Re: Automatic translation tool for web pages (Google)

[Nathan Andelin <nandelin@xxxxxxxxx>]

Maybe we can suggest to users that they try to limit sentence length to eight words or less.

-Nathan



----- Original Message ----
From: Jon Paris <jon.paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Web400@Midrange. Com" <web400@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, November 17, 2009 3:53:35 PM
Subject: Re: [WEB400] Automatic translation tool for web pages (Google)

Couldn't resist this.  Here's a simple phrase that returns a somewhat  
different result from the original. So hopeful in the the first part  
then it all goes to hell!

Original:

The problem with automatic translation is that without context there  
is no way to differentiate between cart (as in serving tray on wheels)  
and cart (as in horse and ...) not to mention go cart or carte blanche  
- to name just four.

Via Spanish:

The problem with machine translation is that without context there is  
no way to distinguish between buying (and in service to the tray on  
wheels) and a car (as in the horse ...), not to mention shopping and  
carte blanche - to mention only four.

Interestingly the Google tool is obviously attempting to extract  
context - the via French result is much closer to the original - and  
actually pretty good.

The problem with machine translation is that without context, there is  
no way to differentiate between the basket (as in the serving tray on  
wheels) and the carriage (as in horses and ...) let alone go -cart or  
carte blanche - to name but four.

OK - I gotta go do real work!



Jon Paris

www.Partner400.com
www.SystemiDeveloper.com