Why are there so many fools who think that online translators are a sufficient means of translation?

Question

Why are there so many fools who think that online translators are a sufficient means of translation?

Answer 1

Because they think translating is easy. In fact, you should never rely on an online translator if you are expecting accuracy.

Answer 2

Anyone who knows more than one language realizes that it's very difficult to translate the exact meaning of a phrase into another language mechanically. There's an old anecdote about an American attempt to come up with an Englis-Russian translator: they fed it the phrase "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"; they got back "the vodka is strong but the meat is rotten." Most of the people who actually believe that machine translation can work probably don't know any language other English. Real translation would require the sort of Artificial Intelligence that computer scientists and cognitive psychologists have been promising for years but have never been able to deliver on, even with Moore's law on their side.

Answer 3

You may think that we will willingly let ourselves be called fools to please you. It takes one to know one.

I can take the translations to work where there are more Mexicans than you can shake a stick at and they can translate it better.

These are in a pinch translations and if one wants a better one they can e-mail their Spanish sentence for me to take for an ac correct translation. Some peoples Spanish sentence is typed incorrectly and the translation sites don't work and the Mexicans may not be able to figure it out either.

People leave out their accent marks and tildes.

Why do the people who have learned English words from their parents and teachers find it impposible to translate it into written words? Huh?

Answer 4

Hehehe - maybe none of these people have ever read a Chinese translation into English.

When I was employed by the Taiwanese government, one of my functions was to write in English what they told me (in English). It's not just that they did not know what to do, they can speak English very well - but just put a pen or a pencil in their hand, and everything falls apart. Speaking for the Chinese language only, their sentence structure AND way of thinking is entirely different from the western way. If you're still not persuaded, read any of the Chinese (or Japanese) instructions for toys or whatever. I run into this problem in a minor way with my Philippine wife every day, where they do not recognise masculine and feminime names, or messing up on "on, in, to, from, etc. The cutest is when she starts telling me about some relative and her wife...

Answer 5

This is the thing the most ridiculous I have ever listened!
No seriously, it's because they think of things in black and white terms. If they want a translation, a translator can give it to them. Besides, there are people who like bluegrass, Lindsay Lohan movies, and Harry Potter. How is this a new high in human stupidity?

Answer 6

THANK YOU, it's so annoying when you ask for a translation and someone gives you something off the internet just because they want two points. If I want an online translation I can do it myself...RIGHT?!!

;)

Answer 7

You are right, although i still use them a lot to find the way to say certain words when i forget how to say them in other languages. They are also very useful to find out how to spell some words in other languages properly. In terms of full sentences, however they are horrible and i do agree with what you say. People should definately stop using them to translate full phrases.

good luck.

Answer 8

Why are there so many fools who think Yahoo Answers is their personal pedestal to belittle people from?

Answer 9

Just wanted to tell you that I have noticed that too and I think it´s very SAD actually. Are people really that foolish? ( I get angry when seeing such a question, that´s why I answered you.) Have a nice summer!

Answer 10

It's better than no translation at all..