IS THE LANGUAGE BARRIER DEAD?

APPLE’S NEW IN-EAR LIVE TRANSLATION APP ENABLES AN AMERICAN IN JAPAN TO EASILY CONNECT WITH LOCALS

- STORY: RUFFIN PREVOST / NYT

I knew my efforts to learn Japanese before my trip to Japan last fall would be no match for a fire ritual at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo, so at the beginning of the ceremony, I discreetly slipped in one earbud.

Two monks pounded giant taiko drums as others chanted in unison under a cloud of fragrant smoke. Then the priest delivered closing remarks in Japanese. And in a miracle of technology, I understood quite a bit of it using Apple’s new Live Translation feature.

As everyone filed out, I repeated, in English, some of the priest's comments to my guide, Keiko Hatada, who taught English for 30 years and has led custom tours of Tokyo for the past decade. I wanted to make sure I had understood things correctly.

I recounted the priest’s admonition to set aside unwholesome feelings of anger and greed, and work instead to show compassion and generosity, as well as his reminder that his temple was still accepting donations for those affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

“You told me you didn’t speak Japanese,” my guide said, pleasantly surprised.

Beyond a few basic greetings and food terms, I don't.