Anyone who has ever translated a phrase using an online translation app only to turn it back into the original language with the very same app or service will know that many problems can be encountered when using such a tool. Whilst in some cases, the end result may merely be a confused version of the original, in other cases all meaning may have been lost and it may suddenly seem like a random bunch of jibberish.
Despite the fact that numerous companies are investing huge amounts of money in trying to develop an effective virtual translation tool, so far no company has managed to crack the problem, with computers simply unable to detect the nuances of language. Either the translations are far too literal, unable to take metaphor, turns of phrase and inference into account, or they are generated using phrases garnered from previous generations of translated content. In doing so, translation tools are unable to grasp the evolution of language or even the fact that certain phrases may mean very different things in different contexts.
With so many homonyms in the English language, offering the meanings of words with the same spellings to be completely misconstrued, it is very easy for even the very best translation app to offer something that makes little to no sense. In other words, the very best translation tools will be bad; the worst will be terrible.
The only real benefit of such online tools is to translate single words or perhaps pairs of words. Any more than this and there is a good chance that the end result will bear little resemblance to the inputted data.
A professional translations service will not only look at translating the words you have written but will instead be able to understand how to tailor content towards certain audiences, being aware of cultural factors and even the need for clarity.
The complexities of human language are too complicated for machines to understand as yet, although this doesn’t mean that major companies are giving up. Over the last decade, translation apps have come a very long way, but there is still a huge distance for them to go, and unless you desperately need to understand a single word in a foreign language, then there is a chance that you will have little use for them. For those that need a business translation or even to send personal letters in a foreign language, using a translation agency will not only ensure that your content is as accurate as possible, but it will also ensure that important information isn’t lost in translation, that you don’t look inept or unprofessional and simply that those receiving what you are sending understand what it is you are trying to say.
One day, translation companies may have their work cut out, having to deal with computer programs that can understand the subtleties and vast scope of human language. However, that day is still a long way away, and in turn those translation companies can rest easy for now.
About the Author – Adam Howes is a freelance writer, blogger and polyglot. He regularly contributes articles to companies such as London Translations.