Translation devices

billddavenport Member

Member since 11 August 2022

billddavenportMember11 August 2022 21:05:33

I was thinking about buying a Pocket talk S. Anyone out there ever use one?

Do they work with Vietnamese?

THIGV ViP

Member since 26 September 2012

THIGVViP11 August 2022 22:00:05

4427

What can this device do that an iPhone or Android phone with the Google Translate app can not do?

Fred Indonesia Expert

Member since 02 August 2009

A smile is the universal welcome.
Max Eastman

FredIndonesia Expert11 August 2022 22:02:29

29254

What can this device do that an iPhone or Android phone with the Google Translate app can not do?
- @THIGV

Their ads claim camera translation- Google can't for Vietnamese

AndyHCMC ViP

Member since 29 February 2020

AndyHCMCViP12 August 2022 00:12:06

1855

What can this device do that an iPhone or Android phone with the Google Translate app can not do?
- @THIGV

Yep no need waste money and carry another gadget - although Google does make some hillerious translations some times.

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member12 August 2022 02:07:29

7211

What can this device do that an iPhone or Android phone with the Google Translate app can not do?
- @THIGV

Their ads claim camera translation- Google can't for Vietnamese
- @Fred

Oh yes it can.

I use my android phone Google Translate app photo translation feature for ti岷縩g Vi峄噒 almost daily, although when that is my specific use I'm starting to use the Google Lens app more often.

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member12 August 2022 02:54:33

7211

What can this device do that an iPhone or Android phone with the Google Translate app can not do?
- @THIGV
Yep no need waste money and carry another gadget - although Google does make some hillerious translations some times.

- @Andybris2020

I'm in the habit of using the "reverse translate" feature quickly before I use the results.

that helps me catch the occasional weird translation before I use it

jayrozzetti23 Serial 暗网禁区

Member since 14 December 2015

jayrozzetti23Serial 暗网禁区12 August 2022 07:34:47

811

What can this device do that an iPhone or Android phone with the Google Translate app can not do?
- @THIGV

Their ads claim camera translation- Google can't for Vietnamese
- @Fred
Oh yes it can.

I use my android phone Google Translate app photo translation feature for ti岷縩g Vi峄噒 almost daily, although when that is my specific use I'm starting to use the Google Lens app more often.
- @OceanBeach92107

Yes, that right, it can, although in my experience, the "Scan" function doesn't work very well because of the slight movement of your hand while holding the phone above/in front of the text.

I found that taking a photo of the text, then clicking on "Import" and choosing the photo for scanning provides good results.

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member12 August 2022 07:47:31

7211

What can this device do that an iPhone or Android phone with the Google Translate app can not do?
- @THIGV

Their ads claim camera translation- Google can't for Vietnamese
- @Fred
Oh yes it can.

I use my android phone Google Translate app photo translation feature for ti岷縩g Vi峄噒 almost daily, although when that is my specific use I'm starting to use the Google Lens app more often.
- @OceanBeach92107

Yes, that right, it can, although in my experience, the "Scan" function doesn't work very well because of the slight movement of your hand while holding the phone above/in front of the text.

I found that taking a photo of the text, then clicking on "Import" and choosing the photo for scanning provides good results.
- @johnross23

That's the way I do it too.

My Samsung S21 has a really great scan feature.

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert12 August 2022 09:13:19

3832

I found that taking a photo of the text, then clicking on "Import" and choosing the photo for scanning provides good results.
- @johnross23

I never even thought of that.
Thank you!

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert12 August 2022 09:25:51

#10

3832

Yep no need waste money and carry another gadget - although Google does make some hillerious translations some times.

- @Andybris2020

Hilarious is right!

When I first arrived here, 2017, I needed a plunger for my sink. I typed "plunger" in Google Translate, and pointed at a toilet on display at the shop.

The shop owner looked befuddled, shocked, and amused all at the same time.

in Google, plunger translates to th峄� l岷穘.

It wasn't until months later that I understood his reaction to me showing him th峄� l岷穘 whilst pointing at a toilet bowl.

In reverse translate, th峄� l岷穘 translates as, ............. diver.

Understandable I guess, as someone who "plunges" is of course a "plunger".

bwahahaha!

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert12 August 2022 10:12:01

#11

3832

I wonder how long before they develop "Google Interpreter",

instead of "Google Translate"?

jayrozzetti23 Serial 暗网禁区

Member since 14 December 2015

jayrozzetti23Serial 暗网禁区12 August 2022 10:38:35

#12

811

I wonder how long before they develop "Google Interpreter",
instead of "Google Translate"?
- @Aidan in HCMC

Well, it can also translate speech already.

Click on "Conversation" at the bottom. Then, it says "Speak now" or click on the microphone icon to activate it. What you say is transcribed into the text box (to make sure it's what you want to say) and then translated and "spoken". Click on the speaker icon to make it repeat.

You have to speak slowly and clearly, and often need to repeat several times to get the correct sentence.

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert12 August 2022 12:04:16

#13

3832

I wonder how long before they develop "Google Interpreter",
instead of "Google Translate"?
- @Aidan in HCMC

Well, it can also translate speech already.

Click on "Conversation" at the bottom. Then, it says "Speak now" or click on the microphone icon to activate it. What you say is transcribed into the text box (to make sure it's what you want to say) and then translated and "spoken". Click on the speaker icon to make it repeat.

You have to speak slowly and clearly, and often need to repeat several times to get the correct sentence.
- @johnross23

Thanks John. I'm familiar with that feature (and most others of Google Trans.).

But that is simply a "speech to text" program. It will give you a word for word translation, not the same as an interpretation.

Now that would be a huge benefit.

e.g. "Just in the nick of time" translates to gibberish when translated ("Ch峄� trong nick c峄 th峄漣 gian")

An interpretation program would produce "V脿o th峄漣膽i峄僲 cu峄慽 c霉ng c贸 th峄�"聽 ("At the last possible moment")

Brick23 Contributor

Member since 25 February 2019

Brick23Contributor13 August 2022 21:24:54

#14

180

e.g. "Just in the nick of time" translates to gibberish when translated ("Ch峄� trong nick c峄 th峄漣 gian")
An interpretation program would produce "V脿o th峄漣膽i峄僲 cu峄慽 c霉ng c贸 th峄�"聽 ("At the last possible moment")

- @Aidan in HCMC

Avoid idiom!

Using Google Translate (or I suppose any software translator) is a bit of an art form, you get better at it the more often you get slapped in the face.

My Vietnamese is good enough now to catch the most egregious errors but like OB said, if I have time or if the consequences of error are non-trivial then I always re-translate it back into English and check it makes sense before boldly deploying it.

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert14 August 2022 07:20:45

#15

3832

e.g. "Just in the nick of time" translates to gibberish when translated ("Ch峄� trong nick c峄 th峄漣 gian")
An interpretation program would produce "V脿o th峄漣膽i峄僲 cu峄慽 c霉ng c贸 th峄�"聽 ("At the last possible moment")

- @Aidan in HCMC

Avoid idiom!

Using Google Translate (or I suppose any software translator) is a bit of an art form, you get better at it the more often you get slapped in the face.

My Vietnamese is good enough now to catch the most egregious errors but like OB said, if I have time or if the consequences of error are non-trivial then I always re-translate it back into English and check it makes sense before boldly deploying it.

- @Brick23

Agreed on the "art form" bit.

No idioms, or colloquialisms, that's for sure. That was a pretty pee-poor example I gave.

But, I've found that even when reverse translating, and the reverse (in English) is precisely what you intended to say, often it is still way off from the message intended. Oh well.

Still, can't wait for "Google Interpreter"

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member19 August 2022 12:38:30

#16

7211

Back in 2019, I had lunch with a friend I met here in the forum, at a Korean BBQ buffet restaurant in Quy Nh啤n.

I'd been there previously, having the buffet with Vietnamese friends.

However, neither one of us was hungry enough to get the buffet, so we decided to order something for tabletop grilling off of the menu.

No English at all (only ti岷縩g Vi峄噒 and Korean) so we did our best to translate it until we discovered something we liked.

I got some type of pork meat, and my friend ordered what we both believed to be "boneless chicken legs" (according to the Google Translate app).

I'm pretty sure the description was

ch芒n g脿 r煤t x瓢啤ng

Google that and see what they served him...

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member19 August 2022 12:49:56

#17

7211

Back in 2019, I had lunch with a friend I met here in the forum, at a Korean BBQ buffet restaurant in Quy Nh啤n.

I'd been there previously, having the buffet with Vietnamese friends.

However, neither one of us was hungry enough to get the buffet, so we decided to order something for tabletop grilling off of the menu.

No English at all (only ti岷縩g Vi峄噒 and Korean) so we did our best to translate it until we discovered something we liked.

I got some type of pork meat, and my friend ordered what we both believed to be "boneless chicken legs" (according to the Google Translate app).

I'm pretty sure the description was

ch芒n g脿 r煤t x瓢啤ng

Google that and see what they served him...
- @OceanBeach92107

Chicken feet! 馃槀馃槀馃槀

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert19 August 2022 18:56:06

#18

3832

@OceanBeach92107

I LOVE chicken feet!

I'd be disappointed that they removed the bones

dong-tao-chicken-1%25255B6%25255D.jpg?im

Aidan in HCMC Vietnam Expert

Member since 23 December 2017

Aidan in HCMCVietnam Expert19 August 2022 19:03:43

#19

3832

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member20 August 2022 07:47:53

#20

7211

Also, if someone who is not a native English-speaking person is using the speech-to-text feature to send a message in English, that can also be problematic...

wits3 Banned

Member since 03 March 2022

wits3Banned21 August 2022 02:32:46

#21

@OceanBeach92107

hmmm. i did not know either feature, partly because i am mainly usinng computer; but i must remember and try those features on my Samsung.

(doesn't fix the problems of the egregious translation errors by Google Translate though - just easier ways to get tehg errors :-) Reverse Translate is the only help there)

wits3 Banned

Member since 03 March 2022

wits3Banned21 August 2022 02:38:15

#22

Subject: Translation Comments

Google Translate makes quite dangerous mistranslations. Translation errors are not a trivial thing! And lead to confusion at best, And dangerous and harmful misunderstandings or more at worse.

Translations, espec of tonal contextual languages like Vietnamese, are extremely problematic.

The INHERENT dangerous problem with any translation is that neither the person doing the translation, nor person receiving the problem, KNOWS that there are any errors.

Can you see the inherent problem?

Take a real world example. You are trying to discuss something with someone who only speaks 'tieng Viet'. Someone there purports to be able to translate your English into his tieng Viet.

How on earth do you know that what he says in tieng Viet is remotely like what you said???? YOU DON'T!

And how do you know what is translated back to you in tieng Anh (English) is remotely like what the Vietnamese person said??? YOU DON'T!

And in Vietnam, and possible other similar countries, many people say their English is good, when in fact you discover with use, it is bloody hopeless.

And, further, people will tell you someone else's English is good - but in fact, if they do not speak English, how would they actually know??? How would they know if their translations and English explanations were even close to correct?

Google Translate is particularly problematic! Often it can't even get single words right, let alone a paragraph or more.

Foe example, if I say "Is it close?", Google will (has!) translate that as "Is it closED?" when that is not even a direct translation!

And for far more egregious examples, Google will often take the word "not"聽 completely out of the translation. Have a think about what THAT does to the translation!

In other cases. Google will decide it doesn't need to include certain sentences or paras, and will just delete them altogether.

The only way to try to check/determine if the translation is roughly correct is to use the Reverse Translate function all the time. And, check particularly for the two problems above.

This way you will see what the translation actually roughly means compared to what you wrote.

Even this is problematic if you try to go back and forth.

You want to see 'funny'? Use Reverse Translate, and go back and forth between translate 3-4 times. The Reverse Translate meaning will change to something quite different to the original, even though you didn't change a word of your original text.

To correct translation errors using this tool, you go back to the English Reverse translation (not your original), and change selected words that have been badly translated, and try to use a word that is easier to translate, and roughly the correct desired meaning, and check again. Try to use words that are simple and unambiguous.

Please try
诲颈肠迟.濒补产补苍.惫苍听
tatoeba.org/eng/sentences/search?query=%3Dwork&from=eng&to=vie&user=&orphans=no&unapproved=no&has_audio=&tags=&list=&native=&trans_filter=limit&trans_to=vie&trans_link=&trans_user=&trans_orphan=no&trans_unapproved=no&trans_has_audio=&sort_reverse=&page=2&sort=relevance
translate.systran.net/?lang=en
vdict.com/
translatedict.com/index.html#vi
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english-vietnamese/computer
7esl.com/picture-dictionary/

none of this actually answers your question of course. :-)

but this Post was mainly to address Google Translate issues

PS i thought i had posted this draft 1-2 weeks ago, but it seems not.

OceanBeach92107 VIP Member

Member since 31 January 2018

OceanBeach92107VIP Member21 August 2022 03:27:36

#23

7211

Subject: Translation Comments

Google Translate makes quite dangerous (SNIP)

- @wits3

A bit of hyperbole, methinks.

However, even if it is as you characterize it, we aren't addressing the necessity to learn from the translation mistakes.

For instance, one of the links you provided deals with the many uses of "work" (and works, worked, etc).

Instead of me saying that I get a bad translation when I ask, "Are you going to work?", I learn to make a query using different English words, while also keeping in mind quirks of the Vietnamese language.

So I might instead ask "You go job?" which translates "B岷 膽i l脿m?" which reverse translates "You go to work?"

Hopefully, I'll remember that short phrase and morph it for other uses:

You go shop?

B岷 膽i mua s岷痬?

(Reverse: You go shopping?)

You go Hanoi?

B岷 膽i h脿 n峄檌?

Google translate has actually taught me a lot about how I use the English language, and how my usage might not freely translate into another language.

I'd like to think that I'm a little less lazy in my use of terms and cliche phrases, thanks in part to the feedback I get (receive) from Google Translate.

Brick23 Contributor

Member since 25 February 2019

Brick23Contributor22 August 2022 10:24:41

#24

180

Back in 2019, I had lunch with a friend I met here in the forum, at a Korean BBQ buffet restaurant in Quy Nh啤n.

I'd been there previously, having the buffet with Vietnamese friends.

However, neither one of us was hungry enough to get the buffet, so we decided to order something for tabletop grilling off of the menu.

No English at all (only ti岷縩g Vi峄噒 and Korean) so we did our best to translate it until we discovered something we liked.

I got some type of pork meat, and my friend ordered what we both believed to be "boneless chicken legs" (according to the Google Translate app).

I'm pretty sure the description was

ch芒n g脿 r煤t x瓢啤ng

Google that and see what they served him...
- @OceanBeach92107

Haha yes Vietnamese doesn't distinguish particularly well between legs and feet anyway, and there is no such thing in Vietnam as boneless chicken. It seems to be prepared in all cases to deliver the maximum amount of bone and cartilage unto the diner. Vietnamese chickens are freaky looking critters though, maybe it's impossible to carve them in a saner fashion