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Translation technology killing the translator star?

  • 13-05-2011 2:55pm
    #1
    Freiheit
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,783 ✭✭✭Freiheit


    Google translate is just the beginning, apparently computerised interpreters are on the way (bu that I mean earpieces with a translation app implanted) allowing two people without a common language to converse via an automatic computerised interepreter in their ear.

    Is this going to kill the Intrepretor and translation stars?.

    Will their be any point learning a new language when translation technology reaches this point?.

    Will it affect the relevance of languages in schools?.

    Alles gutes
    F


Comments

  • #2
    Aard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    There was a similar thread on this not too long ago: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71507965

    Anyway, what's your opinion on this?


  • #3
    Freiheit
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,783 ✭✭✭Freiheit


    I obviously think it could end careers in the field, could downgrade language teaching in world wide curriculums in the long term.

    Feels that my bilingual ability is becoming less of an asset and certainly will be more so in the future.


  • #4
    sNarah
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,570 ✭✭✭sNarah


    It's still a looooooooooooooooooooong way off though.


  • #5
    Stinicker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,102 ✭✭✭Stinicker


    sNarah wrote: »
    It's still a looooooooooooooooooooong way off though.

    I'd agree, voice to text (speak and it types) are only just starting to become usable so this would be a far way off yet, with advances in miniaturisation of computer power it will eventually happen however eventually English will morph to be the global language within a few centuries.


  • #6
    Anna Tight Oak
    Posts: 0 ✭ Anna Tight Oak


    I don't think machine translation will ever kill off manual translation, but yeah, it will become more and more common as the technology advances. What I hate are the translation 'tools' like Trados. I realise they're supposed to be helpful and save time, but they kill off creativity and make the translation process really boring.


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  • #7
    franc 91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 401 ✭✭franc 91


    I don't think automatic translation will ever take over from the human variety, as any language is constantly evolving and different languages don't evolve in any kind of parallel way or similar direction. Part of the 'use' of language is knowing what 'register' is required - slang or formal, poetic or technological and not only that, we aren't robots and we aren't logical, what's the point in being that? and when it comes to thinking and talking, we're all creative in our own way, n'est-ce pas?
    (PS and I regularly contribute to a translation forum)


  • #8
    tac foley
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,500 ✭✭✭tac foley


    Freiheit wrote: »
    I obviously think it could end careers in the field, could downgrade language teaching in world wide curriculums in the long term.

    Feels that my bilingual ability is becoming less of an asset and certainly will be more so in the future.

    It rather depends in what language you are bi-lingual A friend of mine is bi-lingual in Welsh and Sami-Finnish, a mixture you don't come across every day. I blame his Lappish mother's sojourn at the University of Wales and subsequent marriage to a Welsh-first tutor there.

    One of my sisters-in-law is octo-lingual in ALL the five Algonquin languages, Athabascan and two more of the associated Na-Dene languages, Navajo and Apache. She is herself Québécoise, and genuine PITA as she pretends not to be able to speak anything more than Pepé-le-Phew English.

    We are still a long way from the Babelfish in the ear.

    Your skills will still be in demand in twenty years, I have no doubt.

    tac


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