So *how* does Max translate languages?

[Ninja_Squirrel]

How is it that Max can understand a new alien's language by listening to him for just a little while or by looking at heiroglyphics on a wall for part of a day? Is this possible in real life?

It seems a little off to me, but maybe someone in here knows more about linguistics and can shed some light on how (or *if*) Max can translate things so quickly.

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Not many fishes left in the sea. Not many fishes, just Londo and me.

 

[Delbert]

I think that there's a lot of dramatic license in Max's translation ability, or possibly a deep dark secret that would come out later! (I notice that the thread below this one raises the possibility that Max is telepathic, which would certainly help. I'll read that thread once I'vce posted this!)

The theory, however, would rely on there being connections between the various languages across the galaxy. For example, on Earth if you know English and German, it is often possible to get a fair idea of what someone has written in Dutch, because they're all related languages. Pronunciation, however, can be either a hindrance or an aid, as the written language may have warped the form but not the pronunciation, or vice versa. But for this to work on an interstellar scale would depend on those languages having had a relation as well, possibly through Vorlon intervention

Hope that helps!

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[bakana]

I believe Max comments on it early on.

It's just this Talent he has. He doesn't know How he does it. It's just something he's always been able to do.

Of course, he's also supposed to be a genius with an IQ so high they can't really measure it. Which, of course, explains his lack of social skills. Most people that smart have trouble understanding us "normal" people. We just don't Think the same way.




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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?

 

[Cern]

I seem to remember reading that a lot of races use Centauri, since they had conquered a good portion of the galaxy. Of course, that wouldn't help really ancient races. the vorlon Idea seems more likely, or even Loriens race. Since most star systems have a jumpgate, maybe whoever built the ancient ones left writing and other records behind that the younger races incorporated into their own.

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Marcus, "Well They said I was carrying around a lot of repressed anger.
Lennier, "and?"
Marcus, "I'm not repressed anymore."

 

[hypatia]

Max sounds strangely Vorlon-influenced all of the sudden. Hmmmm.

There is always the chance that this is just a JMS “joke”

But I’d like to vent about one thing now, related to another thread:

<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black>When JMS decided to put that "it's all been an ISN broadcast" thing, I lost some respect for him. I admit, it might sound clever until you think about the dream sequences, etc. that have spoiled some shows. Time travel done to ridiculousness, etc. is a lazy writer's option. What a weird way to end such a great series.

And while I'm venting: I don't think killing people off is impressive either. Again, it can mean adjusting to life OR it can mean lazy writing. </font></td></tr></table>

I think that and if I'm struck down for it, so be it.

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"Will the Senator yield for a question? It's in 12 parts, so it may take some time..."

[This message has been edited by hypatia (edited June 28, 2001).]

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Max applies standard linguistic and code-breaking techniques. (For instance, deducing that one of the most frequently used words in the captain's log would be "ship", and then finding associated words.) He just works very fast, because he's a genius.

I would also assume that the IA has simply enormous databases of alien languages to compare his samples against, and fast programs that do a lot of the "scutt-work" of testing out various translation methods. There are probably certain common features of the languages used by most sentient air-breathers, so a certain amount of reasoning by analogy should work.

In the end, the whole thing is somewhat implausible, but I think you have to give them this one or the whole premise of the show would be undermined.

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bakana:
Of course, he's also supposed to be a genius with an IQ so high they can't really measure it. Which, of course, explains his lack of social skills. Most people that smart have trouble understanding us "normal" people. We just don't Think the same way.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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Delenn: He will not hear you.
Neroon: Then I will speak briefly.

 

[whitestar90]

In the first episode were they capture a high ranking Drahk, Max explains a little bit to Gideon about what the Drahk was saying and how he(Max) could understand..

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Emporer Turhan-"How will this end"
Kosh-"In fire"

 

[Quagmire]

Chicken bones and entrails. How else?

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Bus
"Authorities say the phony pope can be recognized by his high-top sneakers and increadibly foul mouth." Kent Brockman

 

[Babylon-ocholic]

Hrmm. I actually like Max after he went to Babylon 5.

Probably the most entertaining episode, wait, MAYBE.

He looks at the sentance structure, and breaks it down. He shifts out common markers, and others of the sorts. (No Dr. GOnzo, not Crayons) After that he takes the situation, and proceeds with step one with the words. After the diaphligamatory structure is translated, it's easy going.

Ahh, what the heck am I talking about? I don't know how he does it. I'm just being stupid again. I just made up diaphligamatory structure to sound smart.

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I wish I had a quote....

 

[crazybillyo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR> Ahh, what the heck am I talking about? I don't know how he does it. I'm just being stupid again. I just made up diaphligamatory structure to sound smart. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Heck, worked for me. But then again, that's not saying much...

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Sheridan: Are you trying to cheer me up?
Ivanova: No sir, wouldn't dream of it.
Sheridan: Good, I hate being cheered up. It's depressing.
Ivanova: So in that case we're all going to die horrible, painful, lingering deaths.
Sheridan: Thank you, I feel so much better now.

 

[Quagmire]

Worked for you?

I'm hooked on phonics, oh and then there's the crack.

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Bus
"Authorities say the phony pope can be recognized by his high-top sneakers and increadibly foul mouth." Kent Brockman

 

[taichidave]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR> Originally posted by bakana:
Most people that smart have trouble understanding us "normal" people. We just don't Think the same way. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Maybe you just don't think the same way.

Anyway, I agree with Joe. There's no "realistic" way it could work. Max's mind is remarkably adept at recognizing linguistic patterns. I'd just leave it at that.

How does telepathy work, really?
How does the Centauri gift for prophecy work?
How does a transporter transmit Kirk down to a planet surface that has no receiver?

All good questions, but they can get in the way of the story.



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"We are all Kosh."

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>How does a transporter transmit Kirk down to a planet surface that has no receiver?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

David Gerrold, who later went on to write "The Trouble with Tribbles", rewrite several episodes for TOS, write the "bible" for TNG and a bunch of other stuff (including the B5 episode "Believers") once described his first reaction to seeing the transporter in the first Trek episode ever aired. (Paraphrasing - I don't have the book handy):

"I thought, 'Well that's impossible, you can't do teleportation without a receiver.' But then I thought, 'How do you know that? It isn't like we really have teleporters. The whole thing is probably impossible anyway.' The main thing was it gave them a way to get the heroes into and out of the story quickly, without a long expensive landing-sequence in every show."

The real question is how does the transporter convert Kirk's entire mass into energy in a few seconds without blowing the entire ship to hell and gone? They must have found some way around that pesky "E=MC2" thing.

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

[This message has been edited by Joseph DeMartino (edited July 08, 2001).]

 

[Valen2k1]

Just like Trek's transporter, it's a plot device. A way to move the story along.

I mean, I understand wanting to know why, but for now- I guess he just *does* it. Maybe it was something that was going to come out in a later episode...

We may never know....

HOPEFULLY they will continue Crusade and we WILL!

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"During a witch hunt, don't get caught wearing a pointy hat."

 

[Zoriah]

A little offtopic but:

Did anyone else spot in the news about a year ago that they had made in-roads in teleportation technology?

Apparently some private lab was able to teleport a particle (or sub atomic particle?) a microscopic distance. I mean it was virtually a miniscule step but it was on the news, and so that whole thing about the heisenberg principle and teleportation being impossible... well it just goes to show that if man can conceive if it, one day man can make it happen.



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