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July 23, 2009
When conducting research work for any project, having a language translation software on hand is indispensable for many people. This is especially true when you’re trying to draw from as much information as you can, which often requires going through materials about the subject in other languages.
Many businesses, in fact, use machine translators this way. When researching old patents, for instance, they usually employ a language software to go through old filings, trying to see if anything of significance will turn up. In the event that they do find one that’s particularly sensitive, they usually then send it to a human interpreter who can do a more thorough and detailed translation.
Without the aid of a translation tool, researching foreign documents can become an “either-or” proposition, instead of the flexible process it now is. Researchers will have to choose between completely ignoring them (since they can’t understand the language) or bringing in someone who can translate for everything (a serious expense).
This is the main reason why many professional translators also encourage the use of translation software. While some will argue that machine translators can harm their business, they actually do the reverse – it makes it easy for companies and individuals to identify which documents need to be translated. As such, they can allocate proper resources, instead of having to choose between passing on the activity or wasting a good chunk of money on translating documents they may not need.
June 13, 2009
Do you blog? It’s a great time to be a blogger with literally hundreds of tools to make your job easier. From desktop editors to writing software, there’s never a shortage of items to help you churn out posts day after day.
One software many bloggers seem to ignore, but that we find especially useful, are language translation software. For some reason, these automated translators rarely get their just due, despite their amazing usefulness to anyone in the field.
Language Translators For Bloggers
Using translation software, bloggers can gather international press releases, convert them to English and report on breaking news. There’s huge value to the blogosphere, after all, of being the first to report on any item, both in the number of visitors your blog will receive as well as the amount of natural links you’re going to get.
Online Translators
Of course, you can always opt for online translators, such as those from Babelfish. However, I’ve seen many of them and they are excruciatingly painful conversions, often producing text that’s completely unintelligible.
Because they run on your desktop, software-based translators aren’t limited by server processing limits. That means they can perform deeper, more complex algorithms that frequently result in better translations. Suffice to say, you’ll get more information out of translation software than your typical run-of-the-mill service.
May 27, 2009
Have you tried a language translation software lately? If you have, you’ve probably noticed how capable of results they can turn up. While not as accurate nor as poignant as custom-written translations, software-generated documents are now able to turn up readable documents that do an average job. With more developments expected of the platform in the future, it’s very likely that they’ll only get even better over time.
The question then is: will it ever improve to the point that renders independent translation businesses obsolete?
Many language experts agree that the time isn’t likely to ever come (or should be decades if not centuries ahead). As advanced as language software technology has become, they don’t even come close to the quality of translations that humans can perform. Similarly, automated translation isn’t a particularly lucrative area, as say bioresearch, which means the level of linguistic research afforded it doesn’t even come near that given to areas considered more “vital” to society.
For the most part, you can expect translation companies to remain in business even after many years. As such, your organization’s translation strategies will need to continue taking that into consideration. Even though they are expensive, especially compared to the one-time payment value of a language translation software, they’re a necessary part of doing business.
May 22, 2009
A lot of people eschew language translation software for the potentially critical errors they can create. Since a machine translator will likely never have the same breadth and depth of thought as a live human being, it’s a perfectly understandable cautionary measure – although it’s one that can cost you financially.
Language translation software, while more prone to failings than their human counterparts, is also infinitely cheaper. A single one-time investment in software gets you a translation system that can serve you for as long as you want. Contrast that with hiring a professional every time you need a sentence translated in English and you can imagine the wide gap in expenditures.
There are ways to use translation software that puts your organization in less of a risk by minimizing the errors in their results.
1. Avoid using software for critical business documents. If getting the translation 100% correct is a make or break proposition (meaning your business will suffer tremendously if you get it wrong), avoid using automated translators. In fact,avoid translators entirely and hire a professional interpreter, who will not only translate what is written but try to draw the emotions and motivations behind them as well.
2. Use software for simple translations. One word translations are zero risk with software, so are most short phrases and sentences.
3. Use software to write first drafts. If you have a full-time translator in your office, you can have them use the software to write the first draft of translations. It can save them a lot of time. With the draft done, they can then proofread and go over items that don’t sound right in the context of the rest of the document – chances are, those have been incorrectly translated.
May 17, 2009
“But my customers don’t speak English. Why should I bother?”
If you’re running a foreign language site designed to target a specific demographic of web users, you may want to consider running an English version of it. Even if you think your product or service is geared towards non-English-speaking users, there’s plenty of value to be derived from offering a version of your website in the language.
1. English, whether you like it or not, is the de facto language of the web
Most people search the web in English, simply because majority of content available on the internet is in that language. When you have an English version of your site, it makes it easier to get links from related sites, achieve inclusion into good directories and other similar avenues of promotions.
2. Unconventional customers
While your customer base may consist entirely of a specific demographic, it’s not too far-fetched that someone who doesn’t speak the foreign vernacular may also be interested in what you have to offer. If you’re selling products in a specific country, for instance, an American vacationing there may end up needing your services. An English website gives you a way to reach out to them.
3. Non-customers
Not all people who take an interest in your site needs to be customers. Many bloggers and journalists, for instance, are regularly on the lookout for new sites they can feature in their pieces. Who knows, your product or service just might be what they’re looking for? Wouldn’t you rather make it easier for them to learn more about you instead of having to use their own translation software to figure out the details of your services? That’s free promotion at the cost of nothing but a second website in a different language.
May 15, 2009
If you’re wondering what a translation software can do for a graphic designer, read on and find out.
One of my best friends is a graphic and web designer who gets plenty of jobs from online sources. As such, many of the work he does involves foreign language titles, labels and slogans. Several times, he’s been tasked with designing websites intended for foreign customers, including French, Italian and Spanish.
Now, he could have easily just turned down these offers. After all, he could make mistakes in the text that can end up as time-consuming issues that will bring problems both for him and his clients. On the other hand, it’s such a wasted opportunity not to take them, especially when all the other English-speaking graphic designers seem afraid of accepting the job.
Instead of shunning the foreign language work, he decided to invest on language translation software instead. Using them, he’s easily available to verify whether the menu items he adds into websites are correct, if the slogan changes he does make sense or if his comments on the CSS files will actually be helpful to his clients.
For such a nominal cost, these foreign language tools have been able to help him take in more business. Even better, he gets the job done without embarrassing mistakes. If you’re a graphic designer and have been staying away from work that involves foreign terms and languages, think again – you could be turning your head away from a veritable goldmine.
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