In the world of Star Trek, the Universal Translator works almost perfectly to translate the meaning and intent of any language into any other language. And yet, characters like Captain Picard still took the time to learn languages like Klingon.
I always found that curious, but today, as we get real translator devices, I finally understand why having a translation tool can’t be a true replacement for learning a language yourself.
What Translator Buds Can—and Can’t—Do
You’ve probably seen the live translation feature on the latest Apple AirPods model, and of course there have been translator buds from various brands available for some time now.
Generally, when wearing these buds you can hear an almost real-time translation of what someone is saying in their native language. If they also wear a set of translator buds, then you can have an easy two-way conversation, but if not, you can use your phone to play back a translated version of your speech, or simply show it in written form.
It’s easy to forget that, not too long ago, this was the stuff of science fiction. Growing up in the ’90s and 2000s, futurists were pretty negative about how long it would take for this level of machine translation to be possible. Now, we’re at a point where people take AI-based translation for granted, and translation buds bring that tech right where it’s needed the most.
As someone who is fluent in two languages, and can speak a few more just enough to get into trouble, I’ve found AI translation to be incredibly accurate on average. At least when it comes to solving the need for immediate communication. I wouldn’t trust it to translate a book, but it’s light years ahead of playing charades and pointing at stuff when all you want to know is where the bathroom is.
Of course, translator buds are still pretty limited. Most translation still needs an internet connection, though that’s changing. There will always be some lag as the software processes what’s being said, and, most important of all, it lacks the context and understanding for truly sophisticated language translation.
8/10
- Noise Cancellation
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Active Noise Cancellation
- IP Rating
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IP57
- Battery Life
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Up to 8 hours (buds), 24 hours (including case)
- Charging Case Included?
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Yes
Why Language Learning Still Matters
The thing is, learning a language just so you can get by in day-to-day life or while on holiday is just one reason to do it, and pretty much the only need that translator buds address.
A language shapes the way we think and see the world. You can’t really immerse yourself in another culture without speaking the language that’s inherent to it. You also can’t really connect with another person if you have a machine translation layer between you. Learning a new language rewires your brain. It literally expands your mind, and until we figure out how to directly download a language into our brains Matrix style, no technology can replace that.
Where Translation Tech Actually Helps
That doesn’t mean that I’m against translator buds or technology like that. I just don’t want anyone making the effort to learn more languages to give up because they think they can simply rely on technology to do the job for them. Translator buds are an amazing advancement, and have lots of exciting use cases,
If you travel to many different regions, or you’re just going to visit a place for a short once-off trip, then learning a whole language isn’t practical or necessary. These buds can smooth over interactions and help you be more independent in a foreign place where you don’t speak the lingo.
They’ll be excellent for teams of people who have to work together on straightforward technical projects, or in professional contexts. I even think they can benefit language learners to some extent when used correctly to augment language learning in real time instead of replacing it.
Finding Balance Between Tech and Learning
At the same time, if you are working to learn a new language, something like translator buds can hurt your progress through interference. For example, when I watch shows in a foreign language I’m trying to learn, I’ll turn off the English subtitles, because my brain auto-reads the subtitles and ignores the dialogue in the target language.
Which means that if you want to use this technology and still learn a new language, you’ll have to figure out some way to balance things out so you don’t go backwards or stand still with the language in question.
For example, you might want to try and understand what’s being said first, then only use the buds (or other translation devices) afterward to see how close you were. As translation technology evolves, so will language learning, but getting that language into your own brain will always be the best experience.
- Noise Cancellation
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Active
- Charging Case Included?
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Yes
- Compatibility
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iOS and Android