Tips for Using Online Translators Effectively [View All]

The online language translators, like the one on Google, often produce comical results. In many cases, it's best to avoid them, especially if you know nothing of the target language. Still, there are times when it's the only option and, if used correctly, these online translators can work pretty well. So, here are some tips for getting the best results:

When you use machine translation, always:

1. Write in simple, declarative sentences in the language to be translated. The simpler your sentences, the more likely they are to be translated correctly. Avoid subordinate clauses and compound sentences at all costs. If your sentence includes a comma, you're probably not going to get a good translation. Never use contractions. Simple. Declarative. If you write a question, make that as simple as possible as well.

2. Use simple, unambiguous vocabulary. Consider whether the word you are using in your original language has more than one meaning. For example, the word "right" in English has multiple meanings. It can be a direction. It can mean correct. It can mean a political position. It can mean to properly orient the position of an object. Avoid words that might be mistranslated. The computer does not understand your sentence. Truly. Also, avoid any idiomatic or slang expressions. They never translate properly. For example, "That's cool!" will be translated to describe the temperature of something in the other language, where "cool" is only used for that purpose. Or, "I'm pissed." will end up describing yourself as being soaked in urine. You get the idea.

3. Always reverse translate the results from the target language back to the original language. This will expose most errors. If the reverse translation comes back with errors, alter your original language to correct the ambiguity. When the reverse translation says the same thing you originally wrote, or something that means the same thing, then the translation is probably OK to send. If not, don't send it until it reverse-translates correctly. This can take a few passes, so write your original in Notepad or something so you can quickly copy it and paste it back into the translator.

Now, for your amusement, I'll tell a funny story on myself that illustrates how things can go wrong in strange ways you may not anticipate:

When I was in Russian Language School in the USAF, we had to write an essay in Russian about what our life goals were. At one point, I wanted to say that I wanted to be a bum. The trouble was that the English-Russian dictionary I was using was printed in England, so the Russian came out to mean: "I want to be an arse." We had to read our essays aloud in class. The very lovely young native-speaker who was our instructor for that class almost peed her pants. After she stopped giggling, she explained the error, and the whole class almost fell out of their chairs.

I learned a very good lesson...one which has stood me in good stead ever since.