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How did humans and vulcans communicate in Star Trek: First Contact?





  • In the 23rd century, it was displayed that Zefram Cochrane didn't know about universal translator. That's why he was unfamiliar with and asked about its working principle to Kirk (Star Trek: The Original Series). It means, he never encountered universal translator in 21st century when he was on Earth.




  • Data banks of USS Defiant revealed in mirror universe that Hoshi Sato invented universal translator in the prime universe (Star Trek: Enterprise). At the time of first contact, she wasn't even born.




Both points say that Vulcans (the only interstellar party) didn't have universal translator technology at the time of the first contact. When it comes to non-universal species/language specific translator, its possibility was null because that was the first contact.


How did humans and vulcans really communicate during the first contact?



Answer



They spoke English.



Official first contact didn't happen until 2063 when they detected Zefram Cochrane's first warp flight, but the Vulcans had been watching humans prior to that.


It seems to be a rather closely-guarded secret, as at the end of ENT 2x02, Carbon Creek, T'Pol responded to their questions by saying that she just told them "a story" like they asked. However, it's then shown that she still owns the purse from Earth that her ancestor owned.


The survey ship had originally been sent to investigate the launch of Earth's first satellite, Sputnik.


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