| Many companies in need of translation usually do not | | | | taken into consideration by software that translates |
| understand what they need. Given this ignorance, | | | | word-by-word. |
| they may come up with the idea of getting | | | | Think of grammar differences between languages. In |
| translations done automatically by a computer | | | | English the second person of the personal pronoun |
| software. Once this is tried and tested for the first | | | | takes the same form for singular and plural: "you." In |
| time, it is usually the last time, because the translation | | | | Spanish, there are four forms, two for singular |
| does not serve its original purpose: to communicate | | | | (formal and informal) and two for plural (formal and |
| effectively with its target audience. | | | | informal). The software does not recognize this |
| Consider the following before you decide to purchase | | | | difference, making the conjugation of the verb that |
| an automated translation software: | | | | accompany the pronoun incorrect, because the verb |
| I will give you the example of Spanish, as this is a | | | | in English almost always remains the same. |
| language that I am fluent in. Think first about the | | | | Automated software does not know these nuances. |
| register the language is using. In Spanish, there are | | | | Your audience will most likely be from a given region |
| two ways of addressing people, formal and informal. | | | | of the target language. For example, in South |
| In English, there is only one. Not only do pronouns | | | | America each country uses a different variant of |
| change depending upon the register being used, but | | | | Spanish. The nouns vary completely from one |
| verbs and other words change too. The software | | | | country to another. Just think of the differences |
| does not know what kind of register the people are | | | | between Australian, Canadian, British, and American |
| using, and therefore poorly communicates entire | | | | English. Even though you still understand each other, |
| sentences. | | | | every country has its own linguistic nuances. |
| Then there is the word choice from the software. | | | | Try it for yourself. Go to a website in a different |
| Imagine a newscaster. The language and the choice | | | | language and copy some text. Go to Google |
| of words would be completely different than if the | | | | translate. Paste the foreign language text and |
| same words were being used while a father speaks | | | | translate into English. Read the translation, and you |
| to his son. This is because the software does not | | | | will see my point exactly. |
| recognize who the speaker is, who he is addressing, | | | | A good translation depends completely on the |
| if there is a difference in rank, social status, or the | | | | translator's ability to capture the essence of the text |
| like. Think of English. Imagine kids playing soccer in | | | | by using creativity-something only the human brain |
| the street in a low-class neighborhood. These children | | | | can achieve. Translating is an art. Software just puts |
| would not use the same vocabulary as a headmaster | | | | words together, leaving much to be desired. |
| would who is addressing a teacher. All this is not | | | | |