Universal Translators & the movie Arrival
Last night I watched the movie Arrival. Has anyone else seen it? If not, I whole-heartily recommend it!
It stars Amy Adams, a linguist that is asked to help the US’s military when several alien ships descend on Earth. She must learn to communicate with them before Earthers take drastic action against this unknown threat.
What I loved most was watching her build a bridge of communication between Earth and the new arrivals. The Universal Translators in my novels are sadly not a reality yet and communication is essential.
I know about this struggle intimately: I live in rural Italy and do not speak Italian- it is the BIGGEST barrier to our living here and something that we’re confronted with on a daily basis. I can’t ask for directions, I can’t ask for a different size at a store, and if I get into an accident- how do I ask for help? It’s scary. This experience gives me more insight than I’ve never had and much more respect for people who come to my own country without being able to speak English.
With the help of Google Translate, learning very basic Italian, and pantomiming, I get by. But what would I do without the internet to help me translate something as simple as a restaurant menu? Take that question beyond our planet: How could we hope to communicate with another alien race if they didn’t already have the technology?
I have good news for us living here on planet Earth- there have been huge advancements in translation technology! If you’re interested, read more one here.
Arrival also highlighted a central question surrounding my new novel- How would Earthers react to learning about the existence of otherworlders? It’s a big question and I fear the answer is that we wouldn’t react well.
In the beginning I think there’d be fear and chaos while people came to grips with the reality that we’re not alone. After a while I think attitudes would change; we’d learn more about them and their intentions (hopefully), we’d get used to the idea that we’re not alone, and religious leaders would have time to console their flock.
Now, picture one lone alien on our planet instead of an entire fleet of ships. That paints a very different picture.
You all know that the next book will be about Reus crashing to Earth. Picture the reality of that: he’s Sirilian, a race whose skin is a vibrant blue color. There’s no way he’d blend in with Earthers; a fact that puts him in constant peril. Our governments would have no problem making an individual disappear, and without legal rights, who knows what would happen. It’s a scary thought and one that has occupied my mind since I began writing the book.
Did you see Arrival? What did you think?
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