Online Machine Translator - Call in the Humans!
15 Feb Online Machine Translator - Call in the Humans!
Online machine translators have come a long way, through advancements in neural networks and AI technologies. From the comedic portrayal by Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key as the anger translator, to real-time translation services utilized at events like the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, these tools bridge language barriers with impressive accuracy.
However, sometimes nuances are lost in automatic translations, underscoring the continued need for human translators to provide high-quality translations, particularly for content types like internal documents or collaborations requiring native language proficiency and original formatting. Neural machine translation technology, like Google AI’s Translation API, has significantly improved the accuracy of translations, drawing from translation memory and statistical machine translation methods.
Yet, for critical communications or complex content, a blend of machine and human translation services through tools like Translation Hub or Cloud Translation API ensures both efficiency and precision, ultimately enhancing productivity and global collaboration.
Google’s suite of translation tools, including AutoML Translation and the Cloud Translation API – Advanced, harness the power of custom translation models and neural network translations to provide accurate and domain-specific translations. These tools serve as the base for translation, enabling businesses to deliver high-quality translations tailored to their specific needs.
Whether it’s translating content for Google Workspace documents, Google Pixel users, or facilitating multilingual meetings on Google Meet, Google Cloud’s translation services ensure seamless communication across languages. With features like simultaneous translation and support for domain-specific content, businesses can leverage Google’s expertise to expand their global reach and enhance content delivery networks, ultimately fostering collaboration and understanding on a global scale.
Machine Online Translator: “Google Translate Has Great Uses, Disastrous Misuses,” according to an article in the newspaper Desert News. We agree.
How to choose the best online translator
Translation machines and their usefulness
There are useful times for an online translator run by a robot. I sometimes use one myself to see a description of a European car for sale online just to know what options it has. But as soon as I need to contact the seller, I need a better option.
Basically any serious business requires a serious translation agency. Generally, reasonable people agree: using a free robotic online translator to do more than monkey business is foolhardy. Robotic for serious business is idiotic.
Mistranslations
There are more than a few stories about people who thought that this rule didn’t apply to them. In some cases, these mistakes just caused amusement and laughter. For example, one newspaper mistranslation repeatedly misquoted a former president of Kazakhstan as referring to the important issue of “passing gas” when talking about the newly installed pipeline across the country.
However, sometimes the online translator mistranslations cause anger and hurt. One automatically translated tag on a piece of furniture in a Canadian store had a racial slur that reportedly offended and angered customers.
It can’t be stressed enough. If you are doing something that matters in translation, you need to get a professional translation company to do it.
No substitute for human translators
This will mean that real humans will interact with the text and ensure that it makes sense to the readers. It will be handled professionally and mistakes will be a rarity if they happen, because of thorough proofreading. Recent research by Arnold IT, the authors of the blog “Beyond Search” on the subject comes up with the same conclusion: “There’s no substitute for knowledgeable professional humans when it comes to the important stuff. It’s worth the investment of time and money.” We could not agree more.
Online Translator
Language is very culturally specific. An online translator can provide word-for-word translations, but it is incapable to understand the differences of various societies and how that influences language. For instance, things like slang, indirect or direct communication and non-verbal signals can have an influence on which terms people use to communicate and speak. Only people who have an in-depth knowledge of a specific culture can understand the differences and social connections of the associated languages.
Languages have different styles, sounds, and syntax. An online translator might be able to learn what each word means, but it will not be able to understand the deeper meaning that word has. Each piece of content needs a different sound to tell its story. Speeches are typically polite, educational and can be serious. In contrast, poetry can be more playful and involved and have very creative and expressive words. The analysis is needed to decide which style to use for translation.
While a machine powered online translator is useful to a certain limit, when it comes to business you must employ professional translators for your translation needs.
Benefits of using a human translator
Using a human translator offers numerous benefits, ensuring accurate translations that cater to the specific needs of various industries and target audiences. Human translators bring professional experience and industry expertise, which is crucial for translating complex documents such as legal documents, academic papers, and business translations.
Unlike automated tools like Neural Machine Translation or Translation Memory (TM), human translators can understand and preserve the tone of voice, cultural nuances, and context-specific meanings, delivering precise translations.
They are adept at handling a wide range of file formats and types of content, ensuring consistent quality and quick turnaround times. Freelance and full-time professional translators provide human-powered translations that reflect a deep understanding of the original documents, ensuring that the translated content resonates with the target audience. Moreover, human translators offer a level of customization and communication that is invaluable for regular customers, allowing for a seamless translation process and perfect self-service. Whether you need fast delivery times or specialized translations for sectors like investment banking or commercial interpretation, human translators can meet these demands with unparalleled accuracy and reliability, resulting in satisfied clients and a true life-saver service.
Comparison between human translators and machine translators
When comparing human translators to machine translators, the benefits of human expertise become evident. Professional translation services, whether provided by freelance translators or traditional agencies, ensure that each translation project is handled by a qualified translator who brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the target languages and cultural nuances.
Human linguists, especially native translators, deliver correct translations by considering context, tone, and industry-specific terminology, which is crucial for documents for translation across a variety of industries. While machine translators and Translation Memory (TM) tools offer quick turnaround and can handle large workloads with automation options, they often lack the ability to produce the nuanced, high-quality translations that human translators achieve.
Human translation platforms facilitate communication with translators, ensuring that clients receive translations that meet their exact needs, with comments and feedback loops enhancing the user experience. Human translators, with their expert linguists and industry experts, provide accurate translations for multilingual content and complex documents like contracts and API documentation. Although machine translators can offer faster delivery times, human translators guarantee consistent quality and personalized service, making them a perfect self-service option for businesses seeking precise and reliable translations.