Machine translation editing

[Svetlana E]

I wonder what people think of machine translation editing. Is it not easier just to translate anew? : )

I might have missed something and machines became really smart in translating. Things I remember were funny, like "We accept express Americans" and such... 

Please share your experience, if you have.

[Melissa T]

Many moons ago I worked in localization. There was a client who insisted we try out some machine translations (in an effort to save on budget), despite our objections. Some of the best examples of how bad it was had to do with feminine/masculine words and the swapping of "s/he" for "it" and vice versa. Things along the lines of: "Install the software on the computer and run him." 

[Svetlana E]

Melissa T

Not so bad. May be I should revise my attitude. What was the machine if I may ask?

[Melissa T]

Gosh, Svetlana, it was so long ago I don't recall. Must have been 2007 or so. I miss working in localization. Cultural studies were some of my most enjoyable work!

[Svetlana E]

Melissa T

Ah, I know, leaving the most enjoyable behind : )

Anyway, I am glad I started the talk. Now I see I've been holding to the old idea that the MT is funny, and it's time to reconsider.

What do you focus on lately, by the way?

[Melissa T]

Svetlana, I'm a graphic designer and program manager. I was doing that in the localization field, as well, but I did long jaunts in pharma and advertising since then. 

MT can be quite funny, but there have been leaps and bounds made in the tech. I have to give credit where credit is due. :-)

[Sarfaraz B]

Although I favor translating anew because of the awkward sentences generated by machines, look how far AI has come!

Bot or not http://botpoet.com/

This website is a Turing test for poetry. You, the judge, have to guess whether the poem you’re reading is written by a human or by a computer.

[Preston H]

re: "You, the judge, have to guess whether the poem you’re reading is written by a human or by a computer."

I would just assume the poem was written by a computer... Because who writes poetry any more?

[Janean L]

@ Preston --

Who writes poetry?

Moody middle- and high-school girls. Many of them, TOO many of them. Most of them who confuse "free-verse" with "write anything, break the lines at random places, and then it's automatically poetry." Virtually all of the worst of the "poets" who write about tragic love and dark places and broken hearts and being trapped and/or misunderstood. A not-insignificant portion of whom hint at suicide. (As a "mandated reporter," I should, and must, deal with any of these latter, even in the cases where I cynically suspect that the writer is on balance happy and well-adjusted, but is momentarily seeking thrills and attention.)

I. Hate. High-School. Poetry.

[Svetlana E]

Why, @Janean L ? : )

I write a verse sometimes. I am not a school girl, I wish I was. And I don't see how it has to be seeking for thrill or attention, if it's just one form of literature. Pretty much same as expressing ideas with a.. blog post. Well, may be not for money.

May be I missinterpret 'poetry' first hand.

But if you think of it, most of the texts ever created ( and I mean text as cultural entity ) are about being trapped and/or misunderstood. Look at Notre-Dame de Paris, King Lear, St. John the Baptist (what a dark place indeed)... Look at any movie worth watching and any art worth seeing.

Even some How to get rich in 12 seconds is about the same. It's just a rule of storytelling, to contempalte on a big problem. What's awful in that?

Janean L