Machine Translation has a place in our World Wide Web. In certain types of communicatio, like customer support or marketing communications, humans will continue to play an important role. Let’s look at some explicit examples.
First, some brief messages that you might encounter in a customer support or marketing context. In Chinese, French and Spanish, we have first the original message, then machine translation, and then human translation by SpeakLike.
Chinese:
Original: 我的订单什么时候可以快递过来？
Machine Translation: When I can express orders from?
SpeakLike Translation: When will my orders be delivered by express mail?
French:
Original: Jusqu’au 31 decembre, une voiture offerte pour une achetée!
Machine Translation: Until 31 December, a car available for purchase!
SpeakLike Translation: Until December 31st, one free car for each car purchased!
Spanish:
Original: Un servicio amable es brindarle toda su atención al cliente y hacer contacto visual.
Machine Translation: Is to provide a friendly service throughout your customer and make eye contact.
SpeakLike Translation: Friendly service is giving the customer your full attention and making eye contact
Isn’t it surprising how even the most simple, common and concise messages can go so far astray in machine translation? It gets even worse with longer text:
Chinese:
Original:
您可以将常用的邮箱地址与用户名或卡号做关联，以代替卡号或用户名登录网站。新注册用户，在完成会员身份的高级确认之后，我们将自动为您开通邮箱直接登录网站的功能。老用户可以通过个人信息版块内的“邮件及关联”，开通关联。同一邮箱地址只能关联一个帐号。
Machine Translation:
You can e-mail address will be used with the user name or number so related to or in place of a number of Web site users. New registered users in the completion of a senior member to confirm the identity, we will automatically log in directly to your web site to open the mailbox function. Old users can view personal information through the “e-mail and the associated” link to open. The same email address can only be an account related.
SpeakLike Translation:
You can link the frequently used email address to a user name or card number to log in to the website. After verifying profile information with new members, we will automatically provide you an email address to log in to the website. Old users can activate the link through the “email and related links” in the personal information section. The same email address can only link to one account.
French:
Original:
De son restaurant à sa piscine privée, notre hotel est entierement conçu pour votre confort et celui de votre famille. Nous pouvons également vous proposer d’excellentes tables gastronomiques de la région. Si cela vous intéresse, adressez-vous SVP à la reception au premier.
Machine Translation:
The restaurant with its private swimming pool, our hotel is completely designed for your comfort and your family. We can also offer excellent food tables of the region. If you are interested, please contact the reception at first.
SpeakLike Translation:
From its restaurant to its private swimming pool, our hotel is designed entirely for your and your family’s comfort. We can also recommend some excellent gourmet restaurants of the region. If this interests you, please inquire at the reception desk on the ground floor.
Spanish:
Original:
El propósito de esta capacitación es de proporcionarle un conocimiento básico del servicio de ventas como un producto y prepararlo para capacitaciones adicionales más específicas para su región
Machine Translation:
The purpose of this training is to provide a basic service and product sales as an additional training to prepare more specific to your region
SpeakLike Translation:
The purpose of this training is to provide you with a baseline knowledge of selling the service as a product and to prepare you for additional training more specific to your region.
That’s why serious businesses can’t afford to rely on machine translation in customer support or marketing. When things can get this lost in translation, you’re better off with no translation at all.
