GEN 110 - Freshman Seminar: Computers and Society

Dr. R. M. Siegfried

Lost In Translation - Problems in Automated Translation

Contrary to popular opinion, automated translation is difficult and inexact at best; at worst, it's misleading and wholly inaccurate. To prove the point, I took the quotations below and translated from English to another language ( or through a chain of translations) and then back to English:

From the Gettysburg Address in English:

Fourscore and seven years ago, our forefathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

To Spanish:

El fourscore y hace siete años, nuestros antepasados trajeron adelante sobre este continente las nuevas naciones concebidas en libertad y dedicadas al asunto que todos los hombres son igual creado.

Back to English:

Fourscore and seven years ago, our ancestors brought ahead on this continent the new nations conceived in freedom and dedicated to the subject that all the men equal are created.

Psalm 1 (NIV translation) in English:

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

To Italian:

È benedetto l'uomo che non cammina nei consulenti legali del cattivo o ostacola i sinners o si siede nella sede dei mockers. Ma il suo piacere è nella legge del SIGNORE e sulla sua legge meditates giorno e notte. È come un albero piantato tramite le correnti di acqua, che rende la relativa frutta nella stagione e di cui il foglio non appassisce. Qualunque prospera. Non così il cattivo! Sono come paglia che il vento salta via. Di conseguenza il cattivo non si leverà in piedi nel giudizio, né in sinners nel montaggio del righteous. Per le vigilanze del SIGNORE sopra il senso del righteous, ma il senso della volontà cattiva perisca.

Back to English:

The man is Benedict who does not walk in the advisers lawyers of the bad one or hinders the sinners or is based in the center of the mockers. But its pleasure is in the law of the GETLTEMAN and on its law meditates day and night. It is like a tree planted through the water currents, that it renders the relative fruit in the season and of which the sheet does not wither. Any prospers. Not therefore the bad one! They are like straw that the wind jumps via. Consequently the bad one not leverà in feet in the judgment, neither in sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the vigilances of the GETLTEMAN over the sense of the righteous, but the sense of the bad will perishes.

From CNN home page October 8, 2003 in English:

Action movie hero Arnold Schwarzenegger, a political novice, is poised to tackle what may be his toughest role yet -- governor -- with his decisive victory in California's colorful and rollicking recall race. "California has given me the greatest gift of all," said Schwarzenegger. "You've given me your trust by voting for me." Ousted Gov. Gray Davis called Schwarzenegger to congratulate him for his victory.

To Japanese and Back to English:

However perhaps, it is that the hardest role, -- the governor -- the California colorfulness, that decisive victory of competition of the rollicking recall... behavior movie hero Arnold Schwarzenegger, the political beginner, stabilizes because the thing tackles. "The gift whose everything is largest to California me was given," it was Schwarzenegger. In me who am given "with the poll because of me your reliance. Gov. Gray Davis who repels in order "to celebrate him for that victory called Schwarzenegger.

From CNN site October 8, 2003 in English:

I used my credit card to send him $20 and students nationwide banded together to help Dan, who told me he has raised almost $4,000. A few of us helped him out of sympathy, perhaps inspired by a guilty conscience.

To German:

Ich benutzte meine Kreditkarte, um ihm $20 zu schicken und die Kursteilnehmer im ganzen Land zusammen mit einem Band versehen zur Hilfe Dan, die mir ihm erklärte, hat fast $4.000 angehoben. Einige von uns halfen ihm aus Sympathie heraus, durch eine schuldige Gewissenhaftigkeit möglicherweise angespornt.

To French:

J'ai utilisé ma carte de crédit, pour lui $20 à chic et les participants de cours dans le pays entier avec un volume à l'aide Dan qui m'a expliqué lui, presque $4.000 ai soulevé fournis. Quelques-une de nous aider-le de la sympathie, par un gewissenhaftigkeit coupable incité peut-être.

Back to English:

I used my credit card, for him $20 with knack and the participants of course in the whole country with a volume in the assistance daN which explained me him, almost $4.000 raised provided. Some-a to help us it of sympathy, by a perhaps incited guilty gewissenhaftigkeit.

From the WFAN web page in English:

Central to the success of the station is legendary morning man Don Imus. The Imus in the Morning program is now syndicated to over 90 stations across the United States with an audience in excess of 10 million. It has become a regular stop on the circuit for Washington insiders, the liberal media elite, best-selling authors and the occasional presidential candidate. In September of 1996, MSNBC, the cable/Internet venture of Microsoft and NBC, began a simulcast of the Imus in the Morning show for their own morning programming.

To Dutch:

Centraal aan het succes van de post is legendarische ochtendmens aantrekken Imus. Het 's morgens programma Imus syndicated nu aan meer dan 90 posten over de Verenigde Staten met een publiek meer dan 10 miljoen. Het is een regelmatig einde op de kring voor de insiders van Washington, de liberale media elite, best-selling auteurs en de occasionele presidentiële kandidaat geworden. In September 1996, begon MSNBC, de de kabel/onderneming van Internet van Microsoft en NBC-, 's morgens met een simultane uitzending van Imus toont voor hun eigen ochtend programmering.

To French:

Au succès du courrier la personne matinale légendaire est centralement attire Imus. le matin Le programme Imus syndicated maintenant plus à 90 postes au sujet des États-Unis avec public plus de 10 millions. Lui une fin régulière sur le cercle pour les insiders de Washington, les médias libéraux élite, best-selling auteurs et le candidat présidentiel occasionnel est devenue. En septembre 1996, MSNBC, a commencé le câble/entreprise de l'internet van Microsoft et NBC -, le matin avec une émission simultanée de Imus la programmation montre pour leur propre matin.

To German:

Am Erfolg der Post ist die legendäre matinale Person heranzieht zentral Imus. der Morgen das syndicated Imus-Programm, das mehr an 90 Posten hinsichtlich der Vereinigten Staaten mit Öffentlichkeit mehr als 10 Millionen aufrechterhält. Ihn élite ein regelmäßiges Ende auf dem Kreis für die insiders von Washington, die liberalen Medien, best-selling ist Autoren und der gelegentliche Präsidentschaftskandidat geworden. Im September 1996, MSNBC, das Kabel/Unternehmen des Internet Van Microsoft und hat NBC begonnen - der Morgen mit einer gleichzeitigen Emission von Imus die Programmierung zeigt für ihren eigenen Morgen.

To Italian:

Al successo dell'ufficio postale è la persona leggendaria del matinale consulta Imus centrale. la mattina syndicated il programma di Imus, che effettua più a 90 alberini per quanto riguarda gli Stati Uniti con pubblico più di 10 milioni. Élite un'estremità normale sul cerchio per i membri da Washington, dai mezzi dei liberali, dagli autori vendenti migliori e dal candidato occasionale di presidenza è diventato. Nel mese di settembre del 1996, MSNBC, il cable/enterprise del Internet Van Microsoft ed hanno cominciato il NBC - la mattina con un'emissione simultanea delle esposizioni di programmazione di Imus per la relativa propria mattina.

To English

To happened of the post office them she is the leggendaria person of the matinale consults Imus centers them. the morning syndicated the program of Imus, that it more carries out more to 90 starter shafts as far as the United States with public than 10 million. Élite a normal extremity on the circle for the members from Washington, from means of the liberal ones, the selling authors better and the occasional candidate of presidency has become. In the month of september of 1996, MSNBC, the cable/enterprise of the Internet Van Microsoft and have begun the NBC - the morning with a simultaneous emission of the exposures of programming of Imus for relative the own morning orgen.

[Back to the Notes Index]