Implementation; How to use Google translation
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Implementation: How to use Google translation
In my last semester before graduation, I transferred to interdisciplinary research. My two research topics are intensive English reading and Chinese translation. I hope to help my parents translate some English documents in the future. At the same time, I also learn business skills by myself. After the interdisciplinary study, I understand that these courses can be combined. I often use business cases to do sentence translation exercises, and then remember the keywords. In this way, I can not only master Chinese and English translation but also learn a lot of business knowledge. I often use Google translation as my learning method, and at the same time, I began to rely on this software. I don’t know if this habit is good or bad for me, and in my investigation, all international students have used this software, so Google translation requires further assessment. In contrast, Google translate has advantages, such as convenience, quicker, and helping to learn new languages, its disadvantages such as not giving entirely correct translation, lack of confidentiality, and inaccurate interpretation, which make it unhelpful.
Advantages of Google Translate
The first advantage of Google translate is that it is very convenient to use. It is possible to open the software anytime and anywhere. It does not need to be connected to the internet to translate words and can be downloaded to our mobile phone for us to carry around. Therefore, Google translate is essential because it is at the disposal of whoever wants to use it.
The second advantage is Google translate much quicker than leafing through a dictionary, much cheaper than paying a professional translator, Google Translate appears to solve our problems and overcome the eternal language barrier. Its ability to translate not only from French into English but between 57 languages as of today, including Arabic, Chinese and Korean, has allowed it to spread widely. Many people depend on Google translation when learning new languages. People the tool to look for words and sentences that they do not understand can be solved with the software.
Disadvantages of Google Translate
However, I find that this software to be imperfect. The problems associated with the translation tool leads to its disadvantages. Therefore, the subsequent discussion uses evidence to show that the device is disadvantageous.
To begin with, Google Translate is disadvantageous because although it can translate in many languages, it is not entirely correct. In a systematic review of Google explain to determine and assess the accuracy of its translation, ten randomized controlled trials were assessed from five different languages, including Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish (Balk et al., 2013). The eligibility criteria included articles that reported pre-treatment group result data. Each of the materials was then translated using Google translate and were then reconciled by a fluent speaker (Balk et al., 2013). The study noted that Spanish articles needed more time to combine and extract as compared to others. The Chinese language had the highest incorrect translations at 22% (Balk et al., 2013). Moreover, the study showed that a lack of correlation between styles as the main barrier to accurate translation. From the analysis of the procedures and results, the study logically concluded that Google translation is not all right.
In another study, Aiken and Balan (2011) conducted a survey where they sought to explore the accuracy of Google translate in different languages. The study focused on the identification of 2,550 paired words in a quest to determine if there are variations in the interpretations among disparate styles. Significantly, there was a rise in the use of machine transformation in translations in offices and also in social realms. However, there were variations between languages as the western words were more accurate as compared to the Asian and Eastern styles. This is a primary research study that used actual data to compare the accuracy of the information. The study sought to compare the differences in the level of skill amongst different languages. The analysis focused on comprehension sufficiency in the quest to build more understanding of the machine transformation. The study was a good start in the investigation. However, considering the complexities in the languages and the number of terms used in the translation, 2,550 conditions may not be sufficient to draw a valid conclusion. Also, because the researchers were fluent in one of the languages that were being evaluated, they may have a bias in their writing. There is a need for a more extensive study from a neutral observer in the quest to demonstrate the bias. However, in my case, when I used Google translation, I also encountered such problems. I realized that when trying to translate individual words, the outcome is nearly accurate or similar meanings. However, when I turn sentences using the tool, many problems occur, particularly giving the wrong meanings.
Google Translate cannot translate a sentence according to the context, the resulting penalties; therefore, lose their original meanings. Using Google translation in many sentences in an article limits the capacity of the reader to understand the content of the material. Hofstadter (2018) explored the accuracy of the Google translation software in the quest to determine its appropriateness and ability to replace human translators in the future. Instead of exploring the issue in its abstract nature, the author did a practical translation of an excerpt that was done in Russian. He translated using Google translate and later compared the manual translated work with the one derived from the software. The study showed that the two works were fundamentally different in that the manual translation allowed the translator to mind the context and inserted cultural aspects into the word’s translation.
Moreover, Hofstadter (2018) sought to c compare the accuracy of the software for translation against manual translation. This substantive work used a case example of a document that was translated using the two means. From the study, the author acknowledged the features that make Google translate the preferred option for translation, but noted the continued need for manual interpretation. This is an indication that the author then tried the same with other languages such as French and found similar problems with Google translate. The argument is substantial as it is based on evidence from a practical application of the software in comparison with manual transmission.
The other disadvantage of Google Translate is that it will never admit to not having an answer. It will always find a translation, whether the word typed in the source language exists or not. The potential for error thus becomes apparent, even for individual pieces of vocabulary. This is exacerbated by the fact that Google Translate is not necessarily sensitive to context. Although it may offer a range of possibilities for any word, it is necessary to choose the one which fits best in each specific case, and Google Translate cannot do this for us. The issue of context is particularly significant for full sentences. Google Translate cannot adapt a penalty to the individual requirements of a scientific researcher, which may result in numerous errors (Sheppard, 2011). In this resource, the author points out the shortcomings of Google translation. He urges against blindly using Google translation. Through the deficiencies, it becomes easier to understand the limitations of Google translation (Sheppard, 2011). Therefore, the article proposed that in the era of the continuous evolution of our technology, the Google translation app should be developed and improved further in the next few years.
The last disadvantage of Google translate is a lack of confidentiality. Therefore, when writing essential documents, it’s better to use the services of trained language professionals. Such services can better ensure the production of high-quality texts, thus saving time and maximizing the success rate of project and publication solicitation. Since Google translation needs to be connected to the Internet, we are not sure whether it will disclose relevant information (Sheppard, 2011). If we are translating some essential documents or information, it will cause a lot of trouble to be leaked to the Internet. I think the author’s last point of view is beneficial to me because my future work may help my parents translate some business documents. Security issues have taught me that I can’t use Google translation, so I can’t rely on this translation software now. Make my study attitude more and more dangerous, do more and more exercise. I hope I can understand English without using this translation software in the future to enhance the confidentiality of my data and information.
It can be concluded from the discussion that Google translation is beneficial for people learning new languages, but we can’t use it too much. Through many examples, you also understand that Google translation is not omnipotent, and it will make mistakes. The correct use of Google translation is to translate words. It can give us accurate answers and multiple meanings, which is very helpful for us to learn new languages. But in sentence translation, I will use it according to my method. I will choose to translate it by myself first, and then use Google translation.
At last, we need to ensure security. We must not use Google translation to translate important information. This survey is of considerable significance to me because I will use Google translation very frequently in my future work. I will always remind myself to use Google translation correctly, and I hope we can use this translation software precisely together.
Reflection
This exercise has taught me that Google translate is valuable for people who want to translate texts into different languages. I have learned that the tool is not accurate in its translation. Therefore, I will always ask myself the kind of material the materials that I would translate using the device. However, when I find it is not necessary to use the tool, then I will avoid it altogether. I might use the tool to translate words but not sentences because its translation for single words is near perfect. Nonetheless, this tool remains an innovative tool currently because it accomplishes what might have been impossible for a human to do.
References
Aiken, M., & Balan, S. (2011). An Analysis of Google Translate Accuracy. Retrieved from https://translationjournal.net/journal/56google.htm
Balk, E.M., Chung, M., Chen, M.L., Trikalinos, T.A., & Kong Win Chang, L. (2013). Assessing the accuracy of Google translate to allow data extraction from trials published in non-English languages[internet]. Report No.: 12(13)-EHC145-EF. AHRQ Methods for Effective Health Care. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US).
Hofstadter, D. (2018, January 30). The Shallowness of Google Translate. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/01/the-shallowness-of-google- translate/551570/
Sheppard, F. (2011). La rédaction médicale en anglais: le problème de Google traduction. La Presse Médicale, 40(6), 565-566.