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[web-translations]

Why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others?

The quality of translations from Google Translate can vary from good to absolutely terrible, and some language pairs are much better than other language pairs. So, why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others? Zero-shot technology pairs Did you know that Google Translate can now translate from Uzbek into Zulu? And Javanese into Chichewa? Surely there aren’t many native Zulu speakers who can also speak Uzbek, or Chichewa speakers who can translate from Javanese… Google now uses ‘Zero-shot’ translation technology, which means that it uses intermediate languages to match up content, and that no translations between the source and target were necessarily entered into the system. For example, if English was translated to Uzbek and Zulu, then Zulu can be translated to Uzbek, and vice versa. The output is not going to be as good as for some of the other language pairs in Google Translate, however. Amount of data Frequently translated languages with many contributions to […] The post Why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others? appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/QjQkFT

[web-translations]

Why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others?

The quality of translations from Google Translate can vary from good to absolutely terrible, and some language pairs are much better than other language pairs. So, why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others? Zero-shot technology pairs Did you know that Google Translate can now translate from Uzbek into Zulu? And Javanese into Chichewa? Surely there aren’t many native Zulu speakers who can also speak Uzbek, or Chichewa speakers who can translate from Javanese… Google now uses ‘Zero-shot’ translation technology, which means that it uses intermediate languages to match up content, and that no translations between the source and target were necessarily entered into the system. For example, if English was translated to Uzbek and Zulu, then Zulu can be translated to Uzbek, and vice versa. The output is not going to be as good as for some of the other language pairs in Google Translate, however. Amount of data Frequently translated languages with many contributions to […] The post Why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others? appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/QhXvfj

[web-translations]

Meet the Team – Rachel Jones

Hello! I’m Rachel, the new Project Coordinator at Web-Translations. I’m really excited to join the team and experience the world of translation from this end, having worked as a French and German freelance translator for a year. Prior to this, I completed an MA in Audiovisual Translation at the University of Leeds and a BA in French and German at University College London (UCL). My master’s in Audiovisual Translation focused on the creation of interlingual subtitles and also intralingual subtitles for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. I also learnt a lot about CAT tools and localisation strategies, which has prepared me well for life as a project coordinator.  As a student, I dedicated my spare time to theatre and film, performing each year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with various companies, so subtitling was a great way to combine my love of languages and film. Last year, I was also able to combine translation and theatre by taking part in an […] The post Meet the Team – Rachel Jones appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/QXj3gJ

[web-translations]

5 reasons why being bilingual doesn’t magic you into a translator

It’s a common misconception that bilingual people are all capable translators.  Based on the terrible translations that pop up occasionally – from advertising campaigns to user instructions for your TV – this is evidently not the case. Bilingualism is not the only prerequisite for being a good translator Professional translators have an exceptional command of the target language. Orthographic and grammatical mistakes appear less frequently in professionally translated texts. Translators are also writers; their job is to create texts that read well in their native language, sounding fluent and natural. Bilingual people should only translate into their native language, unless the text will not be used for external communications. Text translated by a non-native speaker will sound ‘translated’ 99% of the time. Qualified translators know this and won’t attempt something out of their skill set. Translation is a skill that takes time to develop. Professional translators usually have post-graduate qualifications, and many have years of translation experience as well, which your bilingual employee […] The post 5 reasons why being bilingual doesn’t magic you into a translator appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/QJnqBr

[web-translations]

Why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others?

The quality of translations from Google Translate can vary from good to absolutely terrible, and some language pairs are much better than other language pairs. So, why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others? Zero-shot technology pairs Did you know that Google Translate can now translate from Uzbek into Zulu? And Javanese into Chichewa? Surely there aren’t many native Zulu speakers who can also speak Uzbek, or Chichewa speakers who can translate from Javanese… Google now uses ‘Zero-shot’ translation technology, which means that it uses intermediate languages to match up content, and that no translations between the source and target were necessarily entered into the system. For example, if English was translated to Uzbek and Zulu, then Zulu can be translated to Uzbek, and vice versa. The output is not going to be as good as for some of the other language pairs in Google Translate, however. Amount of data Frequently translated languages with many contributions to […] The post Why does Google Translate work better for some languages than others? appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/PtrGZt

[web-translations]

Reflecting on Women in Translation Month

Women in Translation month is an intiative developed by The Reading Agency in order to appreciate women writers, including the writers whose works are translated, and the translators and publishers who transfer them into different languages. August was full of events and discussions around this theme, and our Client Services Director, Jasmine, attended an event in Sheffield arranged by Tilted Axis Press. The event featured Korean and Japanese authors, along with English translators who had worked with them. Some of the points raised left an impression and as a team with a real love for languages, it’s worth shining a light on them. Under a third of literary translations published in the UK and US are produced by women. Given that only 1.5% of books published in the UK are translations into English, this represents only a tiny fraction of all literary fiction that we consume. Despite these surprising statistics, recent findings suggest that translated literary fiction sells better in the […] The post Reflecting on Women in Translation Month appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/PsJxp4

[web-translations]

Meet the Team – Amy Forrester

Hi everyone, I have recently joined the Web-Translations team as a Project Coordinator, having just finished my Masters in Applied Translation Studies at the University of Leeds. Prior to this I graduated with a first in Russian and Spanish, again from the University of Leeds. During my MA we studied a module on CAT tools which was geared towards preparing us for the world of translation and the language services industry. I particularly enjoyed this module; especially when we took part in simulated localisation projects which allowed us to mimic a ‘real life’ translation project and workflow. It was these projects which actually introduced me to the role of a project manager and piqued my interest in wanting to pursue a career as one. I am originally from Liverpool, so I’ve been a football fan since birth, and a red – obviously. I love Liverpool as a city but after moving to Leeds for my undergrad I have completely fallen in […] The post Meet the Team – Amy Forrester appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/PcqvCQ

[web-translations]

Writing for translation

The London-based author Kazuo Ishiguro writes with translation in mind. ‘I want my words to survive translation,’ he says. ‘I know when I write a book now I will have to go and spend three days being intensely interrogated by journalists in Denmark or wherever. That fact, I believe, informs the way I write – with those Danish journalists leaning over my shoulder.’ Ishiguro concedes that the process of globalisation, of appealing to and ensuring that one is understood by audiences around the world, may lead to a ‘greyness’ of language: ‘There are a lot of things I don’t write now. I stop myself writing certain things because I think, for instance, that it wouldn’t work once it’s translated out of English. You can think of a line that’s brilliant in English — with a pun or two, you know — but of course it becomes nonsense once translated into a different language, so I don’t use it.’ Keeping the […] The post Writing for translation appeared first on Web-Translations. http://dlvr.it/NnmjQM