MACHINE TRANSLATION A precious key to communicate beyond linguistic barriers 1

What is a Machine Translation? “Machine Translation is a computerised system responsible for production of translations from one natural language into another with or without human assistance” (Hutchins & Somers, 1992:3) 2

What is a Machine Translation? Machine Translation system is a software that produces the translation, where Machine Translation system is a software that produces the translation, where The Input is the source text that we are trying to translate; The Input is the source text that we are trying to translate; The Output is the target text, The Output is the target text, that is, the translation that we obtain. that is, the translation that we obtain. 3

What is a Machine Translation? Nowadays Machine Translation are widely used on the web, thanks to free online services, such as: Google Translate Google Translate BabelFish BabelFish Free Translation Free Translation Microsoft Translator Microsoft Translator 4

Historical origins of Machine Translation Research on Machine Translation systems started in the 1960s during the Cold War, where United States focused on the translation from Russian to English. Research on Machine Translation systems started in the 1960s during the Cold War, where United States focused on the translation from Russian to English. However the result were not sufficient, because the Machine Translation systems were less accurate than human translation. However the result were not sufficient, because the Machine Translation systems were less accurate than human translation. 5

Limits of Machine Translation Even today, people agree that fully automatic high quality Machine Translation for unlimited texts is not possible. Even today, people agree that fully automatic high quality Machine Translation for unlimited texts is not possible. Machine Translation systems make mistakes and have limitations. Machine Translation systems make mistakes and have limitations. However, internet users are tolerant, because Machine Translation systems are free and fast. However, internet users are tolerant, because Machine Translation systems are free and fast. 6

Frequent mistakes with MT The main problem of using computers to translate is the lack of real world knowledge: Presence of structural ambiguity, Presence of structural ambiguity, e.g. I don’t eat raw eggs and meat e.g. I don’t eat raw eggs and meat This sentence could be seen as: I don’t eat both raw eggs and meat I don’t eat both raw eggs and meat I don’t eat raw eggs. I don’t eat meat I don’t eat raw eggs. I don’t eat meat 7

Frequent mistakes with MT Presence of idiomatic expressions Presence of idiomatic expressions e.g. IT - fare la doccia e.g. IT - fare la doccia EN - to have a shower EN - to have a shower e.g.2 HR - napraviti domaću zadaću e.g.2 HR - napraviti domaću zadaću (where napraviti means “do” and “make”) (where napraviti means “do” and “make”) EN – to make homework EN – to make homework 8

Frequent mistakes with MT Presence of proper names Presence of proper names e.g. EN George Bean IT George Fagiolo (legume) IT George Fagiolo (legume) e.g. 2 EN Pink (the singer) HU rózsaszín (colour) HU rózsaszín (colour) 9

How to avoid mistakes with MT As we said full automation of translations As we said full automation of translations is not possible. is not possible. We have to prevent linguistic problems that are normal for us, but not for the computer. We have to prevent linguistic problems that are normal for us, but not for the computer. 10

How to avoid mistakes with MT One solution consists in the change of the structure of the source text, to be easly comprehensive for the computer. This solution has a name: the Pre-editing, This solution has a name: the Pre-editing, how to simplify the input. how to simplify the input. 11

The pre-editing Let’s make an example: My cat cannot listen to the radio, because it is deaf. Where the pronoun “it” refers to “cat” and not to the “radio” Where the pronoun “it” refers to “cat” and not to the “radio” For human being this process is automatic, but not for the computer. For human being this process is automatic, but not for the computer. 12

The pre-editing So, we have to avoid ambiguities, creating an artificial sentence that is easy to translate for Machine Translation. 1. My cat cannot listen to the radio, because it it is deaf. 1.A My cat cannot listen to the radio. My cat is deaf. 1.B My deaf cat cannot listen to the radio. 13

Correct use of Machine Translation Remeber to use a correct formatting of the source text: Punctuation Punctuation Spaces Spaces Hard returns Hard returns For example, if you do not put a full stop, the computer could think that the two sentences are one. As a consequence, the meaning is different. 14

Conclusions Even though translations produced by Machine Translation systems are not perfect, Even though translations produced by Machine Translation systems are not perfect, it could be an essential tool to communicate and read texts in a foreign language that we don’t know. it could be an essential tool to communicate and read texts in a foreign language that we don’t know. Machine Translation systems are free, easy and ready to use. Machine Translation systems are free, easy and ready to use. 15

Thanks for your attention! for your attention! 16