[hottip:*:really a very scary "Darkshade Death Leech", but it keeps this secret for obvious reasons]] gains the ability to communicate with everything due to a ring-granted ''Wish''. It uses this power to [[HilarityEnsues play pranks]] on the other characters, but is forced to change its diet from blood to fruit juice [[hottip:**:and is extremely annoyed to find that even ''apples'' beg for mercy while being drained of their vital fluid]] because "everything" includes prey.

* Semi-averted in the ''{{Half-Life}}'' games. While the friendly aliens speak English, the Vortigaunts speak a very formal, ritualized form of English, and although the G-Man speaks perfect dialectical English, his... [[AcCENTUponTheWrongSylLABle rhy-thmsss tendto ''be'' subtly... wrong]]. You even come across two Vorts speaking in their native language; they apologise for their rudeness and promise to speak English for your benefit from then on "Unless we wish to say unflattering things about you." They then go back to their incomprehensible chanting. Wait a minute...

* In the movie ''TheLastStarfighter'', one of the first things that happens to the hero once he arrives at the Starfighter base is a small disk attached to his lapel that translates brain waves so he hears perfect English, even though that's not what's actually being spoken.

*** The difference of phrasing between the vicious gangster and the meek protocol droid is amusing, though. Sort of like LostInTranslation. Also, most characters are bilingual or trilingual and able to understand each other; the reason that many speak their native language is that they are unable to speak galactic Basic. See BilingualDialogue.

** Furthermore, [[PardonMyKlingon certain alien slurs like Tali's 'bosh'tet']] go untranslated, probably because there's no English equivalent or, alternately, that a direct English translation would not carry the same implications as to a quarian. Some specific idiomatic phrases don't translate well either: "There's still a, how do you humans say it, fly in the lotion?" Also, when Garrus attempts to woo female Shepard, he assumes he can translate turian pick-up lines into English for the same effect, and ends up telling her that her waist is "very supportive".

* In one episode of ''TheDeadZone'', Johnny briefly dies. He is amazed that he and the Native American ghost that he had been hanging around with can finally understand each other. The ghost explains that everyone sounds the same in the land of the dead.

* Literature/SherlockHolmes [[Fanfic/ChildrenOfTime is intrigued]] [[Series/DoctorWho by the TARDIS's translation capabilities]].

--> "I forgot I had a self-esteem problem in junior-high."

* Subverted in ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', the story "It's the Wrong Torg, Grommit!" Riff brings in a auto-translator he made in junior-high to use it to communicate with an alternative-dimension Portuguese-speaking Torg, but it's actually just a cassette player that says things like "Riff is so cool! He's the coolest guy ever!"

* ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' uses the "Babel Fish", though in this case the ridiculous nature of the translation device (inserted in the ear) probably means its use is satirical -- like most things in ''[=H2G2=]''. The fish itself is named after the biblical TowerOfBabel myth. The babel fish, as it is known, subsists entirely on sound waves. A side effect is that these sound waves are converted into brain waves, which are excreted by the fish, into your brain. [[PuffOfLogic It also proves the non-existence of God,]] [[ItMakesSenseInContext much to God's consternation]].

* Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Professor Farnsworth's Universal Translator can only translate into an "incomprehensible dead language" (French).

* In {{GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries]], one of the lantern ring's abilities is a universal translator. It's also one of the abilities that hardly ever fails, as even in situations where the rings are rendered powerless, the translators work fine.This leads to a hilarious Aversion in Babel, where Hal, Kilowog, and eventually Razer's rings all run out. And there are no subtitles.

** The ultimate test of the TARDIS telepathic circuits comes in the BigFinishDoctorWho audio "Survival of the Fittest", which features alien insects that communicate through scent. The TARDIS translates, but the Doctor's German-speaking companion points out that if it worked ''perfectly'', they wouldn't get the residual scents as well. And the Doctor wouldn't have "a stuffy Prussian accent."

* In ''{{Timeline}}'', the time travelers had earpieces that translated for them. The problem was that only one of them actually knew how to talk in period and he was pretty shaky at it (he was a history buff/archeologist) so for the most part they could understand (reasonably, the translators weren't perfect) but not speak without sounding crazy.

'''[[ArtificialIntelligence Cortana]]:''' The Prophet of Regret is planning to activate [[LostSuperweapon Halo!]]\\

->'''Prophet of Regret message:''' ''*speaking alien language*''
->'''[[ArtificialIntelligence Cortana]]:''' The Prophet of Regret is planning to activate [[LostSuperweapon Halo!]]
->'''[[PlayerCharacter Master Chief]]:''' Are you sure?
->'''Cortana:''' ''*snaps fingers*''
->'''Prophet of Regret:''' ''*English*'' I shall light this holy ring, release its cleansing flame, and burn a path into the divine beyond!
->'''Cortana:''' ''*snaps fingers*'' Pretty much.
-->-- ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}''

*** It should be noted that these may not be translated because the TARDIS is not translating for the Doctor's companion, the first happens before Martha interacts with the TARDIS and the later happens after see left the Doctor so the effect probably stopped when she left.
** ''Cold War'': Clara assures [[spoiler: the Russians in the nuclear submarine]] that she can't be a spy because [[spoiler: she can't speak Russian]]. Of course, as far as they're concerned, she says this [[spoiler: ''in perfect Russian'']]. The Doctor probably shouldn't have skipped that part of her standard companion explanation.