Language Barriers Will Soon Be a Problem of the Past

Picture this: You’re out at a restaurant in Bulgaria and faced with a menu full of strange characters. Where to begin and what to do? Every international traveler has found themselves in this situation at one time or another. It may be impossible to become fluent in every single language before your next multi-country trip abroad, but the future holds some hopeful solutions for travelers to foreign nations.

Language experts believe that within the next 10 years, scientists will debut an earpiece that will take a spoken language, translate it to the listener’s native language and deliver it to the listener in the same voice as the speaker. According to researchers, the translation time with be as quick as the speed of sound, so while the speaker is talking to you in their native language, the words will translate in your ear and provide you with a translation in a matter of seconds. When you choose to reply, your words will be translated into the earpiece of the other person, or via a speaker on your mobile device.

This invention will eliminate the need for pocket dictionaries, Google Translate, Duolingo and any other foreign language–assisting device travelers currently use when faced with a language barrier. Although still 10 years in the future (or maybe more), the thought of traveling to virtually any country in the world and having the ability to communicate with the locals regardless of the situation is an idea worth celebrating.