Translating between different languages can be one of the most difficult tasks that a student of foreign languages may be required to do. While some instances may be relatively simple, there are other instances in which the process is considerably more difficult. While there are many different situations in which someone may wish to translate between languages, I’ll be focusing on general academic work here.
If a student is studying a foreign language, they may have an idea that they wish to express, either verbally or in writing, but they may not know the proper words to use because they have not learned the words that they need yet. In this case, it is possible that the student will do research and attempt to find the word or words that they need in order to be able to express their ideas or thoughts. While there are many ways to go about translating effectively, let’s look at machine translations and how they can be both beneficial and harmful, depending on the situation.
In general, machine translation tools, like Google Translate, tend to translate things literally. Because of this, some expressions that may sound just fine in some languages may not turn out well when put through a machine translation process. One such example is the Japanese term 切れ者, a sharp (as in intelligent/capable) person. Put 切れ者 into Google Translate and it will result in “cut person”, which is definitely not what the writer would be looking for in that situation. In general, such translations should be checked against multiple sources to see if they make sense.
There are times, however, when machine translations tend to be rather helpful, such as when translating simple sentences or words and phrases that are not used as slang. Simple sentences or individual words, like “I ate steak for lunch” or “food” will give you accurate results. However, if you put the English phrase “buy the farm” into Google Translate and have it translated into Japanese and it will translate it literally instead of giving something that reflects the term’s actual use in English.
If you are attempting to use machine translation tools, it’s important to check to be sure that the translation accurately reflects the ideas that you are trying to convey. One other important consideration is to ensure that you are using words that are appropriate to your level of fluency. If you have just started learning a language, for example, you probably would not be expected to know more advanced words, phrases, and grammar. While learning more advanced aspects of the language you are learning is always good, ensure that you are still using forms of the language that are in common use; if you use words or phrases that are outdated or otherwise not in common use, it makes your use of language seem unnatural, so in that case, it may be better to use something simple, instead.