Translate accurate

Something always gets lost in translation.

Now that Google Translate works in 50 languages offline for Android phones (which makes it sound like a great travel app), it seemed like a perfect time to test what works, and what doesn’t. Spoiler alert: Proper nouns, beware.

We decided to send the following snippet from the New York Times to a group of translators working in French, Spanish, and Mandarin. The bit is a challenge to Google Translate because of the various forms of verbs, proper nouns, and language that’s idiomatically American. And f you think common colloquialisms won’t pop up when you’re traveling or need a translation, think about how often you’re looking for a “cool” restaurant – how likely are you phrase this as a “popular with fashionable people” restaurant? We’re willing to bet not all that often. Here’s the snippet:

Elaine Stritch is leaving New York.

That is not last month’s news, it is simply her agenda for this early spring day: a trip to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, where she is to sit on a stage and chat about her career, first as a Broadway scene-stealer, more recently as a cabaret regular and a guest star on sitcoms like “30 Rock.”

It is only 10:30 a.m., and already there is trouble. The limousine service sent a sport utility vehicle to the Carlyle Hotel, where she lives. She had it sent back.

Here are the results.

The French human translation:

Elaine Stitch quitte New York.

Ce n’est pas une nouvelle du mois dernier, c’est simplement son agenda pour ce jour de printemps : une excursion au Centre des Arts de Spectacle de Newark, où elle va se retrouver sur scène pour parler de sa carrière, d’abord comme une vedette de Broadway et plus récemment, comme habituée de cabaret et invitée des séries comme « 30 Rock ».

Il n’est que 10h30 et il y a déjà un problème. La compagnie de limousines avait envoyé un quatre-quatre chez elle, à l’Hôtel Carlyle. Elle l’a renvoyé.

And when it’s back in English via Google Translate:

Elaine Stitch leaves New York.

This is not a new last month, it’s just his agenda for this spring day: a trip to the Center of Performing Arts in Newark, where she will be on stage to talk about his career, first as a Broadway star and most recently as accustomed cabaret and guest shows like “30 Rock.”

It’s only 10:30 ET there is already a problem. The limousine company had sent a four-wheel her to the Hotel Carlyle. She returned.

Words like “sports utility vehicle” which can be described in different ways like Jeep, SUV, or four-wheeler with slightly different meanings don’t translate well. Neither do non-standard past, present, and future tenses of words to such an extent that the meaning is obscured. Possessives, especially in Romance languages where they are often attached to the verbs get lost as you can see from “She returned” at the end of the Google Translation, versus the “She had it sent back” in the original text.

If you’d like a Google Translate alternative to compare, here’s the electronically generated French translation from the original text:

Elaine Stritch quitte New York.

Ce n’est pas les nouvelles du mois dernier, il est tout simplement son ordre du jour pour cette journée de printemps précoce: un voyage dans le New Jersey Performing Arts Center à Newark, où elle est de s’asseoir sur une scène et de discuter de sa carrière, d’abord comme Broadway scène stealer, plus récemment, un cabaret régulière et une guest star sur sitcoms comme “30 Rock”.

Ce n’est que 10h30, et déjà il ya des problèmes. Le service de limousine envoyé un véhicule utilitaire sport à l’Hôtel Carlyle, où elle vit. Elle l’avait renvoyé.

The Spanish and Mandarin translations prove quite the same.

Spanish, human translation:

Elaine Stritch se va de Nueva York.

No es una noticia del mes pasado, pero simplemente un punto en la agenda para este día de primavera: un viaje al centro de artes escénicas en Newark, donde va a sentarse y hablar de su carrera, primero como una estrella de Broadway, últimamente como asidua del cabaré y estrella invitada en comedias como “30 rock”.

Solo son las diez y media, y ya hay problemas. El servicio de limusina envió un todoterreno al Carlyle Hotel, donde ella vive. Ella tenía que devolverlo.

And back into English via Google Translate:

There is news of last month, but just a point on the agenda for this spring day: a trip to the Performing Arts Center in Newark, where it will sit and talk about his career, first as a Broadway star, most recently as assiduous cabaret and guest starred in comedies such as “30 rock”.