AI vs. HUMAN TRANSLATION:
WHICH IS BEST?

AI vs. HUMAN TRANSLATION: WHICH IS BEST?

Do you remember when you used Google Translate for the first time, maybe 20 years ago? Results were, well, let’s say “interesting” and often comical. But that was then. Today we have several powerful, technologically evolved engines performing Machine Translation (MT), and the results are often very good. MT technology has been evolving for the last 60 years and has reached a reasonable and often high degree of accuracy.

Modern engines use a Neural Machine Translation technology that is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and a progress is amazing. While only a dozen languages generate excellent results by this powerful technology, the others are following very closely.

Each project is different and each client has different needs, so let’s see what is right for you!

AI / MACHINE TRANSLATION

AI can translate huge amounts of text into other language within minutes. It is very affordable. It is perfect to get the general idea or gist of the text and is usually used to translate internal briefings, instant messaging, social media – text whose translated precision is not important and that has no cultural impact or technical significance.

However, AI normally cannot relate to the context. Many languages have words with multiple meanings, and AI with minimal or no context is unable to differentiate them.

For example, the English word “tears” may have several different meanings: tears in your jeans or tears rolling down your face. Similarly, the word “spring” could be the season, a coil, a brook, or the verb “to jump.” And in the same way, the English words PLAY, LIKE, PARK, LEFT and SWING stated as instructions with no context would most likely be mistranslated by any AI program.

HUMAN TOUCH

Professional, native speaking translators, specialized in your particular subject domain will perform the translation, providing linguistic nuances, scientific or technical accuracy, and a cultural context – but this takes time and money.

Cost is largely based on the number of words in your file and the languages it is going into. Common languages are less expensive than rare languages, and highly technical or specialized material is more expensive than simple text.

Human translators should always be used for every important document and all publicly displayed information. This includes your website, marketing messages, manuals, sales brochures, contracts, and research; videos and electronic games; as well as books.

Human professional translators will provide an accurate rendering of your text, in any language of the globe, culturally adapted; stylistically polished; and portraying the idea and the tone of the writer, where necessary.

AI and HUMAN

When used by professional linguists, technology is a real asset. AI can be used to pre-translate large documents, speeding up the process and reducing your costs. Human professional translators review the machine-generated version, correcting any errors or conceptual problems, and ensuring style and cultural fluency.

For companies, governments, and nonprofits, leveraging automation and human expertise together to produce high-quality translations consistently is the perfect symbiosis.

EXAMPLES of AI vs. HUMAN TRANSLATIONS

Below are examples of an original English business sentence with:

· Pure AI versions into German and French;
· “Back translations” of the AI versions into English so you can compare; and
· Professional-translator editing of the AI version for full accuracy.

To highlight differences, discrepancies between the Original and the AI versions are noted in Red.

ORIGINAL ENGLISH

The Global Sales Incentive Program is completely discretionary and “Company” retains its right to administer the Plans in its sole discretion, including the right to alter, amend, modify, or discontinue at any time without obligation to make an award, unless otherwise specifically required by local law, for any reason, including but not limited to the following:

AI translation into German:

Das Global Sales Incentive Program ist vollständig diskretionär und das Unternehmen behält sich das Recht vor, die Pläne nach eigenem Ermessen zu verwalten, einschließlich des Rechts, jederzeit ohne Verpflichtung zur Vergabe einer Prämie zu ändern, zu ergänzen, zu modifizieren oder einzustellen, sofern nicht ausdrücklich etwas anderes von lokal gefordert wird Gesetz, aus irgendeinem Grund, einschließlich, aber nicht beschränkt auf die folgenden:

Back translation of AI German into English:

The Global Sales Incentive Program is entirely discretionary and the Company reserves the right to administer the plans at its sole discretion, including the right to change, add, modify or discontinue at any time without obligation to award any award, except as expressly provided otherwise required by local law, for any reason, including but not limited to the following:

Far better Human editing into German:

Das Globale Anreizvergütungsprogramm ist vollständig dem eigenen Ermessen des Unternehmens anheimgestellt und “Company” behält sich das Recht vor, die Pläne nach eigenem Ermessen zu verwalten, einschließlich des Rechts, jederzeit ohne Verpflichtung zur Vergabe einer Prämie zu ändern, zu ergänzen, zu modifizieren oder einzustellen, sofern nicht ausdrücklich durch lokale Gesetzgebung vorgeschrieben, aus beliebigen Gründen, einschließlich, aber nicht beschränkt auf des Folgenden:

AI translation into French:

Le programme mondial d’incitation à la vente est entièrement discrétionnaire et “Company” conserve son droit d’administrer les plans à sa seule discrétion, y compris le droit de modifier, d’amender, de modifier ou d’interrompre à tout moment sans obligation d’attribuer une récompense, sauf exigence contraire spécifique par les autorités locales. loi, pour quelque raison que ce soit, y compris, mais sans s’y limiter, ce qui suit :

Back translation of AI French into English:

The Global Sales Incentive Program is entirely discretionary and “Company” retains its right to administer the Plans in its sole discretion, including the right to modify, amend, modify or discontinue at any time without obligation to award a reward, unless specifically required otherwise by local authorities. law, for any reason, including but not limited to the following:

Far better Human editing into French:

Le Global Sales Incentive Program est entièrement discrétionnaire et la “Société” conserve le droit d’administrer les plans à sa seule discrétion, y compris le droit de les modifier, de les amender ou de les interrompre à tout moment sans obligation d’attribution, sauf disposition contraire de la législation locale, pour quelque raison que ce soit, y compris, mais sans s’y limiter, pour les raisons suivantes :

CONCLUSION

Again, for any kind of file — whether business, technical, consumer or simple — a combination of AI with editing by our Master’s-level professional translators with cultural adaptation as needed will guarantee accuracy and make you shine.

Machine Translation Mis-translations

ORIGINAL ENGLISH

Machine translation into German:

Back translation of MT German into English:

Far better Human editing into German:

Machine translation into French:

Back translation of MT French into English:

Far better Human editing into French:

Le plan mondial des primes exceptionnelles est entièrement discrétionnaire et Société conserve son droit d’administrer les plans à sa seule discrétion, y compris le droit d’altérer, d’amender, de modifier ou d’interrompre à tout moment sans obligation afin de faire une attribution, à moins que cela ne soit spécifiquement requis par la loi locale, pour toute raison, y compris, mais sans se limiter aux raisons suivantes: