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If as a newcomer to this list join in on the translation subject, apologies if this has been suggested before!
Translation experts will all agree that machine translation will never replace the human. But in some cases computer translation is quite adequuate to get an understanding. Have you tried Alta Vistas free translation service? You can create versions of a document in French, German, Italian, and Portuguese. For full details there is an excellent background at:
(http://www.samizdat.com)
But you can skip this an cut and paste directly into a form and get the trnaslation within seconds, try it at http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/ :
This service uses automated translation software from Systran- see: http://www.systransoft.com. For fun I translated a piece into French then from French back into English. Here is the result:
This is how it started:
Bull loose in a factory yard
THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE was when a police car appeared unannounced over a
grassy slope into the brick stock yard at a brick stockyard in the North East. In front of
it was one and a half tons of champion Herefordshire bull - steaming and snorting -
which had just stampeded into the yard. This was a massive beast - its back stood five
feet above the ground!
The commotion sent everyone running for cover. The police car was soon joined by no
less than five more. Policemen - with waving arms leapt from their cars. Their yellow
motorway reflective jackets flapping by their sides. They were to prove even more
irresistible than a bullfighter's cape and before long the scene looked more like
something out of Keystone Cops - as this monster animal churned up the dust and
sorted out the best runners in the force. This animal clearly had no respect for 'power
dressing'.
Into French:
Bull desserrent en cour d'usine
Le PREMIER SIGNE DE L'CEnnui était quand une voiture de police a semblé inattendue au-dessus
d'une pente herbeuse dans la cour de provisions de brique à un parc à matériau de brique dans l'est
du nord. Devant lui étaient des tonnes un et demi de taureau de Herefordshire de champion - cuisant et
renâcl - qui s'étaient juste précipitées dans la cour. C'était une bête massive - son arrière tenu cinq
pieds au-dessus de la terre!
Le commotion envoyé chacun fonctionnant pour la couverture. La voiture de police a été bientôt jointe
par aucuns moins de cinq davantage. Policiers - avec les bras ondulants a sauté de leurs voitures.
Leurs vestes r3fléchissantes d'autoroute jaune s'agitant par leurs côtés. **time-out** pour prouver bien
plus irrésistible que un bullfighter cap et d' ici peu scène sembler plus comme quelque chose hors
trapézoïdal cannette de fil - tel que ce monstre animal battre vers le haut poussière et trier hors meilleur
coureur dans force. Cet animal n'a clairement eu aucun respect pour l'' puissance s'habillant '.
And back again!
Bulls loosen in court of factory
The FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE be when a police car de police have seem unexpected
above of a slope grassy in the court of provision of brick with a park with material of brick in the east of
north. In front of him were tons one and half of bull of Herefordshire of champion - cooking and renâcl -
which had just precipitated in the court. It was a massive animal - its back held five feet above the
ground!
The commotion sent each one functioning for the cover. The police car was joined soon by aucuns less
than five more. Police officers - with the undulating arms jumped their cars. Their jackets
r3fléchissantes of yellow motorway being agitated by their sides ** time-out ** to prove much more
irresistible than a bullfighter course and before long scene to seem more like something out
trapezoidal pirn of wire
Where Ian Docherty at http://www.newscientist.com/ns/980131/feedback.html#schoolkidsdecided put the service to the test by running some classic English poems through it, translating them into German and then back into English. Here is how a well-known poem of Wordsworth's came out:
I was surprised lonely as cloud,
Swims on high o'er vales and hill,
When in a course I saw a mass,
A central processor of the
golden Daffodils
Hope this has been helpful!
Malcolm Davison
Burgess Hill. West Sussex, UK
Tel/fax: 01444 254780
email: info -at- rightwords -dot-
You may like to check out my new web site at: http://www.rightwords.co.uk where I have some word and phrase lists for copywriters that may be of interest.
Malcolm Davison
Rightwords. 33 Orchard Way, Burgess Hill. West Sussex RH15 9PB UK
Tel/fax: 01444 254780
email: info -at- rightwords -dot-
You may like to check out my new web site at: http://www.rightwords.co.uk where I have some word and phrase lists for copywriters.
