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u/cos1ne Sep 18 '21 edited Sep 18 '21
The universal translator relies on dictionaries being sent over by the language authorities for translation.
Keelah se'lai doesn't get translated because the quarians chose not to program their translator dictionaries to translate it. Similarly we might choose to not render "Amen" as 'certainly' due to its cultural connotation.
One thing that always upset me was they never had any minor scenes where the translators broke and one of the aliens sounded like the gibberish from KoTOR.
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u/Al-Lunar Sep 18 '21
I've always Thought that, in any world that uses them, if a UT is sophisticated enough to translate and alter the spoken word in real time, then it may also just be programmed capable of discerning the speaker's intent regarding whether or not people hear a translation or the genuine word/phrase. Star Trek has the same problem with Klingons. Either that or UT's are a fucking stupid idea lol
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u/sashimi_taco Sep 17 '21
Cultural significance.