Ten years ago, I wrote a short white paper about machine versus human translation for a local technical communications conference. Back in 1999, part of me worried (a little) that perhaps human translators would be out of work by 2009. Well, in the intervening years, that small doubt faded completely. Human translators will continue to enjoy relative job security — global financial meltdowns and recessions notwithstanding.
Archive for the ‘Featured’ Category
November9
Rise of the Machines?
Companies selling their goods or services often do not ask about language requirements at the onset of their discussions. With any needs assessment, therefore, it is crucial for the topic to be discussed with two goals in mind: 1) to offer the best service to the foreign customer, and 2) to protect profit margins against unbudgeted expenses.
November5
First Impressions Matter
The old adage “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” couldn’t be more true than on the Web. Savvy Web users — especially those conducting business via the Web — have been conditioned to avoid Web sites that don’t appear trustworthy or lack a quality look and feel. This is the most basic human defense mechanism to encountering risk; it’s naïve to think just because computer technology is involved that people will look past the surface. There is so much information to sift through on the Web when trying to find a product or service, users are now applying their own innate filters. We do this in public when engaging individuals we don’t know, and it’s to be expected on the Web.
November1
The TranslationWire Podcast
Machine translation is one of the most popular tools on the Internet. Think “Google Translate” or “Babelfish.” But are you up on the capabilities and limitations of machine translation? Listen to our audio cast with Advanced Language’s president, Scott Bass, to get a quick primer.
