PLUG-INs A Student’s Guide to Information Literacy

TRANSLATION PROGRAMS

Online translation programs can be very helpful to

students learning a new language.

You can find the

meaning of a word quickly using them.

BUT . . .

Online translations are

done by a machine, not a

person with a brain.

Machines cannot think (yet)

and make decisions about complicated

meanings of words.

For example, a translation program might not catch the difference between bank (side of a river)

and bank (for money).

Another problem with machine translation is

word variation between different countries with the

“same” language.

For example, words in Saudi Arabic may not be the same in Tunisia, Lebanon or

the Emirates.

Machine translations may not result in the correct word order

which can affect the meaning.

For example :

I gave her Maryam’s book.

I gave Maryam her book.

If you do not spell all the original words

correctly, a translation program cannot give an

accurate translation.

For example, if you type “red” for

“read,” the translation will not be correct. The machine does not know that you made a typing

mistake.

Lastly, online translation programs

will not correct bad grammar or errors in punctuation.

If your original was not correct, the translation will not be correct

either.

1. http://translate.google.com/translate2. http://www.appliedlanguage.com/free_translation.shtml3. http://free.translated.net/ 4. http://www.omniglot.com/links/translation.htm

These 4 free websites can translate

complete sentences. Some websites only translate

one word at a time like a dictionary.

Let’s look at some examples of English-Arabic translations from these free programs. Are the results accurate?

You be the judge.

We will use this sentence : “The UAE football team won

the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2007.”

http://translate.google.com/translate

http://www.appliedlanguage.com/free_translation.shtml

http://free.translated.net/

http://www.omniglot.com/links/translation.htm

What is your opinion? Are these translations

accurate? If not, what are the problems?

Why are there problems?

Also note that websites offering a

“free” product might really want

you to buy an upgrade.

There is a translation feature in Microsoft

WORD. From the Review tab,

click on Translate.

For example, the Britannica

Online School Edition.

Some databases from the HCT Library have a translation feature.

Mouse over a word & the Arabic

will appear. It will not translate complete

sentences.

At the end of an article, you will see an orange

box Turn on Arabic

Translator

The database UAE Interact has all pages in both

English and Arabic.

Do you remember how to access the

HCT Library Databases ?

From the HCT portal,

click on Library.

Then, Databases

and e-Books.

Click on Databases and eBooks

Or, put this URL in your “Favorites”

library.hct.ac.ae

Click on Resources,

then Databases and E-Books

I hope this helps you

understand the correct use and limitations of translation programs.

Ask your teacher or

your friendly librarian if you

have any questions.

If you find any good new sites

for free English-Arabic translation, please inform your friendly

librarian.

Because websites on the Internet come and go,

there may be new sites posted after this presentation

was written.

Thank you for listening.

HAPPY READING

!