The introduction of translation software has greatly contributed to overcoming language barriers induced by globalization. Although English has become a universally recognized language in cross-border communication, international business affairs, and global media, the importance of translation as a means of reaching a broader audience remains essential.
Media outlets, book publishers, film distributors, and retailers broaden their reach by introducing their products to foreign markets in multiple languages. Corporations are also expected to hire professional translators, both written and oral, when dealing with partners abroad. For small businesses and online publications with smaller budgets, translation software often proves to be a viable alternative to expensive translation services and costly employees.
People are eager to adopt these technological advantages in daily communication. In an attempt to improve their web experience, Internet users often turn to online machine translators when viewing content on foreign websites. It gives them access to information that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to read, and for people who aren’t fluent in English, this is a huge advantage.
However, the use of free translations has been widely criticized by educational institutions, web experts, and interested individuals. In his opinion, such services produce less than stellar results and provide a watered-down version of the source material, only adequate to give a general impression of the translated content.
Google Translate is the most popular online translation service and the low quality of its machine translations is often cited as an example of criticism against free translators. The service commonly faces literal translation issues and an inability to identify proper terminology.
The quality of any translation largely depends on the translator’s ability to recognize the context and tone of the source material, and any machine lacks this ability. Conventions, metaphors, and idioms are often misinterpreted by computer programs, even if their developers have programmed the correct interpretations. There is always room for errors related to context or sentences that will seem awkward to a human reader.
The disadvantages of free translation software substantially limit the range of its uses, but the advantages are plentiful as well. Google Translate and its likes do not require payment for their services. The undeniable speed and intuitive design of web-based translation applications allow an entire web page to be translated on the spot, giving the Internet user instant access to the content of a foreign website.
Common criticisms of free translation software stem largely from its misuse and do not mean that it should not be used at all. People who value speed and ease of use or who do not wish to purchase expensive software or translation services will be completely satisfied with the results provided by free translation software.
On the other hand, people who require high quality service in their business or course should never use free software for that purpose. They will benefit most from manual or computer-assisted translation, which allows a competent person to control the process.
However, the most cost-effective approach would be to combine these methods and use the translation provided by the free software as a reference for a manual translator who is fluent in both languages.