Soo... translator microbes and Earth (spoilers for all seasons)

[Mike@Pilots Chamber]

Just a random topic but I've been thinking about this for a while.

Of course, you should know that this topic contains LOTS OF EVIL SPOILERS AND SO ON FOR ALL OF FARSCAPE SO FAR!!!!11!one!

Right then. We all know that translator microbes are little devices (possibly nanobots or something of that ilk) that allow people to understand different languages. Mechanical or not, these things act as a filter for the person listening to understand what is being said.

Now, we know that Crichton was injected with them when arriving on Moya. Of course this enabled him to understand the others BUT... the others could understand him!

Fair enough - what if all languages have a common route and the translator microbes just take advantage of that?

BUT (again) - in Revenging Angel, D'Argo has to have an injection of a fresh batch of translator microbes, loaded with ancient Luxan for him to take command of his ship, which makes me believe that the microbes have to know the language first. Bearing that in mind...

... how do people understand John?

Of course we've got the Eidelons, who may have taken the humans from Earth at a point when their language was evolving. I think the Eidelons probably could be the ones who created the translator microbes in the first place, and took the formative routes of current languages and put them on for the hell of it. That's one way.

Another thing to think about could be that contact with humans has happened around the Egyptian period by the Eidelons on Arnessk, as we know from the tile. At this point of course, a lot of languages on Earth would have been pretty well formed.

Two other random things which may or may not matter - how did the locals in I, E.T. understand them all? Could they somehow already have translator microbes? And then we've got languages that translator microbes cannot understand (Pilot) or could be barred from (Scarran military code).

Sorry, random topic but thought I'd post it anyways.

[mnbvcxz]

Right then. We all know that translator microbes are little devices (possibly nanobots or something of that ilk) that allow people to understand different languages. Mechanical or not, these things act as a filter for the person listening to understand what is being said.

Now, we know that Crichton was injected with them when arriving on Moya. Of course this enabled him to understand the others BUT... the others could understand him!

This suggests to me that they are telepathic, seeing into john's mind to understand what he is trying to say.

what if all languages have a common route and the translator microbes just take advantage of that?

It is possible that the eidolons could have genetically engineered the humans left on earth to give them the root of a universal language which the microbes could detect regardless of how actual languages evolved, but I don't think the microbes knew any earth languages, of which there are thousands, it has to be telepathy.

BUT (again) - in Revenging Angel, D'Argo has to have an injection of a fresh batch of translator microbes, loaded with ancient Luxan for him to take command of his ship, which makes me believe that the microbes have to know the language first.

An illogical plot development, the writers made a mistake?

of course we've got the Eidelons, who may have taken the humans from Earth at a point when their language was evolving. I think the Eidelons probably could be the ones who created the translator microbes in the first place, and took the formative routes of current languages and put them on for the hell of it. That's one way.

Another thing to think about could be that contact with humans has happened around the Egyptian period by the Eidelons on Arnessk, as we know from the tile. At this point of course, a lot of languages on Earth would have been pretty well formed.

I seem to remember in PKW it was explained to aeryn that the eidolons came to earth 27000 years ago, (although the length of a year depends on the planet you are on), which is prehistoric, and probably predates all current languages.

Two other random things which may or may not matter - how did the locals in I, E.T. understand them all? Could they somehow already have translator microbes? And then we've got languages that translator microbes cannot understand (Pilot) or could be barred from (Scarran military code).

I assumed that the microbes were present in the soil and quickly got into the population whilst they were children eating dirt, they never realised they had the microbes because they all inhabited the same planet and it was obvious that they should understand each other.

The eidolons never knew the scarrans so they could not give them the root of a universal language unless the microbes were seeded throughout the galaxy and shaped the formation of a language system that had the roots of the universal language within it.

[Nicola]

Since the translator microbes were injected into Crichton (and the various personages on earth not to mention the Vork and D'Argo) by the DRDs then I am going to assume they are biomechaniod and connected in some way to Moya.

I also think that mnbvcxz is right and they are telepathic in some way - but not directly between the two speakers. I think communication is translated through Moya's Data Stores.

So ... they are injected into the base of the brain and then colonize there.

They begin to 'transmit' concepts and ideas to Moya who then translates them into the various languages of those to whom Crichton is speaking to at the time.

Assuming this is accurate - we still don't know the range of Translator Microbes, but since Crichton was able to communicate on every planet he went to, in various different times, I am going to suggest two things.
1. That the Translator Microbes have a very long range and/or
2. TM don't have to connect with Moya's Data Stores to filter his communications.

"I, E.T." is a problem - since these people claim to have never had alien contact, but.... maybe that is not exactly true. Maybe in the long distant past TM were seeded on the planet and they are so prevalent now that everyone has them. Our planet has over 6809 different languages (so far) and Translator Microbes would be extremely handy without ever having to introduce an interstellar language. There is no reason to think that the planet in "I, E.T." would be any different.

After Moya was sucked down a wormhole in 'Dog With Two Bones' Crichton took refuge on Elack. I think he could communicate with Elack's pilot in a similar way that DRD 1812 could communicate with Moya - on a slightly different frequency.

Of course that doesn't explain why Crichton could communicate with Aquarrans in "Jeremiah Crichton" when all mechanical devices had their power sucked out of them - but then again, if TM are bio-mechanoid they wouldn't have that problem. But which data stores would Crichton's TM access after Moya starburst away?

There are so many variables and suppositions that I think it is best to take Rygel and Chiana's approach.

Rygel: Ugh- Best not ponder questions like these that only make your head hurt.
Chiana: Forget about it. Sit back and enjoy the happy ending.

:D

[mnbvcxz]

Now, we know that Crichton was injected with them when arriving on Moya. Of course this enabled him to understand the others BUT... the others could understand him!

I have just watched crichton's first meeting with D'argo and Zhaan and it is not clear that they can understand him until after the microbes are injected, so...
Communication might only occur if both parties have microbes in them.
The TM in the talker has direct access to the talker's brain so knows exactly what the talker means, transmits that meaning to all TM's in range (not far or they would overhear conversations not directed at them), the listener's TMs would translate that into the listeners brain so the listener thinks he is hearing the talker in his own language, so no telepathy, just translating machinery hardwired directly into the brain.

BUT (again) - in Revenging Angel, D'Argo has to have an injection of a fresh batch of translator microbes, loaded with ancient Luxan for him to take command of his ship, which makes me believe that the microbes have to know the language first.

Since the talker does not actually speak the language a listener expects to hear, D'argo needed to speak ancient luxan, and the new TMs taught him to actually speak it instead of them translating it.

Translator Microbes are common throughout Farscape Space, whilst Leviathans are comparatively rare, so I don't think they are needed in the process.