Farscape-Translator Microbes

[FaxModem1]

Okay, been watching Farscape recently, and when they inject John with translator microbes, he is able to understand them all, fine.

But then they say that everyone is usually injected at birth. How does that work? People don't learn to speak or understand languages until later on in development.

Do civilizations in Farscape even have languages since the translator microbes allow you to speak gobbledy gook and still be understood by others?

Or am I over thinking this?

[Kojiro]

It's a fair point- you can't really learn to do something you're never doing. They clearly do have different languages, as it takes Sikozu time to learn each new one, her species being biologically intolerant of the microbes. Actually that may be just her but regardless there's definitely different spoken and written languages. D'Argo's ancient luxan is another example (as well as his swearing) where he's specifically making certain sounds. How Aeryn ever learned any english is questionable too.

Perhaps an equally interesting question is why they don't work on written language and can only translate verbal input rather than visual? Do they ever convert random sounds to words? I initially thought it was a mild psychic effect, requiring a sort of telepathy but it works over comms and even with recordings so who knows?

And since universal translators of one sort or another will exist in sci-fi as long as uninterrupted gravity I suspect we're both overthinking it.

[Zixinus]

I just assumed that the microbes sort of kicked in when they needed to and were given to most species at birth just to make things easier logistically (of course, this assumes that birth happens a bit similar way as in Western Hemisphere Earth: in hospitals with stocked medicines of any needed sort). That's probably how the author figured standardizing something like this.

Greater issue though, is how are languages learned? Are you conscious of the fact that language is being translated to you or do just "hear" everything said in a way most familiar to user (in Crichton's case, in English)? Why are some things, like Luxon swear words, not translated but alien languages (such as English under the circumstances) are and are completely? Do they effect learning capability? Do microbes communicate?

Of course, the "translator microbes" (which can be just as easily be robots or genetically engineered whatits or something in-between for all we know) are just a clever plot device to not bother with having problems with alien languages or communication problems. Which means that there is no way not to try and discuss this without thinking it over more than the authors did.

[Sarevok]

Translator microbes only let you understand alien speech. It does not let you speak anything new. When two people with microbes are communicating they are actually speaking their own tongue with microbes acting as interpreters. See Sikozu for example, she has no translator microbes in her. So while Crichton could understand her she could not do the same. Not until she was taught english. Similarly see episodes like "A Human Reaction" or "Terra Firma". Earthborn humans could not understand the crew of Moya (hearing only gibberish) but they understood Earth humans just fine.

[TOSDOC]

Translator microbes only let you understand alien speech. It does not let you speak anything new.

If that's true, then John should be saying "Seconds" or "Minutes" instead of "Microts". If it is a matter of conversion (their version of the metric system for example) then the aliens could explain something to the effect that a "microt" equals 1.4 seconds instead of 1 second, but by your statement above he should still not know the term itself. He would hear "Microt" as 1.4 seconds. "Frell" and "Frelling" should also translate into English as the appropriate verb.

I like the idea of alien hospitals injecting microbes at birth, as simply as when we cut the cord and take swabs at birth. This makes sense especially on board Peacekeeper vessels where some Peacekeepers live out most of their lives. I'm not sure how a Volkarian Blood Tracker who gives birth in caves as a matter of course gets their microbes, but hey, I'm overthinking it, aren't I?

EDIT: I also have know idea how John would teach Aeryn English. I wonder if there's a way to turn the microbes off--maybe the DRD's have an antidote and then inject new ones when you're done.