Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Alex Navarro on August 10, 2009, 05:07:02 am

Title: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Alex Navarro on August 10, 2009, 05:07:02 am
Everyone in GTA (or later GTVA) space are english natural speakers  :p, or they still speak in their Earth original nationality (french, spanish, russian, chinese...) and sometimes have to use translators like the Vasudans?
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Spoon on August 10, 2009, 05:08:32 am
I think they all speak chinese but  :v: was kind enough to provide us with a english translation of the events.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: k19 on August 10, 2009, 05:18:36 am
There was a massive war during the second coming of Jesus and the English speakers defeated the non-speakers. Since we can't wipe out the Vasudans we use translators.  :v: never really said anything about history before the T-V war so anythings possible...
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Dilmah G on August 10, 2009, 05:30:23 am
Well I think by the 24th Century it would be extremely inefficient to all be speaking different languages, especially with the amount of people and with the GTVA's colonies in other systems.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Alex Navarro on August 10, 2009, 05:39:11 am
 :lol:

Well, i think it could be interesting: a command briefing with someone speaking his/her own language and a translator working, like a Vasudan's one, in a campaign pre Terran-Vasudan War.

By 24th Century we'll all have a chip inside our brains that translates automatically, :p, or learn english instantly with a direct-to-brain connetion upload  ;7

But yes, we'll all speak english because it's very easy to learn. Each one we'll speak at least two languages, the native one and english.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Dilmah G on August 10, 2009, 05:42:40 am
Yeah, I would think people would learn English as their first language and their native language as their second language, the other way around in developing areas.

Well, i think it could be interesting: a command briefing with someone speaking his/her own language and a translator working, like a Vasudan's one, in a campaign pre Terran-Vasudan War.
That would be interesting. :)
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on August 10, 2009, 05:56:20 am
I'm sure not everyone speaks english, but certainly everyone in the military does. Chain of command's no good if your subordinates can't understand what the hell you want them to do and vice versa. English is probably a requirement for enrolment.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Alex Navarro on August 10, 2009, 06:30:21 am
Quote
Yeah, I would think people would learn English as their first language and their native language as their second language, the other way around in developing areas.

That's too much, and too easy to say because you are an english speaker.

 I think the only way to do so is that an english speaking country conquer by force the world and the ONU, and that's not going to happen. English as the 1st language in ALL countries (or planets) is unthinkable, it's in the 3rd place in the ranking at this moment. There will be always first languages different from english, even in 24th century, and even with space colonization. Therefore I think there would be terrans with universal translators, perhaps few, but some of them in GTA or GTVA space.

Quote
I'm sure not everyone speaks english, but certainly everyone in the military does. Chain of command's no good if your subordinates can't understand what the hell you want them to do and vice versa. English is probably a requirement for enrolment.

Good point. Perhaps this...

Quote
Well, i think it could be interesting: a command briefing with someone speaking his/her own language and a translator working, like a Vasudan's one, in a campaign pre Terran-Vasudan War.

... could be applied to merchants and civilian transports, ferrys, pirates, etc
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Titan on August 10, 2009, 06:41:12 am
No, required language is whatever language the game is in. We don't know what humans speak, since V made everyone speak the same language depending on where they sold the game.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Wobble73 on August 10, 2009, 06:56:23 am
Of course it's universal translators, called Microsoft Sam (Or in my case Anna)  :p  ;)
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Titan on August 10, 2009, 07:02:00 am
lahl
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Rodo on August 10, 2009, 08:45:27 am
there is a german version IIRC....  :nervous:
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Spoon on August 10, 2009, 08:57:29 am
there is a german version IIRC....  :nervous:
Germans won WWII history version?
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Rodo on August 10, 2009, 09:01:07 am
and there is a spanish version too :P
(colonization of america had it's advantages in that case)
speaking of that, how's the spanish version coming along Alex? did you translated all the strings.tbl?
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Alex Navarro on August 10, 2009, 09:21:05 am
The translation is complete, Rodo. Write in google: traducción al español de freespace 2
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Dragon on August 10, 2009, 09:39:35 am
Maybe put a link to translation into your signature, it will make finding it easier for anyone interested.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Alex Navarro on August 10, 2009, 09:50:22 am
The link is already in my signature.

http://www.clandlan.net/foros/index.php?s=71f234f3a2feceb923ca316558c7edfc&showtopic=43104
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Goober5000 on August 10, 2009, 01:05:17 pm
No, required language is whatever language the game is in. We don't know what humans speak, since V made everyone speak the same language depending on where they sold the game.
According to the FreeSpace Reference Bible, everybody speaks English (:p) but it's referred to as Terran Standard.  It's not hard to imagine English being the universal language of aerospace in the future; it's already the universal language of aviation today.  On the other hand, there's nothing that says France or Poland won't conquer the world in the future and make French or Polish the standard instead. :D
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: SpardaSon21 on August 10, 2009, 01:11:14 pm
The French conquering the world?  That's highly unlikely.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Dragon on August 10, 2009, 01:22:39 pm
I think that they will speak true Terran Standard.
It would be similar to English, but not the one we speak now, just look at modern slang, now imagine it became standard English, then there was slang diverted from it, then repeat it a few times. Or imagine that for some reason there was a large-scale emigration from, for example, Italy to England at some point in history, it would certainly have influence on language, as English will be modified by some Italian divertives. Also, world is getting smaller as globalization is going on, so languages have a lot of opportunities to mix and affect each other.
Now imagine it going for 300 years, the English we use now would be rendered archaic and used only in some books happening in our century.
Just check language which was in use 300 years ago.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Titan on August 10, 2009, 01:44:01 pm
Or 100. Or less.

I have a second printing of Around the World in 80 days, and i can't read it.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Thaeris on August 10, 2009, 04:05:14 pm
I think that they will speak true Terran Standard.
It would be similar to English, but not the one we speak now, just look at modern slang, now imagine it became standard English, then there was slang diverted from it, then repeat it a few times.

Just so long as serious consideration of the film "Idiocracy" doesn't enter this conversation...

 :shaking:

-Thaeris
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Flipside on August 10, 2009, 06:44:47 pm
Well, in truth, they were all talking a completely different language, a mish-mash of Cantonese, English and Hispanic, mostly, but because 99% of players wouldn't have understood that, it was translated into English ;)
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Alex Navarro on August 11, 2009, 05:14:08 am
OK, let's all speak a creole laguage: ¡¡¡Galach!!!  ;7
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on August 11, 2009, 07:47:21 am
Well, in truth, they were all talking a completely different language, a mish-mash of Cantonese, English and Hispanic, mostly, but because 99% of players wouldn't have understood that, it was translated into English ;)

By Cantonese you mean mandarin I assume since I doubt a dialect of HK is going to be more prevalent to the billion odd mandarin speakers.

I always liked Firefly btw. Where they throw in random Mandarine chinese here and there, usually swearing or something akin to that. Makes it more interesting, especially since they don't even bother to subtitle it.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Alex Navarro on August 11, 2009, 10:12:14 am
Quote
I always liked Firefly btw. Where they throw in random Mandarine chinese here and there, usually swearing or something akin to that. Makes it more interesting, especially since they don't even bother to subtitle it.

By the way, why did they cancel that space western? It was something like I-war II, a good idea.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Liberator on August 11, 2009, 10:32:52 am
Why does Fox cancel anything?  I doubt we'll see the rest of Dollhouse either...
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: General Battuta on August 11, 2009, 10:34:45 am
 :wtf:

You mean...the Dollhouse...that's been renewed for a second season?
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: colecampbell666 on August 11, 2009, 03:25:57 pm
There was a massive war during the second coming of Jesus and the English speakers defeated the non-speakers. Since we can't wipe out the Vasudans we use translators.  :v: never really said anything about history before the T-V war so anythings possible...
We know that FS2 was fiction, no need for any more hints.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Dilmah G on August 13, 2009, 08:47:51 am
:wtf:

You mean...the Dollhouse...that's been renewed for a second season?
From what I saw it looked like a decent action/drama written by a few skirt-happy writers. In other words, worth a second season. :)
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on August 14, 2009, 04:23:08 am
Quote
I always liked Firefly btw. Where they throw in random Mandarine chinese here and there, usually swearing or something akin to that. Makes it more interesting, especially since they don't even bother to subtitle it.

By the way, why did they cancel that space western? It was something like I-war II, a good idea.

Because people are retards. And probably because not many people watched it . . . the concept sounded pretty dumb. But the show was pretty awesome. At least they got to make a kickass movie. That's somethign that most dead shows can only dream of.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: NGTM-1R on August 14, 2009, 05:38:41 am
The themesong drove most viewers to suicide. (I mean, mother of god people, the lyrics were awesome but the execution was epically, epically bad.)
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 14, 2009, 05:58:43 am
Firefly ripped off Bladerunner and diluted it :p
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Liberator on August 14, 2009, 10:43:52 am
What part of Firefly had ANYTHING at all to do with Bladerunner? :wtf:
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Colonol Dekker on August 14, 2009, 10:49:56 am
The oriental language dissemination into mainstream culture? Plus jess whedon is an asshat. . . .
 
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 15, 2009, 12:49:01 am
There was that Unification War, right? I believe I read somewhere that most of the Terrans united before they met the Vasudans. A unification can't exactly be achieved unless everyone spoke the same language.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Goober5000 on August 15, 2009, 02:21:55 am
Switzerland much?
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: headdie on August 15, 2009, 05:05:31 am
Switzerland much?

on that angle, the world goes to war, France gets splatted (again), the Swiz stay neutral, the world is brought to its knees so Switzerland can quickly mobilize and wipe out the fragmented remains of the worlds... sounds plausible to me
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Goober5000 on August 15, 2009, 03:42:04 pm
What I meant was that Switzerland is one country where four languages are widely spoken.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: headdie on August 16, 2009, 02:53:06 pm
What I meant was that Switzerland is one country where four languages are widely spoken.

ahhh
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Pred the Penguin on August 16, 2009, 03:12:02 pm
Going to that country can be very confusing at times...
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Androgeos Exeunt on August 16, 2009, 11:10:32 pm
How so?
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: azile0 on August 18, 2009, 01:33:06 pm
More people speak German than english, iirc. More people speak Chinese than German.

In all likelyhood, if China decides that they want to rule the world, it will be hard to stop them without using nukes.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: The E on August 18, 2009, 01:37:17 pm
More people speak German than english, iirc.

That is questionable. There are only three countries that have german as a primary language (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), and it isn't that popular as a secondary language, whereas you can find people who speak english in every country on the globe.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: sigtau on August 23, 2009, 02:39:48 pm
Good ole English ale!  :pimp:
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Iranon on August 24, 2009, 05:20:55 am
Being required to be fluent in one language in professional cycles is hardly something new.

Depending on location and time period, those with an interest in the sciences were expected to know Greek, Latin or German. People active in diplomacy were expected to know French for centuries. In several fields of study, some foreign/ancient language education is still a requirement in many countries.

English has been on the rise in international us for some time, on a scale large enough that it's not unrealistic to assume it'll one day be a global language everyone will be fluent in, as a first or second language. As the single official language of a united Terran military? I'd be surprised with anything else.
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: T-Man on August 24, 2009, 07:04:03 am
With regards to in-game, I could certainly see pilots speaking a non-English “mother tongue”, but then studying English or another commonly-known language for GTA service, especially if a particular planet or colony's settlers had a certain heritage. All the pilots, i imagine, spoke English simply because it was a US-made game and targeted primarily on the US/UK audience , which is used to western-ish sci-fi cultures, and they could only afford to really grab western voice actors. Had it been made in Dubai or Beijing, then their languages would’ve been the major one.

If your mod project does has the opportunity to bring in foreign language speakers, then I encourage you to go for it and have the translator as you say; having wingman with accents and sometimes slipping into their mother tongue when muttering, swearing or panicking would be awesome, and would really bring to life projects where cultures are dominant (such as TVWP, whose ships had very Russian-sounding wing names, so I assumed the PRM to be quite Russian). I also genuinely like to see other cultures in media; I hate seeing nothing but English-speaking Caucasians or westernised people! Variety is the spice of life.

---

English at the moment is likely quite common as a second language because of the British Empire colonising everywhere (been reading a book all about it recently in fact called "Orientalism" by Edward Said, scary book :lol:). We Brits were a bit big-headed back then and essentially went around forcing our ways on other cultures, hence the prevalence of English in business; it or dialects of it (American English etc) are known to a lot of people, and the US’s worldwide presence with their version of English has kept it alive.

As Iranon said, it does change across history depending on the nation in dominance; in the Middle Ages French was "the language of the educated European", and I imagine Latin was before that. I've heard that Spanish is slowly overtaking English in some areas, but in the future i wouldn't be surprised if Chinese and/or Arabic become major languages (especially the latter; my impression is that virtually all of Arabia speak Arabic or a closely resembling language).
Title: Re: Terrans with universal translators?
Post by: Thaeris on August 24, 2009, 11:58:37 pm
Good point. My former school actually had only two serious language programs: Chinese and Arabic.

As far as accents in mods go, that's nothing new and adds quite an enjoyable and realistic flare to the mod/campaign. Cardinal Spear is my favorite example of this, and has to be one of the best examples of voice acting in the campaigns available to the community. Well, in my opinion, at least.

-Thaeris