It’s time to see if love really is the universal language on Love & Translation. In a PopCulture.com exclusive sneak peek of the new TLC dating show, which premieres Sunday, Jan. 21, host Sangita Patel breaks the news of the show’s major language twist to the 12 single women, who have come from around the world to try and find connection with the eligible American bachelors.
Gathered together at the villa, Patel speaks to the women in English, telling them, “You are absolutely beautiful.” The compliment doesn’t seem to register, however, as Patel continues, “You’re looking at me like you’re confused. Yeah? It’s a little bit hard, yes? I can see the confusion in your faces.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
It’s then that she acknowledges the women don’t speak English, which is why she’s giving them special Waverly Labs translation devices that have Bluetooth-paired earbuds for the duration of the show. These earbuds will allow the women to have anything that Patel or the other women say translated into their own language in real time.
But while they’ll be able to communicate verbally with each other, the bachelors won’t have earbuds, Patel tells the women, meaning they won’t be able to speak to one another in a shared language. “They won’t be able to communicate with you,” she says to the collective gasp of the single ladies.
“This is the challenge,” Patel continues. “You are all part of a social experiment to find out if love is possible without using words. Despite the language barrier, the goal is for you to make a real connection with these men because they have come looking for love and they will be here any minute.”
As the women process the reality of the experiment they’ve signed up for, the men arrive, and they’re clueless about the fact that the women don’t speak English. In PopCulture’s preview, Patel welcomes Dylan, 21, from Florida; Kahlil, 24, from Texas, and Tripp, 30, from California, all of whom seem in good spirits before they enter the house and meet their prospective love interests. But will they be able to find their soulmate without speaking the same language?
The 12 eligible women appearing on Love & Translation are Jhenyfer, 24, from Brazil; Tulay, 25, from Germany; Sara, 20, from Italy; Imane, 21, from Morocco; Airi, 20, from Japan; Leidi, 28, from Colombia; Yam, 29, from Mexico; Gisele, 29, from Brazil; Joceline, 28, from France; Assia, 21, from France; Jin, 32, from South Korea, and Jhuliana, 23, from Bolivia.
Love & Translation premieres Jan. 21 at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.
