01 October 2009

Giant step towards multilinguality

This is a news item from Google:

Google gadget lets websites go multilingual

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 09:34:00 10/01/2009

"SAN FRANCISCO – Google on Wednesday released free software that lets website operators automatically translate online pages into any of 51 languages.

"A 'translator gadget' powered by Google Translate offers to transform pages for visitors if the language settings in their browsers are different from the language of a particular website, according to Google product manager Jeff Chin.

"'Automatic translation is convenient and helps people get a quick gist of the page,' Chin said in a blog post.

"'However, it's not a perfect substitute for the art of professional translation.'

"In August the Internet giant added automatic translation to Google Docs allowing users to translate documents into 42 languages.

"The 'Tools' menu on Google Docs now includes a 'Translate Document' feature which provides a list of the various languages offered, which run from Albanian to Icelandic to Vietnamese.

"The Mountain View, California-based company has already built automatic translation features into its popular email program Gmail and into services such as its blog reader."

Once most readers become multilingual, in the sense that they will no longer think that one language is more important than another and will be dissatisfied with reading in only one language, multilingual literature will gain in appeal and importance. Instead of being marginalized as it is now, it will become the mainstream, in a perfect example of what Raymond Williams described as the historical process of the emergent becoming a dominant form.

What a great gift from Google on International Translation Day!
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1 comment:

  1. Anonymous01 October, 2009 18:42

    Dark nights washed by distant rippling trees
    and alien winds covering your eyelids, purifying
    like everything, move on with splendid ease
    leaving us a message: life will never cease
    its sleepy course in vain
    in order to attain
    rebirth, since Death is not and Life is dying.

    The heat around Time's corner waves a scent
    for creedence revival of some virtual vampire
    as deep inside. A force considered spent
    returns from utter non-existence that was meant
    to keep us out of breath -
    Is Life both Life and Death?
    Riddle of the Night! The Day be hot and dire.

    My Poetry Blog

    http://singleswingle.blogspot.com/

    More...

    Adiós, mis vacas! Que pasa en esta temporada de tristeza?
    La soledad se cultiva en las ciudades;
    viva la muerte.
    Uno no debe imaginar que el hombre es bueno.
    El paisaje se despierta en un fiel espejo, pregunte.

    La noche ha porches de la siesta en ruinas con pistacho.
    Débiles enemigos se disipa amigos sin
    valor. La calle es corta.
    Hay falta de coherencia, la esperanza y la fe.
    Todas las puertas evitadas saludan: No pasarán.

    My tentatively spanish poetry blog;

    http://hollb.blogspot.com/

    Portuguese:

    http://kraxport.blogspot.com/

    Typically Swedish Next Door Girls Collection För Your LAPTOP!

    :o)

    My philosophy:

    http://windormirrow.blogspot.com/

    Mein Geist:

    http://anrud.blogspot.com/

    My Babe Misogyn Wallpapers:

    http://screenfonds.blogspot.com/

    Feel free to announce your blog on mine.

    - Peter Ingestad, Sweden

    ReplyDelete

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