“Before these attacks, reporters asked Japanese Premier Kantara Suzuki how he felt about the Allies’ request that Japan surrender. For example, a translation error influenced the US government’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But could that happen in real life? There’s definitely precedent. In Arrival, with tensions high, an incorrect translation is the spark that could set off a war between the “heptapod” aliens and Earth, and possibly World War III as well.
However, it’s worth noting that the consequences of getting it wrong can sometimes be more severe than mere mockery. Translation Errors Can Literally Be the End of the WorldĪt K International, we think making fun of translation errors is a good sport. The difference between “may contain nuts” and “may contain walnuts” is a huge compliance headache at best, and sick or dead customers at worst. By the way, that’s why businesses shouldn’t rely on Google Translate for anything important. Translation teams from various nations have translated some of the symbols the aliens are using to try to communicate as “offer weapon” or “use weapon.”ĭr Banks believes that a better translation might be “tool.” But can she prove it before a nervous world starts a war? Countries around the world are trying to communicate with alien visitors. In Arrival, the fate of the world literally depends on one word: Did the aliens come to bring us a “tool,” or did they come armed with a weapon? Translators know it’s not always as easy as you’d think to find the right word for a given situation. So, more like Vulcans.Īlso, learning a new language can give you insight into how other cultures perceive the world, perhaps making it easier to understand and empathize with them. They tend to be more rational and less dependent on emotion. But there is evidence it can change the way you think by making you use different parts of your brain.įor example, a 2012 study showed that people make smarter financial decisions when they think through a situation in a foreign language. Obviously, in the real world, learning a new language won’t give you psychic fortune-telling abilities. Learning it changes Dr Banks’ perception and allows her to glimpse the future before it happens. In the movie, the aliens’ strange written language reflects their understanding of time as nonlinear a circle, instead of a line. Warning: Spoilers ahead! Learning Another Language Can Change You Want to learn more? Here are 5 truths about translation from Arrival:
Defiance alien language translator movie#
She’s a linguist, and the plot of the movie centers around her struggle to translate the language of an alien race visiting Earth. Louise Banks, doesn’t use weapons or fly a spaceship.
Have you seen Arrival yet? In this new science fiction movie, linguists and translators finally get their due.
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