Comments on: Google Talk Gets One Step Closer To The Ultimate Babel Fish http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/ Startup and Technology News Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:24:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: 'ILLEGAL http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-2165216 'ILLEGAL Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:41:50 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-2165216 <strong>None...</strong> None... None…

None…

]]> By: Mark http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1861056 Mark Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:07:55 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1861056 Here's a quick (and funny) way to see what happens with mangled translations: http://www.blahblahfish.com . My favorite: 'Oh, shit' translated to Korean and back. Here’s a quick (and funny) way to see what happens with mangled translations: http://www.blahblahfish.com . My favorite: ‘Oh, shit’ translated to Korean and back.

]]> By: Mike Henry http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1859139 Mike Henry Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:50:23 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1859139 @dailytwitter: I think you're looking for an implementation of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point-of-view_gun" rel="nofollow">point-of-view gun</a>. It may not be perfect, but real-time chat translation is a cool idea. @dailytwitter: I think you’re looking for an implementation of the point-of-view gun.

It may not be perfect, but real-time chat translation is a cool idea.

]]> By: PPC http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856570 PPC Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:26:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856570 I can imagine this service being useful at a basic level, but it would be interesting to see how it handles IM slang "dat many ppl use" I can imagine this service being useful at a basic level, but it would be interesting to see how it handles IM slang “dat many ppl use”

]]> By: David Scott Lewis http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856549 David Scott Lewis Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:12:00 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856549 I'll give this a real-time working over with some of my staff members who do not communicate very well in English. (They're Chinese.) I've had experience with something similar and as long as the conversation is kept at a fairly simple level -- and you have a lot of patience and are willing to explain things when necessary -- it can work. What would have been better (or, a nice to have option) would be to include a reverse translation. Yes, this means three lines for one line of chat, but I'd like to see this as an option. This way I can get a better idea of what was translated. For example, the first sentence is my typed sentence. Next is the translation in the target language. But then there is a reverse translation of the translation in the target language. When doing it this way, you'll sometimes find, quite obviously, that the translation was off. This can help avoid any misunderstandings rather quickly. Did you know that "I'm buying a fence" translates to "Bill Gates"? It does. (Not necessarily in Google, but I experienced this when my conversational partner used the most popular language translation system used by Chinese.) So you can imagine that REVERSE translation would be nice, just to verify how things were translated and if there could be any misunderstandings. Let's face it, there will always be misunderstandings. In large part, the problem with language translation systems is that they can't recognize cultural subtleties. But, like I said, for simple discourse, they're fine. I’ll give this a real-time working over with some of my staff members who do not communicate very well in English. (They’re Chinese.)

I’ve had experience with something similar and as long as the conversation is kept at a fairly simple level — and you have a lot of patience and are willing to explain things when necessary — it can work.

What would have been better (or, a nice to have option) would be to include a reverse translation. Yes, this means three lines for one line of chat, but I’d like to see this as an option. This way I can get a better idea of what was translated.

For example, the first sentence is my typed sentence. Next is the translation in the target language. But then there is a reverse translation of the translation in the target language. When doing it this way, you’ll sometimes find, quite obviously, that the translation was off. This can help avoid any misunderstandings rather quickly.

Did you know that “I’m buying a fence” translates to “Bill Gates”? It does. (Not necessarily in Google, but I experienced this when my conversational partner used the most popular language translation system used by Chinese.) So you can imagine that REVERSE translation would be nice, just to verify how things were translated and if there could be any misunderstandings.

Let’s face it, there will always be misunderstandings. In large part, the problem with language translation systems is that they can’t recognize cultural subtleties. But, like I said, for simple discourse, they’re fine.

]]> By: Brian McConnell http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856399 Brian McConnell Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:51:19 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856399 Machine translation simply does not work well, especially between distant languages. This is an area I have studied for about ten years now. We decided to build entirely around human translation. That has its own limits (scarcity of translators), but the quality is much better because someone who translates into their native language will also know the subtleties of the language (like how to properly organize a sentence so it reads well). I could write at length about why MT does not work, but that is the topic for an extended article. FYI, if anyone here is interested in website translation and localization, we released a WYSIWYG localization tool. Live demo at www.worldwidelexicon.org, pick a language (Hungarian for example), then click on the pencil icon and see what happens. It makes translating a site or UI a WYSIWYG process. It's very easy for translators to work with. This utility is open source (BSD license), so you can use it for your site or web app as-is or with modifications. Machine translation simply does not work well, especially between distant languages. This is an area I have studied for about ten years now. We decided to build entirely around human translation. That has its own limits (scarcity of translators), but the quality is much better because someone who translates into their native language will also know the subtleties of the language (like how to properly organize a sentence so it reads well). I could write at length about why MT does not work, but that is the topic for an extended article.

FYI, if anyone here is interested in website translation and localization, we released a WYSIWYG localization tool. Live demo at http://www.worldwidelexicon.org, pick a language (Hungarian for example), then click on the pencil icon and see what happens. It makes translating a site or UI a WYSIWYG process. It’s very easy for translators to work with. This utility is open source (BSD license), so you can use it for your site or web app as-is or with modifications.

]]> By: Pavlo Zahozhenko http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856287 Pavlo Zahozhenko Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:57:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856287 I've just played with English to Russian bot a bit. It seems that the translation is mostly context-independent. It will be sufficient for a simple keyword exchange but hardy usable for an extended conversation. I highly doubt the translation quality will get better any time soon, natural language processing is just too hard. I guess they'll add some new languages instead. I’ve just played with English to Russian bot a bit. It seems that the translation is mostly context-independent. It will be sufficient for a simple keyword exchange but hardy usable for an extended conversation. I highly doubt the translation quality will get better any time soon, natural language processing is just too hard. I guess they’ll add some new languages instead.

]]> By: Anatoly http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856277 Anatoly Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:52:02 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856277 And Brin vanished in a puff of smoke. I think the bigger market is for someone to translate some of the techcrunch comments (in English) to understandable comments (in English). Comprendez vous? And Brin vanished in a puff of smoke.

I think the bigger market is for someone to translate some of the techcrunch comments (in English) to understandable comments (in English). Comprendez vous?

]]> By: Ian Kemmish http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856263 Ian Kemmish Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:45:23 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856263 The value of Google's translation tools is that they use a different technique to others. This development doesn't leverage that, so it's pretty much a waste of effort (though admittedly, probably just one or two programmer-days of effort!). If you still have to check three sources for each translation, then having one of them available through IM and the other two through websites merely makes life more complicated. If Google were serious about addressing the usability issues with their translations, they'd look at ways of combining their database-guided approach with conventional grammar-guided approaches. As an example of what I mean, if I want to translate the title "The Taming of the Shrew", then Google is likely to give me the best results (assuming their engine has seen the translation before), but if I want to translate any of the text of the play, then it's likely to give the worst results of the sites I use. It ought to be possible to produce a service which has a reasonable stab at deciding which approach to use for any given text. The value of Google’s translation tools is that they use a different technique to others. This development doesn’t leverage that, so it’s pretty much a waste of effort (though admittedly, probably just one or two programmer-days of effort!).

If you still have to check three sources for each translation, then having one of them available through IM and the other two through websites merely makes life more complicated. If Google were serious about addressing the usability issues with their translations, they’d look at ways of combining their database-guided approach with conventional grammar-guided approaches.

As an example of what I mean, if I want to translate the title “The Taming of the Shrew”, then Google is likely to give me the best results (assuming their engine has seen the translation before), but if I want to translate any of the text of the play, then it’s likely to give the worst results of the sites I use. It ought to be possible to produce a service which has a reasonable stab at deciding which approach to use for any given text.

]]> By: Shawn http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856229 Shawn Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:32:21 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856229 @Duncan, nice use of a Douglas Adams quote, Mate! @Duncan, nice use of a Douglas Adams quote, Mate!

]]> By: Larry Chiang http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856182 Larry Chiang Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:03:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1856182 They need the chinese to have an audio output in "ping ying" so that you know how to say in Chinese the phrase you just typed in English. Perhaps that'll be v2.0 They need the chinese to have an audio output in “ping ying” so that you know how to say in Chinese the phrase you just typed in English. Perhaps that’ll be v2.0

]]> By: rod / techwatching.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855972 rod / techwatching.com Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:27:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855972 I suggested just this in May, though I thought it would be better suited for Meebo: "A suggestion for Google or Meebo..." http://techfold.com/2007/05/23/an-idea-for-google-or-meebo-im-translation-international-nirvana/ In comments, it came up that the service already exists at transclick.com. I suggested just this in May, though I thought it would be better suited for Meebo:

“A suggestion for Google or Meebo…”
http://techfold.com/2007/05/23.....l-nirvana/

In comments, it came up that the service already exists at transclick.com.

]]> By: Rob Monster - Monster Venture Partners http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855836 Rob Monster - Monster Venture Partners Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:26:28 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855836 The guys who have nailed the API for language translation is Worldlingo. They have 13 million unique visitors per month, the exclusive with Microsoft office, and a massively scalable back-end. Demoxi.com, a Monster Ventures Partners backed company, is using the Worldlingo API with good success. More info on Worldlingo's chat translator here: http://www.worldlingo.com/en/products/chat_translator.html The guys who have nailed the API for language translation is Worldlingo. They have 13 million unique visitors per month, the exclusive with Microsoft office, and a massively scalable back-end. Demoxi.com, a Monster Ventures Partners backed company, is using the Worldlingo API with good success. More info on Worldlingo’s chat translator here: http://www.worldlingo.com/en/p.....lator.html

]]> By: P http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855832 P Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:22:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855832 Sounds more like the Monty Python Phrase book than a Babel Fish... Sounds more like the Monty Python Phrase book than a Babel Fish…

]]> By: Dimitri http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855786 Dimitri Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:59:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855786 Google definately will dominate the world! http://digg.com/people/Please_help_me_out_with_this Google definately will dominate the world!

http://digg.com/people/Please_....._with_this

]]> By: The Fake Angela Hayden http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855695 The Fake Angela Hayden Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:23:21 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855695 Too bad no one uses it, and that Yahoo! did it many years ago. Oh, whoops, I'm posting in my The Hater persona instead of.. Sincerely, Angela Hayden THE ART GODDESSSS Too bad no one uses it, and that Yahoo! did it many years ago.

Oh, whoops, I’m posting in my The Hater persona instead of..

Sincerely,
Angela Hayden
THE ART GODDESSSS

]]> By: ivv http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855690 ivv Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:21:49 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855690 It gets all the swear words and idioms right. It gets all the swear words and idioms right.

]]> By: BigTone http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855505 BigTone Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:02:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855505 English to Klingon seems to be working just fine. English to Klingon seems to be working just fine.

]]> By: SuperOpenSocial http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855501 SuperOpenSocial Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:00:47 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855501 <b>Imagine all the people</b> <b>Sharing all the world</b> ... <b>I hope someday you'll join us</b> <b>And the world will live as one</b> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0 Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
…
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0

]]> By: Google Doing Real-time Translation « the primitive http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855476 Google Doing Real-time Translation « the primitive Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:50:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855476 [...] Doing Real-time Translation Google Talk Gets One Step Closer To The Ultimate Babel Fish: (Duncan Riley) “…Google now offers instant machine translation in Google Talk, a step [...] [...] Doing Real-time Translation Google Talk Gets One Step Closer To The Ultimate Babel Fish: (Duncan Riley) “…Google now offers instant machine translation in Google Talk, a step [...]

]]> By: Sue Mitchell http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855447 Sue Mitchell Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:36:46 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855447 While I was pleased to see the Celtic languages, including Cornish and Manx on the list, I couldn't see American English. I hope this hasn't been overlooked? You might think that English and American English are the same language, but they aren't - not by a long way. You see, I'm an English writer and much of the fiction I write is set in the U.S. Therefore, I need to translate into American. For instance, if I write that the visiting Scottish sailor was wearing a Fair Isle jumper, an American would understand that he was wearing a pinafore dress, rather than a jersey (or guernsey or sweater.) This could give entirely the wrong idea about the character... Ameican writers who set their stories in the British Isles will no doubt wish to translate their stories into English, so that they don't drop clangers either. Best wishes, Sue - just off to dunk her ginger nuts in her cup of Rosie Lee. -- While I was pleased to see the Celtic languages, including Cornish and Manx on the list, I couldn’t see American English. I hope this hasn’t been overlooked?

You might think that English and American English are the same language, but they aren’t - not by a long way. You see, I’m an English writer and much of the fiction I write is set in the U.S. Therefore, I need to translate into American.

For instance, if I write that the visiting Scottish sailor was wearing a Fair Isle jumper, an American would understand that he was wearing a pinafore dress, rather than a jersey (or guernsey or sweater.) This could give entirely the wrong idea about the character…

Ameican writers who set their stories in the British Isles will no doubt wish to translate their stories into English, so that they don’t drop clangers either.

Best wishes,
Sue - just off to dunk her ginger nuts in her cup of Rosie Lee.
–

]]> By: Smuggle Me » Google Talk Adds On the Fly Translation Service http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855446 Smuggle Me » Google Talk Adds On the Fly Translation Service Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:36:31 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855446 [...] was just reading on Techcrunch about the announcement that Google Talk will now translate a conversation for you and the person [...] [...] was just reading on Techcrunch about the announcement that Google Talk will now translate a conversation for you and the person [...]

]]> By: .rb http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855430 .rb Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:30:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855430 I would like to see the graph (based on more than 600 people) Who have heard of gtalk? Who have used gtalk? who use it daily? Thanks, .rb p.s. This counts as do no evil as long as its a service without ads I would like to see the graph (based on more than 600 people)

Who have heard of gtalk?
Who have used gtalk?
who use it daily?

Thanks, .rb

p.s. This counts as do no evil as long as its a service without ads

]]> By: Merry Christmas, God Jul and 圣诞快乐 | Code4DotNet http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855426 Merry Christmas, God Jul and 圣诞快乐 | Code4DotNet Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:29:16 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855426 [...] Read more on Techcrunch. [...] [...] Read more on Techcrunch. [...]

]]> By: What's Hot Today.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855404 What's Hot Today.com Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:18:44 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-talk-gets-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-babel-fish/#comment-1855404 This is awesome news, as we here at What's Hot Today.com found Babel Fish somewhat limited. Kudos to Google http://www.whatshottoday.com This is awesome news, as we here at What’s Hot Today.com found Babel Fish somewhat limited. Kudos to Google

http://www.whatshottoday.com

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