Google provides 1 billion online automatic language translations per day, for everything from understanding school lunch menus to gathering national security intelligence. But for one American family, automated translation has changed their lives.
Google now provides automated translations for 65 languages, ranging from Afrikaans to Yiddish, and can be used on websites, with speech recognition and as an app on mobile phones even if there is no internet connection.
But for Phillip and Niki Smith living in rural Mississippi, automated language translation has had a major impact on their lives by allowing them to rescue a Chinese orphan and add a new member to their family.
According to the Associated Press, Google's language translation guru Franz Och's face lit up when he heard that the Smiths and their new daughter, 14-year-old Guan Ya, were settling into their new lives together by communicating almost exclusively through Google Translate.
"All day long I look at algorithms, algorithms and algorithms," he said. "It is so rewarding to hear that it is touching lives."
The Smiths found Guan Ya about a year ago while looking at online photos of hard-to-place orphans. But with three children of their own, including a 3-year-old daughter adopted from China, they had no intention of adding to their family.
Then they saw Guan Ya.
"She was just our daughter," Smith said. "There was no doubt about it from the first time we saw her on the Internet."
But adopting her would not prove easy because Guan Ya was only months away from turning 14, the age at which Chinese law would make her ineligible for adoption. And Guan Ya could not speak English – in fact she couldn’t speak any other language at all.
Guan Ya is deaf.
Fortunately with support from Chinese and U.S. authorities, the Smiths managed to expedite the bureaucracy by running a flurry of emails and forms through online automated translators. Then one day Niki Smith received an email in Chinese from her daughter-to-be.
"I couldn't begin to read this letter," Smith said.
Using Google Translate Smith cut and pasted the letter into the empty rectangle for the program in her Internet browser, and Guan Ya's thoughts instantly appeared.
"The computers and software are tools, but I have no doubt that these tools made our bonding so much easier," Niki Smith said.
It’s important to note however that for high-quality translations, literature, marketing materials or complex syntax, a human translator is still essential. But automated translation, otherwise known as machine translation, can be helpful for people who just want to get a basic message across.
And for the Smiths it appears that basic message was one of love, family and a lifelong commitment.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
Guan Ya Smith, photo: thespec.com
Anne Chevalier is a language translation specialist and a contributor to the Spicy Learning Blog, where instructional designers and product managers at Saffron Interactive share their invaluable expertise with the wider learning and development community.
Continuing from yesterday’s blog post, Anne Chevalier, a language translation specialist at Saffron Interactive, has compiled another five top tips to help prevent your e-learning projects from getting lost in translation!
1. Is the translator qualified?
Many people who speak several languages advertise themselves as translators. But are they registered with a professional body? Do they have a university education in the foreign language(s) in which they claim to be proficient? If they are certified or qualified you’ll at least know that they have high standards and a strong sense of ethos.
2. Does the translator have relevant experience?
Choose someone whose previous experience is relevant to your needs. If, for example, you’re translating a course on workplace safety at a boat construction site, a translator with an understanding of engineering terminology would be most suitable. If, however, your project is about converting a difficult piece of legislation into an interactive course for an organization’s employees, you should look for someone experienced in translating creative writing.
3. Localize (not localise!) the language
Make sure your translator understands the local culture and language of the learner. An English course for a British audience may use different terminology and idioms than a course designed for an Australian or American audience. And the same applies for other languages such as French and Portuguese!
4. Respect the course’s original style
Carefully brief the translator about the tone and style of the course. It’s pointless to write high quality English content for a course that’ll be translated into six languages if that isn’t also reflected in the alternative languages.
5. Get straight to the point
Have you ever noticed how the English section of an instruction manual comprises less space than other languages? Keep in mind that most translations from English will usually contain at least 30% (or even 50%) more words, and that those words may be longer than in the original text. (Consider that speed limit in English can be translated as Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung in German!)
As Anne Chevalier illustrates, it takes much more than a dictionary to be a good translator and translators are not made overnight. Her next five tips for managing language translations, part 3, will be published soon. We’ll report on it when it is.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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Saffron logo, courtesy: twitter.com
Anne Chevalier is a language translation specialist at Saffron Interactive, a London-based online and mobile learning provider. Here are her five top tips to help prevent your e-learning projects from getting lost in translation!
As one of the most experienced language translation specialists at Saffron Interactive, Anne Chevalier offers the following translation management tips for your consideration. These first five tips comprise Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2 in tomorrow’s blog post.
1. Hire a native speaker
Never assume that simply because someone speaks a foreign language they can translate everything into anything. Only native speakers of a language will know the local customs and habits that subtly affect and impact on a language.
2. Ensure the translator matches your requirements
How can you know your translator’s efficacy if you don’t speak the language(s) they’ll be translating into? The material you’ll be sending will probably be in English, so even if they’re a native English speaker, it’s crucial that you test their English reading and writing ability. If your translators don’t understand the material, there’s no way they’ll be able to properly translate it!
3. Train the translator
Every company has an induction program for their new employees, so why not use that material to train the translator? This will give them a great insight on your company’s standards and will help them assess and adopt your company’s writing style.
4. Translate from A to B, not B to C
Never translate from another translation. If you have a version of the material in the original language, send that version to the translator. The best example for this is the Bible. It’s been translated from Aramaic to Greek to Latin to the current versions. Studies of the Bible in the 1990s and 2000s indicate that quite a bit has been lost in translation!
5. Distrust automated translation
Living in an age in which automation has become pervasive, we tend to forget what technology is for. This is especially true with the language service industry. If your translators use automated translation make sure it’s only used to assist their translations, and not to fully automate the process. Otherwise you might as well use Google Translate; the result will be the same and you will save yourself money in the process! Keep in mind that language is fundamentally about people and emotions, not machines.
Join us again tomorrow for Anne Chevalier’s next five tips for managing language translation, part 2.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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Saffron logo, courtesy: twitter.com
Google’s offline languages update allows Android users to download automated language translation packs for 50 languages, including Chinese, Arabic, French, and Spanish. Just make sure your device has enough storage space for your expanded vocabulary.
Now you can access the world’s major languages with your Android smartphone even when you don’t have an Internet connection.
Google has just launched offline language packs for Google Translate for devices running Android 2.3 and up. And the best part is you can now access these automated language translations without any Internet connection on your mobile device.
Of course the offline mode will need to be enabled on an Internet connection to download the language packs. You can turn it on in the app menu to see all the language packs available for download. But once the packs are downloaded, you're good to go offline from anywhere in the world.
"While the offline models are less comprehensive than their online equivalents, they are perfect for translating in a pinch when you are traveling abroad with poor reception or without mobile data access," according to Google associate product manager Minqi Jiang.
The new much awaited feature is now available as Google’s latest update in the Google Play Store. The update will enable users to save offline language packs so that the language translation is readily available. However, each language pack is over 100MB so make sure to free up some space if you want to save multiple packs. The Spanish pack alone is 156.74MB.
After updating your Google translate app, simply go to menu and choose offline languages and then download different languages from the list.
For more detailed information on Google’s offline language packs, please visit the official Google translate blog.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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Google translate banner, courtesy: techit.co.il
The Grand Island Fire Department is the first in the State of Nebraska to invest in the Enabling Language Service Anywhere (ELSA) language translation tool.
It’s a new language interpreting tool that could potentially save hundreds of lives.
The device has only been in service since last month and already the Grand Island Fire Department has put it to good use.
"It's called ELSA, which stands for Enabling Language Services Anywhere," EMS Chief Russ Blackburn explains.
ELSA allows police, first responders and medical personnel to interpret a medical condition from a non-English speaking person.
"I was really surprised when I started researching the number of languages that are spoken in Grand Island," Blackburn said.
There are more than 30 languages spoken in Grand Island public schools, but this new device can translate more than 180 languages.
“Typically when we get on scene we need to find out a lot of information quickly. You want to be quick and efficient with the care you are providing," said Jared Stockwell, a Grand Island firefighter and paramedic.
"Not being able to speak or really understand, it's frustrating for the patient, but it's also frustrating for us as well," Stockwell said.
ELSA is made by Minnesota-based RTT Mobile and the devise enables a three-way phone call. It uses a cell phone signal and in about 30 seconds connects users with a live interpreter.
Roughly the size of an index card, with three buttons, built in microphones and a speaker, the device is simple to operate.
If a user hits the same button twice, an operator will ask what language is needed. In situations where the language is not clear, the operator can help determine that.
RTT Mobile began selling the language interpretation tool in December. Since then, officials in nearly every state have started using it.
"The majority, right now, of our devices are in the hands of law enforcement, first responders, and hospitals," said Linda Stanto, vice president of marketing and implementation for RTT Mobile.
Besides police and paramedics, Stanton said the company is seeing increased interest from county attorneys, school districts and the military.
"It was built to be rugged and to be used in those environments that law enforcement and first responders would be in," she said. "And of course, those are elements where the need for the interpretation to be correct and immediate were so critical."
Although the ELSA device is remarkably low tech, it provides a service that is in high demand: live, instant, accurate language translation that law enforcement and others say is critical in high-stress situations.
For further information on the Enabling Language Services Anywhere device, please visit the RTT Mobile website.
Language Translation, Inc., offers SpeakEasy, our over the phone interpreting service 7/24/365 in more than 240 languages. The service works with landlines and cell phones and does not require proprietary equipment. Medical care providers, government agencies, institutions and businesses use it daily.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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ELSA device, photo: www.publicradio.org
Project management software Project Insight can automatically translate the software's data fields into any language, making it the most flexible and customizable solution for managing projects available in the mid-market segment.
According to Cynthia West, Project Insight vice president, implementing project management software can be challenging when global team members speak multiple languages.
The software's new capability to import more than one language and cultural setting, and then assign the language template to the appropriate team members, makes software adoption for global teams far easier. Now each team member may view and collaborate in his or her preferred language.
"While other mid-market project solutions offer three or four languages to collaborate in, we decided to empower the teams themselves and allow them to automatically translate and import whatever languages they need," West said.
"For example, we have a team in the U.S. that collaborates with Korea. They are now able to let the Korean team members view the solution in Korean, while the US counterparts remain viewing the interface in English. This functional set strengthens Project Insight's position as the most customizable, flexible and usable project and portfolio management solution in our tier."
For further information on this new software, please visit the Project Insight website.
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logo by www.projectinsight.net
650 Afghan language interpreters working for the British military in Afghanistan may be offered sanctuary in the United Kingdom, according to British Government officials.
British and NATO troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and support is growing to make an offer of asylum to the language interpreters, who have risked their lives and are regarded as traitors by the Taliban.
"British forces would not have been able to do their work effectively without the invaluable help of translators,” said General Sir Richard Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff.
“While each case should be looked into on its own merits, there should, nevertheless, be a presumption to grant such residence in the UK or a third party country, if one can be found," Dannatt said.
According to Paddy Ashdown, the former Liberal Democrat leader and diplomat, the offer of sanctuary was "the least we can do for men who've given so much to help save British lives.”
Most NATO countries with troops on the ground in Afghanistan have granted asylum to their Afghan interpreters.
The language interpreters are supported by Alex Ford, who has 25 years of service with the Royal Air Force, including time in Afghanistan.
"Our job would have been impossible without them – they stood shoulder to shoulder with us in the line of fire. But while I've returned to a safe home here in Britain, they still face appalling risks for the help they gave us,” Ford said.
A statement from the British Foreign Office outlined the government’s position:
"People who have put their life on the line for the United Kingdom will not be abandoned.
"Locally engaged Afghan staff working for our armed forces and civilian missions in Afghanistan make an invaluable contribution to the UK's efforts to help support the spread of security, stability and development in their country.
"We take our responsibility for all members of staff very seriously and have put in place measures to reduce the risks they face… We follow an agreed cross-government policy for considering cases of intimidation or injury on a case by case basis. The policy ensures that we take into account the individual circumstances of each case and allows us to decide a proportionate response."
Further information on the UK Government’s position on this matter may be found on the British Foreign Office website.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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soldiers walking, Photo: news.bbcimg.co.uk
Major League Baseball is trying to bridge the language gap, adopting a new rule that permits language interpreters to join mound conferences when pitchers aren't fluent in English.
"The manager or coach would tell me something and I didn't understand them," Mariano Rivera, the New York Yankees' closer said through an interpreter. "You nod your head yes, but you have no idea what they are saying."
According to established practice only full-time professional language interpreters may accompany managers and pitching coaches onto the field. Presently this service is provided mainly for Asian players, while Spanish-speaking players tend to rely more on bilingual teammates or coaches for language assistance. Apparently the reason for this is that Asian players transfer directly from their overseas teams to the majors without the time to learn English in the minors. Linguists consider the transition to be more difficult than it is for Latino players.
"It's kind of the same and it's kind of different," Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters said. "For the most part, a lot of the Latin guys that are in the big leagues have been through the minor leagues, have had years of experience in the minor leagues to develop a relationship. Some of the Asian pitchers come over here and it's their first year over here, and they haven't had that sort of adjustment time. It's up for debate."
Baltimore pitcher Wei-Yin Chen said through Orioles interpreter Tim Lin that, above all, the rule should be fair.
"If I can bring my interpreter, Spanish players should bring their interpreter, too," he said.
Rivera agreed. "Yes, that should be allowed," the all-time saves leader said through an interpreter. "Somebody on the team should be allowed to translate for them."
"There's validity in exploring that idea," added Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington.
For more on the new rules that go into effect this year allowing team interpreters to visit the mound during games, please check out the major league baseball website.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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Language interpreting on the mound, Photo: rep-am.com
Now when you enter a word or phrase into Google's translation service you'll be presented with an option to save that word or phrase into a personalized phrasebook for later reference.
The new Phrasebook feature allows you to easily create a personalized phrasebook with the language translations you want to memorize or that you tend to use frequently.
To use the new feature, you must be signed into your Google account. Saving new translations into Phrasebook is similar to the way you bookmark a web page in Google Chrome. Once you’ve entered your phrase and received a translation you like, hit the star icon at the bottom of the translation window and it is automatically saved to Phrasebook.
To view your Phrasebook, just click on the little notebook icon in the top right corner of Google Translate. This displays a list of your translated phrases and words, including audio pronunciations when available. Your Phrasebook is also searchable, and you can filter your translations by language pairs such as English>French, English>Hebrew, or Russian>Spanish.
In addition to helping you retain knowledge, the feature should make it quicker and easier to get translations you might need more often.
“With Google Translate, you can find the right thing to say, but you may not remember the translation at the right time,” says Google. “You might find yourself performing the same translation again and again, until you finally commit the translation to memory.”
“Phrasebook for Google Translate jumpstarts this slow learning process by allowing you to save the most useful phrases to you, for easy reference later on, exactly when you need them,” the company adds. “By revisiting the useful phrases in your Phrasebook from time to time, you can turn any brief translation into lasting knowledge.”
For further information on the Google Phrasebook feature, please visit the Google Translate blog.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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Google Translate Phrasebook Photo: The Verge via sbnation.com
The State of Maine employs 54 qualified court interpreters to help residents with limited English proficiency comprehend criminal, civil, juvenile and family proceedings in the state’s 38 courthouses.
“I feel like I am very much helping the community,” said Farhiya Mahamud, who used to translate documents and interpret for the Somali community at her parents’ store. Now as a certified court interpreter for the State of Maine, Mahamud feels she can make an even greater contribution to her community.
“When I am in court, I can feel that people are very confused. They usually are very frustrated because they don’t know what’s going on. I also can feel the frustration and confusion from English speakers. I feel happy that I can help them all understand what is happening,” she said.
But the certification process to become a certified court interpreter is rigorous. Legal interpreters must be at least 20 years old, have a high school diploma, and be authorized to work in the U.S. They must also clear thorough criminal background checks.
Additionally they must abide by the “Policy Concerning Standards of Professional Conduct for Interpreters Providing Services in Judicial Proceedings.” They must also complete training programs and pass written and/or oral exams to demonstrate their proficiency in a language.
“The English written test was very challenging,” Mahamud said of the exam. “It was 135 questions. I think it took about two hours. I had to study a lot of legal words — a 50-page-long English legal glossary. It took a while to remember all the legal terms that you don’t hear in everyday life. The oral Somali test was much easier.”
The state has been actively working to recruit female language interpreters so women litigants don’t have to express themselves through a male in court, especially in cases of domestic violence.
Mahamud concurred with that assessment.
“I think women are more comfortable and more willing to ask me more questions than they would be with a male interpreter,” she said. “I think with a male they might be a little bit shy and not ask questions that would pop into their heads.”
Mahamud’s experience as a court interpreter has steered her toward a new career. She now plans to take the law school entrance exam so that in few years she can represent members of the Somali community in court rather than simply interpret for them.
Further information on court interpreters may be obtained at the State of Maine’s website.
By Alex Dupont
Marketing Communications Specialist
Language Translation Inc.
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Farhiya Mahamud, photo courtesy: Farhiya Mahamud