Line #94 Main/TranslatorCollar


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3	%% These examples have been alphabetized. Please put any new example in its proper place in the folder rather than at the end.
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7	->'''Russell:''' Cool! What do these do, boy? ''[Russell starts to fiddle with a dial on Dug's collar]''\
8	'''Dug:''' Hey, would you -- ''cuerdo con tigo''[[note]](Spanish) I will talk with you[[/note]] -- I use that collar -- ''watashi wa hanashi ma''[[note]](Japanese) I will talk with you[[/note]] -- to talk with -- ''[in Southern accent]'' I would be happy if you stop.
9	-->-- ''WesternAnimation/{{Up}}''
10
11	Simply put, this is a variety of translation device that can turn any ordinary animal into a TalkingAnimal. Of course, such a device would require that the animal in question already had [[AmplifiedAnimalAptitude human-level intelligence]] and only lacked the ability to speak, but this is seldom an issue in fiction.
12
13	Comes in three types:
14	#Completely external: A [[MobileSuitHuman suit]] or device is in close proximity to the subject.
15	#Completely internal: A device is implanted or permanently attached to the subject.
16	#Mixed: The phlebotinum that interprets the subject is separated in some way from the phlebotinum that talks for the subject and thus can be external and/or internal.
17
18	Compare TranslatorMicrobes and contrast UpliftedAnimal.
19
20	----
21	!!Examples
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Advertising]]
25	* Old Spice's "Mr. Wolfdog" campaign features a wolf with a translator collar as their new director of marketing.
26	[[/folder]]
27
28	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
29	* Verg the SharkMan from ''Anime/BlueSubmarineNo6'' wears one. [[spoiler:He destroys it in the last episode, realizing that he doesn't want to talk to humans anymore.]]
30	* The PoweredArmor used by Poipoider and other porpoises in ''Anime/MarsDaybreak'' translate their language as well as letting them walk on land.
31	* Sakamoto's Handkerchief/Bandana/Collar in ''Manga/{{Nichijou}}''.
32	* The Gamilas in ''Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato2199'' had developed a small device attached to the necks of their officers which allows them to translate language both ways as was demonstrated when Lower Storm Commander Melda Dietz boarded the ''Yamato'' to speak with the crew.
33	--> '''Analyzer:''' ''(speaking Gamilan)'' <We hereby welcome you aboard as a ceasefire ambassador.> ''(Melda holds up her hand)''\
34	'''Melda Deitz:''' <Your Gamilan is difficult to understand, droid.> ''(presses device on neck as she begins speaking in English)'' There's no need for it, I can translate your language with this device.
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Comic Books]]
38	* In ''ComicBook/AllFallDown'', Phylum -- trapped in the form of a chimpanzee -- receives one in the mail from an anonymous donor, giving him back his voice. [[spoiler:It's booby-trapped to give corrupting advice to Pronto from the lips of his best friend.]]
39	* In ''ComicBook/We3'', the protagonists' cybernetic enhancements include translating their thoughts into human speech. Because the animals ''don't'' have human thought processes, however, the resulting speech is very YouNoTakeCandle.
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Fan Works]]
43	* In ''Fanfic/{{Daemorphing}}'', most [[InsectoidAliens Taxxons]] wear these because they have difficulty pronouncing other species' languages; however, the translations are imperfect and have trouble interpreting idioms and honorifics.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
47	* Steve the monkey's translator in ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'' involves a sweatband and a Speak'n'Spell.
48	* The dog collars in ''WesternAnimation/{{Up}}'' also come with different language settings and a screen with tra-- '''SQUIRREL!''' -- tracking information.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
52	* In ''Film/TheCatFromOuterSpace'', the title character had a collar that could read his brainwaves and translate his thoughts into human speech (among many other remarkable capabilities).
53	* In ''Film/{{Congo}}'', as in [[Literature/{{Congo}} the book]], Amy the gorilla had been taught sign-language. Unlike the book, however, the movie gives her a robotic glove which translates her signing into audible speech to make things easier on the audience.
54	* ''Film/InspectorGadget2'' features a collar that translates dog language to English, which is put on Brain.
55	* In ''Film/{{Paws}}'', a [[IntellectualAnimal computer-literate dog]] creates a computer program to translate his words to English. His human owner makes a portable version which the dog wears as a bow tie, also modifying the program to make him sound like Creator/BillyConnolly.
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Literature]]
59	%%* Some short story concerned an ape who was implanted with a device that sent out radio waves. As I recall, some measure of relief came from having the speaker set up with an off switch, probably playing off Koko the Gorilla.%%Title?
60	* ''Literature/GoblinsInTheCastle'': ''Goblins on the Prowl'' features Solomon's Collar, which grants the wearer the ability to understand animal talk and be understood by them in turn, among other abilities.
61	%%* ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'': The ''Series 2000'' book ''Literature/BrainJuice'' features an object similar to this.
62	* In the 1981 book ''Literature/{{Megalodon}}'' by Robin Brown, the protagonist scientist has developed the Janus device, a computer/vocoder/translator which enables him to teach two dolphins (nicknamed Doris and Macho) and a killer whale (Morgan) a rudimentary language (their own language is sophisticated enough to communicate three-dimensional sonar images -- it's converting that into language simple enough to be translated that's the problem).
63	* ''Literature/RatsBatsAndVats'' plays with this trope. The anthropomorphic rats were genetically engineered to be bipedal. However, their minds were uplifted with alien microchip technology, and they need an implant to speak to humans.
64	* ''Literature/StarterVillain2023'': Hera, Persephone, and the other spy cats communicate with their human colleagues using specialized keyboards connected to computer displays. The dolphins have a similar system controlled using underwater microphones.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
68	* In ''Series/PowerRangersSPD'', a MonsterOfTheWeek who uses one of these switches bodies with Sky, and breaks it so Sky can't tell anyone. This... really shouldn't work, as Sky still knows English and the bad guy ''wouldn't,'' but maybe it's really a case of the alien's vocal cords not being able to make the right sounds.
69	* In ''Series/SeaQuestDSV'', Darwin the dolphin is able to communicate with his human crewmates using a device that Lucas built. However, due to the abstract nature of a dolphin's thought processes, his communications aren't always clear. In one episode, a rogue overhears Darwin "talk" and assumes the dolphin really can communicate in English. He captures Darwin when he goes out for a swim and tries to persuade him to reveal where the center of the universe is. When he is later allowed to talk to Darwin using the device, the dolphin tells him that the center of the universe is "inside [him]".
70	[[/folder]]
71
72	[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
73	* Parodied in a panel of ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' involving an inventor who created a device for translating dogs' barking, which he carried around with him. As he walked down the street, all he heard was "HEY!" "HEY!" "HEY!" "HEY!" "HEY!" "HEY!" "HEY!"
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Radio]]
77	* In [[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p02bv9dh one skit]] on ''Radio/JohnFinnemoresSouvenirProgramme'', a scientist has spent twenty years building a machine that translates whalesong into English. It turns out they're saying "Hey! I'm a whale!"
78	-->'''Scientist:''' So. That's twenty years I'll never see again.
79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Video Games]]
82	* ''VideoGame/LunarLux'': The Universal Translator is a device that allows the user to communicate in and understand different languages. However, it doesn't cover the language that Murks use.
83	[[/folder]]
84
85	[[folder:Webcomics]]
86	* A flashback arc of ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'' shows Judy using a pair of gloves inspired by ''Film/{{Congo}}''. [[http://drmcninja.com/archives/comic/27p18/ Unfortunately]], they're about as unreliable as Google Translate and Siri combined.
87	* Dan from ''Webcomic/BreakpointCity'' is a type 1 example of this. Dan's collar was made by his kid genius owner Ben, [[http://www.breakpointcity.com/archives/2008/12/01/precursor/ but has since been obsoleted in distant-future Ohio]], where voice implant surgery is commonplace in pets. Cool technology is unfortunately not as cool when you live in the future.
88	* The otherworlders of ''Webcomic/{{Miamaska}}'' are an example of #3, explained briefly [[http://miamaska.tidalcomics.com/index.php?strip_id=33 here]].
89	* In ''Webcomic/ProfessorAmazingAndTheIncredibleGoldenFox'' Parker invented a mind-reading device shaped like a domino mask so that Isla Grace could communicate in her full-fox form. The pickup's a little [[http://paigf.thecomicseries.com/comics/77/ sensitive]] though.
90	* Most {{Uplifted Animal}}s in ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'' have been modified to be inherently capable of human speech. Mr Squeakers the dolphin, however, has electrodes in his skull that seem to lead to an external voicebox.
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Western Animation]]
94	* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "My Two Favorite People", Lady Rainicorn gets one, but it causes her to talk like an old man. It's a variant in that Lady Rainicorn already speaks a human language, specifically [[BilingualBonus Korean]].
95	* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTimeFionnaAndCake'': A more advanced version of the collar appears early in the series, when Simon takes one from a dog that was fighting with. After the non-sapient Cake enters the real world from Simon's mind, he puts the collar on her, giving her the same gruff voice as the dog. Later, the Squirrel adjusts the collar's setting from "dog" to "cat", giving Cake the familiar voice of Creator/RozRyan. Finally, she discards the collar when Prismo changes her into her more familiar, Jake-based form, allowing her to talk without it.
96	* The ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' episode "Be-Knighted" has Ben noticing that the supposedly feral [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]] is wearing an odd piece of damaged equipment on its throat and it makes several vocalizations that sound less like threatening roars and more like attempted speech. When the Dragon escapes, Ben talks to Kevin and finds out that the busted device was in fact one of these, finding an identical one in Kevin's stash (apparently, it's a pretty standard piece of alien tech to facilitate communication). Ben manages to swap out the Dragon's damaged one for the new one during their next fight, upon which Team Ben learns from the surprisingly eloquent Dragon that ''he'' is in fact a sapient alien that came to Earth as a mapmaker before being attacked and imprisoned by the Forever Knights for a thousand years like an animal as they tried to kill him. He's also [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge understandably bitter about whole affair and being separated from his friends and family]].
97	* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' has one where Jack tries to build a ghost-to-human translator. However, as the ghosts in the series can speak English (or other human languages) anyway, all it accomplishes is giving Jack yet another hint that his son is part-ghost, which of course he completely ignores.
98	-->''"I am a ghost. Fear me."''
99	* In ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', Dexter once invented a pill that allowed a dog to talk, only to find that it didn't make much more sense in English; a double subversion because when the dog's owner comes to pick him up, his human English sounds like the dog's translated dog-language.
100	* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Dogstar}}'' episode "Pedigree", Lincoln Clark creates a 'voice-box' for dog-scent sniffer-cat Boombah. They quickly discover that Boombah has nothing interesting to say, and that Simone has been lying about being able to talk to the cat.
101	* A variant of sorts happens in ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' in which Gyro uses a voice modulator to make the normally [[TheUnintelligible unintelligible]] Donald Duck sound normal (specifically, like Creator/DonCheadle).
102	-->'''Donald:''' Rubber baby buggy bumpers, rubber baby buggy bumpers, rubber baby buggy bumpers! Ha ha, wow! I've never been able to say that before!
103	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has an episode in which Professor Farnsworth's latest project involves a hat that gives monkeys human intellect and the ability to speak. PlayedForLaughs, of course.
104	* Brain gets a translating collar when he makes a return appearance in ''WesternAnimation/GadgetAndTheGadgetinis''; in the earlier series, he can only bark and mime.
105	* One episode of ''Literature/GeronimoStilton'', "If I Could Talk to the Animals", has this trope, as the title suggests.
106	* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'': Jimmy has a device that lets him talk to fish.
107	* A good example in ''WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog'', in which Kevin is the only one who can use a translating communicator that enables him to talk to animals, including Krypto. [[AnimalTalk All animals can talk to each other]], but humans can't understand them without a [[TranslatorMicrobes intergalactic communicator]].
108	* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/MyFriendsTiggerAndPooh'', Rabbit invents a device to translate what Buster's saying, which doesn't work. (Yes, Rabbit's a talking rabbit. Yes, he says [[FurryConfusion dogs can't really talk]]. [[MST3KMantra Just go with it]].)
109	* In the ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' episode "Interview with a Platypus", the brothers think that Perry's chattering must be a form of AnimalTalk, and get to work on a Perry Translator. The translator turns out to work on all animals, which the brothers then use to tell pet owners what their pets want. At the end, they finally learn that Perry's chattering [[TheUnintelligible doesn't actually mean anything]].
110	* A scientist on ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' (episode "Scooby's Night with a Frozen Fright") also had a device that let him talk to fish. The fish looked at Scooby and said, "Scooby Doo! Scooby Doo!" He actually developed it to work on dolphins, since dolphins [[TruthInTelevision actually possess a language]]. It just also worked on fish, probably because of RuleOfFunny.
111	* Related: In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Unkie Herb invented a Baby Translator, which transformed Maggie's "goo-goo-gaa-gaa" into phrases that the parents could understand like "Burp me," "Oh, dear, I seem to have soiled myself," etc.
112	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Spliced}}'': The episode "My Fair Sharkbunny" sees [[KillerRabbit the Wunny Sharbit]] get outfitted with one by Peri, granting it the ability to communicate with the other mutants of Keepaway Island (in the voice of [[WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}} Wyatt Williams]], no less).
113	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'':
114	** In "Chimps Ahoy", one of Sandy's failed inventions is a helmet that lets you talk to nuts. [=SpongeBob=] tests it on a peanut, who says "It's dark in here." Sandy then uses the nut to demonstrate her coffee grinder, which [[BlackComedyBurst causes it to scream in agony]].
115	** "Chatterbox Gary" has [=SpongeBob=] buy a collar that translates Gary's meows and speak in the voice of Creator/KeithDavid.
116	* Parodied on ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys''. A bratty kid shows Eliza (who can actually talk to animals) a device which can attract animals and demonstrates it on Darwin. After he leaves, Darwin asks Eliza what the device was and why it was talking about chicken soup.
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	[[folder:Real Life]]
120	* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BowLingual BowLingual,]] if it works.
121	[[/folder]]
122

Context Main / TranslatorCollar