I think that the translator that can handle previously unknown languages is “possible”, maybe even with todays technology and a big investment. Think of what the NSA does in cryptography, breaking codes. You are basically translating an unknown language, but just finding the “words” not the meaning. Add a learning based algorithm, coupled with a live database that holds language/semantic rules, frequencies of occurance for all known languages... very difficult, but probably not impossile.
I think that the translator that can handle previously unknown languages is “possible”, maybe even with todays technology and a big investment. Think of what the NSA does in cryptography, breaking codes. You are basically translating an unknown language, but just finding the “words” not the meaning.
In the small portion of one episode I watched of “Deep Space 9” one of the crew kept trying to keep a female alien speaking. The more she spoke the more the computer could learn her language and add it to the translator.