Comments on: Translation experimentation http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/ An infuriatingly infrequently updated reflection on the Internet, the US, and life in general Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:16:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Sally, translation manager http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-103237 Sally, translation manager Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:44:10 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-103237 As for me, I use Wordpress and I'm completely satisfied. As for me, I use Wordpress and I’m completely satisfied.

]]> By: So much for Google translation at kierenmccarthy.co.uk http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-67235 So much for Google translation at kierenmccarthy.co.uk Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:57:45 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-67235 [...] Three weeks ago, I added a translation module to this blog as an experiment with automated translation software. [...] [...] Three weeks ago, I added a translation module to this blog as an experiment with automated translation software. [...]

]]> By: Nicole Martinelli http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-59992 Nicole Martinelli Fri, 11 May 2007 08:16:27 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-59992 Tried the Italian, it's a step up from the usual babelfish mess but not by a lot. The first half of the entry works much better -- would be curious to look at another post in simpler language to see how it pans out... Tried the Italian, it’s a step up from the usual babelfish mess but not by a lot. The first half of the entry works much better — would be curious to look at another post in simpler language to see how it pans out…

]]> By: Kieren http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-59824 Kieren Thu, 10 May 2007 14:26:48 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-59824 Yes, I agree Jim, I came to the same conclusion. I write blog posts in quite complex English: chatty, full of reference, phrase and unusual sentence construction. There's just no way a computer can understand that. But I wonder how it would cope with straight, plain business language. I think I might write something in a news story format and then see how the translation deals with it. Thanks for looking at the Japanese, Jim. Kieren Yes, I agree Jim, I came to the same conclusion. I write blog posts in quite complex English: chatty, full of reference, phrase and unusual sentence construction. There’s just no way a computer can understand that. But I wonder how it would cope with straight, plain business language.

I think I might write something in a news story format and then see how the translation deals with it.

Thanks for looking at the Japanese, Jim.

Kieren

]]> By: JimB http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-59817 JimB Thu, 10 May 2007 13:55:41 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-59817 I think the original English is too complicated. Shorter sentences might yield a better translation. I rate the Japanese a 2 out of 5. Disclaimer: my first language is English. jimb. I think the original English is too complicated. Shorter sentences might yield a better translation. I rate the Japanese a 2 out of 5. Disclaimer: my first language is English.

jimb.

]]> By: Kieren http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-59668 Kieren Wed, 09 May 2007 23:24:08 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-59668 Ah really? That's a shame. I was hoping it was at least good enough to read. It's so hard to quantify these things. For example, it occurs to me that the translations in other languages might be really good - as you appear to suggest. But how would you ever know. How do you get people to rate quality of translations? And then, more importantly, how do you get the collective efforts of people online to build a learning system that can get close to real translation? Anyway, thankyou very much for your feedback Armin. Sorry the result is so poor. Kieren Ah really? That’s a shame. I was hoping it was at least good enough to read.

It’s so hard to quantify these things. For example, it occurs to me that the translations in other languages might be really good – as you appear to suggest. But how would you ever know.

How do you get people to rate quality of translations? And then, more importantly, how do you get the collective efforts of people online to build a learning system that can get close to real translation?

Anyway, thankyou very much for your feedback Armin. Sorry the result is so poor.

Kieren

]]> By: Armin http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-59661 Armin Wed, 09 May 2007 23:10:17 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-59661 How do I put this mildly? Absolutely useless. I hadn't expected it that bad, but what this translation is doing is beyond hopeless. In some cases it might help me to figure out what an entry is about, but it's hard work. That's a 1. If someone bribes me massively (as in I'll never have to work or worry about money again) I might give it a 2. Funnily enough I used translate.google.com earlier today for a Spanish to English translation, that actually was fairly readable. I don't know if it was the contents or if Spanish is more suitable for machine translations. Sorry. How do I put this mildly? Absolutely useless. I hadn’t expected it that bad, but what this translation is doing is beyond hopeless. In some cases it might help me to figure out what an entry is about, but it’s hard work. That’s a 1. If someone bribes me massively (as in I’ll never have to work or worry about money again) I might give it a 2.

Funnily enough I used translate.google.com earlier today for a Spanish to English translation, that actually was fairly readable. I don’t know if it was the contents or if Spanish is more suitable for machine translations.

Sorry.

]]> By: Kieren http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-59615 Kieren Wed, 09 May 2007 19:47:51 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-59615 Hey Armin, I've stuck German up and pulled down Portugese - it's more to do with only having one line of flags. See German version here: http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/de/ Have a look, give the translation a rating out of 5 would you? More importantly though - is the translation good enough for you to read a post out of interest in that language, or is it too bad to be worth the trouble? Kieren Hey Armin,

I’ve stuck German up and pulled down Portugese – it’s more to do with only having one line of flags.

See German version here: http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/de/

Have a look, give the translation a rating out of 5 would you?

More importantly though – is the translation good enough for you to read a post out of interest in that language, or is it too bad to be worth the trouble?

Kieren

]]> By: Armin http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/comment-page-1/#comment-59613 Armin Wed, 09 May 2007 19:35:09 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2007/05/09/translation-experimentation/#comment-59613 German is missing, so I can't say if it's any good now. But from past experience with these translations I wouldn't expect too much. It helps to get an idea of the page but is not a pleasure to read. German is missing, so I can’t say if it’s any good now. But from past experience with these translations I wouldn’t expect too much. It helps to get an idea of the page but is not a pleasure to read.

]]>