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Automatic Language Translation

Automatic Language Translation. Elizabeth Dawkins ◊ Kim Polaski ◊ Amanda Vogelman. What is Automatic Language Translation?. Technology that is capable of translating one language into another

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Automatic Language Translation

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  1. Automatic Language Translation Elizabeth Dawkins ◊ Kim Polaski ◊ Amanda Vogelman

  2. What is Automatic Language Translation? • Technology that is capable of translating one language into another • Can range from text-to-text translation, speech-to-text translation, or the emerging speech-to-speech translation 2 2

  3. History of Automatic Translators • Used rigid rule based systems to translate phrases • Often wound up being unreliable software • Ex. “The White House confirmed the existence of a new bin Laden tape” “Alpine white new presence tape registered for coffee confirms Laden” • Emerging software now uses statistical analysis in order to recognize words often used close together • Starts off without any linguistic knowledge of a language • This approach mimics the way humans learn how to translate languages 2 2

  4. Business Drivers • This software will make it easier to do business in other countries • Will assist in both internal communications with employees and externally with partners & customers • It will also improve efficiency within organizations by establishing clear communication, eliminating possible costly error due to miscommunication • Eliminates the need to hire more expensive employees for their mastery of a foreign language 3

  5. Key Risks • Speech-to Speech Translation • Extremely difficult due to voice, accent, and pitch • Names of people and places are difficult for the machines to grasps • Experimental devices still have many translation mistakes • Google is hoping to release a speech-to-speech translation application on phones “within a few years’ time” 1 4 4 1

  6. Current Military Uses • Iraq War faces a shortage of translators • Not enough troops who speak Arabic and it is extremely risky for locals to work for foreigners • Forces currently use experimental two-way translators provided by IBM, BBM Technologies, and SRI International • Models include speech-to-text & speech-to-speech • Error Rates are currently one word in six 4 4

  7. Current Use in Companies • Critical Mention • Uses one-way translation to track what is said in Arabic & Chinese broadcasts in order to sell that information to other companies • Google • Gmail users can automatically translate messages into 41 languages • Admits that the technology “isn’t perfect” but users should be able to “get the gist” of the message 4 3 3

  8. Threats to Other Industries • This technology will only improve organizations • No current technologies can offer a reliable, error-proof translation • Can only threaten foreign language teachers, foreign language software (ex. Rosetta Stone), and those who work as translators

  9. Evaluation • This software will improve global communications • It will be extremely successful due to globalization & the need for effective communication across borders

  10. References • Gourlay, Chris. “Google leaps language barrier with translator phone.” The Sunday Times. February 7, 2010. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_tech/article7017831.ece • “How to build a Babel fish. Translation software: The science fiction dream of a machine that understands any language is getting slowly closer.” The Economist. June 8, 2006. http://www.economist.com/node/7001819 • Perez, Juan Carlos, and IDG News. “Gmail Gains Automatic Translation.” PC World. May 19, 2009. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/1651 98/gmail_gains_automatic_translation.html • “Speak up: Devices and programs are getting better at t ranslating languages.” The Economist. June 8, 2008. http://www.economist.com/node/11612397 1 2 3 4

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